Communicating Science 2016T1 Section 112

Shield against Development and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Jennifer Jung | 2 comments

In Canada today, about 340, 000 people live with Alzheimer’s disease, which is a mental disease especially prevalent in old population (over age 65) that irreversibly deteriorates memory and thinking ability. This number is expected to increase to 600, 000 by the year 2038, mostly because “baby boomers” (people born 1946-1964) will have reached old age. Such increase in the number of individuals predicted to have Alzheimer is alarming not only for us (the children of baby boomers) but also for the Canadian Health-Care system that is already facing a high demand for care from currently aging population. Because baby boomers have already started to enter their older years, we are now pressed for time to find a solution to the prevalence of Alzheimer’s.

Although Alzheimer’s is not yet curable, this does not mean that we have to watch helplessly while more people get diagnosed with the disease. There are certain leisure activities we can encourage our family and friends to begin now to prevent Alzheimer’s. Even if any of us are genetically predisposed to have Alzheimer’s, these activities can delay the onset of its symptoms so that you can live as if you don’t have the disease.

The breadth and scope of these leisure activities are still being explored, but three that are proven to be effective are physical exercise, education, and artistic activities.

Physical exercise can be in the form of walking, dancing, running, curling and much more as long as it is intense enough to be equivalent to taking 10, 000 steps a day. Researchers in this study found that when adults with memory impairment carried out these activities, their cognitive functions improved. It’s never too late to exercise!

If you don’t have time to exercise because of all the exams and papers you have to write, there is still good news for you. It turns out that each year of education you receive decreases your chances of developing Alzheimer’s by more than 2%. What if you haven’t graduated high school or stopped your education after high school? That’s okay too because it’s actually the brain-stimulating part about education that is so effective in preventing Alzheimer’s!

On that note, artistic activities are also brain-stimulating and can efficiently protect you from Alzheimer’s symptoms. Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto found that Alzheimer’s caused more brain damage in non-artists than in artists even though both groups were subject to similar conditions.

Currently, Canadian government is increasing their investments in making the public become involved in leisure activities, including the ones listed above. The following video from Canadian Consortium or Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) shows an example of a project that is designed to explore these leisure activities and their effects on Alzheimer’s resilience.
<a href="http://www.vimeo.com/140573308">http://www.vimeo.com/140573308</a>

Encouraging others to engage in leisure activities is especially important for young Canadians today, who face a growing elderly population that is already bigger than ever. Preventing Alzheimer’s and its manifestations will not only improve the quality of life for aging individuals and their families but also ease the increasing pressure on Canadian Health-Care System.

2 Comments

Posted in Issues in Science, Public Engagement, Science in the News, Uncategorized

Tagged aging population, artistic activities, baby boomers, brain-stimulating activities, delaying Alzheimer's symptoms, education, physical activities, preventing Alzheimer's, Science Communication, solution for Alzheimer's

Big Oil Attempting to Seismic Blast Clyde River into Permanent Food Shortage

Posted on October 3, 2016 by ashley nicole shepherd | Leave a comment

The Indigenous people of the Canadian Arctic, the Inuit, live on land under jurisdiction of the Canadian government. Although they can be completely self-sufficient in their nomadic way of life, the heavy European influence during WWII forced these communities to settle in towns, stripping them of their culture. Mass agriculture is impossible in the Arctic, so any threat to the wildlife or ecosystem is a threat to the Inuit. The hamlet of Clyde River is among one of the many communities suffering from one of the highest food insecurity rates in North America – 68% of the Inuit population does not have consistent access to food, despite most communities having a Northern Store. However, the prices are marked up as high as 400% during certain times of year. The Inuit are lucky to have the wildlife to help sustain their food supply, as they respect the wildlife and treat them properly, but need to fight to keep it. Below is a video by AsapSCIENCE that describes the current state of Clyde River:

When the Canadian government forced the people of Clyde River and other Inuit communities to live on government land, they lost their rights to fight Big Oil and its next step in the search for oil and gas deposits in the form of seismic blasting. Seismic blasting affects the wildlife because marine mammals use sound in nearly every part of their lives – communicating, mating and reproducing, raising young, hunting prey and hiding from or fighting predators, for example. In one study, catch rates of cod and haddock decreased 40 to 80% for thousands of miles, after seismic surveys. Seismic blasting, high pressure blasts of compressed air shot under water to survey up to 100 km deep into the sea floor to search for oil deposits, is the loudest noise in the ocean, the dynamite-like blasts are louder than underwater volcanoes and earthquakes and can be heard for many kilometers under water. Some species, for example Bowhead whales, cease communication when noise reaches 170 dB, and seismic blasting can reach >400 dB.

Visual representation of seismic blasting, from http://bit.ly/2dmUncH

Seismic blasting is occurring along the East Coast of USA, and many have voted against it, including big organizations like Oceana. The blasts sound every ten seconds, all day for days to weeks at a time, surveying the ocean floor for oil deposits the same way as in the Arctic. Greenpeace is petitioning to save Canada’s Arctic and prevent Big Oil from beginning a 5-year seismic blasting plan that is scheduled to begin in summer 2017 and blast every ten seconds, 24 hours a day, for the majority of each year.

Clyde River supporters protesting the National Energy Board approval of seismic testing in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait in July 2014. From http://bit.ly/1LonlGE

Clyde River, backed by Greenpeace and others, has a hearing on November 30^th in the Supreme Court of Canada against Big Oil. Sign the petition to stop seismic blasting, save our marine wildlife, and support Inuit communities, who need our help now more than ever: http://arctic-home.greenpeace.org/en-ca/

The Matcha-ppreciated Tea

Posted on September 30, 2016 by Lindsey Belsher | 4 comments

Pinterest.com

We can all imagine a little old monk, smiling peacefully up through a tangle of grey wispy facial hairs. He looks to be over a century old, however his mind is still sharp and his body spry. What is the secret behind his health? Let me tell you, it’s one word, six letters – Matcha.

tokyoweekender.com

Matcha, which can be translated simply as “powdered tea,” has been an important part of the Japanese culture for centuries. Green tea leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant are shade-grown, carefully harvested, dried, and then ground to a powder texture. In other words, matcha is the ground up version of the green tea leaves you would find in your tea bag.

However, matcha isn’t like any ordinary tea. The health benefits of this tea far exceed those of others and even those of its parent, green tea. In fact, you’d have to drink ten cups of loose leaf green tea to equal the number of antioxidants in just a single cup of matcha. It doesn’t stop there. Matcha has also been shown to boost metabolism, energy, and immune response, while also lowering cholesterol.

In addition, because matcha is specifically shade grown, the leaves it’s harvested from are jam-packed with detoxifying chlorophyll (green pigments) that not only give matcha its signature green color but provide an agent for flushing chemicals and heavy metals from the body. What’s more, EGCg (epigallocatechin gallate), a special form of antioxidant discovered in matcha has special cancer-fighting effects in that it can prevent the appearance of cancer-causing free radicals (which are highly reactive molecules that cause chain reactions.) Not too shabby if you ask me.

On top of all of that, a recent study done in 2016 by the Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang Province, China, now suggests matcha plays a key role in the suppression of high levels of sugar in the body caused by poor diet. With the easily accessible fast food market establishing itself as a staple food choice in many North American diets, this recent finding could potentially introduce a way to counteract the negative effects poor food choices (such as fast food) could have on sugar levels in the body.

Nevertheless, the common saying “everything in moderation” still stands. There have been encounters of lead contamination found within the powder. That being said, matcha is still incredibly beneficial for one’s health but should only be consumed once a day.

www.nuts.com

Although traditionally ingested as a tea beverage, modern day “foodies” have worked this fine green powder into a multitude of different options. Some of those including matcha muffins, cookies, ice cream, gelato, chocolate, waffles, and the list goes on. Matcha can literally be an addition to almost every food.

Regardless of how matcha may be consumed, it offers amazing health benefits that could keep one nimble into old age and happy like the monks.

4 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Public Engagement, Science in the News

Tagged green, health, health improvement, Japanese culture, matcha, Superfoods, tea

Toughest Animal on Earth

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Justin Tao | 2 comments

What is the toughest animal on earth?

Perhaps the camel that can weather the dry and arid deserts of the Sahara, or the polar bear that can survive year-long frigid temperatures of the Arctic? Maybe the African elephant weighing in at 14,000 pounds?

But the award for the most resilient animal has to go to the moss piglet – a microscopic critter who can survive even in the vacuum of space.

Moss piglets, or tardigrades, are not new to the scientific community. However, their tenacity has fascinated biologists for centuries. A recent study in September published in Nature Communications have shown that we may even be able to use their DNA to help our cells withstand harmful radiation. Understanding what makes these little guys so tough may one day help our survival in space as well.

A tardigrade (Credit: Eye of Science/SPL)

A moss piglet (Credit: Eye of Science/SPL)

So what exactly is a tardigrade?

Tardigrades are tiny creatures not much larger than a millimeter in length. Also known as ‘water bears’, these animals lumber lazily around in their aqueous natural habitat like bears out of hibernation. At first glance, their plump round bodies, four pairs of stumpy legs, and slow gait make them unlikely contestants in a race of hardiness. However, their ability to thrive in the harshest of environments is astonishing.

Movement of tardigrades (Credit: Craig Smith from YouTube)

Tardigrades commonly live on moist mosses and lichens feeding on plant cells and bacteria. But scientists have collected them from the deepest seas of Mexico to the highest mountains of the Himalayas.

The tardigrade’s unique ability to survive in extreme environments has prompted scientists to test them to their limits.

In 1998, Japanese researchers put tardigrades to the test by crushing them under 600 megapascals (MPa) of pressure. This pressure is six times greater than the water pressure in the deepest part of the ocean in the Mariana Trench, and the tiny water bears were still able to subsist. To put things in perspective, the strongest human free divers have only been known to survive 3 MPa of pressure.

In 2007, tardigrades became unwilling astronauts as they were shot into space. Far from their native environment, the water bears were left naked in outer space without oxygen, exposing them to hard vacuum and deadly solar radiation. After 10 days, a few tardigrades still managed to survive.

What is their secret to survival?

When taken out of water and dried out, tardigrades enter a state of suspended animation and curl up into a tight ball called a “tun”. In this state, the tardigrade reduces its metabolism by 99.99 percent and produces a mixture of molecules that prevent it from freezing and also encases it in a matrix of biological glass.

A tardigrade in its tun state (Credit: Eye of Science/SPL)

This combination of survival mechanisms is the key to the tardigrade’s resilience. In this dormant state, they have been show to survive for up to 10 years without water. Not even temperatures near absolute zero can crack their shell.

So the next time you are asked to name the toughest animal on Earth, forget the elephant and remember the tardigrade!

Justin Tao

2 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News, Uncategorized

Tagged moss piglet, space, survival, tardigrade, toughest, water bear

A New Era of Drone-based Communication

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Kayleigh B | Leave a comment

In 2008, the second-generation Ipod touch was released and it amazed me.

When I first tried it out, I not only saw that one could play games, listen to music and watch movies on a touch-screen device, but what truly shocked me was its ability to send emails! I just couldn’t believe that a small handheld device allowed me to message my friends online without having any relation to a desktop computer. It felt like a whole new way to communicate.

Since then, the world has seen many more technological advances, but one of the latest continues to further both knowledge and communication with remote parts of the world.

A group of workers at Facebook have created an airplane-like drone named Aquila that plans to use solar power as a means to stay in the air for months. On June 28^th 2016, the drone was first flown for a 90-minute period using battery power. A video depicting Aquila’s first test flight can be seen below:

(Video Source: “Aquila’s First Flight” by Facebook on Youtube)

The company’s goal is to deliver internet connection to all people living on the earth, no matter how wealthy or isolated they may or may not be.

However, there are still many steps to complete before this milestone is reached. Solar panels have not yet been added to the model used in the test flight, and the team of scientists working on this project also have to determine an effective way to store battery power for extended periods of time. Furthermore, the team needs to find a way to reduce the price of the drone due to both physical (i.e. building the product and materials) and worker (i.e. maintenance and supervision) fees. Lastly, the drone has to be durable enough to withstand damage it may encounter in the air.

Apart from all of this, it is also uncertain how accepting Governments around the world will be to the idea of internet access delivered via Facebook drone. Clearly there are still many obstacles to overcome before Aquila will be ready, but if we consider the basic idea behind it, there is a lot of potential.

This concept could provide many new opportunities and experiences for individuals everywhere. People will have access to material available on the internet that they could never receive before. They can learn new information, teach themselves new skills and communicate with others whom they have yet to encounter. How would young children obtaining this access for the first time feel? Probably completely overwhelmed by all the new knowledge and opportunities that could change their lives.

Just like my astonishment towards email on the Ipod touch, I will continue to be amazed by new methods that make communication more accessible; and Aquila is a great step towards this.

Kayleigh B.

Finding Dory! And Save Them!

Posted on September 26, 2016 by simi tao | Leave a comment

This summer, there was another pixar cartoon movie”Finding Dory”. There are a lot of cute animals in the movie. But the movie itself actually have negative impact to the nature. you may ask why?

Here are some stories,nemo fish is actually belong to the clownfish family. And every year, over 1 million of them was taken from the ocean. After the last ocean movie”finding nemo” in 2003, what people didn’t expect is an 40% increase of the nemo fish in the pet fish market and aquarium trade. And, this is not the end of the bad news, they are really vulnerable to extinction for several reasons: First, the clownfish are dependent on stinging sea anemones, which thrive on only healthy coral reefs, to hide from the predators. But, due to rising temperature, the coral dies. And this makes the clownfish have less place to live. Second, the carbon dioxide make the see water more acidic, and this will block the signal that lead the clownfish back to home. And the commercial aquarium trade makes their situation even worse, as 90% of the commercial aquarium fish comes from the ocean.

Therefore, there are some scientists actually start a program called “ Saving Nemo Conservation Fund“. They are trying an alternative to collecting wild clownfish from the ocean. Nursery breeding is an easy way to prevent overcollection of clownfish in the wild. And for the 7 out of 28 species of clownfish are bred in Australia . Unfortunately, none of the ten host anemone species are bred in captivity for aquariums.

So, how about Dory? Well, it turns out dory is not as lucky as nemo, as they are currently unable to be bred in captivity. So,if you see a Royal Blue Tang, as known as Dory, in an aquarium shop it will have to come from the wild.

Posing on Posture

Posted on September 25, 2016 by kelvin au | 2 comments

Over the course of human evolution, the spot where the spinal cord connects to the head has moved closer to the base of the skull. Scientists believe this gradual movement coincided with our gradual ability to walk upright. Unfortunately, our body’s natural upright posture has conflicted with our technological society. With the growing popularity of electronics over the last 20 years, the number of people who use these devices with poor posture is growing.

A recent article from Times of India, India’s largest English newspaper, warns of a multitude of health risks from poor posture while sitting. Office workplaces are notorious for having cramped spaces, poor lighting and uncomfortable chairs. Additionally, in many developed countries, long hours are spent sitting at these office workplaces.

Most people know that poor posture causes neck pain. In fact, surveys done among Sudanese office workers show that most respondents blame poor posture for neck pain [1]. Further studies done in Hong Kong and Europe also show agreement [2][3]. People around the world tend to agree poor posture is at least one of the causes for neck pain.

How poor posture causes neck pain. Source: “Why is my hand tingling?” by Total Performance Physical Therapy. Used under Section 29 of the Copyright Act (Revised 2016)

As shown in Figure 1, poor posture causes unwanted changes in the body. Dropped shoulders, a common feature in poor posture, compress the nerves and artery in the region. This can lead to discomfort in the neck if poor posture is held for long periods of time.

However, fewer people know why they have such poor postures in the first place. Indeed, a recently published research paper studied this very issue [5]. It concluded that working in a poor posture was related to neck pain but theorized the causes of poor posture. Another published research paper points to various causes, including high head protrusion and lack of a chair back rest.

So, what can we take from these recent studies on posture? Posture is a position which we can resolve by changing the way we curve our back and neck. One of the first steps we can do is to sit upright and move the centre of the monitor to resting eye level. This forces you to look at the screen while keeping your posture approximately at your natural back posture. Use textbooks or other materials to raise your monitor if your seat isn’t adjustable. A demonstration is shown in the video below.

A demonstration of poor posture and good posture with a computer monitor. Source: “Correct Posture When Using Laptop Computer” by COPE – Youtube. Used under Section 29 of the Copyright Act (Revised 2016).

Many of us, in our rush to finish online assignments and blog posts, forget about good posture. Over time, constant poor posture leads to neck pain. This pain is inconvenient leads to lost productivity. Science is in agreement that poor posture is one of the causes of neck pain but the causes of poor posture is still being studied.

[1] http://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-069X-7-33#Abs1

[2] http://www.hkmj.org/system/files/hkm1204sp3p13.pdf\

[3] http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00586-004-0864-4#Abs1

[4] http://ijomeh.eu/The-study-of-correlation-between-forward-head-posture-and-neck-pain-in-iranian-office-workers,1962,0,2.html

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3996423/#__abstractid1065716title

Kelvin Au

2 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Public Engagement

Tagged Back Pain, Bad Posture, Computer Posture, Good Computer Posture, Good Posture, health, health improvement, Neck Pain, Posture

A “Buggy” Superfood

Posted on September 24, 2016 by delia ma | 2 comments

Imagine yourself going to the kitchen one morning for a nice cup of milk to power you through the day. That milk would have probably came from dairy cows. Now, imagine yourself drinking cockroach milk! Sounds weird doesn’t it. However, study has shown that the Pacific Beetle Cockroach could be the one milking our next superfood of the future. 2532080739_0f2f1346ce_n

The Pacific Beetle cockroach,unlike other cockroaches that lay eggs, gives birth to live offspring. It also produces “milk” to feed its offspring. The white liquid substance that its babies are fed with contain highly nutritious protein crystals. Cockroach milk is now considered one of the world’s most nutritious substances, with nutrients four times as much as cow’s milk and three times as much as buffalo’s milk.

Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/364017582364139694/

As seen in the video above, a liquid substance containing tiny protein crystal particles are being produced and ejected by the cockroach. One single crystal is said to contain four times the energy compared to regular cow’s milk.

Scientists are hopeful of producing protein shakes out of the protein crystals. However, does this mean that we will be able to just buy cockroach milk protein shakes off the counter? Unfortunately, that will not be the case. While cockroach milk is highly nutritious, it is rather difficult to gather as we are not able to milk the cockroaches like we do with cows. Scientist are trying to resolve this problem by duplicating the genes responsible for producing the protein crystals, meaning, we will be drinking bioengineered cockroach milk.

Being able to produce cockroach milk in large quantities could also help the environment greatly as it means we will have alternatives to cow milk and almond milk. Cows are known for creating greenhouse gases and growing crops such as almond and soy beans require quite a lot of water. We will no longer need as many diary cows, meaning that less methane gas will be produced. Less almonds and soy beans will be needed therefore less water will be used. Cockroach milk does not require any water and does not produce any substances that may harm our environment. That means if cockroach milk is successful , we will not only be benefiting ourselves but our environment as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsRfXi6DfLc

However, in a time where people are supporting all natural foods, would a protein shake labeled “bioengineered” really be that evolutionary? While there are already several superfoods on the market that are made from insects, such as Cricket Protein Powder, none of these have yet been labeled “bioengineered”. The fact that Cockroach milk is the first superfood that is bioengineered will make it revolutionary, however, whether it will be fit for regular consumption is one of the biggest questions right now for consumers. Perhaps in the future, not only would we be drinking cockroach milk, we may also be enjoying other foods made from cockroach milk such as ice cream and yogurt.

Delia Ma

2 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News

Tagged Bioengineered, Cockroach Milk, Cockroaches, Superfoods

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Confessions of a Chocoholic

Is your guilty pleasure chocolate? Have you ever day-dreamt about biting into a delicately rich, creamy, and mouth-watering piece of chocolate but worry about how it may be bad for you? If so, you no longer have to feel relentlessly guilty about causing harm to your health! New studies, building on previous research are now suggesting that consuming chocolate may be associated with a 33% decrease in the risk of heart disease – a disease predicted to kill 23.6 million people in the next 14 years. I don’t know about you, but I am seriously contemplating about clearing out the whole chocolate aisle at my grocery store!

Image Courtesy of: Favim.com

Some studies indicate that the consumption of chocolate has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. So if you’re someone who suffers from extremely high blood pressure, “have a break, have a KitKat,” or another equally delicious chocolate bar.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/272749321156355321/

Image Courtesy of: Pinterest.com

So does this mean that you should try to eat all of the chocolate in the world to keep your heart going? Ha, I wish! Unfortunately, that is not the case, as there is no clear evidence yet indicating exactly how much chocolate is too much chocolate for your heart, so do not go out and get completely chocolate wasted.

Gif Courtesy of: Pinterest.com

“We were not able to quantify the exact quantity or the frequency so how frequently you would [need to] consume chocolate. What we found were that the beneficial effects occur if you consume chocolate at least more than twice per week.”

– Oscar Franco, a health professor at the University of Cambridge.

However, researchers believe the boost may be related to flavonoids, an antioxidant made from plants, which is also found in red wine, and certain fruits.

Image Credit : en.wikipedia.org

Youtube Video Courtesy of: Associated Press

With this in mind, Doctors from the University of Cambridge reviewed existing evidence to develop new information on the effects of eating chocolate on cardiovascular diseases; heart attack and stroke. As part of studies being conducted on the effects of chocolate on the heart, over 100,000 participants, with and without existing heart conditions were analyzed. For these studies, they compared the group who consumed lots of chocolate to a group that had little to no consumption.

These researchers found chocolate consumption has a benefit against the risk of cardiovascular events. It was found that the highest levels of chocolate consumption were associated with a 37% reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 29% reduction is stroke.

I know what you’re all thinking… does this apply to ALL chocolate? The answer is no. Researchers believe high caloric chocolate, such as milk chocolate (my personal favourite) is not as effective as dark chocolate for your health. This is due to the sugar and fat content in milk chocolate. Nonetheless, consuming too much high caloric chocolate can lead to weight gain and diabetes, so put down your spoons and step away from the chocolate cake you just inhaled.

https://giphy.com/gifs/reasons-matilda-hexjam-H4G8stNXKcyQ0

Gif Courtesy of: Giphy.com

As these findings indicate that there is a positive correlation with heart health and consuming chocolate, new research should be conducted to explore reducing fat and sugar content in chocolate products, so we can indulge completely guilt free and live in an ideal world with luscious chocolate. (excuse me for drooling as I write this)!

Image Courtesy of: Pinterest.com

By: Harmen Tatla

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Posted on September 19, 2016 by harmen tatla in Public Engagement, Uncategorized

Tagged cardiovascular disease, chocolate, flavonoids, health, health improvement, heart, research, stroke

Doggy De-Stress

Posted on September 19, 2016 by rashmeen kambo | 1 comment

Let’s face it, student life can get pretty busy with work, school, social events, sports and other commitments. And with all that we can’t forget the dreaded feelings of constant stress that comes along with it. Students are feeling more and more pressured to not only succeed in academics, but to live up to all other expectations in other aspects of their lives, such as making sure to keep up with their social life and any other extra curricular activities like sports. It is no wonder that mental health has become a top uprising issue in students.

I know you’re probably thinking it is much easier said than done, but what if I told you that universities are making it a little easier for students to have access to free, on-campus resources to help deal with some of these mental health issues, such as acute stress? And this is where our furry friends come in! Let’s be real here, what human on this planet wouldn’t love to cuddle up with a cute furry four-legged friend after a stressful day of classes and school? Ha, that’s actually a trick question because we all know you’re not human if you answered “no” to that question! Okay but in all seriousness, this increased pressure felt by students to not only be successful in academics, but to also carry out a balanced healthy lifestyle is causing higher rates of depression, anxiety and stress in students. Doggy de-stress events are becoming increasingly popular at post secondary institutions everywhere and studies have confirmed its positive results in helping to decrease a students’ stress levels in only a fifteen-minute session. Schools have been increasing frequency of puppy therapy sessions during exam periods as it is common for students to have the highest levels of stress during this particular time. We have an animal that craves attention and students that love to give their attention to these animals; a perfect example mutualism, or in other words a “win-win” event for both parties. This event continues to grow in popularity as it provides a calm, stress-free environment for students to relieve some of this stress and anxiety.

Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com/aimee_rado/i-love-dogs/

Although there’s still a lot of stigma around mental illness, clubs around university campuses are starting to create a better environment for individuals so they feel like they are not alone dealing with it all. I would definitely urge each and every one of you reading this to at least try to experience a puppy de-stress session. It is amazing how fifteen minutes can really change your mood! Although the reality for many university students can be pretty harsh at times, you should always try to squeeze in some time to wind down and relax.

Check out this great link to an article below:

http://sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1152&context=msw_papers

Rashmeen Kambo

1 Comment

Posted in Public Engagement

Tagged cute, de-stress, dog, mental illness, puppy, students, UBC, university

Shield against Development and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

Big Oil Attempting to Seismic Blast Clyde River into Permanent Food Shortage

The Matcha-ppreciated Tea

Toughest Animal on Earth

A New Era of Drone-based Communication

Finding Dory! And Save Them!

Posing on Posture

A “Buggy” Superfood

Confessions of a Chocoholic

Confessions of a Chocoholic

Youtube Video Courtesy of: Associated Press

Doggy De-Stress

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Confessions of a Chocoholic

Youtube Video Courtesy of: Associated Press

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