Our Health and Wellness section is the perfect place to find well written summaries of recent research on maintaining one's physical and mental health. Peruse below to find articles on how to keep your body feeling good and working well!
Warning: Fake News!
Written by Melissa Zenteno
Edited by Shashank Deepak April 5th, 2024 Misinformation spreads like wildfire and has the potential to affect all aspects of a person’s lifestyle. While misinformation has been around for a long time, the term was first coined in 1925. Today, the fast pace of the internet has provided us with much quicker ways to spread all types of information, harmful or beneficial. This “misinformation has an effect on people’s emotions and cognitive basis” (Chou, et al, 2022). However this is a game of telephone where the message gets more distorted the more it gets passed around.
The Truth Behind Blue- Light GlassesWritten by Allyson Monsada
Edited by Sam Levya April 5th, 2024 You’ve probably heard of blue–light glasses from your local optometrist or just in your local pharmacy. With digital devices now a near necessity everywhere, concerns have been raised about the adverse effects our screens could have on our eyes. Blue light glasses became the novel solution for this issue, but what exactly do they do and do they work?
Road Traffic Is the Bane of our ExistenceWritten by Joanne Liu
Edited by Srinidhi Viswanathan April 5th, 2024 Commonly associated with car accidents and heavy air pollution, motor vehicle traffic is a notorious safety hazard. In fact, in 2020, there were nearly 40,000 fatalities and over 2 million injuries on US roadways (Stewart, 2022). However, the dangers of traffic exposure are not just limited to commuters; local residents also share these risks.
Kimchi! My FriendWritten by Tina Pan
Edited by Khushi Shah September 27th, 2023 Kimchi is a traditional Korean food that is made through fermentation. Many of us know and love kimchi, which is eaten by a large population worldwide. Did you know that this food is delicious and has many health benefits? In the following paragraphs, the reader will learn more about what specifically kimchi is and how beneficial it can be to individuals.
A Healthy Cat Makes A Healthy HomeWritten by Andrea Martinez Vera
Edited by Khushi Shah September 27th, 2023 Sporotrichosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Sporothrix . The genus, Sporothrix is a nonpathogenic environmental fungi that use mycelial(a rootlike structure) to saprophytic feed on the environment, aka. feed on dead organic material decaying around them. Infections arise with the members of this genus that behave like mammal pathogens. S. schenckii, for example, has been documented in the United States to cause Sporotrichosis. Due to their additional ability to live in parasitic yeast cells at temperatures of 35 ̊C–37 ̊C, warm-blooded mammals such as dogs, cats and humans become great hosts (Gremião, 2017).
Finding Help From OthersWritten by Sarah Gibides
Edited by Kriti Iyer January 5, 2023 The structure of the American Healthcare system is undoubtedly different from other nations. With a less medication-based approach, countries at the same level of development offer programs not highly established in the United States, such as self-help groups. Stefan Nickel, a researcher at The Institute of Sociology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, investigates the effectiveness of these groups in Germany, an innovative treatment that is not as commonly utilized in America.
Does Meditation Help College Students With Anxiety?Written by Srinidhi Viswanathan
Edited by Chloe Chou September 26th, 2023 For most students, college is a time for learning and growing as a person, but according to the 2019 National College Health Assessment, 65% of college students feel overwhelming anxiety, and 45% feel depressed to a debilitating point. In order to determine how this issue could be addressed and resolved, scientists from Grand Valley State University in Michigan have been looking into methods of reducing stress and increasing mental wellbeing in college students. They have determined that one such method could be meditation.
Is TikTok Responsible for your Goldfish Memory?Written by Numa Islam
Edited by Khushi Shah January 5th, 2023 In the few years since its launch, TikTok has garnered 1.5 billion active users worldwide, with most of them being teenagers. As it continues to gain popularity, it is important for users to know the effects it may have on them. This is what the authors of the paper “Research on Adolescents Regarding the Indirect effect of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress between Tiktok Use Disorder and Memory Loss” set out to do. (Sha, 2021). They hypothesized that TikTok User Disorder (TTUD) is positively linked to memory loss through factors like depression, anxiety, and stress.
Meditation for Stress RegulationWritten by Carlos Rendon
Edited by Vicky Diep February 9th, 2023 Stress is a condition that is linked to a number of different physical and psychological disorders. Recent studies show that 33 percent of Americans reported feeling severely stressed and more than 70 percent of people reported that stress affects either their physical or mental health. Chronic stress is linked to health problems such as depression, anxiety, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.
Basic Transgender Healthcare PracticesWritten by Sarah Gibides
Edited by Carolyn Chiu March 21, 2022 From sports to hormone treatment bans, the rights of another marginalized group of U.S. citizens are under fire. The news and social media today are filled with attempts by state governments to attack and delegitimize the transgender community. With policies and protocols relating to the transgender community varying throughout the country, there are some basic guidelines that apply to the field of transgender healthcare.
A Trip Down the Breakfast Food AisleWritten by Elyse Ehlert
Edited by Sameeha Salman February 9th, 2023 If you’re like most young adults today, you’ve probably grown up hearing that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. While some may argue that a specific time to eat isn’t necessarily important as long as you get all your daily nutrients, breakfast has been proven to positively affect one’s cardiovascular health, micronutrient consumption, and diet. With an increasing amount of options however, it’s sometimes hard to tell what are healthy options.
Stretch Those Blues Away: Group Exercise For Lowering AnxietyWritten by Elyse Ehlert
Edited by Emily Fucarino March 21, 2022 Imagine if you could get your daily dose of social interaction and exercise in just 60 minutes… while simultaneously lowering your anxiety. Sounds great, doesn’t it? As it turns out, you might be able to. In a sample study of 490 college students, researchers found that group exercise may help college students reduce their anxiety.
Can Babies Taste Spices from Breastmilk?Written by Thin Han
Edited by Connie Quan March 21, 2022 There is often a lot of advice and lessons passed down to new moms about what they should and should not eat while breastfeeding their babies. Personally, my mom would tell me stories about how she was only allowed to eat bland food, which was a hard task because in my culture, almost all of our food involves spices. On that note, scientists recently tested the hypothesis of whether or not the spices that a mother consumes actually gets passed from her breast milk to her newborn babies.
"It's Complicated": A Look at the Relationship Between Microglial Defense and the Central Nervous System in COVID-19Written by Natalie Madrigal
Edited by Jasmine Jeon March 21, 2022 One of the greatest challenges we’ve experienced since COVID-19 launched the world into a global pandemic has been the test of nearly all of our relationships. Turns out, adding a heaping amount of stress into our lives tends to make them a bit more difficult - whether it be between close friends, significant others, or family. Now, researchers say that it has even affected certain relationships within our bodies.
Looking At Various Aspects of Mental Health In TeenagersWritten by Khushi Shah
Edited by Tanishq Vaidya March 22, 2022 In recent years, the importance of mental health has become more widely known. While healthier members of younger generations tend to have a more sociable behavior, those in the same generation with mental health issues are more likely to engage in harmful behaviors. Data from the National Adolescent Health Information Center reveals that people who are diagnosed with mental health problems in their adulthood usually start suffering from their adolescence years, continuing throughout their life.
Burnout Amongst Healthcare Workers During The COVID-19 PandemicWritten by Jacob Gomez
Edited by Sameeha Salman March 21, 2022 Since the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported on January 7, 2020, the global healthcare system continues to respond to patient needs both related to and outside of COVID-19 diagnoses. This new responsibility has severely impacted the workload for these healthcare workers, as well as increased their fear of becoming infected, and negatively impacted workplace efficiency (Baptista et al., 2021).
Insomnia: Using Tai Chi to KO
Written by Lance Jimenez
Edited by Sameeha Salman Jan 23rd, 2022 Imagine you are lying in bed, cozy and ready to sleep. You close your eyes and slowly, five minutes pass. Then fifteen minutes pass. You shift in your bed to get into a comfortable position. Still, you can not fall asleep. If this is a common experience and affects your wakeful life, you may be showing symptoms of insomnia. So what even is the difference between having a normal difficulty sleeping and actual insomnia?
What Do We Know About Marijuana?Written by Emily Rowe
Edited by Rachel Larson August 1st, 2021 Within the last few decades cannabis use and popularity has skyrocketed. Seventeen states have legalized the recreational use of cannabis for people aged 21 and over despite the fact the DEA still classifies marijuana as a schedule 1 controlled substance, the same class as heroin. How is this possible? Well, there is still a lot to learn. We know that consumption of cannabis products can have some medical benefits for adults suffering from chronic illness, and we know how it can negatively affect a young and developing brain.
How Gut Composition is Linked to DepressionWritten by Ishita Singh
August 1st, 2021 Did you know that the state of your gut can affect your chances of developing Major Depressive Disorder? Up until the 20th century, Major Depressive Disorder (or MDD) was attributed to the imbalance of chemical signals in the brain known as neurotransmitters (Flux & Lowry, 2020). Due to this, researchers thought that the most effective treatments for MDD should focus on maintaining balance between neurotransmitters. However, recent research has found links between the bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that reside in our large intestine, known as the gut microbiome, to the development of MDD (Flux & Lowry, 2020). With this information, we can obtain a holistic view of how depression occurs and create more effective treatment plans.
Hit the Gym, Get that A?Written by Nicholas Kaiser
Edited by Connie Quan August 1st, 2021 How is it that some students manage to play sports for hours each week yet still manage to be at the top of their class? How can some students spend almost as much time pumping iron as pumping out notes and still see the results that they want? In this study, a team of researchers sought to find out the connection between academic performance (AP) and physical fitness (PF) in a group of several thousand Chinese students. They did indeed find that connection, and it proved that a relationship between physical fitness and higher grade point averages existed.
Too Much Exercise Leads to a Decline in Mitochondria Function and Glucose ToleranceWritten by Thin Han
Edited by Charan Karthik August 1st, 2021 Whether it be to get fresh air, become healthy, or lose weight, exercising has many positive effects. However, a group of scientists have discovered that exercising too much is actually bad for your metabolism and muscular functions (Flockhart et al., 2021). They also found that it decreases your tolerance toward glucose, thereby increasing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They explained that excessive exercising has been linked to heart complications such as myocardial fibrosis, arrhythmia, and an increase in coronary artery calcification.
Taking Care of Our Mental WellbeingWritten by Theint Aung
Edited by Jasmine Jeon August 1st, 2021 College can be stressful for many students. Nearly 7 million of U.S. college students are experiencing mental health problems (Horn, 2020). Mental health plays a huge role in academic success with poor mental health can negatively affect students’ motivation, concentration, and social interactions (Unger, 2007). According to the 2019 Annual Report of the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, anxiety is the most common diagnosis of the students who seek help at university counseling centers.
The Power of Exercise For Type 2 Diabetes TreatmentWritten by Janelle Nieva
Edited by Emily Moran August 1st, 2021 I’m sure we’ve all heard the numerous benefits of exercise -- lowering heart disease risk, increasing our energy levels, sharpening our mental clarity, boosting our mood, and so much more (Centers for Disease Control, 2021). For people with Type 2 diabetes, exercise can serve as a fundamental treatment for mitigating symptoms.So what type of exercise is actually the most effective for treating diabetes?
Milk Allergies Prevented by Milk?Written by Natalie Hopkins
Edited by Pooja Dandekar May 2, 2021 Soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, and even hemp milk all appear to be popular among the ever growing population of people who suffer from milk allergies. Could prenatal influences be responsible for this? Given the recent health trends of plant milks and dairy free diets, young women are consuming less cow’s milk than ever before (Stravik et al. 2020). Mia Stravik, at Chalmers University of Technology, recently led a study that examined the correlation between pregnant mothers’ milk consumption and the absence of milk allergies in their babies .
Bacteria: It Does the Body Good?Written by Jacob Gomez
Edited by Emily Moran Jan 18, 2021 Bacteria gets a bad rep, right? It seems like anytime bacteria is discussed, it is usually because it is harmful and scientists are racing to find an appropriate antibiotic to eliminate it. Any hand sanitizer brand you see is proud to say that their product kills 99.99% of bacteria, and they even put it on the front of their bottles. In spite of this apparent anti-bacterial sentiment, certain strains of bacteria actually serve several important purposes in preserving our health, such as potentially being used to treat and prevent obesity (“Is It Time”).
The Moment We've All Been Waiting For: Male Birth ControlWritten by Emily Rowe
Edited by Connie Quan Jan 18, 2021 Ever since birth control was first created, the responsibility has always fallen on women to take a pill or insert a device into their bodies to avoid pregnancy. This responsibility has been fueled by the heavy focus on women when producing and marketing contraceptives. There are countless methods of birth control marketed to women, yet there continues to be barriers popping up that prevent them from accessing these resources in a safe and effective way. Unplanned pregnancies have led to poverty, health, and safety issues all around the world.
You Should Have A Gut Feeling About This BacteriaWritten by Jada Co
Edited by Charan Karthik Jan 18, 2021 It is often easy to forget we have bacteria living in our bodies, especially our guts. Many people would hear this and think that is gross, but in reality, they are not all harmful! Some bacteria actually have symbiotic relationships with us, their host. One specific example is the special relationship between athletes and Veillonella bacteria. Did you know that Veillonella increases your exercise capacity?
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The True Spark of Your AngerWritten by Joanne Liu
Edited by Numa Islam April 5th, 2024 A Google search of the term “anger” will return countless images of people with red faces and steam pouring out of their ears. Strengthening this imagery, common English terms like “hot-headed” and “hot-tempered” associate high temperatures with rage and hostility. This poses the question: is the connection between heat and anger legitimate and science-backed, or is it merely illusory?
Collisions in Contact SportsWritten by Melissa Zenteno
Edited by Khushi Shah April 5th, 2024 Contact sports are sports that involve contact such as hockey, football, boxing, lacrosse, martial arts. These are sports that children participate in early on, or throughout their lifetime. Basically a majority of people have been involved in contact sports at least once in their life. Playing sports can be beneficial for an individual’s wellbeing, but there are always possibilities for negative effects.
Sleep Well, Do WellWritten by Tina Pan
Edited by Miriam Bermejo September 27th, 2023 Ever wonder how important sleep is especially for college students? A good night’s sleep is one of the most common recommendations made by health professionals. Many of us know how important it is to get adequate sleep every night but it can be hard sometimes to get the sleep we need. A research study looked into the sleep quantity and variability of students in their first semester of university and how that affects their well-being, academic performance GPA, and happiness.
Is There Only One Way To React?Written by Sukanya Chandrasekaran
Edited by Chloe Chou September 26th, 2023 Trauma can have lasting effects and significantly impact someone’s life. Most people tend to have an acute reaction to trauma, with impacts lessening over time. Only a very small percentage of people experience impacts that are lifelong and diagnosed as anxiety/mood disorders. The different ways in which trauma response can fall under various categories that are related to singular, multiple or enduring traumatic experiences.
A Woman’s Control Over Her Sex LifeWritten by Sam Leyva
Edited by Chloe Chou February 9th, 2023 It is no secret that many factors go into avoiding pregnancy in a relationship. The first thoughts that come to mind are things like condoms, birth control, and the infamous “pull out” method. Not the most outstanding track sheet, huh? However, the personal decision of a woman to actually employ one of these methods to avoid pregnancy, along with the influence of their partner’s opinions on the matter, are extreme factors in the avoidance of pregnancy. The decision itself to utilize birth control is often overlooked.
The E(pit)ome of AvocadosWritten by Tina Pan
Edited by Kriti Iyer January 5th, 2023 One of the most commonly known and eaten avocado varieties is the Hass avocado. Typically a single avocado contains about 5 servings, but according to the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) on average, people consume half an avocado at a time. An avocado is nutritiously packed [1] with vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C. There are studies that show that eating avocados can help with cardiovascular health, weight management, and healthy aging. Let’s dive in and learn more about what makes avocado an avocado, and how it can be potentially beneficial to our health.
Obesity as a Risk Factor of DiseaseWritten by Vicky Diep
Edited by Priya Ram March 21, 2022 We often hear about the rising rates of obesity around the world as being a cause for alarm due to obesity’s correlation with many chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke and even some types of cancer (NIDDK, 2016). This rise in obesity is often referred to as the “obesity epidemic” of the 21st century. Public health efforts to redefine obesity as a disease are commendable in making the public aware of the importance of physical exercise and carefully managing one’s diet to prevent obesity and its associated risks (Kyle et al., 2016).
When Should You Eat?Written by Sarena Yang
Edited by Chloe Chou March 21, 2022 Some perks we are able to enjoy include receiving packages overnight, calling in an emergency late into the evening, or grabbing a snack to eat at a 24/7 convenience store. These luxuries are all made possible by night workers who begin their days as the rest of the world ends theirs. Unfortunately, because of the timing of their work, they are at higher risk of diabetes and other health conditions.
Challenges Women with History of IPV Face: Mandatory Pelvic ExamsWritten by Miriam Bermejo
Edited by Kelly Chau March 21, 2022 Before 1994 healthcare providers were once required to perform pelvic exams in order for women to receive hormonal birth control. However, the World Health Organization has stated that women can now acquire such contraceptives without these exams. Although health organizations continue to reiterate this statement, many healthcare providers still make pelvic exams mandatory for women to receive prescribed birth control.
Time to Ditch the Cocoon?Written by Jane Crosby
Edited by Priya Ram March 22, 2022 Lights out, blinds closed, brain switched off. You’ve recently sustained a concussion and the only way to recover is to rest from the activities you love most. Wrong! Gone are the days of waiting around for symptoms to ease while work, school, and life go on without you. The “cocoon” or “rest is best”[1] consensus-based method is going out of style and physicians are shifting to a more active, evidence-based approach to concussion care.
Be Proactive, Get Active!- Type 2 Diabetes PreventionWritten by Carlos Rendon
Edited by Emily Fucarino Jan 23rd, 2022 In the United States, 1 in 10 people have diabetes, with most suffering from Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused when insulin is no longer recognized by the body’s cells. This leads to a build up of sugar in the blood because insulin is the hormone that lets blood sugar enter body cells. Potential complications of Type 2 diabetes include heart disease, nerve damage, and abnormal skin conditions.
"What's the Deal With Vaccinating Expectant Mothers?"Written by Vicky Diep
Edited by Christine Yee August 1st, 2021 Since the beginning of time, the evolutionary and cultural history of our species has been shaped by our interactions with disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Such pathogens have shown themselves capable of toppling strong empires, forming tensions among groups of people, and needless to say, countless deaths as they attempt to invade and exploit our bodies time and time again. However, thanks to the rise of adaptive immunity in early vertebrate ancestors and its extensive evolutionary fine-tuning (Flajnik & Kasahara, 2020), we have been able to defeat such pathogens and stay one step ahead of the evolutionary arms race.
Laughter Is The Best MedicineWritten by Inder Bhangoo
Edited by Diksha Kudlamath August 1st, 2021 Our bodies have learned to protect ourselves from numerous threats. From disease to predators, we have evolved to stay safe and recover from most injuries. We have even developed medicines to fight against the dangers that we cannot fight on our own. We are naturally equipped with many different biological responses and reflexes that protect and heal us, but what if I told you that one of the most effective “medicines” is something most of us experience almost every day? A group of doctors researched the health benefits of laughter and found it to be highly effective against a variety of illnesses, including anxiety and depression.
Treating Cancer One Word at a TimeWritten by Sarena Yang
Edited by Michelle Wong August 1st, 2021 When most people think about cancer treatments, they may think of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery. However, these physical treatments are only one part of the battle. Society tends to focus a lot of resources on research for curing cancer, but cancer treatment can also improve at the physician to patient level. Sometimes, carefully chosen words can make a difference in healing patients both physically and emotionally.
A Glass of Wine A Day...Written by Alissya Yuen
Edited by Diksha Kudlamath August 1st, 2021 Research in the past has indicated that there are a few health benefits of alcohol consumption. For instance, one glass of wine a day is beneficial to decrease the risk of heart disease and lower the likelihood of diabetes. However, alcohol usage has a few effects on our hormones which are important to keep in mind. In our bodies, there is a regulated system known as the endocrine system which is responsible for regulating our metabolism, growth, sexual development, and reproductive organs. This system is governed by a series of glands that produce and secrete hormones that have a variety of functions within the body.
Workout Culture: How Your Microbiome Affects Your Athletic PerformanceWritten by Aditi Mahajan
Edited by Aaron Wright August 1st, 2021 We have all been told that we should exercise at least 30 minutes a day in order to reap the many benefits of physical activity. However, it is not only hard to find time to exercise but also to motivate ourselves to get up and start moving. Due to busy lifestyles and commitments, most of us cannot make exercise our priority. We may set working out as our top priority in our New Year resolutions by creating an unrealistic workout plan just to find ourselves giving up after the 3rd day. Don’t be discouraged. I have good news for you.
Swimming for a Real Brain WorkoutWritten by Daphne Crum
Edited by Samantha Strom August 1st, 2021 Could swimming laps sharpen the brain on a vascular and cognitive level? Dr. Leena Shoemaker and her research team from New Zealand’s Dunedin School of Medicine study the benefits of exercising to increase blood flow to the brain and improve cognitive functioning. Cycling and running have been found to increase Cerebral Blood Velocity (CBV), the rate at which blood flows from the body to the brain (Hellstrom et al., 1996; Jiang et al., 1995; Jorgensen et al., 1992; Ogoh and Ainslie, 2009; Shoemaker et al., 2019). Swimming laps can be just as intense a workout as cycling and running. The question is, can swimming boost cerebral blood flow and cognition as effectively?
No More Exercise Excuses!Written by Theint Aung
Edited by Vicky Diep May 2, 2021 What if you could manipulate your gut to enhance your athletic abilities? New research shows that one’s microbiome can offer clues about one’s athleticism. Scientists have now found that a main function of gut microbes is the breakdown of complex carbohydrates to produce short chain fatty acids, or SCFAs, which enhance muscle function. Out of the most common SCFAs produced in the gut, the compounds butyrate and propionate, can only be produced by gut microbes. Results from a 2016 study show that “fitter participants had higher levels of butyrate in their faeces” (Estaki et al., 2016).
Save Your Vitamin C in VegetablesWritten by Rui Yun
Edited by Michelle Wong Jan 31, 2021 When you cook your peppers or pumpkins for a longer time to enhance their flavor, you may be losing about sixty percent of the vitamin C in these vegetables. Why do we need to care about the loss of vitamin C in vegetables? The following will tell you how and why you need to save your vitamin C.
Attention: Birth Control UsersWritten by Pamela Fernandez
Edited by Christine Yee Jan 18, 2021 Unwanted pregnancies, hormonal acne, irregular periods and painful cramps are just a few of the conditions women experience throughout their lifetime. Since the development of birth control pills, this contraceptive has not only reduced acne, regulated menstrual cycles, and treated endometriosis, but has also allowed women to live a life risk free of unwanted pregnancies. However, can the same pill that has alleviated and helped so many with their symptoms also be contributing to a decrease in brain health?
The Cure to HIVWritten by Audrey Bantug
Edited by Aryss Hearne Jan 18, 2021 Over the last 40 years, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, better known as HIV, has taken millions of lives and impacted countless others. There is currently no established cure for HIV or its more advanced stage, AIDS. However, in March 2020, Adam Castillejo went public as the “London Patient,” the second person to achieve HIV remission, after Timothy Ray Brown in 2010. Both men underwent a stem-cell transplantation via bone marrow transplant. Sadly, Timothy died on September 29, 2020. Fortunately, though, Adam’s recovery provides evidence for a cure to HIV.
Black Raspberries Help to Reduce Skin AllergiesWritten by Kriti Iyer
Edited by Theodore Do Jan 18, 2021 Many of us struggle with allergies on our skin: puffy areas on our body that get irritated quickly, form rashes, and sometimes even leave residual scarring. A phenomenon known as contact hypersensitivity (CHS) plagues many individuals on a daily basis when they come into contact with objects that might cause them irritation. So far, the most common method of treatment is through prescription ointments, as explained by researchers (“Black Raspberries”). However, a recent study published by Ohio State University highlights an innovative lifestyle change that may help in reducing CHS and other common skin allergies.
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