Monday Wellness Reflection

Monday Wellness Presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VQsAD1gyAjAnpoLChrEFwpLQpaIMFZn-IrRGGS7peG0/edit#slide=id.p

I just couldn’t sit still in a chair and focus. Naturally, my second grade teacher, Mrs. Becky, asked me if I had a learning disorder. From a young age, I felt very different from the other kids.

In school, I was usually the class clown. A performer as I would like to call it. I was the kid who could even make adults cry with laughter. I was that good. I even put up shows for my family to watch, and it replaced their favorite Friday night entertainment. Little did I know that I was the costume designer, director, stage designer, and actress for my own shows.

Later on, I explored a different kind of art: drawing and painting. My ever-evolving art career began at an after school where art was offered every Friday. Once a week wasn’t enough for me. Soon, my parents started looking for art studios to see how far my talent and interest would go.

Studio 1: a small box room. There was the contagious dust of charcoal smeared everywhere, from the tables, to the shelves, and all over the students. I still remember when my art teacher, the ruthless Mr. Fang, yelled at me for blowing charcoal at the other students.

Mr. Fang was rigid, militaristic. I sketched until my paper ripped. The "ripped paper moments" was when Fang allowed me to move on to a different shape.

The strict practice from Studio 1 taught me the value of art. It molded me into a technical artist.

Studio 2: a wonderland. I began crafting 3D works with Mr. Akamichi. As I cut and hot glued my pieces together, he told me to be free and organic. I went with it. Eventually, I realized I was creating art about me.

Art has gifted me a way to express myself. It has given me the maturity and control to do simple things like sit still in a chair and focus.

Throughout my Monday Wellness, I wanted to share with my peers an influential and beautiful part of my life that has changed me for the better. I knew that not everyone is able to have years of art practice, but I did realized that something that anyone can do is adult coloring.

I was excited to share my passion to the class so I started working on my presentation very early. I made sure to make everything organized, easy to understand, and teach students about this calming activity, while teaching them about what it does to your brain. The most interesting thing that I learned while collecting all of my information is how it calms your brain from Beta waves to Alpha waves. I also found it interesting how serious and popular adult coloring has become. I had no idea there was such thing as coloring parties or gatherings!

Throughout the course, I tried to relate the topic as much as possible to class lectures—5 pillars of health (sleep, stress, social), mindfulness, anatomy and physiology of the brain due to adult coloring, and more. This topic is essential to our mental health and wellness. In the end, a healthy mind leads to a healthy body. Since adult coloring has the ability to calm your brainwaves to the state of Alpha,  you can distress and this is what gives you a better night’s sleep. Also, the act of focusing and coloring can help clear your mind from negative thoughts for a more positive mentality. Since adult coloring is an anti-technology activity, it naturally makes you more engaged with other people, thus forcing you to be more social

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate myself a 9 because I felt passionate about my topic and thought I delivered everything in an academic and fun way. However, I did feel nervous and unnatural (due to my fear of public speaking), thus the -1 on grading myself on a scale of 1-10. Despite it all, I pulled through and I couldn’t be more happier with my job.

In all, I hope my presentation inspired people to go out and try out some art. The fact that I saw how art has changed me mentally, I know that others can be changed by this phenomenon as well.

Sheep Heart Lab

Q1: What is the purpose of the pericardium?

The purpose of the pericardium is to secret fluids to lubricate the heart and reduce friction. It is basically a double sac of serous membranes.

Q2: Observe the blood vessels connecting to the heart. How do arteries differ from veins in their structure?

The arteries differ from the veins in which the walls of the arteries are thicker than that of veins.

Q3: Place your finger inside the auricle. What function do you think the auricle serves?

The auricle is an extension of the atria.

Q4: Observe the external structures of the atria and ventricles. What differences do you observe?

The walls of the ventricles are thicker than the atria.

Q5: Describe the coronary sinus, inferior vena cava, Right Atrioventricular Valve (Tricuspid Valve)

The coronary sinus receives blood from the coronary veins and it empties out to the right atrium in the heart. The inferior vena cava is a large vein that transfers blood to the heart.

Q6: Draw a picture of the tricupsid valve, including chordate tendinae and the papillary muscle.

Q7: Why is the "anchoring" of the heart valves by the chordate tendinae and the papillary muscle important to heart function?

The "anchoring of the heart valves by the chordate tendinae and the papillary muscle are important to the heart's function because it opens to allow blood to flow from the atrium to the ventricles. If it weren't for this, the heart would not be functioning properly.

Q8: Using pictures and/or words describe what you see.

As what I have learned, I see the bicuspid valve in the middle of the right atrium and the right ventricle with two cusps around the chordate tendinae attached onto in.

Q9: What is the function of the semi-lunar valves?

The semi-lunar valves have flaps that blocks blood from flowing back to the heart.

Q10: Valvular heart disease is when one of more heart valves does not work properly. Improperly functioning heart valves can lead to regurgitation, which is the backflow of blood through a leaky valve. Ultimately this can lead to congestive heart failure, a condition that can be life threatening.

a. If the valve disease occurs on the right side of the heart, it results in swelling in the feet and ankles. Why might this happen? 

The right side of the heart fails where it cannot pump blood to the lungs as fast anymore. Therefore, the blood gets clogged that causes swelling in areas like the feet and ankles.

b. If the valve disease occurs on the left side of the heart, what complications would you expect to see?

Since the left side of the heart pumps more of the blood, it has to work even harder now to pump the same amount of blood as it use to.

Q11: Using pictures and/or words describe what you see.

I see the bicuspid valve that directs to the right ventricle. Then it leads up to the aortic semilunar valve. Then I see the anterior surface of the heart where the coronary arteries are located.

Q12:Describe how the left and right sides of the heart differ from each other.

The right side of the heart pumps blood to lungs to get oxygen while the left side of the heart receives the oxygen blood. It then pumps it to the body.

Q13: Draw and label all structures visible in the interior of the cross-section.

Unit 3 Reflection

This unit was all about the cardiovascular system. Not only did we learn about the heart, but we learned about everything else that is surrounding the heart (arteries, veins, etc.) Through this, we learn the anatomy of the circulatory system as well as the physiology. This gives us insight on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle to keep these parts of our body functioning in a healthy and normal fashion.
The cardiovascular system is a complex network in our body that uses a series of tubes (vessels, veins, arteries) to transfer nutrients and removes waste within a multicellular animal.
Cardiovascular health is what we do to avoid cardiovascular diseases. This calls for living a healthy lifestyle of exercise and clean eating. Heart attacks are often caused from atherosclerosis lack of exercise, overweight, vasoconstrictor, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, HBP, or high cholesterol. Although sometimes genetics play a huge roll on whether or not you get this disease, but usually, if one is doing everything for a healthy lifestyle, they should be able to not be affected by this.

(Was absent for heart chalk walk.)

My family has a history from getting strokes/heart attacks so I am very aware of a lot that we have learned this unit. My mom had a high cholesterol and changed her lifestyle by going on marathons, eating clean, and keeping a positive mentality. The doctors tell her that she is doing great and all she has to do is keep up her good habits. My mother is teaching me about a better lifestyle and I am slowly becoming more aware about how important it is to take care of yourself.

This unit, I was gone a lot because of a hectic schedule of traveling and getting sick. I was gone for a couple lectures. But thankfully, Mr. Orre posted the lectures online and it really helped. Although it was a struggle to keep up, I felt that I learned so much more about cardiovascular diseases than what I already knew. Heart attack is a topic I take personally just because my family has a long history of it. This unit has given me a way better understanding on why it happens. I really focused on the prevention aspect of it all. I wish I focused more on the other important topics we learned this unit for a more well-rounded learning experience. I feel that I have improved as a student this unit because I think I juggled my hectic schedule with anatomy and physiology, other school classes, and extracurriculars as best as I could. I worked very hard and although not everything came out perfectly, I'm just happy that I tried and worked really hard to accomplish my set goals.

I kind of achieved my goal from unit 2 by sleeping on the airplane or at home when I was sick. I knew not to push myself too far and I was more aware of my well-being. For the remainder of the semester, I just want to finish all of my classes strong and get all my college applications sent in for a relaxing break and second semester senior year.

Lab: Measuring Blood Pressure

1. Diastole (second sound)  is during the time while the heart is relaxed. Therefore, the pressure goes down because there is no blood pumping into the system. As for the systole (first sound), it is the contraction of the ventricle (pressure when the heart contracts). In my case, the systole was around 115-123 and the diastole was around 70-72.

2. The stethoscope is used to measure the heart rate and the sphygmomanometer is used to measure blood pressure. 

3. Using your thumb to measure pulse is not ideal because it also has a pulse and can confuse with the counting. Therefore, people use their index or middle fingertips. 

4. With a deflated air bladder, wrap it around your lower bicep, make sure that the bulb and pump are on the downside (toward your hand). After, start pumping it to inflate the air bladder. At this time, keep letting the air go and look at the bulb to carefully to sense when the first heart rate is (gives you systole). While the second pump is the diastole. 

Unit 2 Reflection

Within the health triangle: Mental, social, and physical, one must achieve balance and homeostasis within these three power groups in order to stay "healthy." In simpler terms, it is better for one to be physically and mentally well in order to stay healthy. The 5 Pillars of Heath are nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, and social. These are guidelines to crafting one's personal and healthy lifestyle.

As a student at SHS, I believe that I am probably healthier than the rest of my school since I am more exposed to the importance of keeping your mind and body healthy. While most of my peers are taking hard AP course, I on the other hand am taking a class that is enforcing good daily habits. With that said, I have been seeing my diet slowly evolve into a much healthier one. 

The following is a picture of me over the summer (08/07/15) eating In N Out as a late night snack. I tended to get stressed out because of college apps so I directed all of the tension to stress eating and indulging way too much. I ate many foods without even thinking about the nutrition. I didn't ever put into consideration all of the trans and saturated fats that I was putting into my body. However, after learning about all the bad fats, good fats, minerals, vitamins, and proteins I should be consuming, I have a better idea of the foods that I should be eating. 

As a starting of the new school year, I have decided to start cooking some of my own meals, really stressing that I am getting organic and fresh ingredients from high end super markets. It all may be pricier, but I believe that in the end, it really does pay off based on how much better I feel and look. With that, I have also gained a huge interest in cooking and in the long run, it has helped garner many of my better lifestyle habits. (Cooked spaghetti and meatballs.)

Later on, I started going on a vegan diet. Unprepared and not too knowledgable on nutrition yet, I took on the challenge. It was very difficult and painful at first, but then I started feeling much better about myself and it helped me mentally by believing that I can achieve anything as long as I put my mind to it. However, I quickly realized that I was not getting enough fat, dairy, or protein into my diet. At the same time, my diet was low on sugar as well because it was heavily plant based. Therefore, I got dizzy throughout the day because of low blood sugar. (picture taken at farmers market, eating strawberries.)

In the end, I came to terms with the best diet for me. I ate a lot of nutrient dense protein such as salmon. I made sure that I met all of my daily needs of fruits and vegetable easily. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I make sure that I have at least one or two cups of soy milk. This has been a way better option for me because I feel a lot more energized and healthier throughout the day. What I eat has become a big deal to me and this unit has really drilled some great habits into my lifestyle. (Picture taken at Whole Food. Eating raw sushi fillets with mixed salad and water.)

As for coping with the stress of senior year, I have changed the direction of it by rather stress eating, I put my stress into exercise. I have picked up Bikram Yoga and not only has it helped with my physical balance, it has led me to have a stronger mentality. It is a very idyllic and euphoric sport. It is also high intensity, ensuring that it can fit my schedule for it does not take a lot of time.

After all that I have learned through health, I believe that I have this advantage compared to my peers is because I am taking a class based on health. Therefore, I am more aware of the benefits and importance of health. The best way to enlighten other students around school with these ideas is by creating clubs around campus that really emphasizes on whats really important in a young teenagers life: Health.

Obviously, the main understanding of this unit is a healthy lifestyle. I have taken what we have been learning in class into my real life and it has changed my life for the better. Everything that I have learned: Health, Nutrition, Sleep, Stress, and Social are all things that I will keep close to live a better life. However, something that I don't fully understand is the definition of being social. Personally, I don't believe having a lot of friends is necessarily social. Social is an abstract topic that it can be difficult to understand. As for the next unit, I plan on studying and reviewing more after each lecture.

GOAL SHEET:

My health goals are: To start getting 7-8 hours of sleep

Actions I will take: Taking advantage of my time (like finishing homework earlier) so I can sleep earlier.

I will know I have reached my goal when: I stop taking afternoon naps and start feeling more energized in the mornings. 

A healthy life is important to me because: I want to live a long and happy life with my loved ones. 

Nutrition Analysis

Through the results of tracking my diet, I have realized that maybe the reason that I have been losing so much weight recently is because I never reach the amount of calories I should be eating, yet I work out so much. Lately, I have been working on college apps and it has been stressing me out a lot, along with school work and extra circulars. Since the summer, I have dropped 20 pounds because I either have not had time to eat or forgot to eat. This has led to a major deficiency in protein and wheat. At school, I would have a bag of fruit and veggies with a carton or two of soy milk. Although my dairy seems to be lacking, I  have a pretty good amount of daily fruit and veggies. However, it is more difficult to carry about grain and protein because it tends to get messy. Therefore, I lack in those calories during the weekdays. But during the weekend, I have a lot more time to eat and spend more family time, which means that my diet is more well-balanced. Although my diet is more balanced, I have more empty calories consumed. 

Later on, I noticed how the Falcon Market activity went hand in hand with tracking my diet. Since I don't eat at fast food restaurants or go to cafes like Starbucks (simply because I have no time), It did help me understand the protein, calories, sugars, and fat in all kinds of processed foods; even fruit and veggies. I believe that I have a pretty clean diet in which all of the fresh produce I consume is either all natural or organic from high-end food stores. This is a great thing because these kinds of produces are cleaner and higher quality. However, according to my BMI, I am lacking in many different areas such as nutrition and calorie intake.

All I really need to do in order to fix these mistakes is by forcing myself to eat during appropriate times. I should have an alarm on my phone that reminds me to eat and I should get a lunch box that backs nutritiously balanced meals. Maybe homemade organic creamy avocado pesto pasta with shrimp or chicken and slices of roasted heirloom tomatoes could be one of the meals I eat for lunch or dinner (adds the protein and grain that is lacking in my current diet.) I should continue the bags of fruit for breakfast. However, I should pack some more cartons of soy milk or yogurt to ensure that I get enough dairy in my diet. For snacks, I should pack granola bars and mixed nuts for more good fats and protein. That will hopefully keep me more energized because throughout the day, I often times feel weak, tired, and dizzy. 

If I had the ability to coach someone on nutrition, I would first tell them that no matter what, you have time for your health so don't skimp out on the necessary nutrition required in order to function properly. Looking at my diet and lifestyle, it is not healthy how weak and tired I feel sometimes. Taking care of yourself is far more imperative than any test or college app. Following, I would advise them to shop at high end groceries stores to make sure that they are getting the quality produces that their body deserves. A diet that is heavily dairy and fruit based for breakfast is good because it can keep you going throughout the beginning of your day because the dairy keeps you full and the fruit is a huge requirement in the five food groups. Also, making sure to drink water is important. Dehydration can be very dangerous and one way to keep track of your hydration is by checking the color of your urine or using a water bottle that marks when and how much you should be drinking. For lunch and dinner, I would rely heavily on whole grain pastas and rice for enough grains. Grains offer carbs which give you the energy you need. It also keeps you full, along with protein. Protein helps you grow and build muscle. Something that is nutrient-dense like salmon or chicken/turkey breast is great because it has a plethora of the necessary vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, lean protein, and good fats that make up a healthy diet. Snacks should be foods that reinforce protein because a small amount of protein in just two meals is not enough. So keeping granola bars high in protein and mixed nuts are imperative to end the day with flying colors in all five food groups: grain, vegetable, fruit, dairy, and protein. With all of these combined, your body should have the right amount of nutrition for a healthy and happy lifestyle. 

What is Health?

To me, being healthy means someone who is both physically and mentally well. I believe that I am strongest at exercise and sleep. I make sure that I run at least one mile every day at the gym and work on abs. At night, I make sure that I get at least 6 hours of sleep. During lunchtime, I usually drive home to take a 10 minute nap; and after school, I take a 1-2 hour nap. The pillar that needs the most improvement is nutrition. For example, all I had for dinner today was a Nutella sandwich simply because it was convenient. For breakfast, yes I have a bag of fruit but that's pretty much what I eat all day because at lunchtime I sleep instead of eat. With health, I want to learn some easy and fast recipes to keep my nutrition up and some efficient study habits so I am less stressed. 

Unit 1 Reflection

This unit was about the basic of anatomy and physiology, in which we discovered the depth of "form fits function." After learning about the anatomical position, we learned that we have certain physical body parts that are responsible for a specific function. Also we learned about the tiny cells and tissues in our body. These work with the anatomy of our bodies to carry out different functions that allow us to live efficiently. Everything was based on the hierarchy of cell, tissue, organ, and organ system. I learned all kinds of new things about the epithelial cells, however most of it was a refresher from freshman biology. I will be taking the Bio SAT Subject test this coming October and what we learn in class gradually builds up all of the information that I need to know. I don't think that there is anything that I don't understand because I read through the text book, notes, and Bio SAT books thoroughly. What I can improve on next time is preparing better for the Temp Checks.

A lot of the things I learned relates to shows like "CSI" or "Grey's Anatomy." These over-dramatized shows often shows victims in the anatomical position. Now, I am able to identify the different injuries on their bodies.

Tissue Lab

Through this lab, it is made clearer about the differentiation between the four kinds of tissues: Epithelial, Connective, Nervous, and Muscle. The connective tissues tend to have collagenous fibers (occasionally more elastic fibers than collagenous fibers). The reason for this is because it is supposed to bind, support, and strengthen body tissues. Therefore, it needs these fibers in order to do all of its diverse functions. Muscle tissues are composed of actin and myosin fibers. The three types are skeletal, cardiac, and smooth. They are used for the function of the body. Epithelial covers the skin and protects the entire body. Like how the stratified squamous is around the mouth and vagina to prevent abrasion and infection. The nervous tissues transmit electrical signals from sensory receptors to effectors. It is located in the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It helps to restore the injury with inflammation and regeneration.

I noticed that each other the tissues were made to help protect one main part of out body. Like the epithelial is around the entire body which helps the outer side of the body. The nervous tissue detects any harm and then the connective tissue comes in to help protect and support. The muscular tissue gives human control on how their bodies move. In the end, humans have these certain tissues for very essential reasons. Likewise, a lot of these tissues are located in one specific part of the body and they work together to function properly. In the end, the form and position of each tissue ultimately fits its function.

When humans get sick, the nervous tissue responds with inflammation and regeneration. This is why certain areas of our bodies swell, gets warm or red, and is in pain. Another example of one of these tissues is the epithelial tissue. One of its functions is absorption, secretion, and ion transport. This is why it is bad to draw on our skin with harmful chemicals because in the end, it can get transferred into you body. But for the most part, it acts as a filter from these harmful things.

Stem Cell

A stem cell is shaped like a imperfect circle. These cells are around 10-13 micrometers, but it obviously varies depending on what it later gets divided into. It does have a lot of the same organelles in a eukaryotic cell. 

Stem cells are a versatile kind of cell. When it divides, it is able to transform into different kinds of cells or stay the same. They also have healing qualities that allows it to replenish other cells within the body.

They are also found in a multitude of tissues, such as brain, bone marrow, skin, teeth, heart, etc.

"Stem Cells Tapped to Replenish Organs." The Scientist -. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015. <http://employees.csbsju.edu/HJAKUBOWSKI/classes/SrSemMedEthics/stemcell112700.html>.

"What Are Stem Cells?" News-Medical.net. N.p., 10 Jan. 2010. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.

 "Frequently Asked Questions." Stem Cell Basics: Introduction [Stem Cell Information]. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015. <http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics1.aspx>.

Sweetness Lab

Today, we did a lab that determined the sweetness of certain carbohydrates. Before we started, we researched eight carbohydrates: sucrose, glucose (dextrose), fructose, galactose, maltose, lactose, starch, and cellulose. We drew out each the the structures and determined if it was monosaccharide, disaccharide, or polysaccharide. Then, we wrote down the functions of each carbohydrate. Afterward, we made a hypothesis and categorized each carb as sweet or not sweet. Following that, we carefully labeled our lab matting with the carbohydrates and put a small amount of each carb under the correlating labels. Finally, we tasted just a bit of each on the tip of our fingers and rated each of them on a 0-200 sweetness scale. I, personally, ended up determining that the monosaccharide and disaccharide were around the same sweetness (~70-110), even around the same granular texture.  However, all of the polysaccharides were not sweet at all (rated 0) and has a powdery consistency. I have actually had Chinese maltose candy before and it tastes just like it did in the lab. Also, I have realized why honey, fruits, and some vegetables are naturally sweet now. Some of the reasons why we humans taste sweetness is because of the different chemicals and reactors on our tastebuds. A chemical messenger called cholecystokinin transfers information to the brain to let it decide whether something tastes sweet or bitter. Sometimes, we taste with out eyes. Our eyes can be deceptive and make certain foods taste sweeter or more bitter than it actually is.

Sweetness Lab Source: 
Binns, By Corey. "What Makes Food Taste Sweet?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 09 Jan. 2013. Web. 27 Aug. 2015.

Works Cited

Sweetness Lab: 
Binns, By Corey. "What Makes Food Taste Sweet?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 09 Jan. 2013. Web. 27 Aug. 2015.