WEEKLYWELLNESS
Serving up Current Health Concerns
Recent Health Concerns
Orange Glasses to Block Blue Lights
Evie Sweeten April 2015
For as long as I can remember, wearing sunglasses inside has been severely frowned upon. Recently, however, orange goggles have surged in popularity for people who want to block out certain lights before going to bed.
The glasses, also known as blue blockers, are worn to block out certain wavelengths of light in order to improve sleep for the technology addicted generation.
Bloggers, gamers and others all swear by these glasses saying that they feel sleepier when wearing them and sleep better as an end result.
Cell phones, laptops and televisions emit high level of LED lights which can interfere with a person’s circadian rhythm. The closer the device, the stronger the impact- so a cell phone has the biggest potential to mess up someone’s sleep schedule over a television.
In an article for the New York Times a writer stated, “Short of cutting out all evening electronics, experts say, it’s advisable to use a small screen rather than a large one; dim the screen and keep it as far away from the eyes as possible; and reduce the amount of time spent reading the device.”
While even just limiting the amount of time spent attached to technology may not be an option for some, especially students working on assignments until early into the morning or a high level corporate employee that never shuts down their laptop, these glasses could potentially undo some of the damage we have done to our sleep schedules.
Fresh Look at Nacogdoches Farmers Market
Evie Sweeten April 2015
Live music played and children ran around vendors as families among other East Texas residents milled about the Nacogdoches Farmers Market on a sunny Saturday morning in April.
Vendors had come out with their best and freshest assortment of produce, jewelry, crafts and other locally made items. Bright pops of colors from strawberry plants, squash, and green vegetables could be seen from across the market as customers tried to pick just one.
Nacogdoches Farmers Market is a lively collection of plants, produce and other locally made goods that comes to life every Saturday morning, as it has for the past nine years. A committee of volunteers works together to ensure all laws regarding quality and cleanup are followed, along with additional rules from the committee.
Everything sold must be made in a 90 mile radius of the market, ensuring that all of the products and vendors stay local. It is common for the produce sold to be picked only days before, if not hours before the actual event. Before being allowed to sell at the market, board members must visit the vendor’s farm to ensure quality.
“Here you get to talk to farmers and get a connection to your food. You can ask, how did you grow this? The food here is fresh and has higher vitamin content. It tastes better, so you’re also more likely to eat it,” Tammy Baker, board member of Nacogdoches Farmer’s Market, said.
Eating fresh food, specifically organic, has grown in popularity in the past few years. With all of the hype surrounding organic foods, the debate is on if organic foods are actually worth the price.
No matter which side you fall on, the true benefits of organic food include that it is free of genetically modified organisms and pesticides. Typically, organic food is often fresher too.
Vendors and customers often talk about where the food comes from. With some items appearing only seasonally, vendors are quick to explain what something is or how to cook with it. This allows for customers to try foods they may not have otherwise.
“It’s fresh; you get to know where your food comes from and it helps builds community. Other food has time to degrade and everything loses its vitality. You learn more and it’s all seasonal here,” Laura Millard of Millard Farms said.
Many vendors are able to educate anyone asking about their products and the various uses. With that willingness to share information, bonds can be formed between seller and customer.
“I like the people. You get to talk to vendors and it’s a great group of people. It’s not Walmart cookie cutter stuff here, vendors have made their stuff and it’s original to them,” Jordan McGee, senior SFA student and Horticulture Club member, said.
Here vendors can grow according to demand. Many of the retailers are returning and have been for years. McGee, as a member of the Horticulture Club, sells small plants to raise money for trips and has experienced this firsthand.
“We started with just a little bit of plants. People kind of expect us to be here now. We definitely have a lot more stuff for sale,” McGee said.
With so many things available to East Texas locals, there is what seems like an infinite amount of recipes to make from food found at the market.
By trying new, healthy foods in fun and creative ways people may be more likely to continue eating healthy rather than the usual junk food.
“It’s a health discovery and makes being healthy fun. Aside from food, it’s a health exercise to enjoy people- meeting friendly faces does good for your psychological,” Baker said.
The Nacogdoches Farmers Market is located at 107 Pearl St. in the old hitch lot and is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Starting in spring the market is also open every Wednesday from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. For additional information, including a complete list of vendors and items sold visit nacogdochesfarmersmarket.com.
Potential Effects of Edible Marijuana
Evie Sweeten March 2015
With the legalization of marijuana, the plant has seemingly grown more popular than ever. While many people think that the plant isn’t very potent, but when tried in forms other than smoking it can have more extreme consequences.
Recently, there have been a few cases of edible marijuana such as in brownies with serious health side effects. One of the most talked about incidents included a father who ate “special” brownies made by his daughter that resulted in a frantic mess.
The father ate one brownie laced with marijuana and was convinced he was experiencing a stroke. In his confusion and stress, he called 911 which resulted in firefighters and policemen responding to the scene. Later, his daughter admitted that she had added an extra ingredient to the brownies but the father ended up in good health.
While this case had an almost humorous ending, there have been two very public deaths linked with an overconsumption of edible marijuana products. The deaths were fairly similar as one was a 22-year-old man on a ski vacation that committed suicide and the other was a college student on spring break that jumped off of a balcony.
Here in Texas while marijuana may not be legal, it is still widely used in places like high schools and colleges. Since it isn’t allowed here, there is less education on how to safely use the drug for medicinal as well as recreational purposes so incidents like this will most likely be repeated.
While there are warning labels on edible products in Colorado, I don’t think it is enough to prevent these events from happening again.
Head Trauma Too Much for Athletes?
Evie Sweeten March 2015
Safety in football has been a growing concern for athletes and parents alike, but may have recently spiked with professional players caught deciding between fun and their futures.
On March 16 rookie linebacker Chris Borland of the San Francisco 49ers left the NFL after deciding long term damage from head injuries outweighed his growing salary.
Borland retired from the league at the young age of 24 in what seems to be a growing trend of concern for repeated head trauma in the sport.
According to espn.go.com, more than 70 players have been diagnosed with progressive neurological diseases and other studies found correlation between the constant head trauma leading to brain damage with additional issues. Many additional cases are not reported.
Former football stars like “Iron Mike” Webster of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dave Duerson of the Chicago Bears and Junior Seau from the San Diego Chargers were diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy as a result of trauma endured from their football careers.
Concussions among football players, at any level, sadly are a common occurrence. Even players at Stephen F. Austin State University have suffered head injuries during the football season. Starting from before junior high to high school to college and further, by the time a player retires chances are he has had at least one injury.
Personally, I knew a player in high school who had suffered three concussions, so his mother pulled him out of football for good during his senior year. Both the player and his mother decided the damage to play was not worth it.
The question stands though, how can we make a cherished sport safer so it can be enjoyed by many for years to come?
Illegal E-Cigarette Use on the Rise
Evie Sweeten March 2015
After decades of legislation being passed and almost entire generation of attitudes changed, smoking had gone out of style, or so it seemed. Recently e- cigarettes, or simply known as e-cigs, have surged in popularity.
These products boast that they are healthier than normal cigarettes and come with different flavors to smoke. The problem lies in the fact that while e-cigs don’t contain real smoke, they do contain heavy doses of nicotine and flavor additives could pose potential allergy risks.
Due to the many flavors and colors of these products, minors are now being brought into the smoking world faster than ever. The law for buying e-cigarettes is the same as buying normal cigarettes. The buyer must be 18.
Recently, a post on foxnews.com exposed many minors conveniently buying their vaping machines online to avoid showing ID. Out of 98 times in a test by JAMA Pediatrics, 75 attempts succeeded in obtaining e-cigarettes. This test was conducted in North Carolina which has a law against minors buying any type of cigarette, as well as 40 other states.
The biggest fear for minors obtaining e-cigarettes, in my opinion, would be that they would graduate to normal cigarettes much quicker. Since e-cigarettes do contain nicotine, it is not far off to think minors could get addicted to vaping.
Despite all steps forwards to eliminate cigarettes in public places, it would be a shame if the next generation reversed everything by becoming addicted to e-cigarettes.
Changing the Future of Peanut Allergies
Evie Sweeten March 2015
For years, children and parents alike have worried about how early kids should be exposed to certain foods without causing an allergy. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal talks about a study that may indicate a way to lessen food allergies among children.
The proposed idea is to give the child a small dose of the food, so for example peanuts at around 11 months old. This is something new because for years parents were told not to give certain foods to their kids until about three years old. The results for a recent study of children who stayed away from peanuts until five years old had a 17.2% chance of becoming allergic, while the group that ate peanuts regularly had only a 3.2% chance of becoming allergic.
The key for the study is not necessarily avoidance, nor was it early introduction. From what I understood, the important part was the gradual introduction of the food.
Scientists wonder that if these results could be repeated again what the possibilities could be. Eventually, the hope would be to try this study with other foods like eggs to see the results.
It would be interesting to think if this theory could work on children, maybe it work on adults as well by just gradually adding whatever food they’re allergic to in their diets. Personally, my best friend growing up was very allergic to peanuts and it has continued her whole life. To think that she wouldn't have to carry around EpiPens everywhere after 20 years of doing so, would be life changing.
While a firm statement has not been made for either side, the future seems encouraging.
What's Really in Herbal Supplements?
Evie Sweeten February 2015
Monday Feb. 3 New York State attorney general office ordered four large chains to stop selling herbal supplements based on false claims.
Target, Walgreens, Walmart and GNC are accused of providing products where the main ingredients promoted are not even in the product along with including potentially dangerous ingredients as fillers.
While customers are technically being conned out money, this is not only a case of false advertising but also a serious health concern. Some of the products tested simply did not have the stated ingredients, but for others fillers like rice, wild carrots and beans were used instead. The dangerous part of the ordeal is how some companies used fillers such as powdered legumes, an ingredient that would be unsafe for someone with nut or soybean allergy to consume.
Herbal supplements are not reviewed or approved by the FDA, which explains the lack of quality products. Instead an “honor code” is enforced on companies who only care about their bottom line rather than consumers’ health.
“If this data is accurate, then it is an unbelievably devastating indictment of the industry,” said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and an expert on supplement safety in a post on NYtimes.com.
In order to fix the problem Walgreens is pulling all of the products from around the country and Walmart will talk to their suppliers. Target refused to comment. GNC, however, stands behind the quality of their products.
As for a final solution, there is none yet and there might not be for a while.
Suicide Prevention for Veterans Act Passed
Evie Sweeten February 2015
With veteran suicide rates climbing to almost two dozen per day overall 8,000 per year, legislators recently passed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act to assist those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Clay Hunt, the Marine veteran who the bill was named for, tragically took his own life in 2011 after battling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for years.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a disorder that commonly occurs in victims of natural disaster, assault, rape or veterans. In many cases, victims will re-experience their trauma through flashbacks or nightmares. Other symptoms include avoidance of things that could trigger a flashback, heightened anxiety/awareness and emotional numbness.
The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act will set aside funding to improve mental health care and suicide prevention resources to service members. Third party evaluation will be needed for each suicide prevention program to decide if it needs improvements, to be consolidated or eliminated. Along with funding and evaluating programs, the bill also will create a community outreach program for veterans who are transitioning back from active duty.
Often for most survivors the hardest part of any anxiety disorder is just talking about it. Many times people will think if they ask for help they will be perceived as weak, so they suffer in silence instead. On MSNBC there is a video posted of President Obama and experts talking about this act and why it is so important. They mention why survivors should get help and where to start.
Once the conversation about PTSD is started, hopefully it will become easier for veterans to gain access to the resources they need.