Health Journal Series: Mental Health Awareness

It is very common for teenagers to deal with low self-esteem. A lot of people think low self-esteem is only having a negative image of themselves and may feel bad, ugly, unlikeable or stupid but it is much more than that. Teenagers with low self-esteem are more at risk to anxiety, depression and etc. when they get older ("About Self-esteem." About Self-esteem. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.)

Teenagers with low self-esteem are more apprehensive to failure and tend to heighten the situation in events by being negative. For example, they often interpret non critical comments as critical ( "Low Self Esteem | Simply Psychology." Low Self Esteem | Simply Psychology. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.)

Researchers have found that 7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members. Also a girl’s self-esteem is more strongly related to how she views her own body shape and body weight, than how much she actually weighs. Researchers have also found that 38% of boys in middle school and high school reported using protein supplements and nearly 6% admitted to experimenting with steroids. Also more than 40% of boys in middle school and high school regularly exercise with the goal of increasing muscle mass ( "11 Facts About Teens and Self Esteem." 11 Facts About Teens and Self Esteem. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.)

Low self-esteen is an important topic that we need more people to know about. We can avoid this by always being uplifting to each other. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another." We need to make each other better by encouraging one another. 



http://www.youngminds.org.uk/for_parents/whats_worrying_you_about_your_child/self-esteem/about_self-esteem 

 http://www.simplypsychology.org/self-esteem.html

https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-teens-and-self-esteem

Health Journal Series: Abs

If you're like me, then you often have trouble with choosing the correct things to eat, and you're lost on what to do to get rid of fat that is in your mid section . You might not be looking for a way to get abs but for a way to lose weight, and in this article I'm going to address how to get abs and how to lose weight 



Everyone has abs, but wether you see them or not is affected by your body fat%. Your body fat% is how much of your total weight is fat and to be able to see your abs you have to lower it. For men you have to get to around single digits in body fat to have well defined abs, but at 15-10% you'll be able to see them. For women you need to get your body fat to around 20% for a good fit look. The main thing that most people struggle with is a skinny fat look, which means you look skinny in a shirt but without a shirt you have a gut. This look means that you have a high metabolism but your main issue is eating healthy. 

The main thing that most people struggle with is a skinny fat look, which means you look skinny with a shirt on but without a shirt you don't look skinny. This look means that you have a high metabolism but your main issue is eating healthy. Now that you know what affects your ability to see your abs and you know that eating healthy is the solution let's talk about what to eat. 

Your daily intake of nutrients consist of fats, carbs, and protein. The recommended amount of protein is a gram of protein per pound of body weight. Carbs should consist of 45-65% of your daily intake. Fats should consist of 20-35% of your daily intake. For protein the best foods are chicken, fish, and turkey, I tend to take protein powder to make up for any grams of protein that my meals may lack. The best foods for carbs are whole grain, oats, and brown rice these are all complex carbs and they are a lot healthier, so rather than white bread eat whole wheat bread. If you're anything like me then you like to snack a lot, and most of the time those snacks aren't the healthiest of choices (cookies, candy, chips) you're snacks need to be things such as cashews and almonds. 



Now that we know of proper nutrition let's discuss how to lose weight If your goal is to lose weight then you need to eat at a caloric deficit, which means you need to eat 500 calories less than your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) which is how many calories you burn per day. To calculate your TDEE just find a calculator for it on google and then eat 500 calories less than your TDEE. The reason you eat at a 500 calorie deficit is cause one pound is 3500 calories, so if you eat 500 calories less a day then that's one pound of weight lost per week. 

Now you know the basics of how to cut down your body fat and how to lose weight. As of always eating right alone is good but you should combine it with weight training. Good luck on reaching your personal health goals.






"R/Fitness." R/Fitness. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016. 


"The Skinny Fat Epidemic." Men's Fitness. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.


"Hussman Fitness - The Scale: Caloric Deficits and Fat Loss." Hussman Fitness - The Scale: Caloric Deficits and Fat Loss. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.

Health Journal Series: Be Safe. Be Smart.

Teen pregnancy has become more and more radical each year. “In 2013, a total of 273,105 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years.”Teenagers have been having unprotected sex and putting themselves at risk for pregnancy. Some teenagers are ignorant and do not know about safe sex. Others are foolish and have it regardless of the consequences. The real issue, how they plan to raise the baby they brought into the world.

A prime example of the effects of teen pregnancy is 16 and Pregnant. It is a show that shows the lives of underage girls with babies. Some might argue the show glamorizes pregnancy but truly the young women struggle to be teenagers and raise a child. Some young girls believe that they can raise a baby and continue to have a normal life. But a child is a lifelong commitment that requires a lot of attention and money.

It is important that teenagers understand how important safe sex is. While it is important to practice abstinence, if that is what you believe, it is also important to be well informed. It is better to talk to a parent or trusted adult figure than to risk making a terrible mistake. Teenage mother’s are at risk for health problems and so are the babies.”Risks for the baby include premature birth and a low birth weight.” It is better for some teenage parents to give their baby up for adoption rather than keep it. Another family might be able to better provide for the child.

The consequences of a teen parent’s action affect the baby. A baby deserves a good home with the best life possible. Make sure to be well informed about safe sex and make wise choices. Don't make rash decisions that could ruin your life or a possible child’s.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2016. <http://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/>.

"The National Campaign | To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy." The National Campaign | To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Web. 13 Mar. 2016. <http://thenationalcampaign.org/>.

"Teenage Pregnancy: MedlinePlus." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 13 Mar. 2016. <https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/teenagepregnancy.html>.

Apple vs. FBI

There was a shooting again. It happens in the USA. The killers have iPhones. The FBI has the iPhones of the killers but they cannot unlock the iPhones. The FBI asked Apple for help and Apple wants to help. The situation is complicated. To unlock the iPhones, Apple must write a piece of software. This software can unlock the two iPhones. However, this software is bad. It can unlock the two iPhones but it can also put millions of iPhones in danger. Tim Cook is the boss of Apple. He says that the software is like cancer. So Apple does not want to write the software.

Written by Billy Coles

Upgrade Your Mac n' Cheese

When your family finally comes through the door at 8:30 PM with no dinner anywhere to be seen, it’s go time for quick and slightly ok in the healthiness department. When your stomach starts eating your insides, your standard of food quality goes way down. One quick meal that I made recently actually impressed my Mom (I think she was just happy to have food like me). I made the easiest meal ever, mac n’ cheese, but I happened to upgrade it slightly.

Tools and Ingredients:

• stove
• wooden spoon or any serving spoon
• pot with lid
• strainer (if you don't have one, dont worry about it)
• water
• kraft mac n’ cheese or velveeta mac n’ cheese
• steamed vegetables bag or frozen veggies
• milk (optional)
• basil (optional)
• salt (optional)

To make this slightly healthy, okish meal, start by setting the stove on high with the pot filled with amount of water needed by the mac n’ cheese box. Let the water boil, not completely but right at the point where there are tiny bubbles at the bottom of the pot and steam is rising. Put the macaroni in the water to cook it. While you are boiling your noodles, follow the directions on the steamed vegetables bag and stick it in the microwave, if you only have a frozen bag of veggies, don't worry. Take a large bowl, like huge, pour in veggies and add enough water to cover the top most veggie, don't drown them. You can always tell when noodles are done cooking when you stir the macaroni after a good time of boiling. If the spoon feels like it’s moving through water with sand in it, it’s smooth going like normal water but you know for a fact something is in there, then you’re golden. Turn the stove down to the lowest setting and strain your noodles. If you don't have a strainer, use your arm muscles and use the pot lid to stop the noodles from falling out as you tip the pot to the side. Place the noodles back into the pot. Add in the box cheese (if using kraft powder, add milk to make it creamier, don't add milk if using velveeta). By this time, your veggies should be done. Add them to the mac n’ cheese. Now comes the creativity, normally steamed veggies have no flavor aside from the vegetable flavor, so I add basil and the tiniest bit of salt to the entire mix to add flavoring. Mix well until the cheese and seasoning is on everything evenly. Enjoy your 15 minute-made meal!

Written by Keira Zirkle

Movie Review: Matilda

Matilda is a movie about a little girl with the ability to move things with her mind. She is forced to become independent at a young age when her parents ignore her. Her family are all ignorant crooks who enjoy being lazy or pulling a get-rich-quick scam.  When Matilda starts school she meets a teacher named Ms. Honey,  who appreciates Matilda’s love for learning. But her principal is a frightening woman who hates children. With the help of some new friends and her own strength Matilda is able to overcome almost any obstacle.

Matilda is an old movie from my childhood. It teaches young girls that they can be strong and independent. It also encourages a love of books and reading. It's a very feel good, heartfelt film,perfect to watch with friends or family.

Written by Jasmine Bonner

Are You Ready For A Dark Horse?

The Spurs are my dark horse team for this season. They are 50-9 and no one is talking about them. Yes, I know Steph Curry is starting a big buzz around the league, but not only the league, but the world. Have we forgotten that the Spurs have won multiple championships, and still have the same squad plus another superstar? Can we not get so infatuated by the glitz and glamour of statistics, but focus on the fundamentally sound team.

The Spurs are 50-9 and aren't talked about like they haven't won. From 2003-2014, the Spurs have won four championships with almost the same cast they have now with the addition of superstar Lamarcus Aldridge. Let us not forget the new addition of former two time all star David West. We get caught up in the hype of Curry, who don't get wrong, is scoring off the chain, but let us not forget the old Spurs with their "boring" basketball. I just beg people of one thing and one thing only. DO NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR. The Spurs are my dark horse team and they will bring Steph's championship reign to an end.

Written by Josh Lewis

MLB Power Rankings

10. Texas Rangers

The Rangers actually played fantastic last year. For a team that was missing most of its

pitching staff, these guys played fantastic and managed to get to the postseason.

The Good: Pitching is back in Arlington. Yu Darvish will be back, Derek Holland will

be back, and to go along with a good bullpen and a pretty good lineup.

The Bad: For the last 3 years the injury bug has killed the Rangers. Over the last 3 years they have had the most total injuries in the game, so you never know.

9. Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays have gone from a team that couldn’t even sniff the postseason, to a team that

expects to make the postseason. Expectations are certainly high in Toronto

The Good: The Jays easily have the best lineup in baseball with Edwin Encarnacion,

Jose Bautista, Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson all batting in the middle of that

lineup.

The Bad: Seeing as though they are in a hitter’s ballpark, the Jays constantly struggle with pitching both in the rotation and the bullpen.

8. St. Louis Cardinals

Ok I have a lot of respect for the Cardinals. Last year the Cardinals suffered the most injuries in baseball, but somehow they won over 100 games and had the best record in baseball so I got a ton of respect for them

The good: they just know how to win regardless of the situation. They didn’t even have their best pitcher last year and still the team had the lowest era in baseball. But this year their rotation is full of studs

The Bad: The Cardinals don’t have a lot of power in their lineup. They just don’t have that one guy who puts fear in the hearts of pitchers, but they do have a lineup that will always find a way to get on base.

7. Kansas City Royals

Your defending World Series champions! The Kansas City Royals. The Royals last year had a magical run to the top and managed to beat the Mets for their first ring in 35 years.

The Good: They play great small ball. Stuff like bunts, stolen bases, good cut off throws and picking people off, these are some of the things the Royals are excellent at. Everyone get caught up in homeruns and strikeouts, but there’s so much more than that.

The Bad: The pitching staff could use some help. When Ian Kennedy rolls out as your number 1 guy, it’s going to be tough, but I have faith that they will get through this

6. Los Angeles Dodgers

The boys in blue are still voted among the top 3 teams in baseball, but I don’t see all of that hype. For the last 3 years experts have said it’s the Dodgers to lose and they have lost it every year without a fight.

The good: Clayton Kershaw, need I say more?

The bad: Without Zack Greinke this staff is weaker, but it’s ok for now, but this bullpen needs some work.

Written by Kenny Quinn

Super Tuesday and Why the Election is Important

Being cognizant of the election season is important for young adults, and even teenagers, because even though they are voting for the first time or are too young to, they still need to pay attention. If someone is too young to vote this upcoming year, there is nothing to be done, in all honesty. You could help your parents campaign, you can raise awareness, blah blah blah; in truth, if you are too young to vote in November 2016, there is no good reason to closely follow the election season. However, it still needs to be in everyone’s minds because we are facing a season in American history where we are in a crossfire of freedoms that should be irrevocably be given, but just are not. Americans are watching a chapter in history where things like gun control, naturalization of immigrants, protection within schools, and faith in our police force, should be irrevocable freedoms that just are not. Young people need to be aware, because in four years 9th graders will be voting, and they will either take down a bigot who somehow got elected, an over-the-top evangelicalist, a socialist who will have tried to destroy the American capitalist economy, or an untrusted ex-Secretary of State. Young people are the strongest voice in America once they have the chance to vote, because they will have the longest voting range at the time. Each person is entitled to their changeable opinions, but every young person should think about how the presidential nominee would affect their life in the years to come.

Written by Keira Zirkle

Going Grey?

We will all become grey one day. Hopefully it's just your hair that is grey but they have found a study that shows why people get grey hair. You can not avoid them they will come no matter what, unless you're donald trump and can pay to  have golden hair forever. Some people will not be happy to see them but they are waiting for you. Even though they will not leave us alone we have now found a reason why we get grey hair. Scientists have long known that greying is the result of a gradual disappearance of melanin in hair follicles. Kaustubh Adhikari head scientist of the researchers at University College London, took the genomes of more than 6000 people from Latin America and matched their genes against different hair features, including how much grey hair they had.

Written by Billy Coles

XBOX ONE Upgradeable Hardware

Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft's Xbox department recently hinted towards hardware upgrades that will eventually be available for Xbox One. His goal is to make the Xbox One more like a PC. This would remove the idea of purchasing a new console, and instead this would only require the purchasing of better hardware.

I don't think that this would be a great idea for Microsoft to go through with for this generation of consoles. I say this, because I don't see how the new hardware could be installed, other than taking out the motherboard. I honestly think that it's a good idea that is going to be used to make Microsoft more money. Just think, Microsoft tells game developers to make it so that the games purposely look a lot better on the best hardware, and worse on the less expensive hardware. A console's hardware should be the same throughout every console, otherwise just buy a PC and build it with the hardware you want it to have. 

Written by Dustin Jones

Raspberry pi3

The new Raspberry pi 3 released and it is a major upgrade to the Raspberry pi 2. The Raspberry pi 3 is the first of its kind to be 64 bit and it has a quad core processor and a gigabyte of ram. The biggest upgrade to it is that it has built in wifi and Bluetooth, so I plan to buy one and use it to play Netflix and emulated games. Having wifi already built in the board is a big deal considering how people use to have to spend around 20$ on adapters for the Raspberry Pi for it to have wifi and Bluetooth.
The raspberry pi 3 will cost 35$, a really great price considering the power of the computer, in fact it costs the same as the Raspberry Pi's before it. I think the Raspberry Pi 3 is somewhat of a cool thing that exists, it's not some amazing little PC that will replace normal computers, but it does show that in time computers will eventually be very powerful and very compact in size.
I know that I'll definitely be purchasing one of these in the near future, will you?

Written by Dustin Jones

Mark Zuckerberg on ISIS

Mark Zuckerberg has explained himself about the threats made against him by ISIS supporters .

The video was created in response to efforts by both companies to stop terrorist activity on their platforms.

If you close one account we will take 10 in return, reads one of the slides in the video. Many Isis people are on social media such as Facebook, Twitter , Instagram and we don't know this and everybody is getting threats on the social media.

Written by Casey Vick

Snow Related Accident Takes Life of Toddler

A snow related accident that took place in Idaho on Friday night resulted in the death of a toddler. Two year old Halle Merrill was killed when several feet of snow fell off a cabin's roof. Along with her were two seven year olds that were injured but not killed. It took about thirty minutes to dig the children out due to all the snow that had fallen on them.

The three children were airlifted to the nearest hospital but Halle died before they dug her out of the snow. The seven year olds are in better condition as of now. Thankfully the other children were not killed in this awful accident. I can only hope that Halle's family will be able to get through this.

Written by Emily Taylor

Spice Up Your Breakfast

Alright, you guys know I like to make easy meals because I’m lazy and home alone a lot. For breakfast, I like to spice it up just a little bit. The lazy part means you only need five ingredients and the spice part comes from a red bell pepper and pepper. Here's what you need:

A frying pan

Some oil

A red bell pepper

2 eggs

Shredded cheese

Pepper

First, take the frying pan and put oil in it so it covers the surface, not like a puddle, but light covering. Heat up the stove top to level 6 and let the pan heat.

Take the bell pepper and cut it in half, not half like middle of the stem down, but like middle of the bell pepper and cut sideways.

Then once the pan is hot, put 2 rings in the pan and let it cook. One side should be cooked even if the other side isn't.

Take the eggs: if you want them scrambled - mix them in a bowl before hand, then dump them inside the ring. It WILL NOT work as well as the method you're supposed to do, but you do you. What you're supposed to do, if crack the egg inside the ring. While the egg and bell pepper ring is cooking, put on pepper and sprinkled cheese. Cook to your liking, preferably brown and not black, although we don't discriminate here unlike the Oscars.

Turn off the stove and enjoy!

Written by Keira Zirkle

Poem of the Week

This poem, Call of the Night was published in 1911 by Barnes. After recognition for her poems, she became a freelance journalist and illustrator for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in NYC. She worked there until 1921, where she was commissioned by McCall’s magazine to work in Paris for journalism and poetry. She lived there for 10 years, and during that time she wrote an anthology, The Book, which included three stories A Night Among the Horses, Ladies Almanack, and Ryder. The next ten years of her life were spent travelling across cities in England and Egypt, New York City, NY, Paris, France. During her travels she wrote Nightwood. She returned to New York in 1939 to live and write one last piece, Antiphon, before her death in 1982.

Call of the Night

Djuna Barnes, 1892 - 1982

Dark, and the wind-blurred pines,

          With a glimmer of light between.

Then I, entombed for an hourless night

          With the world of things unseen.

Mist, the dust of flowers,

          Leagues, heavy with promise of snow,

And a beckoning road ‘twixt vale and hill,

          With the lure that all must know.

A light, my window’s gleam,

          Soft, flaring its squares of red—

I loose the ache of the wilderness

          And long for the fire instead.

You too know, old fellow?

          Then, lift your head and bark.

It’s just the call of the lonesome place,

          The winds and the housing dark.

"Call of the Night" was published in Harper's Weekly on Dec. 23, 1911. It appears in Barnes' "Collected Poems: With Notes Toward the Memoirs" (University of Wisconsin Press, 2005).

Written by Keira Zirkle