Stress

I know that this has been emphasized before, but i would realy like to talk about it since the semester is coming to an end. I know i have been very stressed with the amount of work i have to do and it has deffinately affected my health.

So what is stress? Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. There is a stress reponse which is you body's fight or flight response. This is the body's way of protecting itself. When this response works properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can help you by giving you extra strength to defend yourself. One example is when you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. So this is why you are more aware when you have a presentation or are more focused during the end of close game. But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life. Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. Health problems such as:

-raise blood pressure

-suppress the immune system

-increase the risk of heart attack and stroke

-contribute to infertility

-speed up the aging process

Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Also too much stress can be bad. The amount of stress differs from person to person. People react differently to too much stress. Your ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors, including the quality of your relationships, your general outlook on life, your emotional intelligence, and genetics. Overall stress is never really a good thing.

Obesity

Obesity is a serious health concern for children and adolescents. Obese children and adolescents are at risk for health problems during their youth and as adults. For example, during their youth, obese children and adolescents are more likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes) than are other children and adolescents.

Obese children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults. For example, one study found that approximately 80% of children who were overweight at aged 10–15 years were obese adults at age 25 years. Another study found that 25% of obese adults were overweight as children. The latter study also found that if overweight begins before 8 years of age, obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe.

Contributing factors:

-Genetic factors

-Behavioral factors: such as energy intake, physical activity, and sedentary behavior.

-Enviornmental factors: such as within the home, child care, schools, and the community.

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide. as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century. On a side note, obesity is stigmatized in the modern Western world, but it has been perceived as a symbol of wealth and fertility at other times in history, and still is in many parts of Africa.

Mononucleosis

Throught out my 2 years at Westfield so far, i have seen many viruses come and go. One that i have heard of frequently is Mononucleosis (Mono). Many of my friends have had mono and i can just see that is awful. This is a viral illness that can leave you feeling tired or weak for weeks or months. Mono goes away on its own but taking good care of yourself can help you feel better.

Causes:

Mono is caused by the Epstein Barr virus (EBV). most often seen in adolescents or young adults. Children may get the virus but it often goes unnoticed because the symptoms are so mild. Adults usually do not get mono because they have an immunity to it. Mono can be spread through contact with saliva, mucus from the nose and throat, and sometimes tears. Because the virus can be spread through kissing, it has earned the nickname the "kissing disease." If you have mono, you can avoid passing the virus to others by not kissing anyone and by not sharing things like glasses, eating utensils, or toothbrushes. You can only spread the virus when it is active.

Symptoms:

the most common symptoms of mono are a high fever, a severe sore throat, swollen glands and tonsils, and weakness and fatigue. Symptoms usually start 4 to 6 weeks after you are exposed to the virus. Also the spleen does swell, so if you recieve pain in the upper left part of your belly then your spleen may have burst. Doctors usually examine the person and then do blood tests to find out it is mono.

Treatment:

Usually only self-care is needed for mono.
-Get plenty of rest. You may need bed rest, which could keep you away from school or work for a little while.
-Gargle with salt water or use throat lozenges to soothe your sore throat.
-Take Tylenol or ibuprofen (Advil) to reduce fever and relieve a sore throat and headaches.
-Avoid contact sports and heavy lifting. Your spleen may be enlarged, and impact or straining could cause it to burst.
-In severe cases, medicines called corticosteroids may be used to reduce swelling of the throat, tonsils, or spleen.

Alcohol

Many people drink alcohol occasionally. I know many college students binge drink but in fact if you drink moderately there can be health benefits. Moderate drinking is one drink a day for women or anyone over 65, and two drinks a day for men under 65. One health benefit is reducing the risk of certain heart problems.Some people should not drink at all, including alcoholics, children, pregnant women, people on certain medicines and people with some medical conditions. Anything more than moderate drinking is called binge drinking and that can be risky. Binge drinking is drinking five or more drinks at one time. This can damage your health and increase your risk for accidents, injuries and assault. Years of heavy drinking can lead to liver disease, heart disease, cancer and pancreatitis. Drinking can also cause social problems in one's life. So in conclusion drinking moderately may be beneficial, but binge drinking can be very dangerous.

Different types of gatorades and their benefits.

First off i would like to say that i drink gatorade on a daily basis. I prefer the G2 gatorade because it has less calories and i feel revitalized through out the day. Many do not know what all of the different gatorades are for. They all are made differently to benefit you in a different way. First off is the G2 gatorade: this gatorade's benefits are the less calories. It has 50% less calories than the original gatorade and it has the same amount of electrolytes.

Next is the Gatorade Tiger edition: There is the ingredient called L-Theanine which is an amino acid found in tea that may help focus and mental acuity.

Gatorade Rain: This is just a adding a different flavor to the gatorades. It almost tastes watered down but when you are working hard it can be very refreshing. You get the same electrolyte benefits from this drink as well.

Gatorade X-Factor: This drink is packed with the antioxidant vitamin E. This drink helps optimize hydration and performance while protecting the body with Vitamin E.

Gatorade Fierce: This formula is packed with vitamins B3, B5, and B6 which help the body metabolize energy. This is good to use when you live an active lifestyle.

Gatorade A.M: this is a great drink to take when you wake up. It has a lot of Vitamin C in it which can help your immune system.

gatorade G: This is the regular gatorade. This has been tested to be an optimal hydrator and it has a 6% carbohydrate solution, which was found to be the best for energy delivery into the body.

These are all tasty drinks that can all be beneficial and i would recomend drinking any of these when doing physical activities.

Why is Protein Good for Us?

As a ritual wieght lifter it is important for me to take protein. Proteins are the basic units of the body which are required for nutrition, growth and repair, and affect a huge number of metabolic, enzyme and chemical processes that occur inside the body. Protein consists of smaller units called amino acids, which link together in a variety of differing combinations to perform different functions. Some amino acid chains are created by the body, but some essential amino acids must come from food.

A good question is how much protein should you be taking? If you are taking nutritious protein, low in saturated fat, you can eat anything between 10 and 20 percent of your calories in the form of protein, although females should not eat less than 45g of protein and males should not eat less thatn 55.5g. Even though i do take protein shakes, I know that eating a variety of foods every day is all you need to do in order to ensure an adequate protein intake.

Fish Oil Pills

As a student-athlete who takes many supplements, I like taking other supporting supplements so I dont hurt my body in any way. some supporting pills you cant take are fish oil pills, milk thistle (which helps with liver support), Glucosamine Sulfate (which helps with joint health), and Flaxseed (which is good for your heart). I will be talking about Fish oil pills because i have been taking them for a while.

What are fish oils?

Fish oil is the oil that comes from tissues of oily fish. This oil naturally contains the Omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Eating fish can be very beneficial to one's diet, however, it can often be high in mercury. A good thing with Omega-3 is that it can reduce cholesterol, reduce imflammation, as well as have positive effect on body composition. Another reason people take fish oil pills is for their hearts. It is good in Secondary cardiovascular disease prevention. Lastly on my fish oil pill bottle it says on the bottom that it may reduce coronary heart disease risk. This is a great product to take especially with a person who has a healthy diet. It has many aspects that may keep you living a healthy life.

Why Is Soda So Bad For Us?

Many people drink soda, even many that have a healthy diet and workout constantly. So why is it bad for us if people are still living healthy lives? Some reasons why it is so bad for you is:

-Dehydration- Soda with sugar and caffeine will make you dehydrated. Caffeine is a diuretic and causes an increase in urine level. Drinking soda will actualy make you more thirsty.

-Addiction to Caffeine- People may get addicted to caffeine and go through withdrawals. Caffeine is a stimulant that is cheap and that is why many people drink it. It has been proven that if people dont get their regular intake of caffeine they may experience headaches, fatigue and difficulty paying attention.

-High Calories- Regular soda is high in calories. A can of coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar which is also 100% of your daily rcommended value. Regular soda can contain up to 200 calories and can actualy deplete your body of vital minerals.

-Wieght Loss- Diet sodas can actually put a person at higher risk of becoming overwieght. This is because of the artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners can interfere with the body's natural ability to regulate calorie intake.

-Acid- There is alot of acid in sodas. the Ph level of soda is 2.5 whereas water is 7. Since soda is so acidic it can actually wear away the enamel of your teeth.

There are many reasons why people should drop drinking soda. Some other reasons such as lowering your chance of diabetes, saving money, and lowering your chance of mineral depletion. I personally dont drink soda because I feel that these are some good reasons not to. Obviously water is the way to go.

Vitamin Supplements vs. Food

Can I take a daily vitamin pill and not have to worry about getting a lot of nutrients from food?

There are many reasons not to depend on just the vitamin pills for nutrients.

-Many of the supplement companies produce unregulated products. Products that arent approved by the Food and Drug administration (FDA). So you never know what your getting.

-There are some food components such as fiber that are hard to get into pill form.

-We still do not know all of the active components in food. There alot of different substances in food such as different chemicals that are advantageous. This means you can never get the full benefit of food into a pill.

- Extracts of substances from foods and "pill forms" are often different from the forms that occur naturally in foods, and we often don't know the effects that this may functionally have. In addition, active substances in foods naturally occur in a complex matrix of other nutrients and substances, and removing them from this natural environment may affect their function in ways that we don't fully understand.

-Our bodies function in a delicate balance, with one action or nutrient often causing consequences in other areas. For example, excesses of one nutrient can affect the bioavailability or function of another nutrient or action. the ADA stated that "Consuming a wide variety of foods in moderate amounts reduces the risk of inadequate and excessive intakes."

there are circumstances in which proper supplementation can be helpful. For instance, a woman of child- bearing age may want to consider supplementing her diet with folate, iron and calcium if her diet is consistently lacking in these nutrients. Checking with your doctor or nutritionist is the best way to assess what nutrient supplementation may be advantageous to you individually.However, it is important to remember that this should not replace a healthy diet.

The Effects of Creatine in Athletes

As a student-athlete who has been lifting for 6 years now, i feel that i know alot about different supplements that people or athletes may take. Creatine is a muscular performance enhancer that gives the athlete short term benefits. Creatine is produced by the body and it is recieved from meat and fish Creatine is a naturally produced compound that gives energy to the muscles. When you take creatine over time it helps your muscles when they need help. Creatine also helps your muscles recover after a hard workout. The main reason someone would take creatine is to increase their lifts and to appear bigger as well.

Will taking creatine supplements alter my body weight or body composition?

Creatine will increase body wieght and muscle mass. Taking creatine puts water into the muscles, giving them a bigger look (increasing cell volume). This increase in volume acts as an anabolic signal which helps to reduce protein breakdown and improves the body's usage of protein. When taking creatine you must make sure to drink lots of water or you will get dehydrated.

Here is a table of key points about creatine:

Key points

-Creatine monohydrate is the most widely used form of creatine supplement
-Creatine is made up of three amino acids and is stored as phosphocreatine in muscles
-Creatine delays muscle fatigue by "buffering" the build up of lactic acid in the muscles
-It speeds up recovery between bouts of high-intensity physical activity
-It extends maximal muscle power output
-It increases total body mass - particularly lean muscle tissue
-May be especially beneficial to athletes involved in high-intensity activities particularly where interval training and strength training are involved i.e. anaerobic activities
-There is a small amount of evidence that it may also help athletes involved in mainly aerobic activities - for example endurance running and cycling - although the evidence is not strong
-Dosage - there are a variety of recommendations, however the most widely used is a loading dose of 20g per day for five days, followed by a maintenance dose of 2g per day. Doses in excess of this are of no benefit as muscle can only store a certain amount and any excess is removed from the body
-Side-effects - there appear to be no proven side-effects
-Creatine supplementation is allowed in sport by the International Olympic Committee (2002)

Overall i feel that creatine is a helpfull supplement for the rising athletes out there.