HEALTH
What do you think of the recent proposals that would require a HPV vaccine in young girls? “I think that it is a good idea because they haven’t found a cure for cancer yet so if this lowers your changes you might as well do it.”
—Erin Price sophomore “I don’t think it’s fair because it would be required for all girls. If you want it then it should be availible to you.”
—Isabel Ibrahim sophomore It is a good idea to have a vaccine to prevent cancer. I don’t see why anyone would refuse something that could save their lives.”
—Leon Mavlian junior “I think it’s a good idea because a lot of people are getting [the vaccine], and HPV is something that should be prevented.”
—Thuy Ngo senior
“It should not be required. I feel that the parents should be notified first . No one should be forced or required to get the vaccine.”
—Chris Solivio senior
No Trans Fat in Girl Scout Cookies
WWW.GIRLSCOUTSOFSCC.ORG/
The Girl Scouts have gotten rid of most of the trans fats in their cookies. Now there is only half a gram of trans fat in each serving. There is also a new cookie called the Little Brownie, which is sugar-free.
Food of the Issue The most important benefit of carrots is that they improve your eyesight. Carrots contain beta-carotene, which converts to Vitamin A after the carrot is eaten. The Vitamin A forms rhodopsin, which allows the eye to see in dim light. Carrots also reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Cooked carrots are better for you than raw carrots. They have higher antioxidant levels, which is what helps prevent chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s. Make sure you do not overdose on carrots. Too many could turn your skin yellow due to excess amounts of Vitamin A.
March 7, 2007
HPV controversy choosing abstinence, and that the vaccine should not be mandatory. Another problem is that no long-term research has been done on the vaccine, because it is fairly new. Some people are worried about possible side effects that we do not yet know about that will appear in ten or twenty years. Negative side effects have already shown up in D.C., Virginia, and 20 other states. Young girls have reported having severe headaches, BY BECCA GRIMSLEY dizziness, temporary loss of vision and what appear to be seizures after Health Editor getting the vaccine. The American Cancer Society does not think this For senior Erika Rodden, the choice was easy. She could either get is a cause for alarm. the shot that might save her life, or she could hope she was lucky and Some physicians are not sure that Gardasil will even prevent cancer. never get human papillomavirus (HPV). Rodden made the decision to They think it needs to be studied more before reaching a conclusion. get the first in a series of three shots of Gardasil. Clayton Young, an obstetrician/gynecologist, said, “There is no proof Gardasil is a vaccine for the prevention of human papillomavirus Gardasil will stop cervical cancer. They haven’t been studying it long or HPV. The Food and Drug Administration approved it in June 2006. enough to make that claim.” Gardasil is taken in three shots over a period of time. Rodden supports proposals to make Gardasil The cost of this is about $360. Blue Cross Shield mandatory for young girls. covers the vaccine for girls in the recommended “I think the parents who see it as a way of age group. making girls think they don’t have to worry about The kids should be able HPV is the most common sexually transmitted waiting and safe sex are overreacting, and if it disease in the U.S. Over one-third of women in to decide for themselves if bothers them that much they can just opt-out of America have HPV before they are 24. the program,” said Rodden. HPV 16 and 18 are the main causers of cervical they want the vaccine Sophomore Jeni So thinks it would be a waste cancer, which has been a major problem worldwide. of time to vaccinate all girls. 235,000 people die of it each year. “Not everyone is going to need the vaccine,” —KarenMeek Gardasil protects against HPV-16 and HPV-18, said So. junior as well as two other HPV strains that cause genital Virginia’s General Assembly recently created warts. legislation for a mandatory vaccination. Now GovIt is uncertain how long the vaccine would conerner Timothy M. Kaine must decide whether he tinue to protect against HPV. So far, it is thought that it will last for at wants to sign, veto, or amend the legislation. least five years before beginning to lose its effectiveness. Governor Kaine said he wants to allow parents to decide if they want Rodden chose to be vacci- their child to be vaccinated or not. The current legislation already has nated against HPV to decrease her an opt-out provision in it. chances of cervical cancer. Her mom “No, the vaccine should not be mandatory,” said junior Karen Meek. suggested the option to her, and she “The kids should be able to decide for themselves if they want the vacthought it would be a good idea. The cine or not.” procedure for the shot was simple. Merk, the maker of Gardasil, has been lobbying for mandatory vac“It was just like any other shot, I cinations of middle school girls, but it has said that it will stop because got it in my arm,” said Rodden. of criticism. Gardasil has been approved for There is another vaccine in testing right now. Its maker is GlaxoSfemales age 9 to 26. mithKline. The vaccine will also prevent HPV 16 and 18, and it is hoped According to Dr. Robert Edwards, that it will last longer than Gardasil. director of research at Magee-Women’s Gynecologic Cancer Program, “If you could vaccinate women at an early age, it would be a much more economically feasible strategy than Gardasil is the first HPV trying to institute Pap screening in vaccine to be sold on the Third World countries with limited market. The vaccine costs resources.” about $120-150 per injection. Over 18 states have been considering a mandatory vaccination for middle school girls. The governor of Texas issued an executive order that girls entering sixth grade must get vaccinated. This is a controversial issue because some parents believe that the vaccine promotes sexual activity. They think that HPV can be avoided by
A proposed mandatory human papillomavirus vaccine raises questions among parents and teens
“
”
HTTP://BUZZ.SMM.ORG/
8
A
t
Side Effects of the HPV Vaccine • mild soreness at the •fever injection site •dizziness • itching, swelling, and • nausea redness at injection site
Is America too clean? Doctors suggest that constant cleaning and showering prevents the immune system from developing as it should BY LEA NICKERSON Staff Writer Did you know that there are an estimated 250 different types of living inhabitants on your skin? Researchers have only discovered and identified 182 species of bacteria that can live on the human skin. Some of the bacteria live on your skin permanently, while others are there temporarily. Contrary to popular belief, bacteria are not always harmful. In fact, there are many species living on our skin and in our bodies that are a necessity to life, and are actually good for us. “Without good bacteria, the body could not survive,” said Dr. Zhan Gao of New York University School of Medicine. While it is good to wash your hands, there is such a thing as washing them too much. According to Dr. David L. Phillips from Suite101. com, a interactive website where users submit questions,America is too clean for its own good. For example, hospitals have become “breeding grounds” for new types of bacteria. This is because hospitals are so clean that the bacteria mutate in order to survive. “These new strains of germs are so foreign to us that our immune systems have yet to catch up, making hospitals great places to get ill,” said Phillips. Being too clean can harm your health. The immune system can not develop if it is not exposed to bacteria and viruses. This is not to say that people should expose themselves to harmful disease. Scientists have concluded that most bacteria are harmless, and that we need to be exposed to numerous different microbes as we grow to develop the antibodies that make up a strong immune system. Normally, throughout a person’s life he or she will come into contact with types of bacteria that are similar to dangerous bacteria, but different enough that it does not cause harm or sickness. A defense is built up against it. Then, if he or she gets the dangerous bacteria, the immune system is prepared to fight it. “If we are always washing, scrubbing, sterilizing and cleaning our environment, we will never have the pleasure of meeting the harmless cousin,” said Phillips. “We think that many of the normal organisms are protecting the skin. So that’s why I don’t think it’s a great idea to keep washing all the time, because we’re basically washing off one of our defense layers,” said Gao. One of Gao’s examples is the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which is a known risk factor for stomach ulcers and cancer. However, he has found that it may actually help to prevent gastroesophagael reflux and esophageal cancer. Junior Nicole Richey says that she showers daily and believes that she is not too clean. “I don’t believe that Americans are too clean but I think that some people may be cleaner than others. On average I would say that Americans bathe about 5-6 times a week,” said Richey. According to Ronald Kotulak, a staff writer for The Tribune, scientists believe that people may have become too clean. “We don’t grow up in dirt and dung anymore, and our bodies are failing to develop a balanced immune system early on. We get fewer infections from the bad germs that used to kill a lot of children, but we don’t encounter as many ‘good’ bugs that are supposed to teach our immune system how to grow up,” said Kotulak.
Most adults who are over 30 and people involved in sports shower too often. They usually shower in the morning, another after the gym or practice, maybe even one before bedtime. According to Natural Nutritionist Rudy S. Silva, “if you spend twelve minutes in the shower, that’s too long. Cut your time in the shower to five minutes for your skin’s sake.” Your skin has natural oils that cannot replenish themselves properly if they keep getting washed off. This keeps Vitamin D from being replenished. Vitamin D is important for the prevention of osteoporosis. Similar to the concerns over using antibiotics to the point of causing them to be dysfunctional is the worry that overuse of antibacterial products such as soap, laundry detergent, and antibacterial cutting boards, will kill off good bacteria and weak bacteria, leaving only the strongest and most resistant bacteria behind. “During the school day I take a shower everyday. But during the weekend…not very often,” said environmental systems teacher Neal Jarvis. “I don’t believe that I’m too clean or that Americans are too clean.” By bathing too often, people are only harming themselves. Generally, bathing more then once a day is considered damaging to your skin, and to your immune system. Not only does it simply wash away the good bacteria, it prevents the body from building up defense systems against bad bacteria, causing you to be more susceptible to illnesses. “When people start to stink, they aren’t clean enough. That’s how they should know how often to shower, according to how they smell,” said senior Andreina Daza. According to a European study, children who grow up in dusty environments, such as farms, are less likely to have allergies or hay fever. “Realize that some exposure to germs in life is not bad, it’s actually good,”said pediatric allergist Dr. Sandeep Kapur, in Halifax.