FOOD, INC REFLECTION:

What was most interesting to me was the fact that corn is the main component and basis of all these food products and even things that aren't food like diapers and batteries. The most unexpected things like coke is made with a basis of corn! It is such a strange concept to me. Also the treatment of animals grosses me out like crazy and really does turn me off of eating meat. It is dirty and this mass production of it just seems so unethical :S 

Fit Day Diet Results

1. UK Department of Health Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) are a daily calorie intake of 1940 calories per day for women

2. Food intake 

     

3. Activities Done 

4. Report: Calories Chart

5. Nutrition Report 

6. Report: %-RDA/AI Graph

7. Report: Calorie Balance

 Anaylsis: 
1. Nutrients (including fats) from the nutrients pie chart on FitDay
We can see from my nutrition intake chart that I mainly consume fats and carbohydrates and only little amounts of protein. Though having some fat calorie intake, I don't think its health that it is my main nutrition food group. I should probably consume more protein because it is better for muscle growth as opposed to fat. 2. Daily allowance in relation to what you ate (largely from the food group recommendations on MyPyramid)
Seeing as how the average calorie intake is around 1900 calories for women a day, we can see that I am consuming sufficiently less. This is probably because I have been trying to lose weight and therefore have not been eating very much.
3. Identify three nutrients that you consumed close to 100% of RDA
On the weekend, I consumed Fibre, Riboflavin, and Phosphorus close to a 100% of RDA.
On the week day, I consumed Manganese, Niacin, and Thiamin 
4. Identify three nutrients that you either over-consumed (far above 100%) or under consumed (very low) irregularities you might have (too high or too low)
On the weekend, I had no vitamin D and very little calcium along with super high amounts of copper. High amounts of copper is not necessarily bad because it maintains healthy bones and connective tissue whilst protecting your nerves.
On week days, I did not consume particularly high amounts of any one nutrients but no vitamin D and  very low amounts of vitamin A and Calcium. This is not very good because calcium is good for your bones growing and vitmin A is good for your skin and for your hair. Since this is important to me, I should probably start eating foods with more vitamin A such as carrots. Vitamin D is also a important in making your bones grow, it is not very healthy that I do have enough vitamin D along with calcium. 
5. Use the internet to research what the nutrients in #3 and #4 and identify the following:

a. What the nutrient does for the body (what is its function?)
Fibre: Found in wholemeal grain foods such as bread, pasta, and cereals. It is important for your body to properly digest food and consumer nutrients.
Riboflavin: It is a type of vitamin B that is found in milk, meats, eggs, and nuts. It is used for maintaining health hair and skin along with slow aging and can help boost athletic performance. 
Phosphorus: It is and integral part of developing and growing bones and teeth. It is mainly found in milk and meats because it works with protein. 
Manganese: It is important for skin, bone, and cartilage formation and it is found in nuts, wheat germ, seeds and brans. It is good to eat a sufficient amount of this because it helps release important antioxidant enzymes.
Niacin: It is a water soluble vitamin B which helps the digestive system convert food to energy. It is found in mainly dairy products, eggs and meats. 
Thiamin: It is used to help the body convert carbohydrates into energy, found in breads, grains and enriched or lean meats. 
Calcium: It helps maintain and form healthy teeth and bones. Most common source of calcium is dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. Because I don't have high amounts of this, I am not helping my bones and teeth grow stronger so if I continue with this low calcium diet, my bones could start to weaken. 
Copper: Helps maintain healthy bones and connective tissue while also creating a protective layer for your nerves. It is found in most green vegetables, specifically green ones. Lima beans are a great source of copper. Consuming high amounts of copper is not really known to be bad for you because it is really good with helping protect your nerves but if you don't eat enough, you could develop copper deficiency which is not good for your bones because they may start to deteriorate. 
Vitamin D: It is important in helping your bones to grow. It is rather unique because it is stimulated by sunlight but can be found in fatty fish such as mackerel or tuna. My absolute lack of vitamin D is probably not very good because it works on the calcium to help grow bones. Because I also have low levels of calcium, my bones could weaken therefore, I should eat more fish and dairy products to help my bones.
Vitamin A: Ensures that you have healthy skin and healthy hair. A great source is carrots but it is also found in other colored fruits and vegetables. Since having nice hair and skin is important to me, I could naturally make them nicer by eating more fruit and vegetables. 

6. Identify long term concerns that you will need to be aware of (e.g. a high fat diet would result in higher risk of heart attack) and how you might alter your lifestyle and choices to be more healthy in the future.
At the moment, I have a very low calorie diet because I am trying to lose weight. This may be an alright short term solution but it is not burning off the calories for long amounts of time. The calorie intake is much lower than the average calorie intake of 1900 that a normal woman should consume so that is why I may have to start increasing my daily calorie consumption because along with exercising, I am not getting enough energy that I need throughout the day.  
7. Compare your food and exercise data to what is recommended for your age, weight, gender and exercise from MyPyramid.gov.
For my age group I should be doing around 60 minutes of physical activity every day. I am doing way less than the recommended amount. If I was doing this amount of activity, I could probably be able to consume the average calorie intake each day because I would burn it off easily. 
8. In your analysis identify ways that your exercise and diet might affect you in the future. In particular, what "health concerns" do you have for your future? What changes would you have to make in your lifestyle to become more healthy? How easy/difficult would these changes be for you and why?
I think that if I continue this low calorie diet, in the long run, it will slow down my metabolism because I am not building it up enough with the amount I exercise. I generally do not find time to keep up a highly active lifestyle because of school and other time consuming commitments therefore I do not know if exercising for 60 minutes a day is a very practical or realistic goal for me. 
9. Finally, identify any problem areas that you felt might have given a not-so-good idea of your actual diet and exercise patterns. What there a problem with the program's database in terms of information input? Was the diet and exercise indicative of your normal weekday lifestyle choices? Note any problems in your blog.
The diet does not really reflect how I usually eat or exercise because I have recently started dieting and going to the gym therefore, my calorie burning is not that much higher than my calories consumed on a normal basis. An issue is also that I may not have included the correct amounts of consumption weather it be from the inaccurate serving sizes or because it is an american program specifically modified for american intakes. Therefore, some of our foods were not the exact food we ate. This may result in too many or not enough calories for each item. 

Letter to My Unborn Child

My love,
I know that I am probably not around now to read this letter to you but I want to make sure that you don't make that same choices that I did. If I had been better educated, I would be there with you now. It should be your 16 today I know this may be hard for you to hear or understand, but when I was 16, I tried cocaine for the first time. My boyfriend at the time, a model for abercrombie and fitch, used to blow a lot of coke. I was convinced that it would be alright because it was only be once so I figured I wouldn't be addicted to it after just one time. The problem was that after I tried it, I liked the stimulating sensation because nothing else seemed to matter. I had already begun drink and smoke cigarettes for a while before that but after my 16th birthday, things just started to spiral down. I would be able to control my smoking addiction and drinking outside of school work but once I started cocaine, that was all that was important. Cocaine wasn't easily accessible especially after I broke up with my boyfriend so I started going to expensive night clubs which was illegal because I was underaged. The group of people I began spending time with put me immediately in the club scene. Being part of that world with friends who were older and had money to blow also got me taking other club drugs like ecstasy because I could stay awake and party the whole night since it was a stimulant. It was all very fun and exciting at the time also because I didn't have to buy the coke myself, they had enough to go around until one night. A guy that I had only met once or twice had spiked my drink with a pill of ecstasy without me knowing but I was already tripping out. The last thing I remember from that night is seeing butterflies in the night club. I didn't think that ecstasy could make me see things because is not usually thought of as a hallucinogenic drug. Then I kind of zoned out into the disco lights of the club and after that I was gone. Woke up the next morning in a hospital bed with my parents sitting next to me crying. They had no idea about any of my actions. The doctor explained how I had a major overdose due to a mixture of stimulating and depressant drugs since I was mixing cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol. They suggested that I would go to a rehabilitation program but I didn't feel that I had a drug problem. All the people I thought we my friends, didn't show up or even care. But clearly there is a reason for drinking ages. I just didn't think it was too much of a bad thing because it was socially accepted or a social norm you could say. After spending 6 months in a rehab program, once I got out, I just couldn't stay sober. Got back to my cocaine addiction along with crystal meth. I'm in the hospital with gum and liver cancer and all the doctors have given up on me. I don't to give up on you because I know that you are better than that. Please don't be influenced to make wring decisions like I did. 
Love you, 
Mom 

Worst Drug

I think that heroin is the most dangerous drug. This is because it is one of the ending drug because it is extremely easy to overdose and is very addictive. If regular heroin users have not died yet from overdose, they can suffer from other negative effects of the drug for example hepatitis or HIV from  sharing needles. Also it is very strong infused and since it is usually injected, it goes straight into the bloodstream
.

Cocaine XD

1) Cocaine is classified as a stimulant drug
2) Crack, Speed, and Ecstasy are all examples of stimulants
3) Gives energy and stimulates you so you don't sleep whilst increase body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate
4) Long time users can be affected by heart attacks, respiratory failurea, strokes, seizures and in extreme cases can lead to sudden death
5) Coke, Snow, Flake, Blow
6)

7) Snorted, injected, or smoked
8)Around 4.8 million Americans above the age of 12 have abused cocaine. In 2010, an high school survey's statistics show that 1.6% of 8th graders, 2.2% of 10th graders, and 2.9% of 12th graders had abused cocaine in any form, most of them having used cocaine in the year prior to the survey. 
9) The soft drink Coca-Cola originally contained an estimated nine milligrams of cocaine per serving, which combined with caffeine to create the drink’s powerful stimulating effects. While cocaine was officially removed from the drink’s ingredients in 1903, a cocaine-free version of the coca leaf is still used as a flavor additive in the soda.
10) I think that cocaine is extremely dangerous because you can only use it once for it to possibly kill you. The concept is quite scary though in media it is usually portrayed as quite a glamorous drug. It is very expensive and very addictive so a lot of the time people run out of money to pay for drugs which cause more problems for the people. Also the short term affect are so harsh that you may not even survive to experience the long term affects. 
11)
http://www.ceida.net.au/stimulants/http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/07/09_cocaine.html
http://www.google.com.my/imgres?q=blowing+coke&num=10&um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=617&tbm=isch&tbnid=U-HNhZnt_9z5VM:&imgrefurl=http://idiotyouth.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/swedish-teens-trade-energy-drinks-for-cocaine/&docid=Pv93sGzDLVgJ1M&imgurl=http://idiotyouth.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/article-1081882-0435fe090000044d-578_468x377.jpg&w=468&h=377&ei=IUh5T4WDFI7yrQevpLzDDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=231&vpy=4&dur=498&hovh=201&hovw=250&tx=113&ty=74&sig=100405966372215839042&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=138&tbnw=169&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0

Health Interview :D

What is her relationship to you?
I interviewed my mother.

1. Have you always been as healthy as you are now? Please explain.
Ever since I moved to Malaysia, I have been gaining a lot of weight so I recently decided to eat more healthy and start doing some kind of physical activity like swimming. When I was younger, I used to smoke cigarettes but after I got pregnant, I stopped. Also I have seen the negative effects that alcohol can have on people so I personally decided not to drink any kind of alcohol anymore. 

2. What particular health habits in the following areas do you practice, that contribute to your level of health?

Nutritional Habits: I focus on getting ample amounts of fruits and vegetables everyday as opposed to fatty foods.

Fitness Habits: When I get home from work I usually try to go and swim 20 lengths of the pool. I try to do this often as possible because I think it is healthy for me. On the weekends, I usually go for a walk/jog at the nearby park.
Coping with Stress: Comfort foods are my main way of avoiding dealing with stress but I really just like to deal with whatever is stressing me so I can worry about it for the least amount of time possible.  

Dealing with Conflicts: I tend to deal with conflict head on and as soon as possible. I feel it is better than avoiding and eventually having to deal with later on. 

Keeping a Positive Attitude: I get my positive attitude from my kids and try to keep it at home and in my personally work environment. 

Any Additional Healthy Habits: Again, I do not smoke or drink alcohol at all. 

3. How did you develop these habits? Please explain.
I think that focusing on being and staying health is very important to me. I often cases, I have purposely adopted these habits because I have seen other who have issues with being unhealthy and because of that, are having to face physical and emotional instabilities. Therefore, I tend to steer towards the healthier alternatives. 

4. What motivates you to practice a healthy lifestyle?
I think one of the main reasons I choose to try and eat health and work out is because ever since I moved to Malaysia, I have been eating a lot more because there are so many new and interesting foods to try here, so I have gained loads of weight. Diabetes and easy weight gain is extremely common with in my family so I am really trying so get physical movement whilst still being able to enjoy all the great food, Malaysia has to offer. 


5. Create a question of your own that you would like to ask regarding this person’s healthy lifestyle. Make sure that the question allows your interviewee to expand on his/her thoughts (not a one word answer).

Question: Would you have continued smoking if you weren't pregnant?

Answer: I think probably for a little while I would have, in fact I did start smoking for a little while after my oldest child was born but I did and would have stopped anyways regardless of being pregnant. This is mainly because, durning the time was getting pregnant, the bad/negative effects of smoking cigarettes were not really well known like they are now. No one really knew that they were that bad for you. Now-a-days, every one, regardless of weather they smoke or not, generally know that smoking is bad for you and that is why in the long run I would have stopped smoking even without my kids. 

Cry For Help

I think that this was a very interesting, eye opening video because often times we know that people do commit suicide but we are not aware of how much it happens in school communities. This video showed us how many people are considering suicide and the scariest part was probably that these teenagers are doing a very good job hiding their depression and symptoms so when suicide occurs it is usually too late. This makes me think about how many people in my community are struggling to deal with their depression or have attempted suicide. The other worrying thing was how unaware the parents are of their children's suicidal activity. It is important to have these websites and information days at school to help open up students feelings.

Attempted Suicide of Teenagers

Information: 
A Case Study on Suicide
Bob Stone 
Online Resource
2009
http://www.eagleflight.org/ministryresources/hard-questions/371-a-case-study-on-suicide


Summary:      
                    This case study is about a teenage boy called Eric, who attempted suicide at the age of 15 when his father died. As a means of dealing with the depression, he turned to drugs and alcohol. This didn't seem to be solving his problems because he was actually so angry at his father for dying. On night, he woke up in the middle of the night, put on his best clothes, went to his fathers grave with his room mates shotgun, and after downing some whiskey, shot himself under his chin. At 4:00 am, he was lying in a pool of his own blood. At that moment, he knew he didn't want to die so he started to pray to God for some kind of miracle to save him. Eric survived after being in a coma for a week and under going reconstructive surgery. He decided to give up the drugs and alcohol and turned to Christianity for being his savior. Now he works for T.A.P.S (teenage awareness preventing suicide). 


Bigger Meaning: 
                     This article shows people that although they feel that their life is horrible, everything is going wrong, and that the world is out to get them, they can still find a way to turn it around. A lot of these teenagers do turn to suicide because they feel that it is the only option to be free after drugs and alcohol but as we can see from this article there are ways to get out of suicide, in this instance Eric turned to God to help him out of his depression. 


Personal Meaning: 
                     I feel that this article is very touching and makes me more aware that yes there are people who have trouble dealing with death of family members but it also goes to show that although you may be depressed or upset or think that nothing is going right, you can still find ways to help your self, whether it be through God, supportive family or friends, Teenage Help Organizations, etc. This article was actually quite eye opening for me to realize that there are people, younger than me, who are dealing with problems which leading them to wanting to end there life. I think by being aware of this, I, myself as well as other who reading this can understand that you can get help to carry on or get out of depression and that suicide is not the answer. 


xXx Noor Haider xXx

Stress

a. Reflect on the activity results that you just completed. How did your own stress levels related to the hierarchical position match up with what the video said?Do you agree that your position in a hierarchy has an inverse relationship to stress levels?

In my situation, I did not agree with what the movie said because in high positions, I have more stress as opposed to hierarchies in which I have a lower position. In m choir class, I do not have such a high position so  I am not stressed since I don't have to sing any solos alone for example. Whereas when I was secretary of student council, I was much more stressed because I had to manage every one else work and be one of the main organizers of everything that the council does. The whole council would rely on me so therefore, stress in that situation of the hierarchy was more stressful though I am in a high position. 

  

b. Use the following terms in an analysis/reflection. Go any direction you want with it.

a. Decision making, self esteem, wellness

People who have reached a certain level of personal wellness in terms of education, physical, occupational, social, spiritual, and intellectual, will often find it easier with decision making. Along with this, these people probably have a high self-esteem to make well confident decisions. 

My goal for this semester...

1. The area or I would like to change or improve is:

I would like to get an A or higher in health class.

2. Pick a primary goal in your lifestyle within the above mentioned Wellness Wheel
area that you want to work on achieving.
It would focus on the educational aspect of the wellness wheel.

3. What health benefits would you receive if you made a change in this area?
This goal would benefit my educational and occupational aspects.

4. What difficulties might make achieving this goal a challenge?
I must pay attention and complete all the assignments that we get and hand them in on time.

5. The people you will ask for support and assistance are:
I will need my health teacher, Mr. Myers, to make sure that he assesses me fairly and regularly on powerschool so that I can keep in account how I am doing. Also I will need my fellow classmates to help me stay focused and on task in class.


6. Three specific steps involved in making this change/improvement are (be specific)

a. Write down assignments for class in my homework diary so that I don't forget about them
b. Keep an eye on how I am scoring on my assignments on power school
c. Take notes down in class so I have all the material needed when we have a quiz, test, or final exam

7. How will you record of your progress?
Using power school I will clearly be able to see what grade I have achieved on each assessment and from there I can see if I need to improve or if I am on the right track

:D

Self Esteem Website Assessment

I am assuming that Psychology today is a some-what reliable source, although I find that sometimes these kinds of websites do not base the results on accurate studies and often find that based on the score you get, you are put into an assumption category which may not always reflect your day to day self. In situations where you may be having a bad day and feeling down, of course the way you answer your questions will not be praising to the way you usually are. The opposite is also true, maybe you are feeling particularly confident one day, for whatever reason, you may over assess the way you usually are. I think generally websites that will give you a more accurate assessment are websites that have been credited or websites related to professional research facilities, universities, etc. The often will ask more questions to get a more accurate understanding and will not be so quick to immediately categorize you as confident or non-confident.

How Healthy Am I?

Physical: 6/10 because I participate in dance and volleyball but I do not have a stromg stamina.

Intellectual: 8/10 I am an above average student and pull about an A/A- on my report card

Occupational: 9/10 I am a high school student, in choir, student council secretary, cheerleader, and part of the local theater (before I moved to KL). 7/10 now because I am new so I have not quite gotten part of the after school clubs or groups

Emotional: 9/10 I like to be realistic and not let my emotions get in the way of decision making though I am usually a happy person with a positive outlook on life

Spiritual: 9/10 I have been raised a muslim and I strongly believe in God though I never really attend mosque

Social: 10/10 I have many friends and do not have trouble getting along with other people. As a new student, I found it a bit difficult in the first week of school before I already started making friends