JOURNAL
HPV Vaccine: Prejudice and Misconceptions
Cancer is a nearly universal health concern in our lives; it would be difficult to find anyone whose life has not been touched by the disease, in all its various and horrifying forms. This year alone, the American Cancer Society reports that 1.6 million people in the U.S. will develop cancer, and nearly 600,000 will die from it.[i] HPV, or the human papillomavirus, causes an estimated 19,000 of those cases in women, and just under half that in men.[ii] HPV is a common disease transmitted through sexual contact, which is usually known for causing genital warts and, once contracted, is incurable.[iii] HPV is best-known for causing cervical cancer, but it is also associated with cancer in the head, neck, anus, and genitals of both sexes. But though it cannot be cured once contracted, the variant of the disease which leads to cancer can very easily and effectively be prevented by readily available vaccines.
Composting Chaos: Sorting Through The Myths And Misconceptions
Composting: It seems like a simple enough concept. Throw kitchen scraps and yard waste into a pile, wait for it to decompose, and eventually harvest a rich, organic fertilizer to feed your garden. But as with just about anything from billiards to bagpipes, once you scratch the surface on the subject of composting you discover a whole complex world of conflicting opinions and advice on the right way to go about doing things. Some of the materials available in books or online almost make the act of composting seem like a full-time venture.
The truth is, anyone can compost, and it doesn't have to be a complicated affair. In an attempt to simplify things for the beginner composter, here I'll explore some of the questions I've stumbled upon in my own composting journey.
Contain Yourself
One of the first things an aspiring composter needs to consider is where to keep the heap and how to contain it. There are dozens of fancy compost bins and tumblers on the market, which can easily trick impressionable gardeners like myself into believing successful composting demands a serious cash investment. Luckily, this isn't the case. Buying expensive composting accessories is fine if you have the means, but constructing a functional compost container need not be expensive or time-consuming. Many gardeners have tremendous success with simple designs of scrap wood and chicken wire or other inexpensive materials. For those concerned about critters, more secure compost containers can be made by simply punching holes in a trashcan or plastic bin.
Unemployment and Obesity: the Vicious Cycle
Two of the biggest problems facing America today are unemployment and obesity – two seemingly unrelated but equally serious issues. After some of the most difficult economic times since the 1930s, America’s unemployment levels peaked at almost 10% in 2009, leveling out to around 6.3% today[1]. Obesity, likewise, has more than doubled for both adults and children in the US since the 1970s, with around 69% of adults being overweight or obese, and 35% being obese[2]. More and more studies, however, are investigating the link between unemployment and obesity and as results start to flood in, it seems that they are not as unrelated as they seemed.
Statistics
Studies are starting to show that there is a significant link between unemployment and obesity, especially amongst unskilled workers who are struggling to find work. In fact, a Gallup study suggests that if you are between 18 and 44 and unemployed, you are 30% more likely to be obese than your counterparts in full-time employment[3]. High-skilled workers, who may have had sedentary jobs that led them to develop their own fitness plan are more likely to continue exercising and may have savings to help them to eat healthy after losing employment. Low-skilled workers, alternatively, tend to work physical jobs and use that to burn calories. When the job is lost, their only form of exercise goes with it, and it can be difficult to get out of a cycle of watching TV and eating junk food[4]. Of course, these are sweeping generalisations but the statistics are hard to ignore.
Overcoming the diet roller-coaster
If you have ever tried to adhere to a new diet or start an exercise program, you have probably experienced the frustration involved in trying to overhaul anything in life you have become accustomed to. It’s been said that humans are creatures of habit, and it’s quite true. Things that seem like they should be simple or easy to incorporate into our schedules somehow become arduous when we attempt to do them regularly instead of on occasion. No matter how much conscious effort we put into changing ourselves, it often seems to have no effect. So it might not come as much of a surprise that often, very little of the conscious mind is involved in how we structure our daily lives.
Gendercide: "The worst statistic" says, Former President Jimmy Carter
In March of this year, former president, Jimmy Carter, spoke out against sex-selective abortion on the David Letterman show. President Carter had been invited on the show to discuss the release of his new book, “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power.” When Letterman broached the topic of the book, Carter’s first comments were about gendercide and sex selective abortion, which he identified as the worst statistic he knows of. The exact conversation went as follows:
Red Wine: Miracle or Myth?
Red wine has been the centre of debate for some time now, and most people have heard that one glass a day is good for your health. The miracle properties found in the odd glass of red wine, along with grapes, chocolate, and other natural sources, is attributed to the anti-oxidant resveratrol – and it is this belief that has led to a $30 billion boom of resveratrol supplement sales in the US alone[1]. But just what are the supposed miraculous benefits and are they all that they are claimed to be? A recent study into the effects of resveratrol suggests that they are probably not.
The Wonder of Resveratrol
Over the past few years, resveratrol has often been put forward as an explanation for the famous ‘French Paradox’ – that is, for the inexplicably low rate of heart disease amongst the French, despite having diets that are high in fat and cholesterol. The thing that they do have in common? A high consumption of red wine, and thus, resveratrol. In fact, resveratrol is attributed to aiding not only the fight against heart disease, but also many other factors too.
Uncovering the Deceptive Scars of Emotional Abuse
Susan and Tim have been married for 10 years. Susan has a fulltime job, but still works hard to care for her home and family. That includes having a home cooked meal prepared when Tim arrives home every day. Today, her son became ill at school and it took her a couple of hours to pick him up and take him to the doctor. That meant Susan was not going to have that meal on the table today. Susan was afraid.
Why would something so minor cause Susan to become fearful? She was in a situation that most people wouldn’t give a second thought. It's just something that happens. For Susan, it could turn into a nightmare.
Susan raced home and hoped she had enough time to begin preparing dinner before Tim arrived. Unfortunately, Tim arrived only a few minutes after her. When he saw there was no food on the table, he was not happy. Therefore, as Susan had feared, he was about to make her life hell.
The Soil Food Web: Taking Organic Gardening to the Next Level
Organic gardeners are faced with a unique challenge; by putting health and environment first, we set ourselves up for a neverending struggle against pests, disease, and lackluster growth. In the absence of chemicals, the organic grower has to get creative and work twice as hard to achieve the desired results.
This, at any rate, is the popular narrative, one that undoubtedly prevents many hobbyists from going the organic route. Sure, we'd all love to do the environmentally friendly thing, but we also want a flourishing garden without too many hassles, and we're conditioned to believe this is only possible through chemical applications. But what many people don't realize is that by relying on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, they actually create more work, rather than less, for themselves.
Most gardeners have probably heard that synthetic chemicals destroy beneficial organisms in the soil, but for many this concept is too abstract to grasp. Who are these organisms anyway? What are they up to? How can I know they're helping if I can't even see them? In their book Teaming With Microbes, Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis demystify the world of the soil food web, identifying key players and their roles and offering detailed advice on how to protect and manage this ecosystem for maximum results.
Lowenfels and Lewis make the compelling argument that many of problems plaguing our lawns and gardens are the direct result of the home horticulturalist's reliance on chemical products which destroy microbial life. The result is a garden that depends on application after application of fertilizer and pesticides in order to survive. Conversely, a healthy soil ecosystem controls pathogen populations, provide plants with essential nutrients, and form relationships that encourage vigorous growth and healthy immune systems.
Sexually Transmitted Allergic Reaction: Not Your Typical Allergy
It’s a story so strange that at first read it sounds like it could be an urban legend rather than a development in sexual health and allergy research. Several years ago, a 20 year old woman from the United Kingdom with a severe allergy to Brazil nuts reportedly had an allergic reaction after having sex with her partner who had consumed the nut just hours before their encounter. This was the first documented case of a woman having a sexually transmitted allergic reaction. In a world where more and more people are suffering from dangerous allergies, is this something the rest of us need to be concerned about?
You’re probably thinking, “there is no way the Brazil nut was transmitted through her partner’s semen, there had to have been some remains in his mouth, skin, or hair.” Fair enough, but the couple reports having taken every possible precaution before having sex. The man, having known that his partner was allergic, showered, washed his face, skin, teeth, and thoroughly rinsed his mouth before engaging in sex. The scientists who later studied the case stated that if the reaction were in fact from residue in his saliva or skin, she would have had the allergic reaction much faster than she did. She only started showing symptoms after they finished having sex.
E-Cigarettes: Are They Really as Safe as They Seem?
The e-cigarette business is booming, and the tobaccoless nicotine product that is considered a safe alternative to conventional smoking is set to take the world by storm – in fact, that storm has already started. Global sales in tobaccoless smoking products has grown to nearly $3 billion and around one in five smokers have tried e-cigarettes in an attempt to quit smoking[1]. So just what is it about these little devices that is so popular, and are they really as safe as they seem?