by Alissa Guissine Canadian citizens of B.C. and Nova Scotia where beginning to worry after 120 Journalists across Canada conducted tests and discovered dangerous amounts of lead in 11 cities across Canada. Although not affecting Toronto to such a serious extent, citizens of the GTA and old Toronto were starting to send in requests for lead testing kits and pipe replacements.
According to researchers from Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism one-third of water tested exceeded Canada’s national safety guidelines of 5 parts per billion and 18 percent exceeded America’s limit of 15 ppb. (ppb is a system used to measure the concentration of a contaminant in a solvent.) The prime suspects of lead are aging infrastructure and plumbing, specifically in homes built before the mid-1950s. Most older homes’ pipes were made with lead and were sealed with lead solder instead of rubber gaskets. The problems are not the large city water mains but the smaller pipes leading to resident’s homes. Corrosive rainwater draws lead from aging pipes, thus contaminating the flowing water. Lead exposure can cause kidney and stomach damage to adults as well as raised blood pressure. Behavioral issues and learning disabilities like loss of IQ are the main effects of lead on children. Dr. Richard Stanwick, chief medical health officer with Island Health said the Capital Regional District (CRD) of B.C. has been focusing on resolving the issue and discussing how best to focus resources. A report went out on November 20th which was the first step of testing the whole system. Based on the report the sources of lead were thought to be associated with fire-suppression hook-ups and within municipal systems. Although a grave issue the cities stated that: “It would take decades to replace all the hundreds of thousands of pipes and it would be difficult to co-ordinate replacements because private property owners would have to pay.” Though challenging and costly the cities will replace or line the pipes as soon as needed. If your home was built before the mid-1950s you could get a free lead testing kit from Toronto’s municipal government. The province of Quebec said it would pay for all daycares in the province to test tap water for lead. These are the first steps to having clean water sources for citizens across Canada.
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by Ria Vaid Image from: https://highlandclarksburghospital.com/2018/04/27/what-is-mental-health-month-and-why-is-it-important/ As mental health month of this year is coming to an end we as a school and as a society have been reflective and open about mental health. At school, we have had events to help students calm down and promote the balance of mental and physical health. First of all, there has been a free yoga session at our school. Any student or teacher can participate in yoga. It is scientifically proven that yoga will strength, flexibility and mental awareness. It provides you with relaxation and energizes you to be strong physically and mentally. Yoga includes meditation, breathing techniques, and different basis position. If you’re experiencing mental and emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression yoga helps manage them. As a student, it’s difficult to handle school with extra circulars and sometimes we can get overwhelmed and perform poorly. This is why some teachers at VSS took 5 minutes out of class time to meditate, this helps students think with a clear and relax mind so they can perform better at school. As a society, we have been very supportive of people mental illness and mental awareness. We have evolved as a society, 50 years ago it was very difficult to promote mental awareness and people weren’t very open about this. However, now it’s completely changed. Now on social media people send each motivational quotes to keep their follows motivated and make them feel good about themselves. Also, we have so many famous people to look up to because they have openly discussed their mental illness and are ready to help their followers. These people have had a big input in the change of society because if they didn’t speak up then no one would have. Mental Health Awareness Month has been publicly viewed by millions of people around the world through the media, local events, and screenings. We should always be considerate of our mental health and always try the best to keep it balanced between relaxation and other factors because if we don’t then it may affect our lives emotionally and physically. by Pam Sharov The military diet is a seven day cycle where one is predicted to lose about 10 pounds in one cycle (one week). The cycle is 3:4, the first 3 days of this diet are restricted, have a low caloric intake of 1,400 day 1, 1,200 day 2, and 1,100 day three, and have a strict meal plan for the three days. The leading 4 days have no restriction although, it is suggested to eat as healthy as possible. The military diet has the claims of speeding up the person’s metabolism with caffeine and eating high protein foods that are harder for the body to breakdown; therefore it burns the most energy (calories). This diet is used with dancers and models, and has started to gain popularity and surface through social media; the military diet does not have any clear origins. What are the food (nutrient) restrictions - where are your nutrients to come from? The military diet is a dietary cycle of seven days that can be repeated as many times as necessary. The first three days of this cycle is where the diet is restricted in what food can be eaten and the caloric intake. The first day of the diet one can intake 1,400 cals, the second 1,200 cals, and the third 1,100 cals. The specific foods consumed during the 3 days are: grapefruit, bread, tuna, peanut butter, banana, egg, beans, broccoli, vanilla ice cream, hotdog, carrots, apple cheese crackers, coffee, and tea. With this low caloric intake the person dieting won't have the proper energy that he or she needs for their body to function. As such, they can start to feel sluggish, tired, and less focused. Since they have a meal plan, they are not getting all the proper nutrients and minerals that the body needs. As well, this diet contains a lot of sodium and not enough fibre. Risks and Deficiencies in this diet: In the military diet there are several deficiencies such as nutrients, vitamins and minerals as well as fibre. Additionally, there is an increased intake in sodium and overall caloric deficit as during day 3 of the diet the person consumes only 1100 calories out of the recommended 2000 calories a day. As a result of the low nutrients and high sodium, people that are on this diet for a prolonged period of time, risk heart disease and may experiences a weakened immune system and organs failure. Pros
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Disease: Hypertension Hypertension or in other words high blood pressure occurs when there is a constant pressure of blood against the artery wall. This disease makes the arteries narrower and creates a higher blood flow resistance (the blood needs to pass through a narrower passage than usual) and therefore blood pressure increases.This negatively affects the body as it can lead to other illnesses or complication such as heart disease, heart attack, stroke, dementia, heart failure, and aneurysms. Describe food/diet restrictions or necessities associated with this disease: This disease can be caused by excess sodium thus causing the body to retain water which heightens blood pressure. Lack of potassium is another leading factor to hypertension as potassium aides to balance sodium. Additionally over consumption of alcohol also leads to high blood pressure. Therefore if diagnosed with hypertension the food restrictions would be limiting sodium and alcohol intake as well as increasing potassium intake. Can the “diet” you previously wrote about be applied to this disease? Explain why or why not. The military diet cannot be applied to this disease but it can be related to hypertension. One factor of hypertension is an excess sodium intake which relates back to the military diet as on this diet the person goes through an increased sodium intake. As well four out of the seven days on the military diet are meant to be the person’s normal diet where they can be cover consuming alcohol which can also lead to hypertension. In sum the military diet can be related to hypertension through the high sodium intake and depending on the person's normal diet, excess amounts of alcohol. by Alan Nemirovski Image from: USA Today When you think an epidemic that might face young people in the 21st century, you might be thinking of disease, technology, climate change, or education. But in fact, one of the worst and most widespread epidemics affecting young individuals today, especially in the developed world, is something the you might have never considered to be that widespread of a problem: loneliness.
According to a 2018 study by Cigna, which surveyed over 20 000 young adults in the United States, nearly half of all participants reported sometimes or always feeling lonely, or feeling left out. One in four, or 25 percent of participants rarely or never feel that there are people who really understand them. And the most interesting result? That Generation Z (yes, the generation all current high-school-aged students belong to) is the loneliest generation out of all the previous ones. Loneliness is a subjective feeling. You may be introverted or solitary and not necessarily be lonely — you might just like to spend a bit of time alone to recharge. You might be extraverted and spent your weekends partying with dozens of people or hanging out with your group of friends and still feel lonely. In addition to the grim results, the study did also find and reinforce previous theories about the nature of humans. One thing that was discovered is that humans who have frequent and meaningful face-to-face interactions are found to be less lonely. This reinforces the fact that humans are social animals, and it is important to have people around us who we care about and who care and support us. The study additionally pointed out that social media isn’t entirely to blame for this epidemic (which is what some people are saying is causing this epidemic). Instead the study shows that a balanced life, that is, a balance of sleep, work, family, socializing with friends, and “me-time” is connected to lower loneliness scores. And they emphasize that balance is key, as too much or too little of any activity generally lead to higher loneliness scores in the study. So next time you’re feeling a lonely, try doing something you haven’t done in a while. Whether that is going out with friends more, or saving some time for yourself, it is important that you find a middle-ground. And while social media isn’t entirely to blame for the epidemic, it still contributed to it, so maybe a break from social media every now and then wouldn’t hurt either. For more detailed information about the results of the Cigna Study, please visit: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8294451-cigna-us-loneliness-survey/ by Evelyn Wisebourt Image from: https://studybreaks.com/college/students-stress/ As exam season rolls around, stress levels among youth spike tremendously. To ensure their well-being, it is important to learn how to cope with these difficulties.
Recently, a news reports recently released by UniHealth revealed that 82% of the 1000 students surveyed suffer for stress and anxiety. Furthermore, 45% have experienced depression. “School is a very stressful place, and it causes me a lot of anxiety. Sometimes I feel like an embarrassment because I’m not good enough in comparison with my peers”, stated a grade 10 student at Vaughan Secondary School. Evidently, it is necessary to learn to cope with stress. Listed below are some of the things you can do to relieve some of you stress during this time of the semester: 1. Manage your time This is most definitely one of the best things that you can do in order to reduce your levels of stress. Leaving a project to the last moment, or cramming the night before an exam will exhaust you mentally. As a result, you won’t be able to perform to the best of your abilities. However, if you plan out your time as soon as you get an assignment or test date, your stress levels would most likely decrease. Additionally, realize that you may not have time for everything, and accept that. Ensure to prioritize, and write down your tasks. This will also allow you to find time for your hobbies and interests. 2. Indulge in physical activity Exercise and other physical activities help your body produce endorphins, which are chemicals that act as a natural painkiller. Therefore, it will send your body and mind into a more tranquil and relaxed state. Surely, you don’t need to do much. You can incorporate something as simple as a thirty minute walk through the fresh air into your daily routine. As well as reducing stress levels, exercise will also improve your quality of sleep. 3. Eat right When stressed, one tends to eat without any restrictions. That is, they indulge in comfort foods, ranging from ice cream to chips, pop drinks to chocolate. Although it is important to treat yourself, you must establish boundaries to limit the amount of the junk food you eat. Instead, focus on foods that are high in nutrients. As well as reducing our stress levels, these foods help improve your mood and energy. Be sure to eat products containing vitamin C, magnesium, omega 3s and B vitamins. All in all, it's crucial to remember that all it is, is school. One assignment, one test, one grade, doesn't define you. At the end of the day, it’s all about the knowledge that you’ve gained. So, this exam season, don’t forget to take care of yourself and prioritize your health. |
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