JOURNAL
Frankenfoods: Monstrous or Misunderstood? A Look at the Understated Benefits of Genetically Modified Crops
What are GMOs?
GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are created when a gene from one species is transferred to another, thus creating something that would not occur naturally. It means that a geneticist can isolate a gene for a specific attribute, such as resistance to drought, and implant it into a different species. The newly created plant will then develop drought resistance too. So called ‘frankenfoods’ (a rather clever play on Frankenstein’s monster) are spliced for a number of reasons: taste, texture, durability, nutrition, and many more. The genes don’t just come from other plants either, but have been sourced from bacterium and animals too – in fact, just about any organism that has a gene that may be helpful.
There has been a lot of debate around the issue of GMOs lately, especially as groups continue to lobby for legislation forcing food companies to label foods specifically as GMO. It’s easy to think that this is a topic that doesn’t affect you but actually, around 70% of all the food lining our grocery store shelves are genetically modified, and the US accounts for 63% of all GM crops worldwide[1]. So it seems that unless you eat entirely organic, the chances are that you are eating genetically modified foods – and far from being someone else’s problem, it’s actually an issue that affects us all.
The hidden cost of negative body image
Dissatisfaction with one’s appearance is a familiar feeling to many of us. In a society with idealized bodies plastered all over the media we consume, from magazines to movies and everywhere in between, drawing unfavorable comparisons of oneself to the results of Photoshop might even be inevitable. People do not fret over their looks for no reason, either: perceived attractiveness is, for example, likely to be tied to employment rate and wages earned.[i] Teenagers, too, feel the pressure of trying to measure up to modern times’ Aphrodite and Adonis – perhaps even more keenly than adults, at times. Research shows time and again that young people worry quite a lot over their looks, and sometimes those worries can put them on the path to self-destruction. And since such low self-perception and the disorders associated with it tend to be rooted in adolescence, if they do not outright begin then, it is important to be aware of how these problems crop up in young people if we hope to combat them in the population at large.
Obesity and the Importance of Beautiful Staircases
Everyone knows the importance of taking the stairs rather than the elevator, although not everyone does. There are lots of things that can impact our decision to take the stairs – our fitness levels, how high in the building we may need to go, whether we’re injured or disabled, or even simply our energy levels on any given day. But does the aesthetic appeal of a staircase ever come into question? David Burney think so.
A Celebration of Stairs
Burney, a New York City Commissioner of the Department of Design and Construction says that we should make the most of the staircases in every building, and by making them aesthetically pleasing, we can encourage more people to climb them[1]. He, perhaps rightly, points out that in trying to make life easier, architects and building planners have also made life sedentary and this, in turn, has made us lose our love of the grand staircases that are so often a focal point in old buildings. In their place, we see elevator shafts, perhaps with a small sign indicating the way to a drab staircase that is there for necessity alone.
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.