science Fast food: By KELLY CLARK Collegian Science Writer A Quarter Pounder, a Big Mac, a Whopper, a Double-R, or a Big Clas sic. Fast food and college students seem to make the perfect couple, but students who rely on fast food for all their meals may not be meeting all of their body’s nutritional needs. Lorri Fishman, staff nutritionist and graduate assistant at the Univer sity’s Nutrition Center, said fast food restaurants provide a standard qual ity food, fast service, convenient loca tion, and an inexpensive and tasty meal, she said, adding that the atmo sphere may even be entertaining at times. However, relying on fast food for many meals creates the risk of falling into the trap of fast food restaurants high calories, fat and sodium, Fishman said. “Fast food is not all bad,” Fishman said. “The general idea of fast food is that it has a place. It’s obvious in the fast-paced lifestyle of Americans that fast food evolved.” ChoSsing a variety of entrees upon each visit to a restaurant can in crease the chances of getting the needed nutrients, Fishman added. For example, choosing milk instead of soda will provided additional calci um and protein, she said. One popular fast food meal at Mc- Donald’s includes a hamburger, french fries and a Coke. A quarter pound hamburger provides protein, iron, and some B vitamins from the enriched bun; the vitamin C normally found in potatoes is lost in the process of deep frying, which leaves french fries providing mostly just fat, she Pre-holiday stress can be relieved By HEATHER WILSON Collegian Science Writer Final exams, holidays and relationship problems all lead to one thing stress. In the last few days before the end of the semester, everyone will feel a bit stressed. “It is a natural part of life,” said Dorothy Harris, a University professor of physical education. “The importance of stress is the body’s reaction to it and what action is taken to relieve it.” Stress can arise from working under time or peer pressure, or under pressure to perform academically, athletically or artistically, Harris said. Citing illness as another form of stress, she added that “stress is anything that disrupts the homeostatis of the body.” "Life is stressful, but stress is also essential. We can not remove stress from our lives, so we must learn to Caffeine decreases the By RUTH FOLLMER Collegian Science Writer Consuming large amounts of caf feine may shorten your reaction time but it will also reduce your ability to concentrate, a public health nutritio nist said. “Aside from shortening your reac tion time, caffeine does not appear to help in the performance of complex tasks and may be slightly disrup tive,” Barbara Kearney said. Non-habitual coffee drinkers who suddenly increase their consumption, as many students do during finals, can suffer much more severe side effects from caffeine, a mildly habit forming stimulant, than habitual cof fee drinkers, she said. Students who begin consuming large amounts of caffeine to stay awake may experience an inability to sleep, rapid beating of heart, in creased blood pressure, and frequent urination, Kearney said. Habitual caffeine users may expe rience, dizziness, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, and nervousness as a result of high caffeine intake, ex plained Beth Bence, a graduate assis tant at the University’s nutrition center. If they decrease the amount of caffeine they consume, they may then experience withdrawal symp toms including reduced alertness and the easy way said. “A 16 ounce Coke provides not much more than calories and simple carbohydrates,” she said, adding that a shake would provide some calcium, even if it’s not made with milk. According to a nutritional analysis of McDonald’s food performed by Hazleton Laboratories, Inc., a 427- calorie Quarter Pounder provides 37.9 percent of the U.S. Recommend ed Daily Allowance of protein, 23.5 percent of thiamine, 18.8 percent of riboflavin, 36 percent of niacin, and 23.9 percent of iron. Although fast food does provide some good nutri ents, it lacks fiber, vitamin A, vita min C and calcium, Fishman said. “The McDLT cracks me up be cause they’re promoting the vegeta bles on it, but they also add mayonnaise,” she said, adding that the additional fat from the mayon naise boosts the calorie content to 680. However, the McDLT, and all sand wiches, can be requested without the mayonnaise, she added. Another source of fat to be wary of is cheese, she said. Many restaurants use processed American cheese on their burgers, which adds 100 calories and extra sodium, Fishman said. Chicken nuggets, which are also very popular, are “real dense little fat balls,” Fishman said. Besides the fact that they are deep fried, the condiments that they are dipped in are mostly sugar, she added. Roast beef is a good alternative to hamburger since it has very low fat, but the same amount of protein, Fish man said. For example, a roast beef sandwich at Roy Roger’s has only 2 percent fat, she said, adding that the hamburger has about 22 percent fat. cope with it,” Harris said. “If we would only worry between our ears we’d be okay,” she added. Martin Marder, a clinical psychologist at the Univer sity’s Center for Counceling and Psychological Serv ices, said the body’s reaction to these disruptions and stress can cause hypertension, gastrointestinal prob lems, eating disorders, and insomia. “We have reason to believe that stress is a factor in many diseases,” Marder said. Karl Stoedefalke, professor of physical education, said the body responds to anxiety and stress by releasing adrenaline into the bloodstream, which in turn causes an increase in heart rate and a change in breathing patterns. In time, hypertension, an elevation in blood pressure, can be caused by stress, he said. The stomach reacts to stress by producing excessive amounts of acid that can lead to stomach pain or ulcers if the stress continues and the lining of the stomach cannot neutralize the acid, Stoedefalke added. Some people react to stress by overeating. “They build a fortress with a knife and fork,” he said, adding that others simply stop eating, often leading to anorex ia or bulimia. Marder said that, depending on the problem and situation, different solutions will help relieve stress. Exercise, relaxation techniques and assessment of attitudes surrounding the source of stress can help to relieve it. Bill Cahir (freshman-DUS) exercises to reduce the stress that he feels. Harris agreed with his plan. During the most stressful time of semester, Harris said, “it is essential to use exercise as a means of coping with the stress. Physical action absorbs anxi ety.” • ' ' Exercise, contrary to what many people think, can be invigorating, Harris said. But, she added, exercise doesn’t have to be vigorous to relieve stress. Simply walking for twenty to thirty minutes is enough to help reduce stress. “Mind and body are one. You can’t say you’ll put the mind to work without putting the body to work at the same time,” Stoedefalke said. activity, increased sleepiness, and irritability. “Withdrawal symptoms usually oc cur 12-16 hours after the last dose of caffeine,” Kearney said, adding that people often believe thay are experi encing tension headaches, when they are really experiencing symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. Students who do not normally con sume a lot of caffeine “may experi ence withdrawal symptoms following a day of unusually high caffeine con sumption,” she added. The effects of caffeine are so severe because of its high absorption rate. “Ninety-nine percent of caffeine that is taken in orally is absorbed (into the body),” Bence said, adding that “peak levels, at which the effects of caffeine are felt the most, occur 15-45 minutes after ingestion.” Five temporary effects character ize caffeine consumption, Bence said. The central nervous system is stimu lated, increasing the length of time students can stay awake and still remain alert. Heart action is also stimulated, and smooth, muscle in the digestive tract and in blood vessels is relaxed. Caffeine also increases urine flow and stimulates the secretion of stomach acid, she said. The relaxed smooth muscles in the digestive tract and the increased acid secretion may play an important role Long lunch linos at McDonalds on E. College Ave. show the popularity of fast food among college students. Unfortunately, students often overrely on a quick However, the roast beef may have more sodium due to preservatives, Fishman added. A large roast beef with cheese contains 1950 mg of sodi um. Because the recommended daily sodium intake is around 3000 mg, this one sandwich would provide nearly two thirds of that, she said. It may come as a relief to know that pizza, a college favorite, is a good source of nutrition. For example, two slices of a 12-inch cheese pizza from Domino’s has only 340 calories, Fish man said, adding that pepperoni adds in heartburn and stomach aches felt when coffee is consumed on an empty stomach. Caffeine also possesses a quality known as “diminishing returns,” which means caffeine causes a per son to feel “up” for a while and then gradually go “down,” Bence said. “The time it takes for these effects to be felt differ because everyone responds differently to caffeine,” Bence said. “Body weight and (personal) health are also factors,” Kearney said, adding that both should be con sidered when determining a moder ate daily consumption rate. Kearney said that “two hundred milligrams —• equivalent to two six-ounce cups of coffee is considered a healthy, acceptable amount” for daily consup tion. However, Kearney warned, “caf feine is also added by food processors to many carbonated beverages.” “This is not limited to colas,” she said, adding that Mountain Dew has more caffeine per 12 oz. serving than either Pepsi or Coca-Cola. “Herbal teas should also be used with caution because some people experience allergies or diarrhea,” Kearney said. “Always know where the herbal tea came from, and don’t use it in large amounts if you’re not a habitual user.” isn't always nutritious 40 calories, fat and sodium, One suggestion is to order the pizza with one half cheese and the other half with sauce and a different top ping, Fishman said. This decreases the amount of fat from the cheese, she added. According to an informational pamphlet prepared by the Research and Development Department of Domino’s Pizza Inc., the two slices of a 12-inch cheese pizza provides 30 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance for protein; part of this You’ve heard of the grapefruit diet, the seven-day diet, the fiber diet, the 365-day diet, and the alternation diet. They all promise you’ll lose that tonnage quickly and painlessly. And they’re all very popular. I have one friend who goes on such a diet the day after Thanksgiving every year. The goal is to fit into some slinky dress for New Year’s Eve. She starves herself silly, has a miserable time drooling over all the Christmas cookies and puts the ten pounds back on before Valentine’s Day. For most (women, mainly), the goal of any diet is to take off just enough weight to fit into a new dress for the formal, look sexy in that bathing suit or wear shorts in the summer without registering on the Richter scale. But the special occasion always passes, summer turns to fall, and those pounds pile back on. Now, I don’t claim to be one of those slender health gurus you see leading aerobics classes. In fact, I have my own chronic case of the chubbies. But there’s something wrong with a diet any diet that only offers that you’ll look great for one night. What about the other 27,000 nights of your life? Come on, ladies (and guys too), you’re worth more than that. The FOOL-PROOF DIET, then, ability to concentrate Researchers are currently investi gating the possibility that a chemical in coffee besides caffeine may cause the increase in the secretion of stom ach acid, Bence said. “While decaffeinated coffee is a good alternative for those people t z 111 t z O 75 mg O a Ui z “j 50 mg O LU U < DC LU 25 mg < /■ ,j3 jlp l 1 meal and do not meet the nutritional needs of their bodies. Their fast-paced lives may suffer when they sacrifice those needs for a quick bite. protein is contained in the crust, which is prepared with a high protein flour. The combination of 100-percent real dairy mozzarella and pizza cheeses and meat toppings such as pepperoni, ham, sausage, ground beef, and bacon also provide protein, the pamphlet said. “Pizza has everything you need, especially if you get vegetables on it, which provide fiber and vitamins,” Fishman said. Subs, also popular with students, The Fool-Proof Diet should help you look and feel great for more than a few short weeks in the summer without the months of agony while you’re “on” the diet. Here’s a few ingredients: • Whole grain bread and pasta. These provide complex carbohy drates your body needs for fuel. Whole grain foods and brown rice also have fiber needed for.a healthy digestive tract. • Fresh fruits and vegetables. Vegetables provide vitamins and minerals the body needs to function efficiently. Fruit is packed with fiber and also has lots of sugar. For one fifth the calories, an apple is just as good as a Snickers bar for the mid afternoon hungries. • Protein. This doesn’t have to be the all-American steak. In fact, red meat like beef and pork has a lot of unwanted fat that adds calories and may contribute to heart disease and certain types of colon cancer later in life. Remember, the FOOL-PROOF DIET should serve you well for a lifetime. Poultry and fish provide less fatty sources of protein. But if you don’t like meat at all, beans, eggs, and good ol’ peanut butter make good substitutes. • Milk and cheese. Another good source of protein, milk and cheese also add vitamins and much-needed calcium to the FOOL-PROOF DIET. Unless you’re a growing calf, howev er, best stick to the low fat kind. • Water. Most of your body weight is water. Kidneys need liquid to work efficiently, removing wastes from your body. Besides, water’s cheap, has no calories arid no caffeine. wanting to decrease their caffeine intake,” Kearney said, “it doesn’t appear to reduce the secretion of stomach acid.” Currently, she added, “researchers are studying the chemi cals used in the roasting process to see if they may have an effect.” 5 02 5 02 brewed Instant coltee collea 100 mg 65 mg f, ' 'U. 30 mg 45 mg 38 mg 54 mg 4 mg The Daily Collegian Thursday, Dec. 11, 1986 »«KfcSKS*HI can be nutritious depending on how they are prepared, Fishman said. For instance, a typical 12-inch ham and cheese sub contains about 1,200 cal ories, she said, adding that about 320 calories can be saved if the mayon naise and oil dressing are not added. Ham and turkey are usually the low est fat-containing meats, whereas many of the Italian lunch meats con tain higher fat and sodium, she said. Some shops offer a whole grain roll, which increases the nutritional con tent of the sub, Fishman said. That’s right, the FOOL-PROOF DIET diet is just a basic, healthy, balanced diet with a couple of added features. First feature: Eat and drink in moderation. Take smaller portions. In a world where so many people are hungry, it’s become a matter of guilt to finish everything on your plate. So just put a little less on. Second feature: Treats aren’t al ways sinful. Even banana splits have a place in the FOOL-PROOF DIET, but probably not twice in the same month. Basically, it’s okay to eat those naughty foods you really love, but not every day. Besides, the ba nana split always tastes better when you’ve had a craving for about a week. Third feature: Quit munching. It may be soothing to cram popcorn and M & Ms while you’re cramming chemistry, but you can pack away hundreds of calories and never know it. Replace the bowl with a glass of water or juice, they work just as well. Finally, stop worrying about your weight. Some research shows that during intensive diets, people think and worry so much about food that they actually turn on their desire to eat. Eat sensibly and you’re weight will take care of itself. Besides, eating should be fun. I don’t know about you, but there’s enough stress in my life without fret ting about the food I eat. Nan Crystal Arens is a senior major ing in earth science and technical writing, and is a science columnist for The Daily Collegian. Kearney suggested two alternative drinks for heavy coffee drinkers wanting to reduce their caffeine in take. “Hot cider with cloves or cinna mon or hot cranberry juice with nutmeg or a slice of lemon are two viable alternatives,” she said. & r : 12 02 12 02 5 02 1 02 Pepsi Ml. Dew cocoa chocolate t-. I,—'*' . * \* \Q£& Colloglan Pholo/Jody Stecher University needs female grad students By LISA NURNBERGER Collegian Stall Writer During a decade when women make up 50 percent of graduate school students nationwide, the Uni versity’s graduate program is 41 per cent women. By comparison, Villanova Univer sity’s graduate school is 51 percent women and Temple University’s graduate school is 54 percent women, officials at the schools said. University officials differ on rea sons why Penn State comes in 9 percent below the national average in women graduate students. Director of Graduate Admissions Charles Galgoci said that this year, 34 percent of those applying to the Uni versity’s graduate school were wom en. Galgoci said he believes the low number of women applicants is be cause the graduate curriculum, such as engineering, is traditionally male dominated. He said another reason is because of the University is- in the country and most single, independent More women needed in administration By KIRSTEN LEE SWARTZ Collegian Stall Writer Women represent less than 10 percent of the University’s administrators, and Penn State’s job evaluation plans have not been revised in 20 years. The‘Strategic Study Group on the Status of Women included this information in its first rec ommendations made this week to University Pres ident Bryce Jordan and the Chairwoman of the University’s Commission for Women, Marilyn Eastridge. The recommendations are designed to improve the status of women at the University. One recommendation called for the recruitment of women administrators and faculty. The study group noted that hiring within the University does not increase the number of women administrators and faculty because the pool of qualified women at the University is limited. The recommendation called on the University to attempt tp attract and recruit talented women Save 20% On All Sheaffer Writing Instruments COMMAISSEUR Rediscover the fountain pen. The understated elegance of the early 1900's, recreated for a new generation of discerning writers. Writers who appreciate accurate, satin smooth performance. TheConnaisseur fountain pen's unique feel /1 begins with its classic nib. Solid 18K gold, it is the most flexible, most responsive nib ever /fl designed. Those who favor a fountain pen !J H will find it unequaled. Connaisseur is fin- nflH ished in rich black, accented with 23K MfA gold electroplate and packaged in an ele- jtggaf gant presentation case. A matching, Twist-Action Ballpoint is also available. Connaisseur. Available now at /flnv Term State tßooKstore™ , on campus Owned and Operated by the Pennsylvania State CJnli Meet The Sheaffer Representative on December 12"' and Receive Free Engraving on any Sheaffer Writing Instrument women prefer to live in larger cities. Kathryn M. Moore, director of the University’s Strategic Group on the Status of Women, said, however, that few women apply to the University’s graduate school because sexual ha rassment and discrimination towards female graduate students exists here. “People have a pretty good idea as to whether a school is welcoming to women or not,” said Moore, adding that she believes the University is not. Moore also said the lack of female role models in the school, inflexibility in course times and the need for a stronger recruitment policy for wom en students are factors affecting the number of women in the graduate school. Michael Johnson, research director for the University’s Strategic Group on the Status of Women, said he believes that the 41 percentage of graduate school women shows that some women have yet to break free of traditional roles. "They don’t apply here because we are a land grant college, which is from other universities, colleges and appropriate agencies. Kathryn Moore, chairwoman of the study group, said women who are not faculty members or administrators have difficulty advancing in the ranks of the University system because the posi tions are classified in four separate tracts. Second, the group recommended that all non faculty positions should be organized into one system that would provide more opportunity for advancement and movement within the Universi ty job system, Moore said. Almost 80 percent of the 663 “regular part-time” employees are female and paid at lower rates than full-time employees performing the same work, the group noted. A third recommendation stated that the Univer sity should provide appropriate salary increases to “regular part-time” employees who work more than 750 hours per year for two consecutive years, Moore said. 1 /ki/J traditionally male oriented,” John son said and added, "Since we have a huge College of Engineering, we are likely to have fewer female appli cants.” A master of business administraton graduate student agreed that certain fields are still sexually segregated and said "foreign countries are even more traditional in their views of women." Mary Greeley-Beahm, the student trustee to the University’s Board of Trustees, said that almost all the students other countries send to study in the United States are men. “There are only a handful of foreign women in my classes,” she added. Because many University graduate students are from other countries, Greeley-Beahm Believes the overall percentage of women is automatical ly lowered. Moore also said the University has 26 female professors, making up 5.7 percent. Ten percent of the Universi ty’s associate professors are women, she said. “It’s cyclical,” Moore said, “wom- en faculty from other undergraduate schools probably won’t encourage women students to attend Penn State (graduate school) when we have so few women faculty members in our graduate school.” “Penn State is completly passive when it comes to recruiting,” Moore said. Since fewer people are attend ing graduate school today, top-notch students expect to be recruited and the Universty only has a recruitment program for minorities, she said. Additionally, Moore said many Uni versity undergraduate departments will not encourage undergraduates to continue with higher education here, but added that “in areas where there are very few women, they might want to reconsider that philosophy.” Another problem that women en counter in the University’s graduate program, Moore said, is the lack of flexibility in the programs. No night classes or part-time classes are of fered, which turns away working women or women with a child to care for, she said. “These are both the first and also some of the most important recommendations to come from the study group,” Moore said. “They are impor tant for the likely investment in terms of dollars and effort involved in implementing them, as well as their strategic importance to the future status of women at Penn State.” Jordan said: “The study group has raised some very important matters which the administration takes very seriously. We will, of course, consider the fiscal impact of what has been recommend ed.” Jordan added that costs associated with the recommendations put forth by the study group will be reviewed by the President’s Planning and Budget Advisory Committee and make sugges tions to him in the spring. “The study group has come forward with a balanced first set of recommendations. These reflect'a clear commitment to all women at Penn State,” Eastridge said. Calder Square II 25% off! Our entire stock Nothing held back Fashions from Fall, Holiday and even Spring All with a Gia-Gia label, designed and crafted by these marvelous fashion houses Cambridge Dry Goods Persons • French Connection C.P.Shades • Genesis High Speed • Paris Blues Triangle • Creative Force Now as never before is the time to stock up! P.S. Open Sunday December 14 th , Sunday, December 21 st , 12:00-4:00. The Dail lan Thursd
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