Cause and Effect

Blog Post #3

During the past week, I researched more about what initially caused America’s sugar addiction. I found that the over consumption of carbs was a main cause. This over-consumption began with a government recommendation to eat less saturated fat, which led people to replace the fat in their diet with sugar.  I also found that stress was a main cause.  Stress causes people to want comfort food, as they attempt to feel better.  Also, the busy lifestyles people have now-a-days does not allow sufficient time to prepare a healthy homemade dinner.  Instead, people will often do the easy thing -- get a big mac from McDonalds. To read more about these causes, check out the “Causes of Sugar Addiction” tab to the right.

I also researched more about the effects of sugar addiction. I learned that sugar can affect the body both mentally and physically. A person can be mentally affected by experiencing sugar highs and sugar crashes. These highs and crashes can cause emotions to swing from happy/energetic to sad/irritable. A person can also be physically affected by excess sugar. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer are all problems that can result from sugar addiction. If you would like to read more about the effects of sugar addiction, I have compiled all of the info that I have learned so far into a write up in a tab to the right!

Everyone knows sugar is not good for you, but I don't think they realize just how bad eating too much sugar is for you. My goal for this curriculum is for it to help children realize this at a young age, before they are negatively affected by eating too much sugar.  Next week, I plan on starting to write the curriculum.

Sugar 101

Blog Post #2

This week, I researched more on sugar. I focused on what sugar addiction actually is.  I found the science behind what causes sugar addiction very interesting.  It was cool to see the similarities between sugar and drugs.  Most people do not view sugar as a stimulant that they could become addicted to, but that could actually happen.  I also added the recommended sugar consumption for an average person and an explanation of what sugar addiction is to the tabs on the side (check them out!)

With all my research about sugar addiction, I have started to eat less sugar. At times, this is tough.  Sometimes, I just have to eat that piece of chocolate. I have also noticed that after eating the chocolate, I want more, and then more. I can see how easily it is to over eat sugar, and get addicted to it, when you are not thinking about what you are eating.  

Next, I plan on researching more about what caused the increase in sugar addiction in the United States, and the harmful effects it can have on health.  I have not had any setbacks and, hopefully, if I stick to my plan, I will not have any!

A Nation Addicted to Sugar

Blog Post #1

In my anatomy and physiology class, we were introduced to a concept called “20 Time,” which is also known as “Genius Hour”.  20 Time sets aside 20% of class time for students to work on a project that interests them.  Google originated this idea.  Employees were permitted to devote 20% of their time to any project they found interesting, with the only requirement that the project had to benefit the company.  Google Docs was created through this program.  With such success in the business world, 20 Time is now starting to appear in schools.  20 Time gives students a chance to spend time on topics they are passionate about, and teaches them important life skills such as how to research, how to combine ideas into a purpose, and how to speak publicly.

For my 20 Time project, I am researching sugar addiction in the United States and developing an elementary school curriculum about the topic.  This curriculum will equip the next generation with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions about the food they eat.  In addition, and perhaps most importantly, they will understand how they personally benefit from a healthy diet.  I chose sugar addiction as my 20 Time topic because I am fascinated by the effect various food have on our body and its health.  The saying “you are what you eat” is true, and I would like to help people understand how that impacts them.

Once developed, my plan will be to beta test the curriculum with the children that I babysit.  In this manner, I will be able to determine if the curriculum will work effectively in a classroom setting.  Since the kids that I babysit range in age from 3 to 9 years old, I will also be able to experiment with what works best for various age groups.  To measure whether or not the curriculum works, before beginning, I will ask the children what they already know about sugar.  We will also document what they eat in a typical day.  I will then lead the children through sugar related activities, such as matching various amounts of sugar with each food on a list and measuring out the amount of sugar that their favorite foods contain.  During each activity, we will talk about the basics of sugar and its effects on the body.  A few weeks later, I will ask them what they remember and have them list the food they ate over the prior few days.  By reviewing the results and comparing them with the data collected at the beginning, I will be able to determine how well the curriculum worked.'

My goal for this project is to learn as much as I can about the topic and then apply that knowledge to the development of a new and creative curriculum that will successfully teach elementary students. The curriculum will be fun, hands-on, informative, and memorable.  This will help students learn, remember and apply the information in their lives.  The end result should be that the students live healthier lives than they otherwise would have.