People can’t understand why a man runs. They don’t see any sport in it. Argue it lacks the sight and thrill of body contact. Yet, the conflict is there, more raw and challenging than any man versus man competition. For in running it is man against himself, the cruelest of opponents. The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies within him, in his ability, with brain and heart to master himself and his emotions.

- Glenn Cunningham (two-time U.S. Olympian)

*Love Always, Sarah*

People who don’t eat healthy cite the fact that junk food is cheaper than health food.

Did you know that our government spends over $7.5 billion of our tax money on ingredients that make junk food?

One in five children ages six to eleven are obese. The government should not be paying to make ubiquitous junk food even cheaper. Instead, we should be promoting health food.

SOLUTION:

• Sure, the problem is a bit oversimplified here. The agricultural industry makes a lot of corn, more than we can consume. High fructose corn syrup and other corn-and-chemical-based sweeteners sure are helping the farmers who depend on corn sales in order to make a profit. However, this does not warrant the overproduction of corn or the idea of using taxpayer’s money to aggravate America’s weight problem.
• Sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup need to be more expensive so that food companies will go back to using sugar. Remember my article about the dangers of high fructose corn syrup? (Read it here). If the government used our money to fund increasing the availability of organic foods, we could actually begin to reverse the obesity epidemic.

Don’t let the government waste your tax dollars!

-Rika

Source

“Some say the glass is half full, some say the glass is half empty, I say ‘Hey, you gonna drink that?‘ ”

Story of my life. Pessimists are often called ‘Realists’. Optimists are often called ‘Fantastics’. …I have been called both, and when I tell people that, they say I’m crazy and thats impossible. They always tell me:

“You can’t be both. You have to be a ‘glass half empty’ person or a ‘glass half full’ person. So, which is it?”

BUT I’M NOT EITHER!!!! YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE!!!!!!!! You can be a realist- optimist just fine! you can not care! You can simply be a ‘if there is any harmless substance in that glass and YOU aren’t going to drink it, then I WILL!” person. That’s the type of person I am. so quit stereotyping. Seriously. The Glass, be it half full or half empty, needs to be drank People! Put aside your differences and just drink the stupid thing! Seriously! Just drink the thing so you don’t die. cuz that would be sad. …..okay. ranting over.

*Love, Sarah*

Malaria is a problem that plagues our entire world. Anywhere between 350 and 500 MILLION new cases arise per year. Malaria kills over 1,000,000 people annually, and most of these people are African children. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. Another child just died from Malaria. Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted by mosquitos and is most common in tropical/subtropical areas. There are medicines used to help prevent Malaria that many take while traveling to countries largely effected by Malaria. Why is it still so common, then? Like many other viruses, the malaria parasite has become immune to the most common prevention drugs.

Infected blood cell image via scienceblogs.com

It is much more costly to treat malaria than to prevent it. About $5 Billion are needed annually to help pay for malaria treatment. The cost to African countries alone is about $12 million. Prevention costs significantly less. A bednet is only about $6…just 6. Not $6 hundred, not $6 thousand…Just $6. Even to treat a child who has been plagued by malaria it is just $1.50. This is probably less than a single person in the United States spends on just one meal. However, many of the families in Africa who have infected children can not aford to pay this simple cost.

Malaria patient image via NIH

What can you do to help? Well! I’m glad you asked! There are many institutes, foundations and organizations dedicated to assisting to the reasearch and treatment of malaria. Just a few of these marvelous institutes and organizations include: The Royal Tropical Institute, the John Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, and the Malaria Research Foundation. Visit these websites to find out more!

http://www.kit.nl/eCache/FAB/3/919.html

What would cause anyone to deny life to a precious human being? Who would deny them the chance to learn? The chance to grow? Most importantly, who would deny them the chance to LOVE and the chance to make a difference in the world?

Thinking of going on a diet? Want a New Year’s resolution that could save your life?

The first step to any diet is to get rid of soda. The smartest resolution to make is to kick these addicting cans of caffeinated beverages out of your house. What makes this liquid candy a hidden danger? Check it out:

Pic by poolie via Flickr

Why you shouldn’t drink sodas:

1. Soda plays an active role in America’s increasing waistline.

“Obesity rates have risen in tandem with soda consumption. Soft drinks provide 10.3% of the calories consumed by overweight teenage boys, but only 7.6% of the calories consumed by other boys. The National Institutes of Health recommends that people trying to lose or control their weight should drink water instead of soft drinks with sugar.” (citation)

2. They could cause kidney stones, especially if aided by the use of alcohol. I would advise you put that coke and rum away now. Did I mention   the use of coke and rum can do some serious damage on your nervous system because coke is a stimulant and kickstarts your system, but when mixed with rum (a depressant) your nervous system doesn’t know what to do.

“Soft drinks may increase the recurrence of kidney stones. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) includes cola beverages on a list of foods that doctors may advise patients to avoid.” (citation)

3. Instead of drinking milk, teens consume more soda.

As teens have doubled or tripled their consumption of soft drinks, they drank 40% less milk. Twenty years ago, boys consumed twice as much milk as soft drinks, and girls consumed 50% more milk than soft drinks. Now, boys and girls consume twice as much soda pop as milk.

Pic by Sh4rp_i via Flickr

4. Sodas contain harmful chemicals as well as the infamously unnatural, lab created high fructose corn syrup. (See my previous article about this chemical)

The artificial sweetener saccharin, which is now used only in a few brands, has been linked in human studies to urinary-bladder cancer and in animal studies to cancers of the bladder and other organs. The safety of acesulfame-K, which is used in the new Pepsi One, has been questioned by several cancer experts.

Below: The Soda From Hell!

Image by jamesfallen via Flickr

5. Dr. Pepper is even targeting little children, trying to make their dangerous liquid candy a staple in children’s diets. As they place their products strategically in toddler’s lives, it’s only a testament to the fact that soda companies are evil. By consuming sodas, you are putting your money in the hands of people willing to manipulate children.

“Pepsi, Dr Pepper, and Seven-Up encourage feeding soft drinks to toddlers by licensing their logos to a maker of baby bottles, Munchkin Bottling, Inc. Infants and toddlers are four times likelier to be fed soda pop out of those bottles than out of regular baby bottles.” (citation)

Let’s think twice before buying that soda. You just may be financing the agendas of the companies who have decided to play a deadly role in the obesity epidemic.

-Rika

Research citation

There I was, standing on the sidewalk with a ten dollar bill in hand. On my left, a frozen yogurt store I affectionately nicknamed FroYo because one of the clerks there has a full-out afro. On my right, a classic ice cream store packed with more good memories than a train car full of business people in Japan.

photo by maveric2003

As my head whips dramatically between my two choices, my vision goes fuzzy and takes on an orange hue just as a sound that resembles a crate hitting a cement floor sounds through my mind. I realize that I’m having a Lost-style flashback.

“Rika, read this article!” Jala says, dropping an article on my desk. I narrow my eyes at the staff member that currently holds the award for the highest amount of views. She then leaves to go check her fanmail.

The article, from Newsweek, says that “numerous studies have suggested that yogurt and its so-called friendly bacteria, also known as probiotics, may actually enhance the immune system, have anticancer properties, help with allergies and yeast infections, lower cholesterol and even help you manage weight.” I read on to see that these “cartons of goodness” may even be better for you than milk.

Photo by voteprime

Five feet from my desk, Calister F. Wells emerges from a nearby broom closet. I narrow my eyes at the staff member that currently holds the position for second highest amount of views.

“So, she’s trying to convince you, huh?”

“Convince me of what?” I ask, looking around to see where the ominous music is coming from. Calister is holding a boom box. I walk over and turn it off, crossing my arms. “Jala just gave me an article.”

“She’s trying to make you believe Frozen Yogurt is better than ice cream.”

“But this Newsweek article says-”

He holds up a different Newsweek article. I tear it out of his hands and skim over it. A sentence catches my eye: “Suppose you could shave just 100 calories out of the daily indulgence–by forgoing a cookie or a third of a candy bar, or by substituting frozen yogurt for premium ice cream.”

Photo by gozalewis via Flickr

I look up to tell Calister that there must be a mistake -yogurt is BETTER than ice cream!- but he’s disappeared.

“What-?”

Another jarringly over-cinematic noise tells me the flashback’s over.

How could ice cream EVER hold a torch to frozen yogurt health-wise? Sure, it has calcium, an important fortifying vitamin, but it also has saturated fat and lots of sugar. And if lowfat frozen yogurt is paired with healthy fruits and toppings, then it beats ice cream by a long run.

And so my decision becomes clear, even to me. I begin walking.

In the direction of the ice cream store. Sorry, FroYo, today a brownie-fudge-cheesecake ice cream in a waffle cone beats your wimpy yogurt.

Even if you do have as many calories as a rack of ribs.

820 calories, to be exact.

Oh, and the sodium.

30 grams.

-Rika

My goal is to live forever.

So far so good!

In all seriousness, a long, healthy life is an admirable goal. No, it’s more than admirable- it’s the ultimate goal. The goal of all goals. It’s the one mission that everyone subconsciously strives for.

Image by "thelastminute" via Flickr

Is YOUR goal to live forever? Well then stop searching for the fountain of youth and be realistic. Here are 4 ways to try to live forever:

1. Learn how to save yourself and what to do during the worst case scenarios. But there’s one piece of advice that ALWAYS pays well: don’t panic!
2. Eat healthy. Every third grader can recite the main food groups. Most adults know what a healthy diet should be. But how many people actually eat healthy? I know, I know, we all have our weaknesses (like chocolate), but eating right is all about willpower. And by simply doing things like sprinkling blueberries on your disgusting (but full of fiber and vitamins) cereal in the morning can make that cereal taste a little better. Sacrifices will have to be made- like soda. Don’t get me started on High Fructose Corn Syrup. Not to mention how the acidic nature of soda destroys teeth enamel.
3. Get outside more. Go to the park, go for a morning jog- but don’t forget the sunscreen! Vitamin D can be obtained from sun exposure, and because Vitamin D protects against cancers, what do you have to lose if you wear sunscreen? Another note here: tanning is a one way trip to skin problems. Don’t do it!
4. Exercise. It’s the cure-all prescription that will dramatically increase your quality of life. But still people aren’t getting enough. Do yourself a favor and walk to the mailbox, spend some time at your local gym, do some push-ups, or bike to work.

There you go. I just gave you four ways to live forever. The key to the chest. The map to the fountain of youth.

What are you waiting for! I didn’t say living forever was easy! Eat some fruit, lace those sneakers, and jog to your CPR class. Seal your future with decisions that all the health buffs are envious of.

-Rika

Cake is awesome. Sure, the processed flour turns to sugar in your bloodstream. Sure, as a result of that your fat metabolism is slowed down. Despite all that, I love cake as much as the next person.

Why? Well, our culture has turned cake into the official birthday food! You never see balloons and smart aleck cards poking fun at people’s ages sans the cake.

Image by Corey Ann via Flickr

That’s not to say that cake- if eaten moderately- isn’t an entirely bad thing. (Or at least we try to convince ourselves of that)

Well all health worries aside, props to Piratical Lord of the Guitars! Its her birthday today, and we all wish her a day full of yummy proccessed flour and people breaking out into spontaneous rounds of an out of tune “Happy Birthday!”

Happy Birthday, PLOTG!

It’s not just Stephen Colbert who is wagging his finger at others.

Beijing recently blamed consumers for their pollution.

Really Beijing? Consumers are your friends. If you can’t find environmentally friendly ways to manufacture your products, that’s your problem.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, the FDA is getting in over it’s head. Despite the lovely truths of High Fructose Corn Syrup, they made a wrong call in letting it slide without telling the country, “Hey! HFCS is bad for you! Newsflash! This is NOT natural!”. But no. They proceeded to label High Fructose Corn Syrup as natural, fueling a flurry of blatantly false campaigning by the HFCS companies and supporters that are making dough from the disgustingly unhealthy substance. Read my article about HFCS here.

This past year has had the highest amount of approved drugs by the FDA to date. Really guys? It’s easier to make wrong calls if you have more chances to let things slip through the cracks.

In the future, I wouldn’t be surprised to see increases in blame every time there’s any sort of disaster or recession. I hope that at least someone will learn something from all of this.

Don’t blame people for the sake of blaming them.

Don’t even blame them if they’re wrong.

Spot the problem and fix it all ready!

(Yes, Beijing, I’m talking to you)

-Rika

Sources:

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/global-warming/beijing-blames-consumers-for-carbon-pollution-20090318-927q.html

http://bx.businessweek.com/food-and-drug-administration/

http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/fda-drug-approvals-highest-in-three.html

A violence wheel from www.domesticviolence.org that shows some common strategies of domestic violence.

Most people have heard about the Rihanna and Chris Brown story;  supposedly he hit her with an umbrella (ironic, I know)  from inside a limo and caused damage to her face and neck. If you have seen the pictures, it is devastating and I do not believe anyone deserves to be treated like this. Domestic violence is a very important issue and everyone should know about it. I never really thought about it until this story came out.

What is domestic violence?

“Domestic violence and emotional abuse are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other. Partners may be married or not married; heterosexual, gay, or lesbian; living together, separated or dating.” (domesticviolence.org). This violence can be in the form of physical, and emotional abuse. Abusing is not accidental or done under stress etc., it is intentional and should not be misunderstood.

Who can be a victim?

This can happen to everyone. Male, female, children, adults…no matter who you are this can happen to you. It may happen sometimes, or all the time. However, children growing up with domestic violence has a greater chance of being abused and/or neglected. Many children know if this violence is going on, and can cause emotional and behavioral problems even if he or she is not abused. Both men and women are victims of this violence, but in many cases it is women.

Who are the abusers?

Abusers are very difficult to just point out in a crowd. Most abuse only in private, while showing a certain image in public. Drinking and smoking is not always necessary for abusers to strike out. Abusers a lot of times have low self-esteem and may even blame the victim for causing the violence.

How to stay safe:

Always call 911 or the Police if you ever feel like you are in danger from an abuser. Many times these situations are illegal and it is very important to call for help. The police can arrest the abuser once enough evidence is proven. Once they arrive, be sure to:

• Tell what the abuser did to make you call
• If you have been physically hurt, tell where you were hit and how many times. Some marks take time to show up, but do show any that are visible. If marks are seen after they leave, take pictures and show it in court.
• Show if there is any broken/damaged items/property
• Get the officers’ name, badge number, and report number in case you need a copy of the report which can help you get a Personal Protection Order (PPO)

Things to remember:

• Get help from family and friends. They will always be there and support you.
• Though it is not fair that you would need to leave where you are living now, it may be the only way to stay safe
• Get medical help. You may have injuries that you didn’t even know you had and can turn into a big injury. If you are hit in the head, this can be serious and you definitely need to seek medical help.
• Make a plan. Plan what are you going to do if you ever encounter this situation, and if you feel unsafe.

This information is only a small portion about domestic violence. Please go to www.domesticviolence.org for more information including phone numbers to contact, and more about PPO’s.

In the future, we can only hope that we can diminish the far reaching effects of domestic violence. Completely ridding the world of violence is, of course, impossible, but if we aim high we have nothing to lose.

~Hope

This year The Nearby Future staff has written a collective 48,747 words! Here are your favorite articles from staff members with the most page views (not counting Jala, because she writes pages, not posts).

• Rika’s best articles: “Corn“, “Stress: Side Effects Include…”, and “The World is Not Coming to an End“
• Calister F. Well’s best articles: “When In Rome, Think Like the Greeks”, and “Humming the Song of the World’s Destruction“
• PLOTG’s best articles: “Personal Rights Conflict With Hollywood’s Big Bucks”, “Teens and Their Sleep“, and “The Pledge“,
• Hope’s best articles: “HPV Vaccine“, “Izze: A Healthy Alternative“, and “Clocky: Crushing the Dreams of Snooze Button People Everywhere“.

And even though she doesn’t write for us anymore, big thanks to contributor ‘Ashley Lampost’ for her wonderful article about cars!
Looking forward to a great new year,

-Rika

Note: Each article that has won this prestigious award will bear the following picture upon it’s page:

But experts say there is no reason for cell phone users to worry.

“There’s no adverse health effect,” said John Walls of the Cell Phone Industry Trade Group.

The American Cancer Society agrees, but adds a cautionary note.

“All the evidence we have so far is that they are safe,” said Dr. Michael Thun of the American Cancer Society. “But as I say, it’s impossible to prove with science that something is absolutely safe.”

The effects of cell phones on children have not been studied.

-ABC News Website

The public has been told not to worry, cell phones do not pose a health risk, or at least there’s no evidence to conclude that the radiation could hurt our health and well being.

I’m skeptical of that- with a phone having to access cell phone towers to send messages among a thousand other different features, what are these signals doing to our systems? Children are getting cell phones at a younger and younger age- what is this doing to their developing bodies?

The media isn’t taking this seriously enough. We’re not taking this seriously enough. Radiation has been studied from granite counter tops, but apparently not cell phones or ipods.

Chowing down on food for thought,

-Rika

Photo Props

So, it’s Bloggers Unite for World Aids Day, and guess who didn’t have an article prepared!

Alright, alright, it’s nothing new but this is such an important day that I though I’d do some work and copy and paste some stuff about said day.

This is directly from the Bloggers Unite website:

HIV/AIDS has been a global epidemic for more than 27 years. Most of today’s youth have never known a world without it. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published national HIV incidence (new infections) that showed much higher numbers that previous estimates. The time is now. Together, we can prevent the spread of this pandemic – through awareness, care, prevention, education and research.

“HIV/AIDS has now become a pandemic that has literally put the world at risk, affecting diverse populations in different ways”. –Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA Director

The moment AIDS becomes airborne, we can assure you that an apoplectic situation will arise. That’s why we’re blogging to you now so that later when the world is falling to pieces, we can take pride in our ‘we told you so’s and bask in our glory.

Get informed. Spread the word. Bloggers unite.

-Rika

The FDA is at it again, angering thousands of bloggers and people alike who believe in good health. Thanks to some pressure from the Corn Refiners Association, the wonderful little company that makes High Fructose Corn Syrup, (HFCS) apparently HFCS is considered natural.

This is probably the worst decision made by them yet.

Reasons why HFCS is NOT natural:

• The FDA said it wasn’t natural before they conveniently changed their minds.
• The process is more complicated than Dextrose, which isn’t considered natural.
• The complex process includes genetically altered ingredients.

Listen, I could go on and on, talking about things such as that HFCS is digested in the liver instead of the stomach, and preliminary research shows that yes, it could most definitely be the cause of the obesity epidemic, but instead I’m going to stop here.

The best health tip that could be given right now is don’t eat high fructose corn syrup. Don’t listen to the FDA.

So go ahead and give them a dramatic clap for doing what they do best- pleasing big companies.

-Rika

How it was started:

Izze was created when two normal guys, Todd and Greg, were having lunch together in 2003. They thought it would be amazing to create a great tasting product while contributing that money to a worthy cause. This drink was inspired by European drinks they recently tried which they thought tasted high-quality.

The cause they wanted the profits to go to was The Global Education Fund. This is a non-profit organization that gives kids who can’t afford school the opportunity to get a good education.

Where they are sold:

Their product was a success. Today, there are 7 different flavors of Izze; 5 of Izzie Fortified; and 3 flavors of the low-calorie Izze esque. You can find these products in grocery stores, delis, fine restaurants, elementary schools, airlines, coffee shops and cafes. They are sold all over the United States as well as parts of Canada, Japan, and England.

The process:

When this product is made, they are all about going “green”- just like us! Their offices are only powered by wind, no air-conditioning (imagine that!), and 10% of the cardboard we use is used for their 4-pack container and for the signage. They encourage us to recycle the bottles and the containers. Because new discoveries are being uncovered every day in science, they are always open to other things. One day out of every year, they bike to work and just hand out Izzes!

Izze:

Izze comes in pomegranate, apple, grapefruit, blueberry, clementine, peach, and blackberry. Not only that, but there is only 120-140 calories with low sodium for the entire bottle, 12 fl oz! Best of all, there’s no high fructose corn syrup or added sugar in the drinks, which is one of the main problem with most sodas. All of their products include no artificial colors or flavors.

Izze esque:

Now, Izze esque is the low-calorie version. It comes in black raspberry, mandarin, and lemon. With only 60 calories in a jam-packed 12 fl oz bottle, this is a great alternative to something such as diet soda.

Izze Fortified:

Izze Fortified is just as tasty, but includes more vitamins. It’s only an 8.4 oz can, but in all that it can pack 10% of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Niacin! It is perfect for school lunches or even a picnic.

Not only will kids like it, but I’m sure that parents will be sneaking one out of the fridge too. Remember to take into consideration the cause it’s going to- people that can’t afford an education.
~Hope

This article has been chosen as one of the best articles of 2008.

See more of The Nearby Future’s Best Articles of 2008

Add this article to your favorites:

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. ~Douglas Adams

Sodas get a bad rap because they contain high fructose corn syrup.

For some reason, “health drinks” like Vitamin Water don’t, although they contain crystalline fructose, which is pretty much the same thing. In fact, crystalline Fructose includes an even higher percentage of fructose than HFCS.
What? Is our society a sucker for drinks with pretty labels and witty text? Can just anyone put a bright, happy label on something obviously unhealthy and still get us to buy it?

Time for a wake up call!

Why High Fructose Corn Syrup is Unhealthy

• High Fructose Corn syrup can increase your risk of heart disease
• It raises blood levels of cholesterol and of triglycerides
• HFCS leads to mineral loss
• You’ll gain more weight, “Because it is metabolized by the liver, fructose does not cause the pancreas to release insulin the way it normally does. Fructose converts to fat more than any other sugar.”
• Copper deficiency, another side effect of too much High Fructose Corn Syrup, leads to “to bone fragility, anemia, defects of the connective tissue, arteries, and bone, infertility, heart arrhythmias, high cholesterol levels, heart attacks, and an inability to control blood sugar levels.”

Is it really worth all that to get your caffiene fix?

Because HFCS is cheaper then other sugars, it’s creeping into all of our foods; from ketchup to protein bars. Next time you’re at the store, double check labels to make sure what you’re buying doesn’t have High Fructose Corn Syrup, or it’s close cousin, Crystalline Fructose.

~Rika

As annoyed at the FDA for allowing HFCS to continue to be used as I am? Read about another case of High Fructose Corn Syrup and the drink that is forever on my blacklist here.

Sources:

The Double Danger of High Fructose Corn Syrup

Los Angeles Times

Mayo Clinic

Wikipedia Article

I don’t understand “sports drinks”.

• Some people I know get sick after drinking Gatorade or Vitamin Water during workouts.
• They carry too many detrimental ingredients
• They’re expensive

Glaceau’s website has a colorful layout- clean cut and modern with pictures of athletes and a line of the popular Vitamin Water drinks in a cheerful line. Vitamin Water has been gleefully parading around with titles like “Hydrate Responsibly”- titles that in no way describe the drink. Each drink has a name beside the flavor; ‘Defense’, ‘Focus’, ‘Balance’, ‘Endurance’.

All hokey claims to helping your body aside, Vitamin Water is actually worse than soda.

Vitamin Water: Misleading Consumers Since 1996

Before I get into the issue, I’d like to point out the irony of the fact that the Coca Cola company bought Glaceau for 4.2 billion dollars. When the legendary owners of Coca Cola buy a company, their products have to be healthy, right? *heavy sarcasm*

Common sense here, people.

When someone takes distilled water- “soft” water stripped of vitamins not to mention that it is surrounded by controversy regarding if it’s bad for you- and then sits in a lab mixing chemicals until they have something that looks like it’s healthy on the label, (or somewhat), then what you’ve really got is an artificial substitute for water that’s worse than soda.

And what’s the culprit lurking in Coke and Pepsi cans all over the world? High fructose corn syrup. But soda doesn’t win this round for most unhealthful drink, because Vitamin Water evens the score with it’s very own crystalline fructose- which is the same thing. Talk about giving an old danger a new name.

Misleading marketing? I think so.

So to wrap everything up, I’d like to warn everyone that marketers are pushing the edge of what’s legal to get their products a good reputation with everyone. In the future something must be done, whether a new organization is put together to keep consumers informed or government action.

~Rika

In the last decade consumers have been buying granite, something that could possibly cause health risks.

Depending on several factors, your granite countertops could pose a health risk. On each side of the argument, people are debating how big of a health risk these countertops have. There’s no rock hard evidence saying that all granite causes cancer- there’s only a small risk depicted in some research done already.

Treehugger.com and solidsurfacealliance.com are both dead set against granite.

From treehugger.com

I think some people are blowing this little matter out of proportion. Has anyone done a study on the radioactivity levels of cell phones? Computers? There has to be some other part of our house besides our countertops that need to be investigated for health issues.
So when someone starts up a conversation about granite, I point out how inconsequential their worries are. We have other things we need to look at before we decide something that is completely irrational.

~Rika

Sources:

Treehugger.com

Solidsurfacealliance.com

nytimes.com

Health Physics Society.com

Quick! What are you drinking at this moment? A double big gulp from seven eleven that has 800 calories? Or a Venti Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino with 380 calories? If the answer is one of these, or anything other than water, you health could be in worse condition than you thought. Sure, I understand that when the morning starts off slow you like to down a Monster energy drink or stop by Starbucks, but you’ve got to realize that your 43rd straight trip to Starbucks isn’t doing you any good.

The Nearby Future Staff has compiled a small list of drinks that could very possibly lead to your demise, that is, if you keep up your religious drinking habits. Alright, maybe that was a little melodramatic.

• Coke, Pepsi, and other sodas: Too much phosphorus (large amounts found in soda) and your bones could start to dissolve, leading to osteoporosis. Sugar and acid in soda can destroy teeth enamel. Consumption of high fructose corn syrup causes obesity. These facts among others are all reasons to give up soda!
• Vitamin Water- On Yahoo, we found a couple articles about this drink, and after some further research, we’re certain that Vitamin Water is not something that you should drink if you’re aiming for a healthy lifestyle. Aside from the added calories, you actually won’t benefit from the vitamins in this water if you have a balanced diet or are eating multivitamins. If you have heart or kidney disease, you certainly want to avoid this because the amount of potassium in certain flavors might interrupt the functions of those organs.
• Zevia, or any other drink with the sweetener Stevia- Usually, when one country bans something, it’s for a good reason. So when Europe banned Stevia, an all natural diet sweetener, we started investigating and decided that if Europe thought it was unsafe for humans to be eating, than we shouldn’t take risks. Artificial sweeteners in general should be avoided at all costs.

With that said, I’d just like to point out that anyone who protests against these points is just trying to justify drinking these unhealthy drinks. It’s common knowledge that sodas are unhealthy. We just don’t usually see how unhealthy they are.

Now that I’ve convinced you to stop drinking sodas and sports/energy drinks, here’s two great substitutes!

• Izze: My most favorite drink, this is basically fruit juice and carbonated water. With as little as nine (or so, depends on the flavor) fruit ingredients, Izze is a perfect substitute for coke- and it tastes great too.
• Tea: Not the bottled or canned kind- I’m talking about the tea that comes in tea bags. Many health benefits are thought to come from tea, and you can chose between decaf or caffeinated. Some tea has Ginseng, which is a natural substitute for caffeine. My favorite kind of tea is Sport Tea.

And with that, I’ll stop writing and hope that I’ve convinced you to live a happier, healthier life.

-Rika

I am writing this because I believe that alcohol and other types of drugs need to be stopped and controlled now. I recently learned all about types of drugs and alcohol and what it can do to the inside and outside of ourselves. I don’t understand how people can do this to themselves.

My dad is an alcoholic and it’s sad what it did to him. Right now, he is at the point of dying and he doesn’t have enough money to live on. I saw him two years ago at Christmas. I couldn’t even look at him, he was so bad looking. My parents got a divorce when I was in kindergarten and even when I was little I said, “Divorce can be a good thing.” And I was right. That was the best decision my Mom could have made. I feel sorry, but nothing he could say or do would take that feeling away from me. He’s been out of my life for so many years and doesn’t want to do anything to try to help himself. Only you can help yourself from stopping yourself, nobody else.

Although I am worried about people in the world that have an addiction problem, and I am worried more for the teens out there. Parents give children freedom (sometimes too much) and it sometimes kids go into cults and gangs. What people don’t realize is that what you do now as children and teenagers affects your whole life. Once you get addicted, it is so hard to stop, and as I said only you can stop yourself. So we need to get control of this now so our children are healthy. Once your body is ruined, it’s hard and almost impossible to turn back…

To learn more go to www.abovetheinfluence.com

~Hope

You wake up. You quickly grab breakfast and are out the door towards work, stressing over one thing or another. At work, you fret about your latest project, and when you get home your worries are directed towards financial issues and home life. All this stress is normal- or, that’s what we’ve been led to believe.

Why Stress is Detrimental

Being stressed out is not good for several reasons. One, being how it effects everyone around you. Did you know that studies have show that your kids are more likely to become ill if they are in a household with a lot of stress from surrounding family members? That should motivate all of the parents to relax and to stop constantly worrying.

Aside from creating household problems, stress also creates health problems. It is known that people who are stressed out often over eat and are less likely to exercise. They more likely to smoke and drink more, and stress might raise the risk of heart attacks.

(Picture Citation)

How to Get Rid of Stress

These scary side effects should be enough to make us stop and take a deep breath. People with less stress in their lives have eliminated many problems and risks by simply taking everything calmly. Easier said then done, this feat cannot be accomplished overnight.

Here are some ways to reduce stress:

• Get some fresh air: you’ve heard it before, magazines suggesting fresh air for overstressed individuals. Nature just has a way of helping us chill out, even for just a little while. Take a walk or open up some windows or doors.
• Organize! A clean house or an organized schedule are simple ways to feel less stressed. I always feel better when I have a clear to do list! And- bonus! – people are said to sleep better when their rooms are clean because they have less on their mind.
• Smile. Just smiling makes you feel better. Be pleasant and people will be more pleasant back to you!
• Get more Zzz’s: You are much less likely to reach a breaking point if you have gotten plenty of sleep.

How in the WORLD does this relate to the future, Rika?

Good question! Over the years, our society has become more complex. The more complex our society becomes, the more things the average people have to keep track of. Add the financial issues because of depleting oil and the rising food prices and what do you get? Stress!

-Rika

This article has been chosen as one of the best articles of 2008.

See more of The Nearby Future’s Best Articles of 2008

Add this article to your favorites:

More dangerous than we’d like to think…

We are in the age where consumer smarts is important; with all the food and pharmaceuticals out there claiming to be the best (and some of those actually being detrimental to your health!), consumers need to stay in the know. One of the most well-known and largely publicized healthy food is yogurt. Yogurt, when made correctly, is rich with calcium, vitamins, and fruit.

But all too often, a bottle of yogurt may include harmful ingredients like high fructose corn syrup or artificial ingredients; or the yogurt may be overloaded with sugar. Surprisingly, many of the main brands of yogurt, like Yoplait, include these health detriments. Sure, milk may be first on the ingredients list, but sugar second on the list is not a good sign (soon followed by high fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients).

So despite all of the “low fat!” sort of claims scrawled all over the product, there’s more to the yogurt than meets the eye. To be fair, there are some healthier brands of yogurt out there, but the amount of unhealthy kinds is higher than we’d like to think.

Shop smart, read the ingredient labels.

-Rika

We want to know your comments about the Gardasil vaccines. If you have heard of it, you know that some people believe it is good and others are against it.

Gardasil is the only vaccine out there that may help prevent diseases that are caused by type 6, 11, 16, and 18 of HPV as well as genital warts. Cervical cancer is a disease of the cervix and if a female becomes affected and it does not heal on its own, then abnormal cells can develop. When it is not treated immediately, it can lead to cancer.

This vaccine is meant for females ages 9-16 years of age. It does not help if you have cervical cancer. It is given as 3 injections over a period of 6 months and can cause pain, swelling, itching, and redness at the injection site, fever, nausea, and dizziness.

Now I will tell you why some people are happy about this vaccine. As I said, it prevents 4 types of cervical cancer. They say it is best to receive it early so it can protect you earlier before you even have to worry about getting cervical cancer.

The negatives are that it comes in 3 injections over a period of 6 months… not fun. You receive one and then you get one 2 months after that and then 6 months after that dose. Also, the effects aren’t so great either. While some insurance plans cover it, some do not. The cost is $120 per dose and the whole thing costs $360 for all. Also, it is extremely painful, more than all the other shots I have ever gotten.

So what do you think about it?

~Hope

This article has been chosen as one of the best articles of 2008.

See more of The Nearby Future’s Best Articles of 2008

Add this article to your favorites:

Guitar Hero is a game where the object is for you to press different colored buttons on a plastic ‘guitar’. The satisfaction people get out of jamming a bunch of buttons I just can’t comprehend. I played real guitar before guitar hero, and saw Guitar Hero as a complete waste of time. Plus, I wouldn’t be surprised if a study came out showing that playing guitar hero gave it’s participants carpal tunnel. It’s worse than normal video games in terms of pressing buttons quickly, and for long periods of time couldn’t possibly be good for you.

But video games are not nearly as bad as people say; some of them (the non-shoot ‘em up kinds) actually teach important skills relating to the economy, stocks, and other important decisions. This is the first generation that is the one to live all their lives with technology. Growing up with cell phones and videos might take their toll, though….. But what do you think? Leave a comment.

-Rika

An equation we all know is healthy foods + a variety of that good food= a happy you! Now we’re not just talking about happy as in your body is happy to have foods that don’t poison it, I mean happy as in less stress type of happy. But what foods exactly improve your mood the most?

According to a very interesting Yahoo article, these foods are the best in terms of improving your mood and reducing stress:

• Dessert: Did you know that the generally accepted statement that “sugar gives you energy” or “sugar gives you hyper” is actually a myth? It is- sugar actually helps reduce stress, well in a certain amount. Too much and it will just make you moody.
• Toast and Jam: To prevent a whirlwind of mood swings, eat whole wheat bread with jam. Whole wheat stabilizes blood sugar whereas refined grains send your blood sugar wheeling, causing mood swings.
• Yogurt and Eggs: Found in fish, too, omega fatty acids are not only an important nutrient, but the Omega 3 Fatty Acid found in Yogurt and Eggs, called DHA is a natural anti-depressant, too. They
• Spinach: The folate in spinach also helps stop clinical depression.
• Black Bean Dip: Iron helps you sleep better, and we all know sleep helps your energy levels, which in turn effect your mood. Low on iron? Eat black bean dip.

So whenever you’re feeling low, eat one of these foods to get a boost to propel you through your day.

-Rika

P.S. This was taken from a Yahoo! Article. We thought it was important enough that we should put it on our site. We sift through articles like this sometimes and find the ones that really matter to you and post our summary of the article. Here is the link to the article.

CA-MRSA: it’s the super bug invading our schools and sending us on a cleaning frenzy. Inside most worried parent’s head is If I clean as much as possible with this antibacterial cleaners the danger will disappear. Well, I have news for you. Antibacterial cleaners may be making the problem worse. According to some recent studies, Triclosan (among other Antibacterial cleaners) may actually be helping bacteria grow stronger! Some soap and detergent companies argue that these reports are not thorough and people should not believe them quite yet until further research is released. The labs that have been testing antibacterial cleaners say that yes, the results are not significant enough that everyone should just chuck all antibacterial soap- but it’s significant enough that the problem needs to be looked in to.

What are the expert’s suggestion? Still be hygienic- but use alcohol based sanitizers and to keep a look out in the news for more information on follow up lab reports.

-Calister F. Wells

A Quick Note from the Author:

And some advice for everyone currently attending school- remember to cover your cuts and wash your hands to keep CA MRSA from affecting you. It is a seriously dangerous germ and no laughing matter! Wash your hands and just be all around hygenic