Kaleidoscope March 2022 - Bodies by Kaleidoscope UAB

Magazine INSIDE

Say Yes to Yoga

by Shalen Lawson p.5

Inside the Life of a Tattoo Artist by Caleb Wood p.15

UAB Student Athlete Feature: Emily Klaczek by Katherine Kirk p.19

Letter

from the

Editor

I am so happy to be present the first printed, normal-issue,

Kaleidoscope magazine. Many of you may recognize us as a newspaper or as the family weekend magazine, and some may not recognize us at all. We’re still the official student news outlet on UAB’s campus but haven’t printed a normal issue since the pandemic began in March 2020. Since then, we’ve been through a radical redesign with the help of our dedicated staff of editors, writers and artists alongside the student media departmental staff. In the last two years a whole host of new staff have been brought on in the hopes of allowing Kaleidoscope to blossom in its new form. We still have our usual news coverage but in here you’ll get to see a new side of Kaleidoscope. This is a space for us to explore topics that we may not normally have the opportunity to on our website. Our writers and artists have worked tirelessly to delve into the human body in many different ways. You’ll find a personal essay on body image (page ) and read about one of the best places to get moving in Birmingham (page ). However, our bodies don’t always bring on positive feelings. Transgender people face discrimination and difficulty in finding a healthcare provider (page ) and trauma leaves lasting effects on the human body (page ). This issue is not all-encompassing but it reflects the many interests of the Kaleidoscope staff. As I prepare for graduation all I can think about is how proud I am of this staff and the work they’ve been putting in (which helps me avoid thinking about plans after graduation). The growing pains can be all I feel sometimes but when the staff pull through it makes it all worth it. To see more from Kaleidoscope follow us on Instagram and Twitter @kaleidoscopeuab and find our website at uabblazermedia.com. Sincerely,

Hannah Richey

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Hannah Richey

Managing Editor Caleb Wood

Multimedia Editor Kena Cheatham

Social Media Editor Tanner Burckhard

Copy Chief Celia Shepard

Associate Editor John Glen

Associate Editor Madison Prim

Associate Editor James Goodman

Design

Disney Bagwell, Jada Nguyen, Lewis Bruce

Writers

Bella Tucker, Campbell Bryan, Garrett Helmers, Ja’Voris Hubbard, Jhana Mosley, Karim Mikhail, Katherine Kirk, Nikhita Mudium, Shalen Lawson

Copyeditor

Lainey Hardiman

Table of

CONTENTS 15 5

FEATURES 5

Say YES to Yoga

15 Inside the Life of a Tattoo Artist

19 UAB Freshman Athlete Gives Inside Perspective on Balancing Sports and Academics

EXPLORE 8

Eating Vegan in Birmingham

24 Love Your Body: Soap Shop Recommends

25 The View from Ruffner Mountain

MIND, BODY, & S OUL 9

MY Body

10 Body Positivity Photo Story 11 Treatment of Transgender Bodies based on Race & Type 13 How Trauma Effects the Brain & Body 17 Crystals & Spirituality

CAMPUS

21 CNS Radiation Oncology: A Journey into the Brain’s Greatest Ainlment 23 Meeting the Needs of the Student Body: An Overview of the Student Health Clinic

“The people who were saying it was wrong were the people who already felt like they had a space. They were already part of that community. They were already welcomed,” Rhodes said.

Photo Contribution by Dawson Martin

By Shalen Lawson

hen Nancy Rhodes enrolled in her first yoga class, she was looking to make a lifestyle change. She’d battled an eating disorder for most of her life, struggled with her mental health and had begun a weight loss journey. But when she first rolled out the mat back in 2009, the class looked vastly different from the yoga DVDs she’d practiced at home. Routines designed for beginners were often too hard. And when Rhodes looked around the class to the thinner bodies in stretchy yoga pants, she noticed very few students looked like herself. “What I was starting to see was middle-aged women, who maybe didn’t have the most thin and flexible bodies, needed somebody who looked like them to show them [yoga] is still a practice that is available to them,” Rhodes said. “But maybe we have to do it a little bit differently.” So she became an instructor, and started teaching her own classes. Rhodes began by practicing her skills with friends and coworkers — encouraging modifications for difficult poses. And what was once an inside joke about going to their “fat girl yoga” classes together, quickly became reality.

“How do I make this accessible to people who are like me, and have bodies shaped more like mine? What can we do differently that they’re not going to get out of a class from a thin, flexible, athletic man?” Rhodes said. The answer turned out to be Abundance Yoga — her own studio placed on Highway 280. The business offers many services from Pilates to therapeutic massages, but most notably, it’s a safe haven for abundant bodies to practice yoga. And, as part of the mission to make the practice more accessible to everyone, Abundance Yoga has a “Fat Girl Yoga” class, classes for Black women, BIPOC and other specialized classes. And while the students at the studio have certainly appreciated the space, the concept is still controversial for others. Even as Rhodes began to embrace the word “fat” to describe herself, and her class, the studio experienced pushback from onlookers who found the description derogatory. At one point, she faced disapproval from representatives of an eating disorder clinic. And further still, in came judgement from parts of the yoga community. “The people who were saying it was wrong were the people who already felt like they had a space. They were already part of that community. They were already welcomed,” Rhodes said. “What I was trying to make space for was the people who felt like they didn’t belong. The people who felt like they were too fat to go to a yoga class.”

Even with the added pressure, Rhodes persisted — expanding the studio to offer classes to other marginalized groups, and hiring a diverse group of teachers to fill the gaps where she couldn’t herself. “I told my trainer, I don’t see anyone my size doing yoga, let alone Black people doing yoga,” said La-Shonda Spencer, an Abundance Yoga instructor. When Spencer isn’t working as a doula, she’s teaching — sometimes leading the “Restorative Yoga for Black Women” class. She began practicing 6 years ago after a fitness trainer suggested yoga would help her prepare to run a 5K. Spencer was skeptical, but once she experienced the mental clarity that came along with practicing, she worked to bring some of that peace back to the students at the studio. “As a Black woman, we are on the go every single time. We are constantly moving and we don’t know how to slow down,” Spencer said. As a former student, Spencer said she understands why Black women may feel intimidated to come to the mat, but the benefits ultimately outweigh the fear. “We as Black women pour out so much into everyone that we don’t have anything else for ourselves,” Spencer said. “So the restorative [class] helps you pour back into yourself.” Together, Rhodes, Spencer and several other teachers have worked to create a safe space for women like Rhonda Heffner — an Abundance Yoga student of 6 months. “Yoga has felt so exclusive for a long time. What you typically see in the yoga ads and commercials and the crowd it appeals to, isn’t me,” Heffner said. “I’m not thin. I’m not young. I’m a 59 year old — not fat, but slightly chubby — Muslim chick.” K7

Between tending to her farm and working as a kitchen designer, Heffner visits the studio 5 times a week. She began practicing yoga at Railroad Park after a cancer scare 3 years ago. At some point, she just stopped going. But once she found Abundance Yoga, Heffner found a new home. “There’s no body shaming. They’re just proud of anything you do. Every little accomplishment you make. Holding a pose that you haven’t been able to hold before,” Heffner said. “Everything’s kind of celebrated. And it makes you feel good.”

For Nancy Rhodes, Abundance Yoga is but a baby with limitless potential. She hopes to expand to classes that are taught in Spanish. Classes for the hearing impaired. Classes for disabled bodies. And she has advice for those searching for safe place to practice. “If [you] walk into a space that doesn’t feel welcoming, feel free to turn around and leave” she said. “Sometimes we have to speak up for ourselves and we get really uncomfortable doing that.” And if it’s just too difficult, there’s always space at Abundance Yoga.

“Hopefully people will come in that have abundant bodies. We’ll have people that maybe don’t as well and that’s completely fine because this is a welcoming space for everybody,” Rhodes said. “It’s where we can grow our abundance.”

Eating Vegan in

Birmingham

by Bryan Campbell

Falafel Cafe

This is a Mediterranean restaurant with many different options for vegetarians, vegans and other lifestyles. Falafel Cafe has been highly rated with its dishes burst of flavors and fresh ingredients. 401 19th St S # 100, Birmingham, AL 35233

Underground Vegan

With a menu ranging from chickun tenders to cheezburgers to skrimp po boys, this all vegan restaurant has mirrored some of our favorite comfort foods in a way that everyone can enjoy. 2012 Magnolia Ave S r3, Birmingham, AL 35205

Golden Temple Cafe

This vegetarian restaurant includes organic smoothies and homemade soups and sandwiches. Their lunch specials are made from scratch everyday with freshly prepared ingredients. 1901 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205

Tropicaleo

Tropicaleo is a Puerto Rican restaurant that has gluten-free and plantbased options. The founder of the restaurant is big on the importance of plant-based eating and how he will not “sacrifice flavor for health. 4426 4th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35222

Yummefy

This Asian fusion restaurant brings cultural cuisines to Birmingham while accommodating the vegan lifestyle. Check them out and try the momos, thukpa, chow mein, or fried rice. 707 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd S Ste 104, Birmingham, AL 35233 Photo Contribution by Parker Henson & Dawson Martin K8

Body

A Personal Narrative by Jhana Mosely

lubbering skin flaps over the waistband of my underwear. Thick thighs jiggle, their stretch marks contest. Moist perspiration gathers on the undersides of my B-cup bra. If you feel uncomfortable reading this, imagine how I feel. The hair that grows out of my body is wild and untamable. The hair that grows out my scalp is not straight, but kinky beyond measure and full. Schools think my hair should be controlled, thin, and straight down my back. Schools want my hair to be “normal.”

My brown eyes and big nose fill out the majority of my face. A distinct characteristic of my family tree and society’s beauty standards don’t favor the bold. My big lips are a favorite; every girl wants them. It’s a blessing and a curse. My shoulders and arms sit forcibly wide. My muscles bulge, a gift from my father, and I enhance that gift when I sweat in the gym. Women can be strong today. Women couldn’t be strong yesterday. It’s unattractive, unfeminine, and unflattering. Women should be thin. Women should be small. What do women need muscles for? I keep my muscles for protection. I won’t be taken lightly by any woman or man who “wants’ me. Who wants to take my haven non-consensually. Who plans to steal my joy mentally and physically. I will not be taken lightly. My chest is small. There is no preference, but what if I have a preference? My body, my rules. Who made the rules? The rules are unfair, biased. How do women account for the rules of thirsty men and bloodthirsty women? Who decided that women should be objected to constant scrutiny for their body shape and their beauty? Beauty is relative, so who decided that I wasn’t beautiful? Unknowingly, the Instagram models on my feed champion their lithe bodies. I think they are beautiful, and they are. Do I have to look like them to receive praise? It’s not their fault, but when they display the same type of look, how am I supposed to feel? Has the world really changed? Or are we now more restrictive than ever? So many questions. My body, my rules. I have never a day in my life felt comfortable in my body. That means I shouldn’t be ashamed of how my body reacts, how it twists and conforms, how it grows and shrinks, how it accommodates to my mindset, how it leans into my fears, how it accomplishes my dreams, how it tells me what’s wrong, how it reminds me of what’s wrong, how it protects me from myself, or how it keeps me alive.

Photo Story by Dawson Martin K10

Opinion:

By Nikhita Nguyen A multicolored brain is the gender identity;a red heart represents sexuality;a penumbra depicts gender expression Congratulations! You’ve just met medicine’s most valuable teaching tool for gender and sexuality: the Genderbread Person. This model allows medical professionals to differentiate aspects of gender as part of the medical curriculum. Every premedical and medical student has heard of the Genderbread Person either in class or in practice. However, conceptually understanding a person’s identity and the subsequent disparities is something entirely different — a fact that medicine is just beginning to learn. According to a report by the Human Rights Campaign, the LGBTQ+ community now comprises approximately 20 million people in the United States and transgender individuals make up about 1% of the overall population. What does this mean for medicine? Physicians will likely encounter or treat at least one transgender individual in their careers. Recent reports from both the Boston Children’s Hospital and the Center for American Progress have revealed disturbing trends in the treatment of transgender individuals in healthcare. According to these reports, K11

transgender discrimination in healthcare is rampant and directly proportional to increasing health disparities among the population. This snowball effect of health disparities is best represented by taking a look at two approaches: personal treatment and medical education. Despite the medical principle of “do no harm unto others,” transgender

individuals are mistreated on a daily basis throughout the American healthcare system. Their gender identity and pronouns are reportedly not respected, especially in a digitized healthcare system. Changes in their name and pronoun preferences frequently go undocumented or unacknowledged. It is not uncommon for transgender

individuals to be demeaned by intrusive questions and unwanted prodding when they visit primary care doctors, emergency rooms or urgent care centers. A majority of individuals who participated in the studies confirmed that they were fearful of being violated, being dehumanized, and feeling ill if they were to face that same treatment again. For illnesses with potentially life-threatening consequences — such as seizures — transgender individuals are often discouraged from seeking help. Imagine a doctor, whose primary duty is to protect your physical and mental health, saying that you are not worth treating or learning from because “there aren’t that many of you.” When transgender populations enter healthcare settings, impartial care suddenly transforms into an application of personal beliefs, which does not align with the definition nor the duty of medicine. Adding to the burden of dispassionate care — which should not be the constant, no matter who or where you are — is the fact that the typical medical school curriculum does not adequately cover gender health. The complex interplay between the hormones used in gender-affirming therapy and the body is not a common topic in medical education.

Trasngender people often have to explain their conditions and medical considerations to new physicians or urgent care doctors during emergency consultations, which is not how equitable care should be. We can’t forget that ailments that afflict the general population afflict the transgender population as well, though not always in the same way, further compounding the care necessary to ensure healthy and productive lives. For example, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR), which measures how effectively the kidneys filter out bodywaste, has a different lower limit for determining kidney failure depending on the sex of the patient. Women tend to have a higher EGFR standard to be put on the transplant list, but men have a much lower one. If the patient is a transgender man, then the EGFR limit is complicated, resulting in transgender men potentially needing to wait longer for a transplant as their kidneys deteriorate. One study from a clinic in Amsterdam found that that were higher observed deaths than expected for transgender women with cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, HIV and suicide. Transgender women in general died at a higher rate than the general population of men. Nowadays, the main method for

treating diseases is prevention, but due to the discrimination they face, transgender individuals frequently resist appropriate screening tests and medical checkups, rolling the snowball faster and faster into an irreversible health consequence. The most effective way to reduce health disparities for transgender people is to have trans-specific healthcare providers that are staffed with people familiar with LGBTQ+ medicine and the community. A couple practices like this have opened up around the country, but these alone are not enough to treat all the transgender people in the country. A more practical solution is to add gender identity and the biology of gender health to the medical school curriculum, as well as mandate training workshops that medical professionals must attend during and after residency. A greater sense of compassion and responsibility must be developed for all lives rather than just most of them. Large structural barriers exist in the overall healthcare system, but to bring about the needed large-scale changes, micro-scale attitudes must be adjusted first. It takes a little more effort to properly incorporate new terminology and more appropriate health questions into daily life, but these little changes will gradually improve healthcare for all transgender people. K12

How Trauma Effects the By Madison Prim

magine that you are on a motorcycle driving through an intersection, when suddenly another car runs a red light and collides into you. The accident is gruesome and leaves you severely injured, but you are then rushed to the hospital where doctors are able to save your life. Weeks later, you are still in the hospital, but your recovery is going well. However, while you are watching the tv in your room, a commercial comes on and in it is a guy riding a motorcycle. Suddenly, the sound of the revving engine brings back the smell of burning rubber and blood. It floods your nostrils. Your heart begins to race as you remember lying on the hot pavement, surrounded by shards of glass, the sound of sirens fading in the background as you drifted in and out of consciousness. You feel as though you are outside of your body, reliving the accident all over again. This situation is referred to as “reexperiencing,” and it is one of the many symptoms a person can have after facing a traumatic event. According to the Sidran Institute for Traumatic Stress and Education Advocacy, about 70% of people in the U.S. have experienced a traumatic event in their lifetime. 20% of those people go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Trauma, or a traumatic K13

event, is any experience that inflicts physical, emotional or psychological harm on an individual. Whether it be a life threatening event such as a car accident, or a situation of sexual or physical abuse, trauma can severely impact how an individual functions in their day to day lives. The way that trauma is processed

by the brain and the body causes an individual to experience very distressing physical symptoms. According to David Knight, a professor and director of the Behavioral Neuroscience Graduate Program at UAB, among these are sleep disturbance, an enhanced startle response, increased heart rate, fatigue, and muscle tension. There is also an increase in the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn can change structures in the brain.

“The adrenal cortex that sits on top of the kidney releases the stress hormone, cortisol. This hormone gets circulated throughout the bloodstream, and for people who are constantly long-term stressed, it can negatively impact other brain structures and damage them,” said Knight. “The cortisol receptors in regions of the brain such as the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the prefrontal cortex can shrink when an individual is stressed for long periods of time, and that can impact their function and hurt the brain, says Knight.” Along with these physical symptoms is a cascade of psychological and emotional symptoms. An individual that has been through a traumatic event will often find themselves “re-experiencing” the event. This happens when intrusive thoughts or memories of what happened flood a person’s mind and make them feel as though the traumatic event is happening to them all over again. Sometimes this distress is brought on by single image, sound, or smell that resembles the trauma they experienced, like the familiar smell of cologne a victim of sexual assault remembers her assailant wearing. Or, the aforementioned sound of a revving engine startling

the victims of a motorcycle accident. Re-experiencing is a debilitating issue that victims struggle with, according to clinical psychologist Megan Hays. “This can be a negative thing that can lead to a “psychological stuckness,” where you feel like your world is getting smaller and smaller. You begin to isolate and feel worse the more you try to avoid the trauma,” Hays said. This can then lead to avoidant behavior. “It’s stressful to be reminded of the traumatic event, so, many people may try to avoid thinking about it, talking about it, or being around people, places, and things that remind them of what happened,” Hays said. Victims of trauma can also develop anxiety, depression or just an overall negative outlook on life. Trauma changes the way an individual sees the world, viewing it as dangerous and untrustworthy. Some may even go on to blame themselves for the traumatic event. In addition to that, some individuals experience traumarelated dissociation, a mental disconnection from one’s thoughts, feelings, and even their identity. “Dissociation is feeling like you’re outside of your own body. Sometimes it can feel like you’re standing behind yourself, watching what you are doing. It can feel like your head is foggy, or the way in which your brain is trying to

control your behavior is detached or slow or not working quite the way it should,” Knight said. Dissociating is way for someone who has experienced trauma to mentally “escape” from it. It is a defensive mechanism the brain uses in order to cope with the overwhelming pain and distress one experiences after a traumatic event. It can also have an effect on the way a victim of trauma remembers the event. For instance, a person who was sexually assaulted or was abused in their childhood may not be able to recall certain details of the event. In fact, they may not be able to recall majority of the event at all for long periods of time. This is because dissociation can disrupt memory function as way of keeping a victim of trauma in survival mode. It is a way the brain protects them from the memories of their experience. But, an individual’s life does not have to be altered by the trauma they experienced forever. There are several ways in which one can reprocess and heal from their trauma and go on to lead fulfilling lives. Sofia Mildrum Chana, a graduate trainee at the Center of Addiction and Pain Prevention Intervention, said that there are several therapies and strategies as how they help victims of trauma become survivors. Among these are learning to practice mindfulness and meditation, along with psychotherapy and exposure therapy. “We validate our patients’ feelings. We encourage them to

talk about their trauma and work to progressively expose them to what triggers them. Gradually exposing them to it makes it less uncomfortable over time. We also teach them strategies such as realization, breathing, grounding, mindfulness, and others that help remind them to be in the present,” says Chana. Healing one’s mind and body from trauma is an enduring journey, but not an impossible one.

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Inside the life of a

TATTOO ARTIST

With Aaron Hamilton of Sanctum Tattoos

By Caleb Wood

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tattoo is a contract of trust between a client and an artist written in permanent ink. For tattoo artist Aaron Hamilton maintaining that trust is what the industry is all about. Hamilton is cofounder of Sanctum Tattoos & Comics with Wess Gregg. Hamilton handles the tattoos. Gregg handles the comics. It is an unusual setup that allows for the two to blend their mutual loves of tattoo art and comic books into one storefront. The shop is small. Beyond Hamilton and Gregg, there’s one other artist, a part-time employee who mans the front of the shop and small apprenticeship under the artists. Hamilton has been tattooing for over a decade. As a child, he was interested in art. He wanted to be either a painter or comic book artist. Hamilton even tried his hand at comic book art earlier in his career but quickly gave that up. “I figured out that I can’t draw the same face twice,” Hamilton said. “And static images are really better for me.” So, Hamilton found himself in tattooing. It was something he was quite familiar with. “My dad’s a biker, so I grew up around a lot of tattooed idiots. And it looked interesting,” Hamilton said. As one might expect from the hundreds of comics lining the front of the store, Hamilton is inspired by comic book art. Recently, it has been the Silver Age art

of comic book artists like Jack Kirby that have inspired him. Despite that personal interest, Hamilton’s preferred art to tattoo is whatever the client prefers. “My style is pretty versatile,” Hamilton said. “I would hate to get stuck in a rut and just do Japanese stuff or American traditional stuff.” That versatility helps Hamilton as he deals with customers. He is not the type of artist to turn away an idea he does not like. Hamilton is no stranger to a regrettable tattoo. Hamilton’s got his first tattoo at age 18., a small Tank Girl on his calf. That tattoo has been covered up many years ago by a large Spider-Man logo. That kind of correction is one that Hamilton tries to help his clients avoid. He would rather “persuade you to get in a cooler way or something that’s not going to look bad over time,” Hamilton said. The personal Photo Contribution by connection that forms Disney Bagwell between an artist and a client can be a personal one. With the amount of time spent on one part of a person’s body, you get to learn them more intimately than a person normally would. That tattoo becomes a recognizable mark. Even if Hamilton forgets a face, he remembers the tattoo. “To put [a tattoo] on their body is an intimate thing. And it feels good to actually work with somebody to make their idea come to life, make them happy. If it’s something on them, it’s gonna last forever,” Hamilton said.

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Written by JaVoris Hubbard

College is a time for self-discovery and in a sense, a journey; however, with that comes anxiety, stress, and life experiences that occur. With the help of social media, spirituality has been helping people get through those difﬁcult times.

experiences all through a single post. Spirituality is no different. Prior to Tik Tok further popularizing spiritual movements within younger generations, Youtube was common used to share spiritual journeys and the progression along the way.

Spirituality and mental health actually have a connection and there are several benefits of associated with this connection. It has been found to improve self-esteem, selfcontrol, mindfulness, unity and has actually been found to help calm a mind and reduce stress and anxiety.

YouTubers such as “basicallyreese” has been posting her life journey since around 2015, and shares countless videos of not only her spiritual journey but also videos simply detailing how her life has changed since it has begun. She is relatable, and similar to numerous other popular influencers in the community, her journey and videos describe what many are going through and interested in. She even describes the issues that drew her to this particular movement, and why she needed to go on this journey.

But the issue is, what exactly is defined as spirituality? It’s a broad term, but it’s a way for people to understand their purpose in life, and understand their in the world. There is not a certain way to perform it, but some of the ways that have been popularized on social media in recent years include, healing crystals, meditation, spiritual cleansing, and learning about astrology. UAB actually has a significant population of students who are interested in spirituality, two students, Savanna Williams and Anna Claire Imel are just two of the countless students who are currently on their spiritual journey. In fact, when asked how they got into spirituality they both said similar answers, Savanna Williams said “Youtube”, and Anna Claire Imel said “Social Media.” But this actually is not surprising. With the rise of social media in the last decade, people are able to connect with millions of people around the world and share tips, guides, and even personal

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Similarly, when asked about their own spiritual journey and what drew them this movement Anna Claire said,

“I wanted to ﬁnd something that would make me happy, something I could believe in. Believing in the power of the universe feels much more meaningful to me than any other beliefs I’ve held before. It keeps me connected with how I really feel about the world. and also, I can believe in something positive without having to devote myself to some higher being”, Savanna Williams, went on to say that she finds it interesting that what normal people see as rocks and stones, she sees as something that holds power and energy.

Something that allows her to connect with something more than herself. “I was searching for that would help me with anxiety and would could help me deal with stressful situations and I found it one day while I was on social media. A video popped up and I started watching it and I have been interested ever since.” This movement is a source of healing for many people, but this is not a new occurrence. Historically, the most wellknown civilian which used a form of spirituality, healing crystals, were the Egyptians (other civilizations include, Ancient Greece and Mesopotamia). Their

religious belief system featured several deities each of which having control of a specific element. Individuals of higher social status and royalty typically carried around different crystals to honor their gods and goddesses. (Royal ladies typically carried around lapis lazuli which was associated with the goddess of the sky) Even present day, lapis lazuli is a popular healing crystal because of its association with spiritual enlightenment and intuition. Present day, Tik Tok has allowed for a resurgence in the spread of spirituality with quick 60 second videos which provide information about life journeys, healing crystals

and astrology. It’s allowed for many influencers to reacher even further with the “randomized” algorithm which spread a video to millions of people within hours quite easily. Under the #crystal hashtag, there are currently over 8 billion views on videos providing information about healing crystals, what they do, where to get them, and about their part in spirituality. Similarly, the spirituality and healing hashtags also hold views within billions. This movement may not be new but it seems like it’s here to stay, because it allows for a new generation to see the healing benefits of spirituality and lets them go on their own journey.

Amethyst: Spiritual Intuition, Peace, Cleansing

Jasper: Grounding & Centering

Agate: Stability & Grounding

Moonstone: Balance & Divinity

Rose Quartz: Love, compassion, Happiness and Forgiveness

Garnet: Energy, Healing, Compassion

Jade: Wisdom

Bloodstone: Courage & Vitality

Lapis Lazuli: Wisdom, Enlightenment, Clarity

Hematite: Grounding & Focus

Tigers eye: Wealth & Courage

Clear Quartz: Clarity & Manifestation

Pyrite: Success & Protection

Peridot: Joy & Happiness

Citrine: Happiness, Light, Joy K18

Emily Klaczek

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UAB Freshman athlete gives inside perspective on balancing sports and academics. By Katherine Kirk

As UAB Women’s Basketball enters mid-season, freshman guard Emily Klaczek grabs fans attention.

“I’m playing hours away from them and I miss them to death. But I’m doing it because I love basketball. They’ve always inspired me,” says Klaczek is from Hoffman Estates, Klaczek. Illinois. She is one of five siblings and has been playing basketball since first Even though balancing school and grade. She is currently an undecided basketball can be tough, the support major but is leaning towards Klaczek also gets from her coaches education or psychology. helps her stay organized. Her coachPhoto Contribution by Dawson Martin es emphasize the importance of getDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, ting a good education, and they make Klaczek had the opportunity to sure their athletes go to class and stay get a second freshman year in on top of their assignments. basketball. While academically she is “Playing basketball has made it easier to balance school and educaa sophomore, she is thrilled to gain tion because I don’t have a lot of time to procrastinate, says Klaczek. an extra year of experience. “Coach Norton always says you’re a student and an athlete, those are your two things. That’s why you’re down here.” “That extra year is really cool because our class has six or seven girls who get a fifth year. An extra When it comes to managing her year of basketball, to get chemistry time, Klaczek uses a planner and together and obviously the education her mornings to get most of her part of it,” Klaczek says. work done. She is more productive when she gets away from the disKlaczek’s family is her biggest tractions in her apartments. inspiration on and off the court. Knowing they are cheering her on “I’m very productive in the mornfrom Illinois pushes her to work ings, not as productive at night. As harder. Although she struggles with of right now we have practice in the being so far from them, she attributes middle of the day, so I try to get up her success and dedication to their and get a lot done,” says Klaczek. “If support. I get myself out of the apartment, get myself to the library, a coffee shop or something like that, it’s a lot easier for me to sit down and get stuff done.”

But getting things done is not always what is most important. Sometimes it’s self-care. For Klaczek, she likes to focus on self-care to help deal with the stress that comes from juggling lots of activities. She enjoys cooking meals for herself, taking baths to unwind and spending time with friends. “Finding time for me is very important, because I notice when I don’t do that than I’m more stressed and overwhelmed,” says Klaczek. Klaczek has made a great addition to the UAB basketball team so far and is looking forward to future years as a Blazer. K20

Photo Contribution by Justin Ryu

CNS Radiation Oncology:

A Journey into the Brain’s Greatest Ailment By Karim Mikhail

he brain. An organ that holds the secret of humanity, whose enigmas continually perplex the brightest researchers. Science has laid bare the secrets of virtually every other organ. Our brain, however, remains the final frontier: a pièce de résistance in human evolution. But for all its mysticism, the brain is more accessible than ever before. Technological and medical advancements have enabled scientists and physicians to probe its circuitry, investigating how these networks can go awry when diseased. Dr. Markus Bredel, a central nervous system (CNS) radiation oncologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is one doctor who is leading these advances. Bredel balances his time between caring for brain cancer patients and heading a basic science research lab. His research focuses on the molecular genetics of primary brain tumors – such as glioblastoma—in search of promising therapeutic avenues for patients. But his story is far from conventional. “It’s not a straightforward path,” remarks Bredel on his journey to radiation oncology. For him, it began with a passion for studying the brain. Raised in a family of surgeons, he initially sought a career in neurosurgery. Yet, the field left him yearning for more. “The more I did neurosurgery, the more I realized that what I really liked within the discipline was the cancer aspect,” adds Bredel. Pivoting to radiation oncology, he is now able to combine his love for neuroscience, cancer care, and cutting-edge medicine. “Radiation oncology is probably the fastest-moving discipline when it comes to innovation and high-tech,” he says, “and that’s what I really like.” Nonetheless, CNS oncology is riddled with a plethora of challenges—spanning scientific dimensions of disease to human ones. Brain cancer is arguably the most devastating diagnosis that a patient can endure. Outcomes are unfavorable, and care is limited to the extension of life rather than a true cure. While immense treatment advances have been made in most cancers, brain cancer trails behind the pack: immune to contemporary treatment. Drawing on his experiences,

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Bredel attempts to explain why. “Of course, the biggest issue is the blood-brain barrier,” states Bredel. The blood-brain barrier is a system of blood vessels that tightly regulate what can or cannot enter the brain. This property is in fact advantageous to the brain, ensuring the organ remains free of toxins and functions normally. But in terms of therapy, the blood-brain barrier is a foremost limitation. “Some chemotherapeutic agents just don’t get into the brain,” states Bredel, “so they can’t be used.” Ongoing efforts focus on novel drug delivery mechanisms that may solve this issue – allowing therapeutics to enter the cryptic domain that lies within. Alongside these defenses, the growth mechanisms of brain tumors make them more elusive than other cancers.

“Think about colon cancer,” “It grows basically as a bulky tumor. The bulkiness of the [cancer] represents 90% of the disease.” Brain cancer is an entirely different beast. A glioblastoma tumor—the most common brain cancer— “still has a bulky tumor mass, but it’s a small fraction of the actual tumor,” says Bredel. Contrastingly, glioblastoma tumors send out small “tumor fingers’’ which project along neighboring blood vessels. These fingers can extend their reach to virtually any region in the brain. “It’s almost like a systemic disease of the brain,” comments Bredel. He adds, “basically any therapy that is locally targeted to the bulk of the tumor will miss much of the tumor.” Consequently, local therapies are rarely curative in brain cancer. Finally, the extreme heterogeneity of brain tumors complicates treatment. Bredel explains, “one tumor cell is not like another one.” Instead, they might each possess distinct genetic and molecular marks. In other words, therapies that are targeted toward a particular mutation— so-called molecular targeted therapies— “will not hit the whole tumor,” Bredel makes clear. It might seem feasible,

then, to leverage therapies that target a larger area of brain tumors. Enter the double-edged sword of cancer care. “The broader you target,” explains Bredel, “the more off-target effects you have.” The body’s molecular pathways are convoluted and intersecting; from an evolutionary perspective, they were never meant to be tampered with. But cancer therapeutics do just this. Ultimately, it falls on cancer physicians to find a middle-ground between killing cancer cells and preserving healthy tissue—a feat that keeps the field progressing forward. Like much of the world, cancer care has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. From diagnostic complications to technological and philosophical changes in patient care, Bredel has experienced these effects firsthand. In terms of diagnostics, a PET-CT (positron emission tomography/computed tomography) scan enables radiologists and oncologists to identify areas with higher-than-normal levels of metabolic activity—a clear sign of cancerous cells. Yet, with the onset of COVID-19 and vaccinations, this imaging aspect becomes increasingly complicated. “You have someone [a cancer patient] with the COVID-19 disease or someone who was vaccinated, and now when you take a PET-CT you see lymph nodes lighting up everywhere else in the body.” When a cancer patient with COVID-19 or the vaccination receives a PET-CT scan, lymph nodes throughout the body light up, indicating increased activity in those areas. “Before the pandemic you would think that the activity is progression of the disease,” he says, “but then we found out that this [the activity] was just a reaction of the immune system due to the disease or the vaccine.” For patients immunocompromised from chemotherapy, encouraging vaccinations became an essential part of Bredel’s duties. “My final question will always be ‘Did you get the booster?’ or ‘Did you get the vaccine?’” he says. “Even if I make a difference for only my patients, we can save lives.” For Bredel, this human dimension of cancer care is his greatest motivator—and his greatest struggle. Caring for patients in their last months of life can take a toll on any physician. “On the one hand, all of these patients face potentially life-altering deficits because of these tumors,” says Bredel. Yet, it’s often these same patients that fill Bredel with hope.

“It is stunning to me how grateful these patients are for the type of therapy they get,” says Bredel. “You have [someone] that’s terminally ill, and now you can change the trajectory of the disease.” Every day counts in brain cancer care. To extend one’s life by even a few months is an incredible privilege for Bredel. His patients’ formidable strength—from their darkest moments to the triumphant feeling of a cancerfree scan—empower him to persist. Above all, one case rings true. “He was a Columbia medical student working in my lab when I was still at Northwestern. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma, and of course, it was a life-shattering experience,” says Bredel. “The striking thing is that he continued working in lab, developing an interest in researching his own tumor. We got a sample of his tumor from the surgery, and we profiled all the 40,000 genes from his tumor.” The results astonished Bredel and his research team. “From the genetic profiling, we learned that his tumor was one that might take a less aggressive course. I felt that he might do more favorable.” And Bredel was exactly right. “The student finished medical school, completed a pediatrics residency, and got married. He’s almost 14 years out now, without any tumor recurrence.” It’s cases like these that convey a simple, profound truth of brain cancer care: the path to survival begins with hope.

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Meeting the Needs of the Student Body: An Overview of the Student Health Clinic By Garrett Helmers From sprained ankles to sexual health to counseling, the UAB Student Health Clinic works around the clock to ensure the comprehensive needs of the student body are being met. While some students may view Student Health as a bridge between oncampus care and “real” health care, the UAB Student Health Clinic says they offer the same, if not better, quality service that any other provider does. In fact, Kathleen Pridgen, Associate Medical Director of Student Health Services, said students should defer to their clinic for all their needs. In part because they provide great care, but specifically because of the accessibility the clinic provides. “Access is such a big issue in health care, our goal is to always provide at least same-day or next-day care for urgent issues which is really, by the standards of a normal primary care unit, pretty good,” said Pridgen. The Student Health Clinic also provides services such as immunization and insurance clearance, ensuring the involvement of the university in the wellbeing and health care of students. The healthcare center has a system

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designed specifically for students, whether it be routine or urgent services, as well as mentoring them on how to get it. Pridgen said many of her patients have no practice in the healthcare system, making receiving health care both a scary and costly process, but the students can explore and gain experience in the health care system without the pressure of the average health care clinic. “Our goal is to provide you what you need, when you need it, and also help you engage with the healthcare system and learn how to access care yourself,” declared Dr. Pridgen. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed society and the health care system, but Pridgen said the compassion and resiliency of the staff at Student Health has allowed them to drastically change the way they provide health care in a way that best meets the comprehensive needs of the students. In response, UAB and the Student Health Clinic changed course to provide online health care and counseling for students. Despite this, Pridgen said the clinic still has a long road ahead of them. Pridgen said “converting to telehealth and figuring out how to incorporate a lot of testing, messaging, and monitoring with COVID that we

never really had to do before,” are the adjustment the clinic has made since the start of the pandemic. Although COVID-19 has certainly placed itself in the forefront of the minds of health professionals, Pridgen said they are pressing on in their promotion of the spiritual, psychological, and physical wellbeing of students outside the realm of the virus. Besides providing students with the care they need, Dr. Pridgen says her favorite part of the job is interacting with the students and the fun she has while working with them. “It is very fulfilling to meet students when they’re first coming in, whether that’s freshman year of undergraduate or the first year of a graduate program and following students longitudinally and seeing how you progress and mature over your time here,” said Dr. Pridgen. Taking care of the body is objectively crucial for prosperity both in the classroom and in life, so whether they have a sore throat or just need someone to talk to, students can take advantage an abundance of resources available to them at the Student Health Clinic to ensure their safety and success.

Love your

Body

Soap Shops with Products to use in your next Self-care Routine Left Hand Soap Co.

With natural made soaps in Alabama since 1999, you can come get your fill right here in Pepper Place, even beard soap! My recommendation: Cuticle Butter $15.50 Freedom Soap Co. All while being environmentally friendly, this family owned sustainable soap company is located in Mountain Brook. My recommendation: Lavender + Sweet Orange Sugar Scrub $&.95 Skull Girl Soaps If you have never been to Old Town Helena, you’re missing out! Not only does Skull Girl Soap have your essential bath needs, they have bath teas! My recommendation: Herbal Bath Tea $7 California Country Organics Motherhood and a holistic lifestyle interest brought this company to life. Every product has a purpose for any need you can think of with homemade recipes. My recommendation: Germ Hunter – Antibacterial Vapor Rub $12 Buff City Soap Specializing in plant based soaps, you can find moisturizers, laundry needs, and shower fizzies. My recommendation: Hey Headache Shower Fizzy $7

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the view from

Photo Contribution by James Goodman

Ruffner Mountain by James Goodman

What is there to do at Ruffner Mountain? Many people go there to hike, some go there to birdwatch and observe local fauna and others go there to learn about local species. These are all some of the many things you can do at Ruffner. There are 14 miles of trails at the park, some with many great views, and it is incredibly biodiverse. If you’re in an environmental studies class check out the Nature Center. What are some good trails to hit? The biodiversity of Ruffner Mountain can really be seen in the differences between the southwest

and northeast ends of the park. Towards the northeast of the park on the Wetlands trail are natural wetlands. If you go there in the summer especially, it is a guarantee you will find many frogs, dragonflies and native wetland plants. There’s also a roofed area there for picnics. Towards the southwest of the park you’ll be met with rocky terrain, overlooks and old, abandoned, nature-filled quarries. The most famous overlook, and arguably one of the best views of Birmingham, can be found at the Hawk’s View Overlook. The fastest way to get there, and to the main quarry, is by parking at Ruffner Ballpark in Irondale. Once you’ve parked at the ballpark, cross the street to enter Ruffner Mountain and take the Bypass Trail to the Overlook Trail. Just keep following the Overlook Trail and it’ll take you straight there. There are many different places and trails to explore at Ruffner Mountain, but that’s for you to discover yourself. The Wetlands and Hawk’s View Overlook are a great way to start your adventures there and fall in love with the place.

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Quarries, abandoned mine shafts, wetlands and overlooks can all be found at Ruffner Mountain. The 1,000 acre park, found east of Birmingham wedged between Roebuck and Irondale, is one of the largest urban nature reserves in the United States. It’s a terriﬁc place to go if you want to escape all the smog and cement of the city and be in the woods for a bit.

out for a hidden path that goes up the hill. Careful, some paths may be misleading, and it may take a while to find, but if you do it’s well worth it. But please, keep it a secret.

Want to soundtrack your trip through Ruffner? Check out our ofﬁcial BODIES playlist on Spotify! Any secret spots you can share? For those looking for adventure, I’ll give you a hint at a secret spot you can find at the park that even many Ruffner veterans don’t know about. It’s called Taylor’s Cove, and if you want to get there you’ll need to get on the Possum Loop. Once on the trail, keep your eyes

Featuring music from Remi Wolf, HAIM, Phoebe Bridgers, Carly Rae Jepsen, and more!

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