Whole Foods is having a great impact on the people of the Windward side, English teacher Greta Barron said, “We are only eating whatever is fresh that day. We shop every other day! It is so close, and they have a keiki club where my son gets a free piece of fruit or cheese while we are shopping, and we have been eating a lot more veggies and fresh fruit. I love it there, if I could live there I would.” Whole Foods have all healthy, fresh foods grown in the islands, with local poi pounders preparing your poi in the middle of the store.

However, some do not think the prices are fair, Jean Riehl a mother of five said, “I think Whole Foods’ prices are too high, just because they have locally grown food doesn’t mean that I won’t shop somewhere cheaper.” However, when a price check is done between Safeway and Whole Foods, it is shown that you save the same amount, or even more money when shopping at Whole Foods instead of shopping. For example, at Safeway a bottle of Chardonnay is approximately $4.00, while at Whole Foods the same bottle is approximately $2.00. The price is literally cut in half!

People from all over the Windward side are rushing through the doors of Whole Foods. Le Jardin Academy’s Water polo Coach, Kamehameha School’s physical education teacher and Kaneohe resident Krislin Hope-Young said, “Whole Foods is like a Disneyworld for healthy people. As soon as you walk in, you go into sensory overload. Then, you walk around the perimeter of the store, and you have to stop at every station and try every sample because it just looks so delicious. It takes you two hours to decide what to buy, and another 45 minutes to decide what to eat. By then you are starving so you order everything, and when it’s time to pay you wonder how your bill is $100…Then you get addicted to their pizza and it’s a never ending cycle.”

Like when the Berlin Wall was knocked down, or when our soldiers come home from war, the opening of Whole Foods in Kailua is a monumental achievement that everyone is sure to remember and enjoy in the years to come.

“They all told me it was a phase and that I should try to limit my son’s game playing. They didn’t understand that I couldn’t. He had lost touch with reality. My son lost interest in everything else. He didn’t want to eat, sleep, or go to school, the game was the only thing that mattered to him,” said a concerned mother talking to a school counselor.  There are several factors of games that make children to make them addicted: getting the high score, beating the game, role-playing, discovery, and relationships. In addition to the psychological addiction, it is now believed that there may be a physiological element to addictive game playing.  “I didn’t notice how much I actually play online games; my favorite is OMGPOP is draw my thing. I mostly like it because it let me play with all my friends but it’s a huge distract from my school work” said senior, Murielle Rodrigue.

Doctors are continue to debate whether teenagers gaming addiction is a diagnosable disorder, because the behavior undeniably exist. There is not much we can do to prevent addition to online gaming; it is a growing issue that will only escalade with the growth rate of technology.

The flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. People commonly mistake the flu for a cold and although they share many of the same symptoms, they are not considered the same thing. The cold is caused by a different virus, and it tends to have milder symptoms than the flu. “The main way that influenza viruses are thought to spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine protects against the three viruses that research suggests will be most common. The 2011-2012 vaccine will protect against an influenza A H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the H1N1 virus that emerged in 2009 to cause a pandemic. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine as soon as the 2011-2012 vaccines are available,” said a CDC resource. People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health problems such as asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older. Anyone six months of age and older who has not yet gotten their flu vaccine, should get vaccinated now.

Vaccination is especially important for people who are at higher risk of complications. It takes about two weeks after the vaccination for your body to develop an immune response. “I would get a flu shot because I know that it will allow my body to build up antibodies against it to make sure I can fight off the virus, it’s safe and effective,” said senior Natalie Strong. Influenza activity in the United States is increasing; the flu vaccination is the best way to protect you against the flu illness.

Other ways to prevent yourself from catching and spreading the flu is to wash your hands regularly throughout the day, try not to touch your face, sneeze and cough into your elbow, and apply hand sanitizer with you when you are in public places. “Sometimes getting a flu shot and washing your hands can’t always prevent you from getting the flu, my doctor always said working out just 15 minutes a day can keep your immunity up and flu-free,” said UH student Xavier Brown. So keep washing your hands, and keep healthy: but if you do end up home with the flu, remember you’re not alone.

There are many studies that show eating processed meats, salty foods, sugary drinks, and large portions of protein will put you one step closer to cancer. “ You’ve heard of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, lycopene, and beta-carotene, which are in many fruits and vegetables. Studies suggest that people who eat meals that are rich in fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of cancer. A variety of chemicals from plants known as phytochemicals also seem to protect cells from harmful compounds in food and in the environment, as well as prevent cell damage and mutations, says Jed W. Fahey, ScD, MS, a faculty research associate at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who studies how cruciferous vegetables help protect against disease.” Many foods that are proven to help prevent cancer are, nuts, grains, beans, garlic, dark leafy greens,  grapes, green tea, tomatoes, blueberries, flaxseed, mushrooms and cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage ect.) Just by altering your diet a little can make a big change in your
health. “The less processed these foods are—the less they’ve been cooked, peeled, mixed with other ingredients, stripped of their nutrients, or
otherwise altered from the way they came out of the ground—the better.”

“So if your health is important to you take the time to spend a few extra dollars at the grocery store to improve your health” said Doctor Oz. It’s never too late to change your eating habits, so make a point to start incorporating healthier foods into your diet to improve your health.

Cancer
preventing recipe:  Oven Fried Zucchini
Sticks

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe Description:

Our oven-baked zucchini sticks taste
every bit as good as their deep-fried brethren with only a fraction of the fat
and calories. Serve with a side of your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.

Recipe Ingredients:

1. Canola or olive oil cooking spray
2. 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4. 2 tablespoons cornmeal
5. 1 teaspoon salt
6. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
7. 1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), cut into
   1/2-by-3-inch sticks
8. 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Recipe Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Coat a large baking sheet with
   cooking spray.
2. Combine flours, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a large
   sealable plastic bag. Dip zucchini in egg white, shake in the bag to coat,
   and arrange, not touching, on the baking sheet. Coat all exposed sides
   with cooking spray.
3. Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes. Turn the
   zucchini and coat any floury spots with cooking spray. Continue to bake
   until golden and just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes more. Serve hot.

Recipe Nutrition:

Per serving: 127 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg
cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 4 g fiber; 426 mg sodium; 524 mg
potassium

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium (15% daily value).

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable

Everywhere you look, women are being degraded and told to act and look a certain way. In music videos, women are portrayed as sex slaves for the leading male. Models do not just show off new fashion types, but stick thin bodies as well, looking as unhealthy as ever. On television, it is difficult to find a strong independent woman who is comfortable in her own skin without looking sickly. The pressure for young girls to look a certain way
starts at such a young age, and shows similar to “Toddlers in Tiaras” sure don’t help the cause. Kids just entering adolescence are caking on makeup and
end up looking like they are in college.  “I think its pre teens that girls start to feel pressured, because nowadays that’s when girl are exposed to magazines, fashion, gossip, texting, friends, etc. Those things can make them feel insecure and pressure them to act certain ways in my opinion,” says Bryant Larsen. “I feel like girls are pressured to look older than they really are. The reason why is because being pretty is what guys want,” says Nicole Davis. Society today tells us what is considered beautiful, and girls take to it too easily. “Movies and television shows make me want to
look a certain way,” says Davis.

Looking a certain way is not just a girl problem, but because of the way the media messes with a girl’s already confusing mind, it has more of an effect on them. “Girls are pressured more than guys are today,” says Larsen. Girls are pressured to be pretty, but how do guys feel in society
today? “I was never really pressured to feel a certain way as a teen because I mostly didn’t care enough what other people thought of me. But if I had to say anything, I’d say they’re pressured to act tough to impress their friends,” says Larsen.  It is not only girls, but both genders feel as though sometimes they need to change themselves to be accepted.

Confidence is key in society nowadays. If you can be confident and proud of yourself, you will not struggle with self identity. Some people struggle with the pressure of society, while others feel it is nothing to worry about. “If you don’t dress a certain way or do certain things, you are
considered weird. But I wouldn’t want to dress like anyone else. I’ve never felt pressured, I’m pretty comfortable in my own skin,” says an anonymous
student. Many can agree that it is difficult to be confident while people are telling you to look a certain way, but knowing how special you are and what
makes you unique is the key to happiness.  Being comfortable in your own skin will help you not only physically, but socially and mentally. The good and the bad sides of media are always going to influence society, but it is important to be happy for yourself. The only person who can make you feel bad about yourself is you, so do not listen to what the media tells you is beautiful; be what you think is
beautiful.

 This type of eating can lead to some long-term consequences such as obesity, emotional instability, guilt and shame. Mr. Liedtke,
states, “It’s okay to eat when you’re stressed, the question is what you choose to eat. You can always find a healthy alternative.”  Some different ways you can cope with your emotions or stressful situations are exercising or even eating a healthy snack.
Senior Rachel Larsen says, “I listen to music or I run away from everything and go to the beach.” Keeping your mind off of what you’re stressing about helps when you stay busy or pack yourself a healthy snack throughout the day. Below
you will find a couple healthy snacks that are easy to make in less than 15 minutes.

Three recipes:   

Recipe One: Pizza Bagel

 Ingredients :
1 standard-sized bagel, cut in half
tomato sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
toppings like diced green pepper, chopped onion, or chopped tomato
(whatever you like)
seasonings like oregano, basil, and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325° F.  Spread tomato sauce on each bagel half.  Sprinkle the shredded cheese all over the tomato sauce on each half.  Add your favorite toppings (I recommend Cheese and Pineapple).  Put a light sprinkling of seasonings on each
half.  Put your bagel halves on the baking sheet.  Bake in the oven on low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the cheese is bubbly.  Let cool for a minute, then enjoy your tiny pizzas!

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

210 calories, 9 g protein, 4 g fat, 34 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 11 mg
cholesterol, 633 mg sodium, 144 mg calcium, 1.9 mg iron

A Little Bite of Something Nice; Sandwiches

What you need:
¾ cup light cream cheese, slightly softened
half a large cucumber, thinly sliced
8 slices of whole-wheat bread

What to do:

Spread each slice of bread with cream cheese (about 3 tablespoons per sandwich). Place about 4 cucumber slices on 4 of the
slices of bread and top with remaining bread slices. Cut into quarters and serve immediately or wrap sandwiches and save for later.

Nutritional
Facts: (per serving)

180 calories, 1 g of fat and 10 g of protein

Ingredients:
Safari Dip

• ·1/2

8 ouncepackagereduced-fat cream
cheese (Neufchatel), softened

• ·1/2

cupcreamy peanut butter

• ·2 – 3

tablespoonsmilk

• ·2

teaspoonshoney

• ·Celery sticks, animal crackers, and/or assorted dippers such as peeled jicama sticks, carrot sticks, apple wedges, pear wedges, or graham cracker sticks

• 1/2

8 ouncepackagereduced-fat cream
cheese (Neufchatel), softened

• 1/2

cupcreamy peanut butter

• 2 – 3

tablespoonsmilk

• 2

teaspoonshoney

• Celery sticks, animal crackers, and/or assorted dippers such as peeled jicama sticks, carrot sticks, apple wedges, pear
  wedges, or graham cracker sticks
• 1/2

8 ouncepackagereduced-fat cream
cheese (Neufchatel), softened

• 1/2

cupcreamy peanut butter

• 2 – 3

tablespoonsmilk

• 2

teaspoonshoney

• Celery sticks, animal crackers, and/or assorted dippers such as peeled jicama sticks, carrot sticks, apple wedges, pear
  wedges, or graham cracker sticks
• 8 ouncepackagereduced-fat cream cheese
  (Neufchatel), softened

8 ouce package of reduced fat cream cheese, ½ creamy peanut butter, 2-3 tablespoons of 2% milk, 2 tablespoons honey and the
following: Celery stalks, animal crackers, carrot sticks, apple wedges, and pear wedges or even some good old graham cracker sticks.

What to
do:

For dip: in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium till smooth.  Then beat in peanut butter, milk, and honey until well combined and smooth.  Place in fridge if you prefer it to be a chilled snack.

To Serve: Spread dip into celery sticks and garnish with animal crackers and cut up fresh fruit or serve with assorted
wedges.  Makes 1-1 and ¼ cups.

Nutritional
Facts: (per serving)

65 calories, 3 grams of fat and 7 grams of
protein

Animal crackers, and/or assorted dippers such as peeled jicama sticks, carrot sticks, apple wedges, pear wedges, or graham
cracker sticks animal crackers, and/or assorted dippers such as peeled jicama sticks, carrot sticks, apple wedges, pear wedges, or graham cracker sticks

Enjoy!

“Caffeine is found in numerous plants, the most widely consumed being coffee, tea, cola nut, cocao pod, guarana, and maté. It is estimated that in North America between 80 and 90 percent of adults and children habitually consume caffeine. About 15% of the general population report having stopped caffeine use completely, citing concern about health andunpleasant side effects” said  Soumya Sringesh of Campanile Institute. Physiologists are reporting that some of the prime side effects of caffeine overdose are headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and irritability. Although those are common side effects, everybody reacts
different to caffeine. Leslie Coons, former Olympic participant, said “My mom did not have many side effects of caffeine as a child but now she is suffering many liver and kidney problems, is not allowed to drink any caffeine at all. She has developed many kidney stones which is another health problem that can be the result of drinking too much caffeine.” Many teenagers are aware of the dangers of consuming too much caffeine, but they still continue to drink it. Senior Kristina Millar said, “My mom is a doctor, I understand most the effects caffeine can have on a child’s body, but it doesn’t keep me from drinking it,
and I don’t think it ever will.  No one really thinks that they will be the one to get health issues from caffeine, so I am not too concerned.”Teenagers enjoy caffeine too much and the spark of energy it gives off, it will be hard to convince them to lower their amounts of caffeine intake.

Teenagers are losing track of how much caffeine they are consuming and they grow dependent on it so they do not feel the effect of withdrawals. Once addicted to caffeine, the human body will have withdrawals if it goes without caffeine for eighteens hour.  Recent studies have shown that caffeine is proven to cause a negative impact on teenager’s health.  Coons said “If children drink caffeine
throughout their childhood they are going to start developing health problems that will follow them through their adult life. For example soda has a high amount of high-fructose corn syrup which makes the human body hungry therefore us have the compulsion to eat when we do not need too; this is one of the main reasons why child obesity is causing problems in America, because of all the caffeinated sodas and drinks, and the food we provide our child to eat when they are hungry. Obesity is not the only major health effect caused by caffeinated and sugary drinks.   “Selective researchers have found that long-term consumption of low dose caffeine slowed hippocmpus-dependent learning and impaired long-term memory. Caffeine consumption for 4 weeks also
significantly reduced hippocampal neurogenesis compared to controls during the experiment “said Dr. Bellum, a family practitioner. The conclusion was that long-term consumption of caffeine could inhibit hippocampus-dependent learning and memory partially through inhibition of being able to allow the brain to expand growing neurons. It is hard to multitask, focus and learn when a human body is dependent on caffeine.

There have been many recent controversial studies, proving that some caffeinated drinks such as coffee can benefit adults. “The vast majority of those studies have shown a benefit of coffee on the prevention of diabetes and depression. And now there is also evidence that decaffeinated coffee may have the same benefit as regular coffee.” Said Frank Hu PhD, nutrition and epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. So now many studies are proving that a cup of coffee a day can keep the doctors away. Coons said, “While children are still developing, caffeine can have harsh effects on them until their adulthood. But once an adult it can help prevent osteoporosis and build up calcium levels especially in woman. Coffee has many key antioxidants which assist our immune systems. “

Caffeine is very well adapted into our society’s lifestyle. When consuming an abundant amount of caffeine the only benefit someone can gain is a short burst of energy that will contribute to causing health problems. So the next time you go to drown your system in caffeine you may want to think twice.

To relive all this weight on our shoulders, deadlines need to be met.  Applications, recommendation letters, essays, and transcripts need to be signed, sealed and mailed off to the colleges of choice.  Naviance (connection.naviance.com/lejardin) helps seniors to search and compare colleges.  It helps to narrow down decisions and set goals with the timeline shown on the home page.  Because seniors are applying to multiple colleges that all have different applications and requirements, the Common App was created to shorten this process.  The Common App is one application that over 400 colleges accept at one time.  This application has questions about future plans, demographics, family, education and extracurricular activities, ect.  This Common App makes the college application more bearable for seniors.

With so many separate forms colleges require from seniors, things can get confusing.  Liedtke said, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”  Focus on the application as a whole, making sure just to turn in everything on time, giving the colleges what they want.

In the end, all seniors want to be able to say what senior Mahealani Schuman can, “I’m not stressed about deadlines anymore, it’s more anticipation, waiting for their responses.”

First: Hollywood. This fabulous place, center of many studios and the biggest movie industry on the planet, has a great impact on the way that cinema is perceived in America and, thereby, in the entire world. It is impossible to find a place like Hollywood in Europe, which marks the biggest difference between the two situations. Hollywood is like an automatic gun: shooting out quick-fire movies and European movie industries simply cannot compete. With all the people working in the studios or in the areas connected to them, Hollywood can be considered a world apart, concentrated on film production. It is for this reason that the Americans have a different perception of the “cinema” itself. As Barry Norman, famous English cinematic critic, said “the main issue is that Hollywood regards the cinema as a business, while European film companies tend to consider “the film” as a real piece of art”. Interviewed on the same question, Science teacher Mike Morrison said that “American cinema is more aimed toward entertainment, like the Transformers saga, for example. European cinema, on the other hand, is more artistic and dramatic”.

American film corporations invest millions of dollars in a movie to earn even more money, while Europeans generally have a much lower budget. As a result, American films are full of amazing visual effects and high-definition images while European films will generally aim to a more intense plot and a deeper message. “I don’t like American movies too much” said junior Romane Mossa, exchange student from France. “They tend to exaggerate the reality. It’s just not natural”.

In Italian cinema, for example, the actual dissimilarity can be found in the environment where the cinema was developed. Theatre, dramas and most of all the Neo-Realistic current have affected the way of making cinema in Italy: the main features are fewer mediums, less money, but more significance in the message of the movie.

However, it should be said that the globalization has now brought together the two worlds and mitigated the differences. It’s for this reason that we can now find tons of these new movies, called generally “pop corn movies” in America and “cinepanettoni” in Italy: less complex (often superficial) films produced just to attract a lot of people in the cinemas and to earn more money.

Leah never felt pretty enough. She did not have many friends and was not a part of the “popular” group in school. So, she searched for love in hopes of finding that security that all girls are looking for. However, it did not happen for her. “Leah didn’t find the security she was looking for from the short-lived relationship, but instead a sense that she had been invaded, a deflated self-image, bewilderment and depression.” It has been proven that girls that are sexually active in high school are three-times more likely to be depressed. This started a whole new cycle for Leah that lasted her throughout her college years.

She never did give up on finding love, she kept looking, but something else happened to her. She was chosen as one of the 14 girls to be on the show “America’s Next Top Model”. Of course that is a life changing experience. To be competing for a huge dream and being so close to getting it, while being on television is something unthinkable to many young girls. However, for Leah, it is not as fun and thrilling as the television shows. “There’s nothing ‘real’ about ‘reality TV,’” she said. “They edit the reality out of reality TV and present viewers with a fantasy. It was a constant stream of anxiety, wondering: when’s the shoot? When will I be eliminated? Always thinking: my lips aren’t big enough. I’m not thin enough. I’m not good just the way I am. No one will love me the way I am.” This changed Leah and her view on modeling. After being eliminated from the show, Leah moved to Manhattan and continued modeling. On one of her photo shoots, she remembers extremely small clothing, lots of spray tan, and her body being shown in ways that she was not okay with. That same photo shoot, Leah’s perfectly golden-tan face turned pale white and lost all expression. Leah had a vision.

“I was in this white space in the outfit that I was wearing. I had a knowledge that I had died. I knew that I was in front of God. I lifted up my hands toward him and I saw the shadow of his head slowly bow as if in disappointment. I looked at my hands and I realized that they’re empty. I was offering God my entire life and all I had done to love and serve him, and it was empty because I had wasted it all on me.” Right after this vision, Leah told the modeling people that she couldn’t do this anymore and she ripped up her $16,000 check. “I thought: Well, Satan, that’s what you think I’m worth. That’s your paycheck to me, and if I cash it, I’m your employee.”

Leah turned a new leaf. She wanted to change herself and because of her vision, she knew God could help her. She is now speaking around the country about chastity, modesty, and women issues.