Health Issue 2018

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MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

Column: Women are overcharged for health care A visit focused on well-being became stressful and difficult.

BREANNA BELKEN Asst. News Editor

I became aware there was a cost to having a uterus when I visited the gynecologist for the first time after turning 21 in spring 2017.

The week before my birthday I received a letter notifying me it was time to make an appointment for my first Pap smear, the screening for HPV and cervical cancer.

It felt like I was being told, “Yay you’re 21, don’t forget to think about cancer!”

The waiting room was stale and clean like always, but it’s familiarity didn’t offer any comfort despite the five years I had visited that office. My nerves got the best of me as I counted down the minutes until I would be called into the exam room. I recalled the advice my mother gave me, to relax and not panic. She warned I might see blood and experience discomfort, but it was a part of taking care of myself and being healthy.

As I changed into the hospital robe and positioned myself in the stirrups, I wanted nothing more than for it to be over.

My doctor asked for a brief overview of my sexual activity over the past year, if I had any concerns about my birth control and sent me on my way. The appointment ended within 15 minutes. Nothing was out of the ordinary. The only difference was, in addition to having my regular

well-women’s visit, I was getting a Pap smear done.

While I worried about any abnormalities coming back in my test results, I didn’t realize that I also needed to worry about the medical bill coming along with it.

Within two weeks, the charges for that doctor’s visit showed up on my insurance bill.

Because I am under 26 years old and live with my parents, I chose to stay on my family health care plan. We have relatively “good” insurance, according to my mother. Most of our doctor visits are covered and we’re hardly ever forced to turn down medical care due to the cost. This wasn’t my first time getting a routine sexually transmitted infection test done either; the same tests had been ordered before by the same doctor.

The insurance company billed us $793.96 for what we thought was a simple and straightforward doctor’s visit and routine testing.

After that visit I felt like I couldn’t seek treatment, that if anything ever didn’t feel right I should wait until I’m “sick enough” to be forced to pay the bill for it.

I joined the 48 percent of Americans who feel they’ve received a medical bill that was too high, according to a 2014 New York Times poll.

My stepfather was understandably upset, and he immediately began questioning me about what happened during the appointment.

We had a “family meeting” to review the cost.

While they didn’t intend to, my parents made me feel slightly guilty about why the cost was so high. I was under the impression I was simply receiving basic health care, as gynecologist appointments are recommended annually for women starting at the age of 21. I questioned if I shared too much with my doctor and blamed

DALIA QUIROZ / DAILY TITAN

Routine doctor’s visits can have unintended consequences if insurance doesn’t cover the complete cost for women’s basic preventative care. Costs are an unfair burden for women when in comes to seeking proper health care.

myself for the bill.

The stress weighed on me, because my parents decided to argue against the insurance company for charging us that much. I often overheard my stepfather calling the insurance and asking who he could speak to regarding the situation. During this time my mother was frustrated as well, because the only explanation we reviewed was that the tests were considered “experimental” which voided them from insurance coverage.

We couldn’t understand why a routine women’s exam could be labeled as “experimental” when I was told it was the right choice

for my health. It felt like I was being told my health didn’t fall under the scope of basic health care and according to Vitals, a health care company, this is true for 69 percent of women who have higher out-of-pocket costs than men.

I felt like there was a price tag attached to my body. I worried about the women who may not be able to afford that bill, because I know I am fortunate to have that privilege.

While I am lucky enough to have access to a low-cost option on campus, I can’t help but wonder what will happen when I graduate. Yes, there is Planned

Parenthood, but why should I be forced to leave one of my primary physicians due to fears of insurance charges?

My experience has affected how I view my personal health. Instead of only being worried about taking care of myself, I now worry about the cost. I haven’t been back to see my doctor and I’m concerned about the next refill I will inevitably need for my birth control.

Health care shouldn’t be a burden to the patient and I can only hope that in the future, if a high medical bill comes again, I’ll be able to afford it.

MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

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Anxiety can be eased with more self-care Millennials could benefit from eating well and staying off the internet.

LAUREN JENNINGS Staff Writer

It has taken doctors and scientists years to finally label anxiety for what it is and for it to become less taboo in the world of mental health. But even now there is some debate about what anxiety really is.

“The definition of anxiety, or one of the ones I like best is that anxiety is that fearful reaction in anticipation of the possibility of a threat. The threat is not actually present, but it could be,” said Jennifer Trevitt, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Cal State Fullerton.

Human minds are naturally preparing them for an unforeseeable threat, but anxiety has become more common in the millennial generation according to a 2018 survey conducted by the American Psychological Association.

Many states have cut funding for health care, leaving the facilities understaffed and millennials with almost nowhere to turn for help with mental health, according to Governing Magazine.

One of the biggest contributors to this generation’s anxiety issues is the internet. It’s easy for millenials to feel like something is wrong with them when they compare the highs and lows of their lives to nothing but their friends’ best lives on social media.

All people have this basic

AMANDA TRAN / DAILY TITAN

Associate psychology professor Jennifer Trevitt said anxiety is a fearful reaction all humans experience when anticipating a potential threat, even if that threat is not tangible or could hurt the anxious person in any physical way.

human instinct to compare themselves to the rest of their tribe, Trevitt said. With social media, the size of the tribe is exponentially bigger than it was two or three generations ago.

Previous generations dealt with this on a smaller, but still prevalent scale, through magazines in the 80s and TV in the 50s that promoted the ideal body.

Although there is no obvious, physical threat present in social media or television, it can play a role in developing

personal anxiety.

Another contributor to this generation’s anxiety is nutrition.

The food the current generation is eating would be almost unrecognizable to previous generations. Millennials often choose convenience over healthy options because it gives them time for other things – like scrolling through Facebook or Instagram.

The brain might not be fully developed until the age of 30, and dieting factors may influence mental health, according to

a 2017 study by the international journal of Nutritional Neuroscience. The study concluded that by choosing convenience over nutrition, people can negatively affect their mental health. “(The brain) is an organ and it is going to respond to things like nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management the same exact way your heart does,” Trevitt said. “Things that you do that are good for your body are also good for your brain.”

These are issues that millenials

can actively work to fix by using social media as a tool without becoming dependent on it and recognizing its negative effects.

Consider adopting a healthier diet and cooking at home once or twice a week instead of ordering takeout. Sit outside and listen to nature, and leave the cell phone inside. Strive to get enough sleep every night.

Millennials’ bodies are trying to adapt quickly to the world around them, and they commonly struggle.

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MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

Phone use may lead to addiction Studies have shown the relationship between mobile devices and their owners might lead to adverse effects like depression and sleep disturbance.

LAUREN DIAZ

Asst. Opinion Editor

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The increased reliance and reluctance to put down smartphones has introduced a new and increasingly common addiction called “nomophobia” which is derived from the phrase “nomobile-phone-phobia,” and is a fear of being without access to a working cell phone.

Researchers who have studied phone addiction have noticed changes and imbalances in brain chemistry among young people. Higher scores in anxiety, depression and insomnia were in the results found in a 2017 study from the Radiological Society of North America.

The study was conducted by doing magnetic resonance spectroscopy scans, a type of MRI scan that analyzes the brain’s chemical composition. The researchers found that smartphone use increases the levels of a neurotransmitters that slow down brain signals. High amounts of these neurotransmitters regulate various brain functions, including as anxiety and drowsiness.

William Marelich, Cal State Fullerton professor of psychology said one reason this may be a problem is because people are always looking for reinforcement and a sense of belonging.

In today’s digital world, phones make their users feel wanted or part of a larger group, Marelich said. At the same time though, smartphone use also creates a constant feeling of “what are we missing?” if they are without their device.

“There’s research that people who use their smartphones a lot feel like they need to be connected when

they’re actually more likely to be disconnected,” Marelich said. “Overuse of smartphones can actually lead to depression and isolation.”

Smartphones also have a way of stimulating the brain’s pleasure centers, which are parts of the brain that inform people when something is enjoyable, reinforcing our desire to do it again, said Cynthia King, CSUF professor of communications.

Phone applications and social media can release a certain chemical in the brain “and in a sense can create a physiological addiction to getting those pleasure buttons pushed,” King said.

Early studies are being conducted on whether humans are victims of technology or if smartphones have become so integrated into human relationships that it is needed to maintain connections, although some researchers believe it could be both.

King said she thinks it has to do with a constant need to be entertained.

“The biggest issue with these portable devices is that people don’t know how to be bored. They can’t selfsoothe and can’t self-stimulate because they’re used to having a device to do that for them,” King said.

Not only does nomophobia cause a change in brain chemistry, it can cause eye strain, neck problems, sleep disturbances, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety.

“People get too distracted, they get too drawn into this little black space in their hands,” Marelich said. “Hopefully, people will wake up and realize we need to be social animals and not texting animals.”

MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

5

Stigmas against earplugs must be silenced Venue owners need to step up their efforts to prevent hearing loss.

KRISTINA GARCIA Copy Editor

Concerts are the best events known to man; people stand in the crowd watching their idols perform right before their very eyes.

The musician on stage isn’t just another Google search or a dancing figure on a computer screen, they are real life. The audience is a part of the musician’s world now, even if it’s only for a few hours.

But how much are people willing to put on the line for a good time and experience a show with all its ear-ringing impairment?

Listening to music too loudly damages ears, which is probably why elevators don’t include subwoofers. Earplugs are essential for loud outings like nightclubs or concerts, yet at least 10 million adults in the U.S. under the age of 70 have hearing loss in one or both ears due to loud noise, according to a 2012 study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

People are exposed to a safe level of noise everyday, whether it comes from the background noise of traffic or the sounds of a new television episode. But noise-induced hearing loss is much more serious than that. This disorder can affect people who experience an intense one-time exposure, or persistent loud noise for a long period of time. The louder the noise, the more likely it is to develop

ANITA HUOR / DAILY TITAN

The Minnesota Department of Education says noise levels of 120 to 150 decibels are considered dangerous and that a single loud event can lead to hearing loss.

noise-induced hearing loss at a faster rate.

Tinnitus isn’t just a made-up phenomenon or fairytale, or a story that moms tell their children to put them to sleep. Tinnitus is a constant ringing in a person’s ear.

Those with tinnitus can have it for a short amount of time or for the rest of their lives, depending on how severely damaged their ears are. Although tinnitus isn’t a disorder, it is an underlying symptom of a potentially worse disorder like hearing loss.

People who attend concerts are not the only ones who need to be aware. The musicians who woo crowds need to take care of themselves as well. Artists play a couple of feet away from blaring speakers as they perform in front of roaring crowds every night on tours.

Musicians who actually wore

earplugs during their performances reported that “improved sound clarity in ensembles, are discreet, and are easy to handle,” according to a 2017 study by Medical Problems of Performing Artists.

Researchers from the same study also said the use of earplugs promotes long-term hearing protection and decreased levels of pain and fatigue.

If musicians reported advantages to earplugs, then what makes the average concertgoer so different? People are stubborn. They’re too big-headed to protect themselves because they think, “That won’t happen to me.” So if people won’t protect themselves, then perhaps the next step is for venues to take the health of their customers into consideration, rather than slowly depriving guests of what they love most.

In a 2015 study of 955

individuals from over six concerts, researchers gave free earplugs to 318 participants while the rest were not provided any free ear protection.

By the end of the experiment, earplug usage increased from 1.3 percent to 8.2 percent when ear protection was given to concertgoers at the entrance of the venue.

This is a significant difference considering 8.2 percent was achieved without any public health message or educated campaign, according to the International Journal of Audiology.

If venue owners did their part to help protect the ears of thousands of individuals, then perhaps fewer adults would experience hearing loss. Some areas are already picking up on these harmful trends.

Minneapolis is a step ahead of the game with a city ordinance passed in April 2014 that affects

about 185 bars, clubs and venues.

It is mandatory for these businesses to start providing earplugs free of charge to their customers, and they must have a noise reduction of at least 12 decibels.

While Minneapolis is slowing taking responsibility for its residents, it’s time for concertgoers to do the same for themselves. If not, then those same people will regret their decisions later when they have to deal with the constant ringing of tinnitus or even worse, complete loss of hearing.

But it also needs to be a community effort to inform young adults through education programs. Eventually, they will develop the habit of using earplugs more frequently. Because what’s worse, wearing discrete earplugs for a couple of hours, or adjusting the levels on a hearing aid at 23 years old?

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MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

Limits to Title X target women’s health Patriachial agendas aim to control female bodies.

CAITLIN BARTUSICK Asst. Copy Editor

In a speech Monday, Vice President Mike Pence addressed anti-abortion activists and predicted that legal abortion would come to an end “in our time.” The message came a week after an announcement that there would be changes in the Title X grant applications for health care clinics.

Title X is a federal grant program that addresses family planning as well as preventative health services.

“I just know in my heart of hearts that this will be the generation that restores life in America,” Pence said during a luncheon hosted by the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List & Life Institute.

Regardless of whether one agrees with the practice of abortion or not, these changes to Title X funding pose a serious threat to women’s health.

The new application will prioritize faith-based organizations that aim to promote abstinence and natural family planning methods. Unlike the Obama administration’s efforts, which ensured patients’ access to a wide variety of reproductive health care services, this new document fails to even mention the word contraceptive.

Making it difficult for health care clinics like Planned Parenthood to acquire Title X funds, which allow

DALIA QUIROZ/ DAILY TITAN

Birth control and sexual education are important and effective but changes to Title X will have devastating results and abstinence programs won’t be successful replacements.

them to provide preventative health services, will devastate an invaluable source of affordable health care for women in low-income communities.

Clinics backed by Title X serve over four million women every year, according to the U.S Department of Health & Human Services. Some basic services include: well-woman exams, breast cancer screenings, contraception education, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

If the health and well-being of women and children were a priority for the Trump administration, comprehensive sex education would be mandated nationwide and they would make it easier to obtain free birth control and prenatal care, extended maternity leave and quality affordable health care.

But these basic necessities have been completely ignored in exchange for what is a glaring attempt to control women’s bodies and reinforce patriarchal values.

As a result, women’s reproductive

freedoms are severely limited while men freely abandon any responsibility for their sexual activities.

The thought of women having any jurisdiction over their own body seems to terrify most conservative politicians these days. Since President Donald Trump took office, the administration has made it a priority to deny women safe and efficient methods of birth control.

For example, in October 2017 the administration expanded the right of employers to deny women contraception in their insurance coverage on the grounds of religious freedom.

As a result of the Title X application changes, not only will it be more difficult for health care providers to offer women basic care, it will also limit access to effective types of birth control.

Because of the birth control pills proven ability to reduce unintended pregnancies — 99.9 percent effective, according to WebMD — women and teens gain more control

of their own lives and can effectively plan for a future they want instead of abruptly being handed one they may not. The Center for Disease Control lists birth control in the top 10 public health achievements in the last half century.

Abstinence education, another key point in the application, lacks substantial factual evidence to prove its effectiveness, even though Congress spends $90 million on abstinence-only programs every year, according to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.

In contrast, a large volume of research has shown that comprehensive sex education focusing on contraceptives is critical to reducing unintended pregnancies among teens as well as the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

In Texas, 83 percent of school districts taught abstinence-only or lacked any form of sex education in 2015 and 2016, according to a report by the Texas Freedom Network. As of 2018, Texas has the

fourth-highest rate of teen pregnancy in the country.

When Pence was governor of Indiana in 2011, he passed state funding cuts which shut down five Planned Parenthood clinics.

In 2016, Pence declared a state of emergency — an HIV outbreak had spread throughout the county.

Birth control and sexual education are vital to ensuring the health and safety of women, teens and even men. Under changes in Title X funding, these necessities will be extremely limited and out of reach for many women in need.

Those who seek to change the way Title X operates, do so under the impression that the money supports the practice of abortion. But in fact, health providers are prohibited from using those funds for abortion services; it’s entirely separate — that’s why Title X has received bipartisan support since it began in 1970.

This debate has nothing to do with an embryo and everything to do with the systemic oppression of women, particularly poor women of color. It’s about the treatment of women’s bodies as disposable reproductive machines.

The changes in the Title X funds will have devastating widespread repercussions. Without proper funds, clinics will be forced to shut down, unintended pregnancies will rise and women won’t have a place within driving distance to get the affordable and timely care they need.

With these seemingly endless legislative attacks on reproductive rights, women are constantly forced to give up basic liberties.

Their bodies are used as tools of negotiation, subject to debate and scrutiny by everyone else, while their own voice is drowned out and silenced. For women, a state of emergency is a familiar occurrence and something that is always looming just around the corner.

MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

7

Lack of sleep can have harmful effects on students Pulling all-nighters may not be the secret to achieving good grades.

KRISTINE JARANILLA Staff Writer

As week six of the spring 2018 semester comes to a close, midterms are fast approaching and for some, it means adjusting schedules by pulling all-nighters.

Over a thousand CSUF students sought help from Student Wellness in Fall 2017 to manage their sleep schedules and learn about self-care, said Katy Johnson, a peer health educator for TitanWell, in an email.

Young adults ages 18 to 25 need an average of seven to nine hours of sleep in order to properly function throughout the day, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

However, students often disregard the average hours they need for rest so they can accomplish the many tasks they have to tackle throughout the day. The hours lost can accumulate and lead to sleep deprivation.

Effects of sleep deprivation include excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, clumsiness, weight gain and loss. Other negative effects that can develop are an increase in moodiness, hunger and higher risk of diabetes and depression.

Ashley Landa, a first-year business major, is taking five classes this semester with her earliest at 7 a.m. As the president of the Hip Hop Heads club at CSUF, Landa said she’s had her sleeping schedule significantly thrown off.

“Lately, it’s been really bad,” Landa said. “Today, I slept at 2 a.m. and woke up at 5 a.m. because of a test I had at 7 a.m.”

During finals week, the Pollak

AMANDA TRAN / DAILY TITAN

Katy Johnson, peer health educator at Student Wellness, said students who stay up late to study could be hurting themselves, as sleep is important for functions. Students who don’t get an adequate amount of sleep each night could start to suffer from sleep deprivation.

Library and the Titan Student Union are open 24 hours a day.

Even though the open availability of the school resources can be a benefit for busy students, some argue it enables a culture in which students prioritize

studying over proper sleep.

Johnson said that pulling all-nighters for finals is not healthy for college students, especially before big exams.

“Sleep helps with memory and recall, so when you’re pulling

those all-nighters, it actually has a negative effect on your performance and academics,” Johnson said.

She said common practice for college students is studying on beds, which can cause one to fall

asleep or start to associate their bed with stress and studying instead of a place to rest.

“Now you’re not able to sleep and sleep is what’s going to help you in the long run,” Johnson said.

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MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

People need to come to terms with squirting The lack of medical research on female ejaculation leaves no room for normalization.

BRIGGETTA PIERROT Opinion Editor

While discussion of the female orgasm has been taboo for almost as long as history itself, squirting, also known as female ejaculation, has lived in one of the top tiers of women’s secretive and shameful bodily functions.

Very little research has been done on squirting, and there is still debate over the basic mechanisms, but female ejaculation deserves to have a definitive place in the sexual health zeitgeist and discourse concerning female orgasms.

Because not enough research has been done on squirting, the function has largely been treated as a sexual phenomenon and follows a larger trend of women being treated differently in medical situations.

In cases of public cardiac arrest, women are less likely than men to receive CPR from bystanders because of concerns surrounding pushing on a woman’s chest, making men’s survival rate 23 percent higher than women’s, according to a 2017 study published by the American Heart Association.

Women in pain are treated with less urgency in hospitals and emergency rooms, and they often have to prove that their pain is real enough to receive medical

treatment. Chronic pain conditions located in the vagina and uterus are often left untreated or take years to even diagnose.

In particular, endometriosis, a disorder involving tissue that normally grows on the inside of the uterus growing on the outside, can take an average of 7.5 years to diagnose and can lead to progressed conditions which may end up being more difficult to treat, according to Endometriosis UK, a nonprofit that aims to improve the lives of those suffering from the condition.

While these are more dramatic cases, they reflect the disparity in research focused on women’s health. Women’s sexual health is put even further on the back burner because it’s often seen as less important in the grand scheme of the body, but sex and orgasming are essential parts of sexual health and squirting must be included in the conversation as a normal part of orgasms.

Squirting has become a topic of scientific debate since the beginning of the 20th century and yet there are still questions that need answering.

Is it urine? Is it something else?

What causes it? Is every woman capable of squirting?

A basic Google search for the word “squirting” will give a wide variety of information, from tutorials and self-help guides to more basic definitions of female ejaculation. What researchers do know is this: squirting occurs when the Grafenberg Spot (G-Spot) is stimulated to the point of climax. Some researchers make the distinction that stimulation of the G-Spot may be indicative of a female prostate, which might be linked to female ejaculation, but there are still no conclusive results.

After examining seven women who reported “massive fluid

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GABE GANDARA

Squirting is seen either as a personal abnormality or fetishized in pornography. The best way to bridge the gap between the two and make a taboo topic normal is with more research.

emission during sexual stimulation,” researchers concluded that the liquid expelled was chemically similar to urine, according to a 2015 French study entitled “Nature and origin of ‘squirting’ in female sexuality.” The act was classified as orgasm-induced urinary incontinence.

But many women were outraged and responded with the hashtag #notpee when the study came out partly because the sample size was so small. The study acknowledged traces of a prostate-like secretion that’s similar to the kind found in male ejaculations but they didn’t examine women who only experienced this type of low-volume squirting.

It seemed to many that the scientists were obsessed with

concluding whether or not women were just peeing themselves when they orgasmed. But if you’re having an orgasm so intense that you lose control of your bladder, is that really the worst problem to have?

Part of the issue lies in the fact that most people don’t know what squirting is and even when it’s acknowledged, it’s either fetishized or considered shameful because of it’s supposed deviance, leaving no room for it to be treated as natural.

Look no further than the British porn industry to exemplify the stigma surrounding female ejaculation. In 2014 the British Board of Film Censors released a list of sex acts that would effectively be banned in British-produced

porn, which included female ejaculation.

Though traditional media has become forward-thinking in its approach to sex-related issues, there are next to no conversations surrounding squirting, except for the occasional off-hand remark in already sex-positive shows like “Broad City” and “Sex and the City.”

When women’s bodies are treated as mystical puzzles that no one — not even medical researchers — can decipher, it sets a precedent that women’s sexuality isn’t worth being explored.

Women currently rely on internet searches and porn to educate themselves on their own body and researchers have the power to change that.

MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

9

Nutritious diets starved by convenience and cost The prevalence of fast food on campus stifles the desire for healthy eating.

JACOB TATHAM Staff Writer

As Cal State Fullerton’s early afternoon classes come to a close, students pour out of Mihaylo Hall and cram into Carl’s Jr. until the line is out the door. Burgers, fries, sodas, chicken nuggets and the occasional cookie are consumed as lunchtime commences.

CSUF has a wide selection of food options available on campus and even more within walking distance. However, with the pressing importance of convenience and cost in college life, it’s easy to overlook how critical a healthy and balanced diet is.

A Western Bacon Cheeseburger and CrissCut fries from Carl’s Jr. contains 1,190 calories, 570 calories from fat and 2,400 milligrams of sodium. This makes up over one half and slightly under one half of the recommended caloric intake recommended for a moderately active female and male college student, respectively, according to a chart by the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

Panda Express, another popular campus option, serves an order of Kung Pao Chicken and chow mein, totaling up to a more modest 800 calories, 350 calories from fat and 1,830 milligrams of sodium.

While there are healthier alternatives available, some students feel comfortable sticking with Panda Express out of familiarity.

“I’ll look at it, and I’ll know it’s really bad and I probably should be eating something else.

I want to eat something else, but there’s not really a lot within close

AMANDA TRAN / DAILY TITAN

While food options like Panda Express, Togo’s, Carl’s Jr. and Round Table Pizza are required by California law to provide nutritional facts for consumers, nonchain eateries like The Fresh Kitchen and Nutwood Cafe don’t have the same obligation.

proximity,” said James Duran, second-year business major.

Duran experimented with other restaurants like The Fresh Kitchen in the Titan Student Union, but felt it was “just okay” and not worth frequent trips.

Eduardo Alcaraz, second-year English major, frequents Panda Express as well. He said he wishes there were more vegetarian options, but admits he is naturally hesitant to try new things.

Certain students like Gabriel Camacho, senior finance major, have grown wary of the cost and lack of nutritional value while

eating out on campus and have resorted to packing meals from home.

“Around here it’s mostly fast food. Maybe you could get healthy options, but most of what (CSUF) is advertising is burgers,” Camacho said.

The campus offers options that are healthier and cater to multiple diets. The Fresh Kitchen in the TSU has a menu that is almost entirely vegetarian, plantbased or gluten-free. The Habit Burger Grill on Nutwood Avenue sells a veggie burger with the option of substituting a regular bun

for wheat. The Habit Burger Grill and Carl’s Jr. will even get rid of the bun altogether and wrap the burger in lettuce if asked.

Nearby Cal State University campuses offer similar options.

CSU Long Beach and CSU Los Angeles both have a Carl’s Jr. location while CSU Northridge, CSU San Marcos and San Diego State University have Panda Express.

The menu for the Gastronome alternates from day to day, but it maintains multiple vegan, vegetarian and whole grain options. It also makes future food schedules

available online with calorie information and a meal calculator to help students and faculty plan their meals.

Young adults consumed significantly more fast food than adults 30 and older because college-aged students value the convenience of fast food even more than the cost according to a 2012 study by Food and Nutrition Sciences.

College life and fast food are closely interlinked and while the CSUF campus supplies its demand, the school is taking steps to provide more nutritional alternatives as well.

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MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

Stigmas stall students seeking support Negative associations with mental health may discourage treatment.

CHELSEA HERNANDEZ Asst. Social Media Editor

College students are no stranger to anxiety and emotional distress, even if it doesn’t always show on the surface.

“When any of those (feelings) begin to impact the quality of your life, the quality of your education, the quality of your relationships, it’s time talk to somebody about it,” said Susan Leavy, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) counselor.

Cal State Fullerton’s CAPS offers several counseling services and wellness programs, but that doesn’t mean students will take advantage of those opportunities, especially with the stigmas surrounding mental health.

Those who might need mental support may be discouraged to seek professional help because of stigmas embedded within their cultures and communities or because of personal fears and anxieties.

Stigmas are associated with feelings of embarrassment, shame and a fear of being judged. This has prevented over half of the adult population in the U.S. from getting treatment, according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI).

“People who are not informed will think that if they’re getting mental health care they’re crazy or there is something seriously wrong with them ... They’re so fearful of being judged that they will avoid paying attention to their mental health,” Leavy said.

It’s important for people to know the signs of when to receive help for their mental health

ANITA HUOR / DAILY TITAN

Cal State Fullerton’s Counseling & Psychological Services offers programs and counselors for students struggling with their health, but attitudes surrounding mental illness often prevent people from reaching out.

concerns and to learn proper coping mechanisms so they can get back to feeling like themselves. Constant or consistent periods of feeling sad, difficulty concentrating, low energy and substance abuse are a few signs of a mental health problem, according to NAMI. Ashley Salazar, president of

CSUF’s Active Minds club, believes in the importance of stigma reduction and taking the time to understand mental health. Her approach to tackling the everyday battles of college-student stress is focused on self-care.

“For me, self-care is something that is healthy and that allows you to de-stress,” Salazar

said. “Something that allows you to take a step back and ground yourself.”

Whether it’s watching a new Netflix series or taking a stroll through the park, anything that helps a student relax can be a positive outlet.

For students looking to learn more about mental health,

Active Minds aims to remove stigmas surrounding mental illness. However, Salazar wants students to understand that although the club can be a good support system, it’s not group therapy and the officers are informed advocates, not health care professionals.

Before taking on the position of Active Minds events coordinator, Jeffrey Liu said he had a hard time seeking direct services when it came to personal mental health struggles.

Liu, who came from a predominantly Asian-American community, said the stigma of mental health within his culture was a barrier to seeking help.

“When someone has issues with mental health, a lot of parents or family members might believe that it actually brings bad luck to the family or might cause other issues,” Lui said.

He also explained how collectivism within Asian culture acts as a barrier to addressing mental health, because those that hold collectivistic values are more likely to view themselves as connected to others.

“When the individual is undergoing personal issues, including their mental health, it’s often looked down upon” Lui said.

Fear can be another obstacle when it comes to taking steps toward getting help and breaking through the stigma, whether its seeing a CAPS counselor on campus or attending a Wellness Workshop.

“I think a lot of people do go through things and are scared to reach out. My advice would just be to be bold, be brave and to know that there are people here to help you, especially at Cal State Fullerton. They are professionals, they are nonjudgmental and they will get you the help that you need,” Salazar said.

MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

11

Where there is a will, there is a way Workout supplements like whey protein are useful for exercising.

KAMERON LEONG Staff Writer

Workout supplements have become increasingly popular and the market for them has expanded from bodybuilders and athletes to the mainstream.

Andy Galpin, an associate professor of kinesiology, said protein powders, creatine and stimulants are among the regularly used supplements. Under the umbrella of protein powders, whey protein is one of the most common.

“Whey protein is effective because it is generally fast absorbing and it has all of the amino acids you need,” Galpin said.

He also made the distinction that the amino acids can be split into two categories: the nonessentials, which the human body makes by itself, and essentials, which must be taken in through food and is available in its entirety with whey protein.

A common misconception is that branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), essential and nonessential amino acids are all the same. In reality, BCAAs are just a megadose of one or two specific amino acids like leucine.

Galpin said BCAAs are not harmful but are mainly only useful for the older population, people with cancer, muscle atrophy

“

We can’t really get the amount of nutrients we need from a regular diet, so we have to supplement.

“

DONNY RITCHAROEN Business entrepreneurship major

diseases or a calorie-restricted diet.

Another important category within protein is the source, which can either be animal-based or plant-based. Animal-based protein is more efficient because it contains more usable protein than plant-based, Galpin said, meaning it may take 30 grams of plantbased protein to achieve the same net protein used in 20 grams of animal-based protein.

“Bioavailability, how much of what you consume is available to the body of protein in animals is very high. But it is a lot lower in plants,” Galpin said.

In addition to protein, stimulants are another commonly used supplement. Galpin said that pre-workout is just the name given to the entire category of stimulants.

Steven Carlson, a mechanical engineering major, said he notices the active effect pre-workout gives that whey protein doesn’t.

“Pre-workout, at least, feels like a boost in energy, like I can get one more rep in,” Carlson said.

Along with whey protein, Donny Ritcharoen, a business entrepreneurship major, also uses multivitamins and magnesium as part of his post-workout supplements.

“We can’t really get the amount of nutrients we need from a regular diet, so we have to supplement,” Ritcharoen said.

However, for all of the benefits these workout supplements provide, they still have negative side effects.

“That can be a real problem. It can be acutely dangerous and bad for you long term,” Galpin said.

It isn’t just stimulants, either.

Galpin said supplements should not be something one survives on.

If a person needs more stimulants, that’s the body’s way of saying it needs more sleep and recovery. If

there is a need for protein, that’s a sign the body needs more protein-based foods.

“If you continually circumvent that message by just drowning it out with more stimulants, you are going to pay a health consequence for that,” Galpin said.

For the best supplements, Galpin recommends looking for ones with the fewest number of ingredients. For example, in protein supplements, there should be one ingredient that matters.

“You just want the protein. You want as close to real food as possible,” Galpin said.

Using workout supplements can be useful in aiding recovery and maximizing results from workouts. It is a multibillion-dollar industry fueled by that belief. However, for all the perceived good supplements provide, the negatives should not be ignored. Being mindful of those negatives will help avoid the long-term health consequences of constant supplement use.

KAMERON LEONG / DAILY TITAN

Creatine and whey protein are two of the most regularly used supplements according to Andy Galpin.

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MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

Film screening shows reality of stuttering ‘The Way We Talk’ depicts the challenges of those with speech impediments.

RICARDO NAVARRO Staff Writer

RICARDO NAVARRO / DAILY TITAN

Cal State Fullerton’s National Student Speech Language Hearing Association is a group of undergraduate, graduate and doctorate students that organizes outreaches on campus to normalize those with stutters into the community.

film won nine awards while bringing more awareness to the public.

“It just turns out to be an issue with our muscles and our speech production and it has nothing to do with how we think or cognitive abilities. I just want people to know that we are exactly the same, we just can’t say what we want to say sometimes,” Rivas said.

The film began as a project that was proposed on Kickstarter, a global crowdfunding

website, to help bring projects to life. Turner needed $16,250 to make this film after uploading his pitch video online. When the pledging process came to an end, the project made $25,211.

After receiving the necessary funds, Turner bought a camera, editing equipment and a microphone, then began filming the documentary. Turner also used the funds to meet with professionals in the field of stuttering and get their insight on the matter, as well as people from

Oregon who stutter.

When the documentary came to an end, thunderous applause came from the audience as they resonated with the story of Michael Turner. Those who gave a speech before the film came back onto the stage and gave their final comments and answered questions from the audience.

“When you approach someone who stutters, give them their time to say it. Don’t try to finish what their saying,” Dominguez

“

I just want people to know that we are exactly the same, we just can’t say what we want to say sometimes.

“

Doughnuts, drinks, balloons, sandwiches and students cluttered the Titan Student Union for the premiere showing of the documentary, “The Way We Talk.”

The stage was set for Cal State Fullerton students to experience the impact and struggle of what it’s like to live with a stutter.

The CSUF National Student Speech Language Hearing Association hosted the film screening.

The president of the club and person who organized the event was Samantha Dominguez.

“Our whole goal is to raise awareness about stuttering and we actually have an adult support group here for people who do stutter. So this is a way for us to get students who may stutter to know about the adult support group and to watch a fun movie to maybe relate to it,” Dominguez said.

The documentary follows a man by the name of Michael Turner as he explores how stuttering has affected his life and the people around him. In the film, Turner struggles with stuttering and with the knowledge that the gene is inheritable and incurable.

About 25 people showed up to the viewing and each left wanting to learn more about what people who stutter go through.

Dominguez said she wants the public to be more aware of the issue and show that people who stutter are no different than those without the impediment.

CSUF senior Ruly Rivas stutters and said he loved how this

RULY RIVAS Senior communicative disorders major said. “Just be more aware that if you come across anyone who stutters, they’re just like you.”

MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

SUMMER SESSION 2018 California State University, Fullerton

Register Now through Titan Online!

Summer Session Class Schedule & Registration Guide now available on Titan Online SESSION

DATES

LENGTH

Session A

May 29 - June 29

5 weeks

Session B

July 2 - August 3

5 weeks

Session C

June 25 - August 3

6 weeks

Session D

May 29 - July 20

8 weeks

Session E

May 29 - August 3

10 weeks

Not a current CSUF student?

Visit Open University at ou.fullerton.edu

winter.fullerton.edu

Campus Closed: Monday, May 29, 2018 and Tuesday July 4, 2018

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14

MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

Titans tackle personal fitness on campus The Student Recreation Center offers convenience and accessibility to those with busy schedules.

MATTHEW MENDOZA Staff Writer

Inside the Student Recreation Center everyone has a different set of fitness goals. Whether there to shoot some hoops or set a new personal record in the weight room, everyone is there to take care of themselves.

The SRC offers more than just a place for students to go workout. It is a place to relieve stress from heavy workloads of homework and a place to improve physical and mental health.

Being a student and having time to go to the gym can be tough. But with heavy homework loads, long class hours and a job, Stipe Markotic still finds time to use the SRC about twice a week due to its close location and free membership for students. He also uses the gym at his work at least three times a week.

“It’s important to exercise. I think by keeping your body healthy, you take care of your body, and it takes care of you,” Markotic said.

For many, the SRC is convenient. Brandon Watson, a CSUF freshman, lost 70 pounds last year by committing to a workout regimen that includes attending the SRC and his local 24 Hour Fitness, while maintaining a healthy diet of eating nonGMO foods. Watson said he always finds time for the gym despite his focus on school.

“If you get a routine, it shouldn’t take time. It’s just consistency. So if you want it bad enough, you’ll make it happen,” Watson said.

“

It’s important to exercise. I think by keeping your body healthy, you take care of your body, and it takes care of you.

“

STIPE MARKOTIC CSUF student

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Some students at Cal State Fullerton take advantage of facilities at the SRC during breaks. The center not only has weights and treadmills, but it also offers unique ways to exercise like martial arts classes and a rock climbing wall.

He said it shouldn’t take more than 45 minutes to an hour in the gym with a solid plan going in. Watson is committed to his fitness journey and hopes to lose another 15 pounds.

The SRC is accessible to more than just CSUF students. Jose Miguel Ramos is an international student from El Salvador and a business management major at Fullerton College. He uses the SRC because he lives across the street from campus and it is the most accessible for him. Ramos

paid for an SRC membership by applying through the Alumni Association.

Ramos said he enjoys going to the SRC because he likes surrounding himself with the CSUF atmosphere. Hoping to transfer in the near future, Ramos uses the SRC as a way to adapt to campus life.

He said he visits the SRC about three times a week and spends his time playing basketball. If he has extra time, he lifts weights, but he ultimately just wants to be active to perform better both mentally

and physically.

Despite spending four hours studying in the library, Markotic still makes sure to get in a workout.

When Markotic knows that he is going to have a busy day with little time to work out in the evening, he will wake up as early as 4 a.m. so he can ensure that he gets in some exercise.

“I don’t think it should be skipped just because you don’t have a lot of time and to do something else,” Markotic said.

MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

15

Herbivore Club wants to educate students The CSUF group focuses on health, animal activism and environmentalism.

DIANE ORTIZ Staff Writer

When Cal State Fullerton student Megan Russell found out she was starting to get hyperglycemia – abnormally high blood sugar levels and a warning sign of prediabetes – she knew she had to do something about it.

“My skin was really bad, no matter how much red meat I ate, how much dairy I cut out, my iron levels still wouldn’t be balanced,” Russell said. “I needed to make a change in my life.”

Russell found that red meat was actually a suspect for what was putting her at risk. In fact, a 2012 study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that a daily serving of red meat increased the risk of adult-onset diabetes by 19 percent and processed red meat was associated with a 51 percent increase in risk.

Now the president of the Herbivore Club at CSUF, Russell shares her story with others in an effort to educate her peers on campus.

The service club is a combination of compassionate vegans, vegetarians, health conscious flexitarians and curious meat eaters. Russell and Vice President D’lena Ochoa stress that the club welcomes all dietary lifestyles.

“Our club is open to anyone who even just has an interest. If you’re against animal cruelty, if you’re an environmentalist, if you’re a big

“

health advocate, then our club will be able to relate to you,” Ochoa said.

The aim is to enlighten peers on vegan and vegetarian diets, not to pressure everyone to stop eating animal and animal products, Russell said. The club focuses on the awareness of three things: animal activism, environmentalism and health.

“It’s not even about specifically being hardcore vegan, cutting everything out, going and protesting and shaming people for the foods that they eat. It’s more an open resource for people to gain knowledge,” Russell said.

One of the Herbivore Club’s goals is to spread information on how factory farms affect the environment.

Studies have shown that animal agriculture is significantly damaging to the environment. Animal agriculture accounts for 37 percent of methane emissions, which has more than 20 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

“Growing livestock feed in the U.S. alone requires 167 million pounds of pesticides and 17 billion pounds of nitrogen fertilizer each year across some 149 million acres of cropland,” according to the Environmental Working Group.

Although Russell said going “cold-tofu” benefited her health, other vegans choose a plant-based diet to oppose animal cruelty, like Ochoa.

“We are all born with that compassion. It’s society that strips it away and hides it and blocks it

We want to be there for people if they have questions, if they have concerns, if they’re struggling, we want people to come to us.

“

D’LENA OCHOA Herbivore Club vice president

from us,” Ochoa said.

The club is currently working on a petition to remove the discounted tickets to Seaworld available in the Titan Student Union. So far, they have collected over 450 signatures and hope to see the tickets removed soon.

Ochoa and Russell also said they are happy to see more healthy options on campus become available to students and noticed a difference since they first came to CSUF. “One of our members is living in the dorms, and he says that every meal there is at least one or two vegan options,” Russell said.

Students can also find vegan options in the bookstore and The Fresh Kitchen located inside the TSU. Six percent of the U.S. population now identifies as vegan, compared to one percent in 2014, according to a Top Trends in Prepared Foods 2017 report.

As a result of vegan activist groups and the rise in veganism, many vegan options are becoming available in local restaurants and supermarkets and making it easier for people to follow plant-based diets.

Although the Herbivore Club is a fairly new club, it has seen considerable growth in membership, making more projects on campus possible going forward. The leaders recommended any curious individuals to do research before planning to change their diets.

Ochoa said the reason many vegan diets fail is the lack of research on a nutritious plant-based diet. However, she encouraged people to reach out to the club for guidance if they would like to shift their eating habits.

“We want to show people how easy being vegan can be,” Ochoa said. “We want to be there for people if they have questions, if they have concerns, if they’re struggling, we want people to come to us.”

COURTESY OF CSUF HERBIVORE CLUB

The CSUF Herbivore Club is not looking to change people’s eating habits. Its goal is to inform peers on vegan and vegetarian diets.

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MONDAY MARCH 5, 2018

HEALTH ISSUE 2018

Athletic trainers do more than tape ankles Cal State Fullerton puts great emphasis on preventing its athletes from suffering injuries.

TATIANA DIAZ

Asst. Layout Editor

COURTESY OF MAPIO

Michael Hoang, an assistant athletic trainer for CSUF men’s soccer, partners with the Department of Kinesiology to conduct functional movement screenings, procedures that tests athletes for deficiencies in movement patterns through exercises.

done during preseason and is administered to act as a measure of cognitive health.

When an athlete does become injured with a possible concussion, doctors and athletic trainers can refer back to this test to compare the injury with a healthy brain.

With setbacks other than concussions, the athletic trainers work alongside doctors and coaches develop with a treatment plan to get the athletes playing at a similar rate of performance they had prior to the injury.

The athletic trainers have a good idea of how players perform prior to an injury because of time spent with the team at practices.

“We do more than just put out water.

We are monitoring the conditions, we are monitoring how someone looks as they’re playing and looking at them overall,” Hoang said.

Prevention rehab helps athletes by

building strength in parts of the body through exercise. By building strength through vulnerable areas, athletic trainers can improve the athlete’s mobility and agility to decrease injuries.

“I am a big fan of prevention. I like doing prevention exercises to cut back on lower extremity injuries,” said Jamie Potter, an assistant athletic trainer for CSUF women’s basketball.

These preventive treatments are aimed toward strength and core building. For Hoang and Potter, prevention in sports is focused on lower extremity injuries which include ankles, knees and the lower back.

Prevention also helps players during away games. The athletic trainers travel with the team, which allows for better supervision when working closely with the athletes.

The athletic trainers bring an array of equipment into the hotel including

“

If I can do my job on my end to keep them healthy, it makes it a lot easier for them to do everything else.

“

The roles of Cal State Fullerton athletic trainers with treating student-athletes go beyond ice packs and bandages. Injury prevention is what earns these professionals their keep.

Not to be confused with personal trainers, athletic trainers work hand in hand with a team of doctors and coaches to keep athletes in optimal shape. The Athletic Training Program at CSUF provides care for student-athletes through prevention, evaluation, management and rehabilitation.

“The more you can prevent and be proactive, it will cut down on injury time, loss of time to play in the field and time rehabbing,” said Michael Hoang, an assistant athletic trainer for CSUF men’s soccer.

Maximizing preventative care allows the trainers to spend more time and effort with student-athletes. Injury prevention comes in many forms and takes place both on and off the field.

Prior to the start of a season, Hoang works with the Department of Kinesiology to perform a functional movement screening. FMS is a total body screening where athletes are tested through numerous exercises to find deficiencies in their movement patterns.

The deficiencies vary in weakness or tightness of muscles and the trainers then try to improve the deficiencies to the best of their ability.

The end goal of the assessment is to develop an exercise program to work on weaknesses found during the test. Athletic trainers also continue to work on these deficiencies with the strength and conditioning staff on campus.

Treatment of everyday maintenance involves asking students how they feel and developing a plan to help make students feel better in time for practice or a game.

Preventative care also takes shape through baseline testing. This test is also

JAMIE POTTER Assistant athletic trainer ultrasound stem, recovery boots and hydroculators.

Keeping the players able-bodied is important, as they have many responsibilities in their lives including school, practice and games. Athletic trainers work to keep athletes healthy through daily interactions.

“If I can do my job on my end to keep them healthy, it makes it a lot easier for them to do everything else,” Potter said.

With the help of athletic trainers, players can stay on the field and work toward a successful season.