Food, Health and Wellness

Deep fried food might not be as bad as we think.  Like this article points out fats are needed, but its our job to make sure they’re the proper ones and that we don’t forget our veggies in the process of enjoying our fried food.  You can deep fry just about anything including vegetables. The key to deep frying is knowing how to properly do it. Theres many different types of oils that can be used for deep frying like olive oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, safflower oil or sunflower oil.  The oil should be cooked heated to 350 degrees fahrenheit and there should be about 2 quarts of oil in the pot.  Oil can be stored and reused as long as it it properly stored.  There are four layers or protection the actual food receives when fried properly.  The first of the outside of the food itself.  The second is a layer of cornmeal or flour.  The third is a fluffy coating like tempura or pancake mix and the fourth is flour, egg and breadcrumbs.  This should make your food crispy and delicious but not allow the food to soak up too much oil.  When frying try to keep the temperature of the oil at 350 so the food gets properly fried and this can be tested with a thermometer or by putting a piece of food in and seeing if it sinks then floats.  When frying don’t overcrowd so your food can cook evenly.  Remember that everything in moderation is okay and that goes for our favorite fried foods!

Doctors from Doctors Without Borders examining an infant in Syria.

Since the Syrian Civil War that started 37 years ago, Syria’s once strong and stable health care system crashed. As a result, various organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and Médecins Sans Frontières have made large contributions in effort to alleviate damage. In the wake of the chemical bombings, there have been ethical issues on whether or not these doctors are “prime witnesses.” Some of the organizations based in Syria have codes of “public neutrality” that enable them to let authorities know the diagnosis of patients. Some of these organizations have released the injuries are from chemical warfare and other organizations, such as Doctors Without Borders quote, “It’s not our role to collect samples for any government or investigative agency.” Fitting into the theme of global health, should politics and moral ethics get in the way of medical ethics and conduct?

— Tiffany Tang

Article Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/health/in-syria-doctors-risk-life-and-juggle-ethics.html?ref=health&gwh=39D8A33000821321FD92343280A49B14

Picture Link: http://www.dw.de/image/0,,17135458_303,00.jpg

The bacteria responsible for strep throat.

A single streptococcus bacterium can lead to what seems to be a curable infection, strep throat; however, countries that have little access to vaccinations are finding this bacterium to be a problem. Rheumatic heart disease derives from antibodies that are produced by the immune system that attack the heart muscle. This strain, in other words, deforms the heart valves; although, not very common in the United States, poorer countries are finding it increasingly difficult to have strep tests readily available leading to deaths around 500,000 a year. Other countries are making the initiative to increase awareness of strep throat, decreasing that likelihood of death from the infection.

— Tiffany Tang

Article Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/health/a-start-to-saving-lives-treating-sore-throats.html?ref=health&_r=2&

Picture Link: https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS3drYq-u1mPJ4WCBC45dlLKRBEDkoolNBP6rP_5arHrVISMRNj

The diabetes epidemic leads to enormous lifestyle changes and lifelong challenges among it’s victims. The article “The Challenge of Diabetes for Doctor and Patient” highlights the difficulty of management by doctors and patients alike, as well some progress made in recent years. Many patients diagnosed with diabetes are obese and have a higher risk of heart disease or stroke, even with diet and exercise in their life. However, if obese adults are caught pre-diabetes, weight loss through diet and exercise is possible and decreases their chance of having to deal with diabetes and other diseases for the rest of their life. Childhood diabetes also has shown signs of decreased prevalence, which although not monumental is still headed towards a positive direction.

Dieting and living a healthy lifestyle has becoming increasingly difficult in the United States where paradoxically junk food is cheap and fresh food is expensive. For this reason, obesity rates are higher among poor people, and also because the cost of treatment and controlling diabetes is very high. External factors such as fast food advertisement directed towards children and computers and T.V’s present in many homes hinder people’s ability to effectively manage this chronic illness. However, access to fresh food, a less sedentary regime, and medicinal adjustment and monitoring by your doctor can lead to a decrease in the chance of diabetes or other disease.  All it takes is some will-power and support from your doctor.

Ofri, Danielle, M.D. “The Challenge of Diabetes for Doctor and Patient.” Well The Challenge of Diabetes for Doctor and Patient Comments. New York Times, 17 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/17/the-challenge-of-diabetes-for-doctor-and-patient/

Picture: http://www.diabetesmine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/diabetes-treadmill.jpg

We all know that jittery feeling of not being able to pay attention in class or while we are trying to do our homework. It turns from getting distracted between chapters to having to reread entire pages because we didn’t remember a single word from that page. Many of us are inclined to say, “I probably have A.D.H.D that was missed from when I was a child.” But according to the New York Times article “The Not-So-Hidden Cause Behind the A.D.H.D Epidemic”, new scientific research is showing that A.D.H.D diagnosis has become more prevalent (some call it an epidemic) due to societal and policy changes, rather than changes in our genes.

In the past, children who had trouble concentrating and therefore fell behind in school or misbehaved were labeled as troublemakers. Nowadays, due to FDA rules changes which allow for easier marketing and distribution of A.D.H.D medicine, it is easier to give a child (or adult) medicine and “see if it works.” The inclusion of A.D.H.D in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act in 1991, gave children with the diagnosis some advantages like more time on standardized tests. Standardized testing actually has a correlation with mass diagnoses of A.D.H.D in certain states over other states. States and schools are incentivized to have children diagnosed with A.D.H.D because they can give those kids more time, or even exclude their scores from the school average, thereby increasing their chances of being rewarded financially.

The United States also has higher rates of A.D.H.D diagnosis than other countries. This is because we rely on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, while use the International Classification of Diseases, which sets stricter guidelines for diagnosis of behavioral problems. Overall, scientific research shows that although A.D.H.D has biological basis, the over diagnosis in the United States especially is due to higher expectations of our children, education standards, and more competition to get into college. These cultural and societal factors manifested in policy changes, can lead normal children to being pathologized, or regarded as psychologically unhealthy, when in fact they are just children struggling to meet the high demands of society. So next time you find it hard to concentrate, don’t go reaching for A.D.H.D medicine thinking that something is wrong with you, it’s totally normal to get distracted.

Baker, Maggie K. “The Not-So-Hidden Cause Behind the ADHD Epidemic.” New York Times. New York Times, 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/20/magazine/the-not-so-hidden-cause-behind-the-adhd-epidemic.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&ref=health

At Baruch, we have access to a plethora of clubs, organizations, activities and locations that provide us with quick, easy access to healthy – albeit sometimes expensive – food and health education. For example, a few weeks ago, another student and myself came upon a club called PAWS holding a free massage session on the 2nd floor of the Vertical Campus. Of course, the free massage was extremely popular. What was cool was that before the massage, you had the option of finding out your BMI and your body fat percentage. After you get your scores and reading, you are offered information about Baruch’s clinic that gives STDs tests, check-ups, and other services for a lower price for Baruch Students.
Walking through Baruch, you have access to healthy food which often costs an arm and a leg. There is a café on the 2nd floor of the Vertical Campus that sells a variety of foods that range from health bars to fruit juices. On the first floor, there is a large cafeteria that boasts a large salad bar, and sells healthy sandwiches filled with fresh produce.

The divide between the food and health information access at Baruch and in neighborhoods around NYC is a large one. In our Black and Latino studies class, we began learning about food justice and food racism. We learned that families in lower income neighborhoods often do not have access to fresh produce or even foods of the caliber that Baruch students have access to. As a part of that class, we are supposed to do a project that will involve outreach to a community that does not typically have access to fresh produce.

Seeing the food and health information that is easily available to Baruch students makes our BLS class more relevant to our lives. In this way, Baruch simultaneously encourages us to eat healthy, while instructing us and showing us how our privilege is not shared by everyone around the city.

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