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HungerU visits Tech

HungerU visits Tech, talks about world hunger

Summary

HungerU, an organization known for traveling, visited Texas Tech in efforts to converse and educate the campus about the growing epidemic of world hunger. A lead member of the HungerU staff, Ms. Mollie Dykes, stated that the purpose of the event is to increase awareness about global hunger and the numerous ways in which we all can diminish the widespread tragedy. She continued on to say that despite everybody’s different educational backgrounds and abilities, we can all join together to help eliminate hunger in the future. HungerU’s effort is to connect with the students by sharing the story of today’s agricultural role in putting an end to worldwide starvation. The organization reports that approximately one in seven people are currently fighting hunger. According to HungerU, lack of food is not just something that is affecting foreign and far countries, but also affects our very own society. Starvation and food desserts are extremely prevalent in the United States. Even though the U.S. is one of the richest and most abundant countries when it comes to food, there are still roughly one in six Americans that suffer from hunger every day. In an effort to help combat this growing issue HungerU has collaborated with The Farm Journal Foundation, a nonprofit organization that commits itself to maintaining agricultural growth in the United States. Ms. Dykes has hopes that knowing about the Farm Journal Foundation will be the extra push the Texas Tech students need to help make a change and reverse the statistics on global food deprivation.

Analysis
Hunger is an important issue not only because it can affect one person or family who happens to be homeless or in a third-world country, but it can affect entire nations. Hunger is actually the perfect example of how a situation can be looked at on both a micro and a macro level. If one family or even one child goes hungry it is not the fault of that person or group. As a society, nation, and world, everyone should strive to provide life necessities to one another, one of the most important ones being food and clean water. Through socialization and group discussions, like the ones that HungerU provides to universities around the country, we as a nation are able to help fundraise and provide whatever is required in order to help decrease the rate of hunger in, around, and beyond our personal boundaries.




 http://www.dailytoreador.com/news/article_69c2faf0-ca97-11e3-b985-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=story

Blog 10 Maya Coston

Blog 10

As noted through previous blogs and newsfeeds, the global lengths taken to socially outcast members of the LGBTQ community have begun to get more outrageous. Discriminatory acts were taken against church member and Eagle Scout Geoff McGrath who at age 49 years old was revoked of his membership of the Boy Scouts organization.  McGrath has ran the troop from the ripe year of 1998, and until the NBC profiling where he openly shared that he was gay he had no previous issues with running the troop. The church McGrath has been a member of has stressed their angle of being “open to all people,” and has mentioned getting legal help to evaluate their options in order to best handle this situation.  He states that he will continue to run the children’s group from the church, however some parents have sent letters questioning whether or not he will still be considered a good male role model.

This event has led to a gridlock between Churches and a well-known children’s organization, for once an issue not between the government and church.  In previous blogs I’ve discussed the argument of protecting children anti-gay activist use to support their antics. I am a strong advocate for the equal treatment of women, gays, transgender and all of the above, and if McGrath has been successfully running the children’s organization thus far, the removal of his influence because of his sexuality is not what a national and regional children’s organization should be advocating.

Blog #10: The negative Effects of Pot

Summary:

There has been a lot of debate about whether or not marijuana is harmful to the human body or not. And although a lot of data has gone back and forth between whether not pot is actually harmful, recent data has shown that using pot one to seven times a week can actually have very harmful effects. It most strongly affects individuals from the ages 18-24. The areas of an individual’s brain who is between the ages of 18-24 that are most harmed are those relating to emotion and motivation. The effects of marijuana have also been found to show their effects later rather than sooner. In other words, individuals who smoke a lot of pot will not see the negative effects of pot until later in their life.

Analysis:

People who smoke pot on a regular basis will likely see the results later in life. Most people think that they must be heavy smokers for it to truly have a negative effect, but just smoking one to seven blunts a week will result in brain damage. Researchers in the article found that smoking pot damages the nucleus accumbens and the nucleus amygdala, which are two areas on the brain that are highly responsible for helping regulate the emotions and motivations of individuals. Researchers also found that when these areas of the brain are damaged, it results in a person without life goals. Therefore not only does pot lead to health risks by damaging the brain, it can affect the rest of an individual’s life as far as what jobs they choose, whether or not they go to school and, and other important life goals as well.  In conclusion, researchers found that pot has an overall negative effect on the health and external life issues of any individual who smokes pot on a regular basis.

Link: 

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/health/140417/bad-news-420-casual-pot-use-causes-brain-abnormalities-young-adults 

Viral Disease Spreads to Southeast Asia

Summary:

A viral disease known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome has reached Asia from Malaysia and the Philippines. The Malaysian Health Ministry said a 54 year old man who came back recently from a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia died of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome on Sunday. Also, a Filipino nurse was quarantined, along with his family, after a positive blood test. Even though the nurse appeared healthy she had been in contact with a Filipino paramedic in the United Arab Emirate who died of MERS. On Wednesday there was 10 new cases which were all health workers who treated a MERS patient who died on April 10th. The disease was discovered in 2012. Since ten there have been 243 confirmed cases with 93 deaths. The coronavirus that causes this disease appears to originate in bats and is widespread in Middle Eastern Camel herds. Occasionally, it infects humans and can spread among them, most often after close contact. 

Analysis:

This viral disease is originated in bats and seems to be most common in the middle east. It was first discovered in 2012 and there has only been 243 confirmed cases with only 93 deaths. Relatively speaking I would say that these numbers seem to be substantially low. I feel like the health organizations and hospitals are doing a pretty good job at containing the disease. Now that they suspect that it is commonly transmitted through herds of Middle Eastern Camels I feel as though everyone should make an effort in containing the disease in the herds of camels and maybe begin to treat the camels who have the disease as preemptive step in preventing the disease in humans.

Blog 10: Yoga Helps Women With PTSD

Summary: Women who recently participated in a study to see the reduction of post traumatic stress disorder recently tried yoga. Women who were in the control study group also reported similar symptoms however researchers found. Both who were and were not affected by PTSD reported to improve emotionally. One in 10 U.S. women is affected by PTSD, yoga helps these ladies with their sleeping and flashbacks to traumatic experiences. In actuality PTSD affects women twice as often then men. 

The women’s average was forty four years old and completed a follow-up assessment one month after each session ended. The improvements were decrease in flashbacks and hyperarousal symptoms. Yoga may help regulate the endocrine system as well as the nervous system which in turn may balance issues associated with PTSD, along with stress hormones. 

Analysis: New research has been found that both women who are and not affected by post traumatic stress disorder may find a new outlet to help them through the stressors of everyday life as well as the horrific traumas they may have experienced. Yoga was studied recently to see the effects that it produces and for both the control group and study group it presented positive effects. This new finding could help women across the globe find relief through this exercise and finally receive the help needed. Many women who are in areas of war as well as high crime rate may experience PTSD dramatically more than others. This new research is promising in helping women across the globe be able to receive help without need of medicine. Women in lower developed countries may not even be able to receive medication for their traumatic experiences, and in turn yoga could greatly help especially since no need of equipment is really needed. PTSD can also make you have physical health problems, so reduction is especially important. Hopefully with well educated instructors teaching others about this new found treatment which is relatively cost efficient will help the health of women across the globe.

Source:http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/thomson-reuters/140418/yoga-may-help-women-ease-ptsd-symptoms

Blog 10: April: Global Healthcare Worker Appreciation Month

This year April is devoted to international healthcare workers. These recruits work in under developed and developing countries where healthcare workers are scarce. They teach communities basic means of staying healthy like good hygiene, disease and virus prevention, and post natal care. Healthcare workers also provide immunizations and simple treatments. The workers are very dedicated to helping people in these villages; many travel a long distance by foot or bike to reach the villages. One man leaves his home open 24/7 to the people of his village to take care of their medical needs. The World Health Organization stated that 57 countries are in terrible need of more healthcare workers. Many healthcare workers have put their lives in danger working is Syria while countless workers have lost their lives taking care of sick and injured civilians and oppositions fighters.

The World Healthcare Organization is working this month to show appreciation, awareness, and the importance of the healthcare workers. These employees are making a big difference in the underdeveloped and war locked countries. Just simply educating these people how to live healthier provides enough to keep a village or community to prosper and progress. The WHO anticipates that 4 million more healthcare workers should be in these countries to provide proper primary health care. Raising awareness this month for the workers can inspire other medical care takers to take part in this field to help those civilians. This can even encourage poor civilians to become care takers or workers which will employ them and headway to a slow development within a village or community.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140419202375