Written by: Kaitlyn Burkhart

Any person who has served his or her four years in public highschool knows what a positive – or not – experience it can be. While the stories of teen depression, tech-savvy bullies, and even suicides increase, it seems as if authority figures in and out of the teen scene are at a loss for ways to answer the question, ‘How can we improve relationships between students?’ Two years ago, this question was passed to a handful of students in an Albany, Ore. high school, and as it turns out, they had a pretty good answer.

At the start of the 2009-2010 school year, West Albany High School health teacher Laura Blackwell asked this question of her service learning class, known as PEERS, a class designed to make its’ students socially aware of their peers, and to teach them how to be a part of and promote a healthy environment for the entire school. There had been long running curiosity on the benefits of a ‘Challenge Day’, a program centered around improving relationship amongst students with a six-and-a-half hour long workshop where students play get-to-know-you games, listen to several guest speakers, and then are divided into small groups for a guided discussion. When a body of students commits to the workshop, as is usually the case, it becomes and emotional, enlightening, and gratifying experience for every person involved. The idea was widely accepted between the two periods of PEERS classes, though they were not so keen on the idea of paying thousands of dollars for the Challenge Day organization to come for one day. They believed that they had the leadership capable of pulling off a Challenge Day of their own, and the PEERS classes entered the development stage of their own program.

A few months later ‘Impact Day’ was born.

On it’s test run in the spring of 2010, Impact Day pulled 100 students from the junior and senior classes for a day long workshop. Impact day loosely followed the outline of Challenge Day, though with games, speakers and presentation individualized to the West Albany High School students, as well as other games and activities that the school has been playing in pep assemblies for years. With the students familiarity with the leadership, location, and events, Impact Day was hailed as a success and slated for two more reappearances for the junior and senior classes again in the 2010-2011 school year.

Class of 2012 Seniors playing a get to know you game on their Impact Day in November.

After some small tweaks, the event concluded a three-run-strong test drive, and was brought before the Greater
Albany Public School board in the summer of 2011. After approval, Principal Susan Orsborn announced that for the 2012-2013 school year, Impact Day would be mandatory for all students, and made plans for four different event days throughout the year, each dedicated to a specific class with specific materials to cover the issues that each age group faces. So far this year, two Impact Days have passed, for the juniors and seniors it has made a big change. “You can see it,” says senior Lindsey Ridler, “You can see it in people’s body language in large groups, in the way they talk to each other one on one, in the atmosphere itself. You can tell that something changed, even if you can’t place your finger on the specifics.”

West Albany High School has since become a model for several other schools looking to improve the social health of their students, including South Albany, Lebanon and Crescent Valley High Schools, all centered in the Willamette Valley in Oregon.

Technorati Tags: bullying, challenge day, highschool, impact day, social health, students

Written By: Amy Pritchard

Fighting arthritis pain with leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) should be general practice. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), throughout the U.S. adults with arthritis have higher rates of no leisure-time physical activity compared to adults without arthritis. Using the data found in a recent Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) automated survey, there is a nation wide disparity between no LTPA in adults with arthritis and those without arthritis. The startling discrepancy between the two groups has prompted the CDC along with The Arthritis Foundation to promote federal initiatives to increase health communication campaigns directed to arthritis sufferers as well as promote community-based low impact exercise programs and disease-specific training for exercise professionals.

Prevalence of no LTPA ranged from less than 20% in Colorado and Minnesota to 40% or more in Tennessee.

Despite the overwhelming research indicating physical activity improves mental and physical quality of life, arthritis sufferers are hindered to start an exercise routine due to a fear of injury, chronic joint pain, and a general lack of knowledge of safe and appropriate levels of activities. Physical activity need not be strenuous to obtain benefits; 30 minutes of brisk walking can be broken up into three 10 minute sessions. Adults with arthritis who reported having no leisure-time activity make up >33% of the adults per state who reported no LTPA.

The Arthritis Foundation initiated a wellness campaign to increase LTPA called Fight Arthritis Pain. The question asked, prompts adults with arthritis to answer the question, “How do you fight arthritis pain?” A national ad supporting LTPA shows Billie Jean King fighting arthritis with tennis.

“In 2012, the CDC Arthritis Program will initiate work with the American College of Sports Medicine to develop an arthritis-specific, skills-based training and certification program for fitness professionals” (CDC). Medical practitioners and fitness professionals should educate adults with arthritis on low impact disease-specific exercises in an effort to increase physical activity and quality of life. Consequently, increasing information and community-based exercise programs will decrease the overall rate of no LTPA in U.S. adults.

Although research has shown that physical activity decreases the occurrence of pain and suffering in chronic disease patients the BRFSS survey uncovers a prevalence of no leisure-time physical activity in adults with arthritis compared to adults without arthritis. The CDC will work to promote health education for patients with arthritis. Information targeted to these patients will include disease-specific exercise programs available and the benefits of physical activity. The CDC will also work on fostering policy and environmental initiatives that impact and benefit patients with arthritis. The ultimate goal is to decrease the national no LTPA rate for all adults, particularly those who suffer from arthritis pain.

Technorati Tags: arthritis, CDC, Centers for Disease Control, health, physical activity

The Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston, Texas recently released information about the “club drug” Ketamine, that is most widely used as an anesthetic, stating that it can quickly relieve symptomsof major depressive disorder.

Ketamine, before this miraculous discovery, was mostly used as a recreational drug under the nicknames “Special K” or just plain “K.” When used illicitly, Ketamine can cause a temporary episode of psychosis, including hallucinations and a dissociative state of mind.

When administered intravenously by a doctor, Ketamine is a very powerful new tool, fighting depression in some patients in as little as 40 minutes and lasting anywhere from one to two weeks. This is very different from the traditional antidepressant, which takes anywhere from two to four weeks to fully take effect, and could increase suicidal thoughts in children, teens, and young adults.

“This is supposed to help for a couple months. The study is still under way, so it’s hard for us to know now how long the effects will last. Will it cure depression for a year or longer? I don’t think so. But we’re hoping it will work for a few months in the second trial,” said Dr. Asim Shah, who directs the mood disorder program at Ben Taub General Hospital.

This new use for Ketamine gives a lot of people who were helpless and hopeless, hope again. For the 40 percent of individuals who did not respond to traditional antidepressants, those used in inhibiting serotonin and norepinephrine, Ketamine seems to work wonders for them on the first dose. Now, patients such as these can see a doctor on a weekly, or biweekly basis and get relief from their depression.

A bottle of liquid Ketamine before it is administered to a patient.

Researchers at Yale University have identified the chemical pathway and key enzyme involved in Ketamine’s actual restoration of connections between brain cells. The enzyme is called mTOR, and it is critical in the synthesis the nerve cells need to repair at their synapses. This raises a couple questions: Does this mean that Ketamine can also prevent relapse in those with depression? And, does this mean that those synapses are permanently fixed?

Senior author Dr Ronald Duman, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at Yale University and a team of colleagues, tested the drug on rat’s depression-like behavior and found it to drastically improve their behavior. As stated above, he also found that it restored connections between neurons or brain cells that had been damaged by chronic stress.

It is a doctor’s hope that this temporary relief from depression will give patients enough courage and faith that they can, too, get better.

By: Christina Paone

Technorati Tags: Antidepressant, Dr. Ronald Duman, K, Ketamine, Special K

Written by: Alexandra Paskulin

Nicotine vaporizers, otherwise known as e-cigarettes, are gaining popularity and giving cigarette smokers a cleaner, healthier, more environmentally safe option. Despite popular opposition, e-cigarettes help thousands of people quit smoking.

Invented in China by Hon Lik in 2003, electronic cigarettes vaporize nicotine cartridges with an atomizer, a heating element that heats the nicotine solution in the cartridge until it becomes vapor that in then inhaled by the user. Cartridges come in either replaceable or refillable varieties (refills take the form of liquid nicotine in varying strengths and flavors). The vaporizing mechanism is powered by a rechargeable battery. E-cigarettes come in a wide variety of styles and are produced by dozens of companies worldwide. According to popular vaporizer community website Electroniccigarettesreviews.net, the top three e-cigarette manufactures are The Safe Cig, Green Smoke, and V2 Cigs. As their names suggest, e-cigarettes are being hailed by the smoking community as revolutionary.

For smokers of traditional cigarettes, switching to a nicotine vaporizer can be, literally, life saving. E-cigarettes contain none of the carcinogenic chemicals found in traditional cigarettes! Because they emit harmless vapor, e-cigarettes pose no danger to others in the style of second-hand smoke. Vapor converts report improved respiratory health and increased energy, not to mention the freedom to vape anywhere, the elimination of cigarette smell and an inevitable decrease in the necessary for frequent laundry. E-cigarettes can also be less expensive than tobacco cigarettes depending on the individual. Greensmoke.com has a handy calculator to determine potential savings.

A study published in the Journal of Public Health Policy in February 2011 by Zachary Cahn and Michael Siegel of the Boston University School of Public Health concluded “Few, if any, chemicals at levels detected in electronic cigarettes raise serious health concerns.” In fact, the overwhelming benefits of nicotine vaporizers over traditional smoking should eliminate the concern over e-cigarettes as a gateway device into tobacco smoking. In addition to personal and social health benefits, the lack of smoke and cigarette-related trash make vaporizers dramatically better for the environment. However, public support for e-cigarettes in the United States is severely lacking.

This diagram, courtesy of Nytimes.com, displays the parts of the device. Inventor Hon Lik first envisioned the vaporizer as a cloud of fog.

Instead of supporting e-cigarettes as a healthy alternative for smokers, a 2011 statement by the FDA declared that e-cigarettes would be regulated under the same laws as tobacco products despite containing no tobacco whatsoever. Instead of recognizing the potential life-saving benefits of nicotine vaporizing for smokers, e-cigarettes are being lumped in with regular smoking in an upcoming 2014 University of California campus-wide ban on smoking as well a ban from use on airplanes. FDA.gov states that “Because clinical studies about the safety and efficacy of these products have not been submitted to FDA, consumers currently have no way of knowing whether e-cigarettes are safe.” However Michael Siegel argues, “The FDA and major anti-smoking groups keep saying that we don’t know anything about what is in electronic cigarettes. The truth is, we know a lot more about what is in electronic cigarettes than regular cigarettes.” As more smokers switch to vaporizers, the question will be whether government agencies are willing to accept non-toxic nicotine consumption in a vein similar to popular caffeine consumption. “I feel like they just don’t want us to have our cake and eat it too,” says one vaper who quit tobacco cigarettes last month. Despite FDA claims that e-cigarettes are marketed toward children, nicotine vaporizers carry an 18 and over restriction and many popular e-cigarette websites prompt age verification before loading.

Public opinion toward nicotine consumption could be experiencing dramatic changes. In addition to the rise of e-cigarettes, nicotine has been involved in recent studies as a treatment for ulcerative colitis, depression, Alzheimer’s, OCD, and ADHD. For smokers looking to switch, more information can be found at Electroniccigarettesreviews.net and Puresmoker.com.

Technorati Tags: e-cigarettes, nicotine, smoking alternatives, vaporizers

Written by: Shauna Bannan

Common flavonoid-rich fruits and vegetables.

People who add a moderate amount of flavonoids, plant compounds found in food and beverages, to their diets are less likely to suffer from serious health problems, recent studies show.

There are over 4,000 compounds classified as flavonoids, many of which can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as tea, beer, wine, nuts, and soy. Research suggests that the naturally occurring plant compounds have a number of beneficial effects on human health, including a reduced risk of cancer, asthma, stroke, and heart disease.

A recent study conducted on nearly 100,000 older U.S. adults found that those who consumed the most amount of flavonoids were less likely to die of heart disease or stroke, compared to those who consumed the least amounts, over the next seven years. The participants were divided into groups of five – based on their flavonoid intake. One-fifth of those with the highest level of plant compounds were 18 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular trouble than the group with the lowest intake.

A study conducted at UCLA found that smokers who consumed high levels of these compounds in their diets were less likely to develop lung cancer.

“What we found was extremely interesting, that several types of flavonoids are associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer among smokers,” said Dr. Zuo-Feng Zhang, a researcher and professor of public health and epidemiology at UCLA. “The findings were especially interesting because tobacco smoking is the major risk factor for lung cancer.”

Zhang suggests that flavonoids may prevent cancer cells from blocking, in addition to blocking the formation of blood vessels that tumors develop.

The secret lies within the compound’s antioxidant activity. Like other antioxidants, flavonoids provide the body with protection against cellular damage. Due to the common high intake of fruits, vegetables, tea, and wine, these plant-based compounds may, at times, have stronger antioxidant abilities than those of vitamins C and E.

Many of these foods are consumed on a daily basis. Most vegetables, particularly those that are green and red, contain high levels of the compound. Tree fruits, spices, and beverages, including red wine and tea of all types, are also among a long list of flavonoid-rich foods.

“Even adding one serving of flavonoid-rich food a day could be beneficial,” said Marjorie L. McCullough, lead researcher of the American Cancer Society in Atlanta. “Flavonoid-rich foods are the types of foods we should be eating anyway.”

Technorati Tags: beverages, cancer, flavonoids, Fruits, health, health problems, heart disease, lung cancer, plant compounds, stroke, vegetables

Don't let this become you

Written by: Jill Heagerty

The most common type of mental illness are anxiety disorders, affecting 18 percent of Americans. We all experience anxiety occasionally from high levels of stress, but it is important to recognize the dangers of letting it go too far. There are three forms of this disorder: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobic disorder.

Generalized anxiety disorder is a long-lasting, consistent feeling of being overwhelmed. This is the trickiest one to spot because anyone can fee anxiety for extended periods For diagnosis, doctors typically say if the feeling lasts for 6 months tIt can be a symptom of substance abuse, something chronic marijuana users should watch out for who think their choice of drug comes with little consequences.

Sufferers of panic disorder have short attacks of intense apprehension, frequently known as panic attacks, that include shaking, nausea, and trouble breathing. The scariest part about this anxiety disorder is it can escalate into agoraphobia, a fear of getting into situations that are challenging to escape. Sufferers can become so afraid of triggering another attack from these stressful situations that they don’t want to leave the comfort of their own homes, and what kind of life can these poor people lead if they are terrified of walking out the front door?

Phobic disorders are triggered be a specific situation or item. Many common phobias are arachnophobia (fear of spiders), ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), acrophobia (fear of heights), and astraphobia (fear of thunder and lightening). Most people have a fear of something, but a phobic disorder is extreme and can freak people out to the point that a simple experience or object sends them into a tearful tantrum. A few years ago a video of a girl who was a guest on Maury spread all over the Internet, as her extreme phobia of pickles was either pitied or mocked by viewers everywhere. The girl would cry and run away whenever she saw a pickle, an object that does not distress many at all, but she is the perfect example of how a daily item can cause severe stress from those with that phobic disorder.

The importance of this issue is that everyone suffers from anxiety, but if you have an extreme case that lasts for months at a time, seek help. There are medications and therapies that can cure you so it does not get to the point that you live in constant fear. I especially urge anyone with a phobic disorder to conquer it immediately. Never let something run your life, always keep control of your mind and body.

Technorati Tags: anxiety, disorders, health, marijuana, mental, panic, phobia

Technorati Tags: ADHD, kids, misdiagnosed

Fad diets usually demand that you get rid of certain essential nutrients which can be harmful to your health.

Written by Erin Marty

If you’re attempting to lose weight, you’re not the only one; according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more than 30 billion dollars is spent annually on weight loss solutions, and much of this is spent on fad diets. Unfortunately, fad diets are usually unsuccessful and can be harmful to your general health.

Do not get “going on a diet” confused with “sticking to a balanced diet.” These are two totally different strategies. Though it does not apply to everyone, diets – particularly fad diets – do not typically work long-term and are generally not as healthy as they lead people to believe.

The general idea of a fad diet is that if you are loyal to your diet, then like magic the fat is supposed to melt off, easy and fast. Unfortunately, regimes like these are typically unhealthy in that they call for the exclusion of whole food groups that you should otherwise consume daily as part of a balanced diet. For example, the Atkins diet demands that you let go of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, unfortunately, are needed not only for successful weight loss, but are significant in general, as they are necessary for your overall health and survival. Other fad diets exclude different foods such as “good” fats, proteins, or other important nutrients. Saying goodbye to any group of essential food that your body calls for can yield negative results on your health.

Another reason why fad diets fail in the world of successful weight loss, is that it is nearly impossible to keep your weight off for too long. Though you can lose weight fast with a fad diet, you are more likely to gain back the weight that you had originally lost – and then some! And despite false claims that certain foods will magically melt away fat, this is untrue; food does not actually burn fat. If anything, you are likely to lose weight fast on a fad diet due to decreasing your water weight or even muscle mass. But with water, eventually your body will rehydrate itself again thus the weight comes back; as for the muscles, this is an unfortunate loss as you need strong muscles to get into shape and stay fit and healthy for years to come.

Participating in a fad diet means you’re likely to suffer through what some people refer to as “yo-yo dieting” or “yo-yo weight loss.” Imagine your weight fluctuating up and down constantly – that is “yo-yo dieting.” This does not only negatively impact your mind and confidence when trying to whip yourself into shape, but it can lead to health issues as well. The Weight-Control Information Network explains that your risk for high cholesterol and high blood pressure are both increased if you are frequently losing and gaining weight.

There are numerous ways to try and burn that stubborn fat from your body. Which option you choose depends on your personal needs and where you are at on a physical level. But probably the most successful way to lose weight for the majority of people, is to stick to a healthy eating plan and to exercise daily. Fad diets, not only unsuccessful, but harmful to your health, should be avoided.

Technorati Tags: burn fat, diet, diets, fad diet, fad diets, losing weight, popular diet, weight loss

Tea may be the possible weight loss aid you're looking for.

Written by Erin Marty

Tea, a popular drink around the globe, offers many health benefits, including that it could be a possible weight loss aid. Yes, it may lend a helping hand when it comes to losing stubborn, unwanted fat.

In 2005, the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University reported an experiment involving 35 overweight men and women. The patients ended up with reduced BMIs – body weight indexes – and decreased body weight when they consumed 690 mg catechins of oolong tea combined with green tea extract every day for 12 weeks straight.
Needles to say, those are very promising results for people looking to melt that unwanted fat away.

So is tea really a possible weight loss aid? If so, how? Also, which teas will offer this helping hand?

To start off, teas from the Camellia sinensis plant (black, white, oolong and green teas) naturally contain caffeine. This is significant when it comes to weight loss; as it sates on the United States Department of Agriculture website: “it is universally accepted that caffeinated tea raises metabolic rate because caffeine is a stimulant.” Also in 2005, a study was published by the “Alternative Medicine Review”, explaining that the caffeine in black tea extract helped curb appetite, it offered a burst of energy – this is wonderful for working out – and it increased metabolism in patients during the experiment.

Beyond caffeine, Dr. Eric Braverman explained in 2009 on The Huffington Post, that green tea works to restrict insulin levels. To put this in plain English, this means that when you drink green tea, fat is forced to migrate to your muscles and immediately be burned off instead of being stored in your cells. Braverman stated, “Green tea may reduce the absorption of dietary fats by approximately 40%.”

If you’re still not convinced that tea can help you lose weight, at least consider that thanks to its high amount of potent polyphenols, tea can improve your general health, which is a plus for those working out and trying to stay healthy in their attempt to lose weight. This is because polyphenols are loaded with strong antioxidant properties.

One last attribute not to overlook is the fact that most teas are essentially, healthy. When you’re drinking tea, it’s not like you’re sucking down all that sugar that other drinks are loaded with like sodas and juices. In fact, as long as you don’t add milk, sugar or other flavors, black, white, green or oolong teas contain zero calories! Yup, tea is certainly, a wonderful drink, and a possible weight loss aid.

Technorati Tags: black tee, burn fat, diet, drink to lose weight, green tea, losing weight, oolong tea, tea, tea weight loss aid, unwanted fat, weight loss, white tea

Taking omega 3 fish oil may help your cholesterol.

Written by Erin Marty

There are many people who jump the stereotypical conclusion that all fats yield negative consequences on your health, like high blood cholesterol. Well, when considering fish and fish oil, rich in omega 3 fatty acids, this could not be further from the truth.

Along with other health benefits such as lending a helping hand with rheumatoid arthritis and possibly lowering blood pressure, omega 3 fatty acids contain ant-inflammatory abilities that may also aid in the reduction of triglyceride – fats in your blood that are typically associated with high cholesterol.

The oil in fish, according to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, is ranked on their scale as “effective” for reducing high amounts of triglycerides. This is significant, as high triglycerides have been linked with high cholesterol, which in turn, is linked with other health conditions such as heart disease. No wonder this miracle fat is often times referred to as “good” fat.

Researchers, according to the Medline Plus website, believe that though fish oil is not as effective as some medications, it can help to lower triglycerides by twenty to fifty percent. Omega 3 fatty acids and fish oil are also listed on Mayo Clinic’s “Top 5 Food to Lower Your Numbers.” This is mainly because these good fats have been known to help decrease LDL levels, also known as low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol.

Because we cannot produce it ourselves, as humans we have to consume foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids, not just for their benefits, but also because we depend on them for survival. Nuts, canola oil and flax seeds are also wonderful foods when it comes to omega 3 fatty acids. As stated before, these fatty acids are also rich in fish. Mayo Clinic lists the following fish as being the richest in omega 3 fatty acids: mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, salmon and halibut.

To actually benefit from omega 3 fish oil, the American Heart Association recommends that you consume at least two servings of fish every week. Be wary of certain fish high in harsh metals such as swordfish and king mackerel. Not a big fish eater? Fish oil supplements are also available over-the-counter.

Let’s face it, though; just eating fish alone isn’t going to to lower your cholesterol. Physicians advise not only the consumption of omega 3 fish oil and fish, but to alter your current lifestyle by adding plenty of exercise and a healthy diet to your daily routine.

Technorati Tags: cholesterol, fish, fish oil, health, high cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, omega 3, omega 3 fatty acids, omega 3 fish oil