Soda Consumption

By Melanie Tina Mascarenhas

As we all know, summer typically brings us days of cloudless skies and up to fifteen hours of warm sunshine. This beautiful weather often comes with temperatures in the upper 80’s and 90’s and often times surpasses 100 degrees for a week or two. With hotter days, hydration becomes an important issue that is easily overlooked in the no-school frenzy.

Summer is the time for beach bashes and BBQs, events where sugary drinks and alcohol abound but natural beverages can be scarce. Soda consumption spikes during the summer months because, let us face it, grabbing a chilled can of Coke is convenient and refreshing in the short term. In fact, in California 62% of adolescents aged 12-17 consume at least one soda per day and, on average, soda is the top caloric source in modern teen diets. A twenty ounce soda contains sixteen teaspoons of sugar that not only fail to quench thirst, but also do nothing to satisfy hunger and lead to the familiar “crash” in energy levels mere hours after consumption. Consequently, drinking soda only serves to add to our caloric intake, which eventually contributes to unhealthy weight gain over time. In addition to increasing obesity nationwide, soda consumption also raises the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.

Now I am not saying that we should abandon sugary drinks entirely and subsist on water and milk from here onwards (though from a nutritional standpoint, that would be ideal). After all, there are some things that just are not complete if there is no fizzy drinks involved. What is a New Year’s Eve party without apple cider? And Superbowl Sunday simply would not be the same if our beverage options were restricted to…water. The idea is to eliminate excessive soda consumption in order to lead a healthier lifestyle. This means that instead of reaching for the two liter Dr. Pepper at the grocery store, grab a watermelon that you can blend into watermelon juice or a squeeze a bunch of carrots for a boost of Vitamin A with every carrot-y sip. There are countless possibilities that can replace the sugary drinks of our time without skimping on convenience and revitalizing tastiness. Here are a few of my favorites that you can try:

1. Citrus Water
A simple alternative to flavored water, citrus water is a quick way to jazz up plain filtered water for celebratory events or everyday use.
Making this is easy if you happen to have fruit trees and an herb garden in your backyard. If not, head over to the nearest Safeway and stock up on your favorite kinds of fruit (pretty much anything will work) and a couple of herbs to add some pleasant fragrance and you are all set.

To make the citrus version, slice up a lemon, a lime, and an orange into a two quart pitcher and gently press the slices with a wooden spoon to release a bit of the juice. Fill up the pitcher with ice and add water to the top along with some more citrus slices and you are done! If you are not a citrus fan, add 2 cups of any kind of fruit (strawberry, pineapple, blackberry, etc.) along with mint, sage, or rosemary if desired and follow with ice and water for an all-natural twist on water according to your preference.

2. Lassi
My personal obsession, lassi is a traditional Indian beverage that is a staple for my summer days. There are many varieties, the most popular in the U.S. being mango. The simplest kind, however is known as plain lassi and is still as mouth-wateringly delicious as all the others.

Lassi is wholly yogurt-based so be sure to have some plain yogurt on hand if you are planning to make it. All you need to do is put 2 cups of yogurt, one cup of ice, and a little bit of salt and sugar into a blender and blend away! The final product is a frothy, white liquid that is a delight to the senses.

3. Frozen Berry Smoothie
To be honest, I’m sure berry smoothies are supposed to be made with actual berries but fresh berries can be quite pricey. Plus going to the store can be a tad out of the way. The nice thing about frozen fruit is that you can keep the little packages in your freezer, break off how much you want to use, and save the rest for the next time you have a midnight craving for a homemade Jamba Juice.

For this smoothie, use half a pack of Trader Joe’s Berry Mix (containing blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries) or any kind of frozen berry mix, really. Put the berry mix into a blender with one freshly sliced banana for thickness. If you want to shoot for the health stars or would like some added crunch, add in a dash of flaxseed or a handful of chia seeds (I hear they’re extremely nutritious). Blend until desired smoothness is achieved. Because the berries were frozen, the smoothie should be cold already so you can enjoy it right away.

4.Avocado Shake
Now I know what you’re thinking: avocados? Avocados are for salads and sandwiches! Why would I want to drink them? Trust me on this, as long as you’re not allergic to avocados, this shake is one you’ll love. Containing almost 20 essential nutrients that help with everything from lowering blood cholesterol to reducing the risk of a variety of eye diseases, avocados are a highly valuable addition to any diet.
To get your fill of this little green fruit, simply slice up one avocado and put it in your blender along with a cup of milk, ice, and a tablespoon of sugar for added sweetness. Run the blender till the shake is reasonably smooth and drink up!

Sources:
http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1195&context=iph_theses
http://www.kickthecan.info/soda-facts
http://www.kickthecan.info/files/documents/ktc_facts_health_consequences_R1_1.pdf
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/sugary-drinks-fact-sheet/

Media and Health: A Double-Edged Sword

By Sukhbir Kaur

Riding northbound from Fremont to Downtown Berkeley on Bart, I must have passed at least a dozen billboards advertising everything from lottery tickets to the latest smartphones. However, one sign in particular stood out to me. The front end of the billboard displayed an ad for CalFresh -- a federal nutrition program that provides food assistance to families in need. The other end promoted a new deal for burgers at a popular fast food chain. To me, these signs gave a vivid, almost poetic representation of the dual nature of advertising and the inevitable link between health and media. While on one side we have the often criticized advertising of unhealthy fast food, on the other we have a pro-public health institution. Hundreds of Bart passengers, much like myself, see and are influenced by such advertising on a daily basis. In today’s fast-paced world there’s no question that media – whether it is in print on the giant billboard along the Bart tracks or a tiny link on the side of your Facebook newsfeed – is incredibly pervasive in our modern lives. Ads reflect and help morph social attitudes in all areas of modern life including health and wellness. The question posed time and time again, however, is whether this exposure is truly helping or hurting society.

In recent years, media marketing has come under much scrutiny for promoting unhealthy and unsafe behaviors. Alcohol advertising, for example, has been largely accused of relaying sexist messages in order to sell their products. These advertisements often portray women in an explicitly sexualized manner that is dehumanizing and degrading. Furthermore, the ads are mostly targeted towards men, and often imply the idea that drinking XYZ brand alcohol will not only help the ‘average Joe’ have a great time, but also attract hyper sexualized women. Though these ads do not explicitly tell people how to behave, they do mold people's view on what the accepted norms are in a society. These ads can essentially be seen as social cues that influence and shape how a society thinks.

In stark contrast, much of the buzz in the realm of social media has been lauded as helping motivate social change and raise awareness about health issues. With their unique propensity for sharing different forms of media, such as Twitter, Reddit, Facebook and Tumblr, they have been credited with a number of successful social awareness campaigns. In these spaces, the power to speak and be heard belongs to the masses. Any soundbite, video clip, picture or tweet can go viral, including those that are promoting public health. A prime example of this phenomenon is the recent rape/sexual assault prevention campaign with the slogan, “The only way to stop rape, is to not rape”. This campaign attempts to shift away from the common societal view of rape as a failure or lapse in self-defense by the victim and focus instead on accountability of the wrong-doer. Often, spurs in campaigns connect to current events relayed in the news media – in this case, events such as the Steubenville trial or the violent rape of young women in India spurred many people to action. In this way, the rapid speed at which campaigns are able to go viral matches the pace of world events.

Ultimately, though media marketing of unhealthy products or behavior, media can also be a powerful tool to encourage healthy behavior and motivate social change. More frequently we see the trend of public health organizations utilizing the power of not only conventional media outlets to promote healthy habits, but also that of social media to drive positive social change.

The Mediterranean Diet

by Nisha Sarla Chandra

A new study published in the New England journal of medicine in early February 2013 definitively shows the effect that diet can have on one’s cardiovascular health. The 5-year long study, which took place in Spain, used participants who were at high risk for heart disease. Each of the 7,447 people had at least one risk factor, such as smoking, being overweight, or having diabetes. They were then separated into three groups; one group was assigned a low-fat diet and the two others followed different variations of a traditional Mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet is one that has been followed by the people of the region for hundreds of years. The diet has moderate amounts of fat in the form of olive oil and nuts. It also involves multiple servings of fish each week, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a daily glass of wine. Those who adhere to the Mediterranean diet stay clear of red meat, dairy, and store-bought bakery goods. Researchers in the past have noticed a slightly lower incidence in heart disease for people who live in the Mediterranean. However, without definitive proof, it was hard to ascribe this lower prevalence to diet, rather than other factors like genetics or lifestyle. In fact, many leading experts in cardiovascular health have long recommended either low-fat diets or veganism to those with heart issues.

But it seems that a low-fat diet is not the solution. The group assigned to a low-fat diet had a hard time sticking to it, despite intensive nutritional counselling. As a result, the study ended up comparing the Mediterranean diet with a modern, moderate-fat diet. The end result was astonishing – a 30% decrease in heart attacks, strokes, and deaths from heart disease in those following the Mediterranean diet. In fact, the study was supposed to run for a longer period of time, but researchers could not in good conscious allow a study to go on that showed such a large health disparity between groups.

Of course, as with any study, there are detractors. But the majority of experts are impressed with the parameters researchers used and the ensuing results. The study only explored the effects on the diet on those with risk factors for heart disease, but it is expected to have preventative benefits for those at low risk.

Vinegar and Cervical Cancer?

I’d heard from the Turkish manager of my apartment that drinking a tablespoon of vinegar could cure any cold or flu, but I was not aware that it could also detect cervical cancer.  Better yet, it’s actually true!  The New York Times article “Fighting Cervical Cancer with Vinegar and Ingenuity” explains how the acetic acid in common household vinegar turns cancerous lesions in the cervix white, allowing them to be frozen off.  The whole procedure, both detection and removal, can be accomplished by a nurse in just one visit.  For women in developing countries, who may be hindered by both distance and finance from larger medical centers, this technology is an important and effective way to reduce deaths cervical cancer.  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/health/27cancer.html 

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About the Author: Mara Constantine is a 4th year sociology major and California native. She is currently a research assistant for Professor Kristin Luker. In addition to writing for the Public Health Advocate blog, Mara is also an active member of the Cal Cooking Club and a tutor in the YWCA’s English-in-Action program. Her public health interests include maternal and child health, health of immigrant populations, and health disparities.Abou

Breastfeeding at Home and Abroad

Can you imagine a readily available medicine that increases immunity to all kinds of diseases and decreases intestinal problems and obesity? If it sounds like the kind of miracle drug that can’t possibly exist, think again - it’s breast milk! While the WHO recommends that babies be fed breast milk exclusively for the first six months of their life, there are, unfortunately, many obstacles to breastfeeding both at home and abroad. In the heartbreaking and frustrating New York Times article “The Breast Milk Cure,” the author discusses the common misconception that babies need to be given water on hot days. In developing countries, this is extremely dangerous to the babies’ health because of the high risk of contaminated water that can quickly cause death in an infant. And when formula is used in developing countries, the risk of illness is again high due to improperly sanitized baby bottles and the probability of contaminated water being mixed with the formula. A third problem relating to breastfeeding is the cultural practice of colostrum denial. Colostrum is the yellow substance produced during the first days after delivery; it contains many antibodies to build the immunity of infants. When women delay nursing for even a few days, they may have increased difficultly in establishing breastfeeding, in addition to forgoing the opportunity to provide critical antibodies to the infant. New mothers that deny their infants colostrum are also more likely to feed their babies contaminated water until milk is produced. If more women practiced ideal breastfeeding, a substantial amount of infant mortality could be prevented – 1.4 million deaths per year, according to The Lancet.

While “The Breast Milk Cure” focuses on Africa, the state of breastfeeding in the US also shows considerable room for improvement. For example, the CDC released a report this summer stating that US hospitals fail to adequately support mothers in breastfeeding. This article discusses the CDC report and explains that hospitals can actually support formula use, as opposed to breastfeeding, through the use of free formula samples for new parents. An Associated Press article published last week explained the reasons why free formula samples undermine breastfeeding: because samples are given to the new mothers by the hospital, people really think it must be good for their babies. Formula industry representatives defend the practice of the free samples by saying that they provide an important source of nutrition to have available for the baby if needed for any reason, and that the information included with the sample instructs parents in how to use formula safely, such as making it clear that formula cannot safely be watered down. It is my opinion that hospitals should not be allowed to distribute free formula samples because they are obviously intended to encourage formula use, which goes against the WHO recommendation that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is the healthiest way to nourish a baby.

Returning to the CDC report, I was astounded to read that only about 1/3 of US hospitals keep the mother and baby together at all times. Having a separate nursery for babies seems like something from a movie that belongs in another era, but it is still the circumstance in which many American babies begin their lives. This harmful and easily changeable practice makes it much more difficult for mothers to establish breastfeeding and to receive help for any problems they have with it while they are still in the hospital. As we can see, there is much work to be done both at home and abroad to increase the prevalence of breastfeeding.

If you would like to read more on this important public health issue, here is a selection of other articles on the topic:

The Wall Street Journal

The Center For Disease Control

The Huffington Post

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About the Author: Mara Constantine is a 4th year sociology major and California native. She is currently a research assistant for Professor Kristin Luker. In addition to writing for the Public Health Advocate blog, Mara is also an active member of the Cal Cooking Club and a tutor in the YWCA’s English-in-Action program. Her public health interests include maternal and child health, health of immigrant populations, and health disparities.About the Author: Mara Constantine is a 4th year sociology

About the Author: Mara Constantine is a 4th year sociology major and California native. She is currently a research assistant for Professor Kristin Luker. In addition to writing for the Public Health Advocate blog, Mara is also an active member of the Cal Cooking Club and a tutor in the YWCA’s English-in-Action program. Her public health interests include maternal and child health, health of immigrant populations, and health disparities.About the Author: Mara Constantine is a 4th year sociology major and California native. She is currently a research assistant for Professor Kristin Luker. In addition to writing for the Public Health Advocate blog, Mara is also an active member of the Cal Cooking Club and a tutor in the YWCA’s English-in-Action program. Her public health interests include maternal and child health, health of immigrant populations, and health disparities. major and California native. She is currently a research assistant for Professor Kristin Luker. In addition to writing for the Public Health Advocate blog, Mara is also an active member of the Cal Cooking Club and a tutor in the YWCA’s English-in-Action program. Her public health interests include maternal and child health, health of immigrant populations, and health disparities.

This just in! Healthful Foods Won't Break the Bank

Is it more expensive to make a healthy meal of chicken and vegetables at home, or to take the kids out to McDonalds? Many working class Americans as well as political commentators would say the latter is the affordable option. Indeed, the “fact” that vegetables are more expensive than eating at McDonalds is often used as an explanation for why increasing numbers of Americans are overweight and obese. The New York Times op-ed “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?” by Mark Bittman seeks to set the record straight – for less than the price of a meal for four at McDonalds, one can cook a meal at home that is both healthier and has more calories. The clear graphics provide convincing evidence that a meal of chicken and vegetables really is less expensive and more nutritious than a meal of hamburgers and chicken nuggets. However, when time is money, McDonalds and similar fast food restaurants do seem like the better option for many parents after a long day at work. Bittman suggests that eliminating food deserts would help counter this problem by allowing individuals, especially those without cars, to reach grocery stores with less time expenditure. Additionally, a cultural shift in which cooking is once again seen as a normal part of life and not as an unnecessary chore is vital in combating the obesity epidemic; projects such as FoodCorps and Cooking Matters lead the way in teaching children about cooking and nutrition, but parents need to take an active role in this as well.

Check out this article for more information.

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About the Author: Mara Constantine is a 4th year sociology major and California native. She is currently a research assistant for Professor Kristin Luker. In addition to writing for the Public Health Advocate blog, Mara is also an active member of the Cal Cooking Club and a tutor in the YWCA’s English-in-Action program. Her public health interests include maternal and child health, health of immigrant populations, and health disparities.