Student-Led Discussion Build Complex Understandings of Psychology Concepts
Sloan-C - Bill Petz

“A good question is one which will require students to use their critical analysis skills.
A good question will require the respondent to demonstrate both factual knowledge of the content and a comprehension of how the knowledge applies to the social behavior of people.
It should not be a simple ‘look-up in the textbook’ question or just a ‘what’s your opinion?’ question.”

http://www.sloan-c.org/effective/details3.asp?LE_ID=36

My grandmother developed a “dowager’s hump” as she got older. This must have become evident by the time she was in her fifties. There are many factors that could have contributed to this condition - city living in the late 1800s, shortages during WW I and the Depression, but it is still concerning to me as I get older.

With loss of skeletal mass, one also loses bone strength. This loss of bone strength may be asymptomatic for many years, although significant loss may be accompanied by fractures and bone pain. In the spine, these fractures may take several forms, leaving the vertebral bodies wedged anteriorly, symmetrically flattened (vertebra plana), or with biconcave endplates. Significant vertebral compression may lead to loss of height and increased thoracic kyphosis, sometimes referred to as the “dowager’s hump” in elderly females. Fractures may occur in other areas as well, such as the proximal femur and humerus, distal radius, and ribs.

http://www.rad.washington.edu/mskbook/osteopenia.html

My mother was very concerned about avoiding a similar fate, so she drank milk every day, even though she hated the stuff. Now in her late eighties, she is shrinking and getting round-shouldered.

And me? There isn’t any one thing that guarantees success. I like dairy but it does seem to cause bloating, so I eat some cheese and yogurt. I take calcium supplements. A co-worker said there seems to be a correlation with calcium pills and small facial bumples that are excess calcium, according to her esthetician. We eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of fruit and vegetables. So the search goes on…

Do I need to eat dairy products in order to prevent osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis, a condition in which minerals and other substances are lost from the bones causing them to become thinner, more porous, and more easily broken, affects about 20-25 million Americans, primarily older women. While many people believe that consuming dairy products is a required nutritional strategy for preventing osteoporosis, the truth is that this is not necessarily true. There are many plant foods that not only contain calcium but other valuable bone-health promoting nutrients that can play a valuable role in a diet aimed at preventing osteoporosis.

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=79

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have shown drinking green tea may significantly increase bone mineral density.

The researchers then measured the bone mineral density (BMD) of the women’s lumbar spines, as well as blood markers for osteoporosis risk, including levels of calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and vitamin D.

Women who drank green tea 5 or more days per week had an average BMD significantly higher (0.808 grams of hydroxyapatite-form calcium per square centimeter) than those drinking green tea less than 5 days per week (0.738 grams per square centimeter).

Green tea drinkers’ bone-density advantage persisted even after results were adjusted for age, body mass index, other dietary items, smoking, alcohol, physical activity and use of osteoporosis drugs.

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=146

Learn more…

RDA - Recommended Dietary Allowance of nutritional elements
http://www.anyvitamins.com/rda.htm

Osteopenia - good article about loss of skeletal mass in general and osteoporosis
http://www.rad.washington.edu/mskbook/osteopenia.html

:: calcium dairy osteoporosis older women bone-health protein vitamin c

The best dietary sources of potassium are meats, fish, vegetables (especially potatoes), fruits (especially avocados, dried apricots, and bananas), citrus juices (such as orange juice), dairy products, and whole grains.

Potassium is an element (and an electrolyte) that’s essential for the body’s growth and maintenance. It’s necessary to keep a normal water balance between the cells and body fluids.

Potassium also plays an essential role in the response of nerves to stimulation and in the contraction of muscles. Cellular enzymes need potassium to work properly.

Foods high in potassium include bananas, cantaloupe, grapefruit, oranges, tomato or prune juice, honeydew melons, prunes, molasses and potatoes. Low-fat dairy products are high in potassium and calcium.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4680

from Oregon State University Micronutrient Information Center - Potassium

So, how much is enough? How much is too much? As usual, different sources give differing recommendations.

Sodium and Potassium: How Much Is Too Much?

most adults consume overly high – even unhealthy – levels of sodium, and many don’t consume enough potassium.

healthy adults between 19 and 50 should consume about 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day and 4,700 milligrams of potassium.

http://eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/home_4466_ENU_HTML.htm

This is from the American Dietetic Association website, and the article is dated April 21, 2004. The sodium is pretty low, which is good. The potassium is somewhat higher than other recommendations (less than 3500mg), but doesn’t seem excessive. Given that most adults, aren’t getting enough potassium, aiming a little high isn’t likely to be a problem.

Learn more…

American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4680

University of Maryland Medical Center
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupplements/Potassiumcs.html

Oregon State University Micronutrient Information Center
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/potassium/

Ensure Your Web Site Is Accessible
CompuMentor - TechSoup

Making your Web site accessible to everyone who visits it can
help you extend your organization’s online reach, giving you the
opportunity to attract more volunteers, donors, and members. Use
this downloadable worksheet to test your Web site for a number
of common, high-level accessibility problems.

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Merlot

Merlot is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. Merlot-based wines usually have medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant. Its softness and “fleshiness”, combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot an ideal grape to blend with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. This flexibility has helped to make it one of the most popular red wine varietals in the United States.
Wikipedia