Features

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PICTURE BY JESSICA MARTINEZ

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take it from the team: 
New year's Resolutions

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY CORINNE KRONSCHNABEL AND ALEXXUS HART

The new year is right around the corner! Following through is not always a high schooler’s forte, but it is always good to have goals. To inspire you to create your own resolutions, the Howler’s have created their own!

Julio Garcia: My resolution is to learn the basics of the guitar, and to fight the Fire Lord so I can beat the Fire Nation. 
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​Kristen Leer: To be able to end high school, looking back, proud of what I’ve accomplished. Knowing this isn’t my peak and that I’ll achieve greater things in the coming years. Also, to develop better study habits in preparation for college.


Valerie Mecha: I want to help out around the house more to help alleviate the stress that is on my parents. I also want to continue to put 110% into everything I do. Lastly I really want to do some reading, because my “to read” list is not getting any smaller any time soon.


Eva Szocik: My New Year’s resolution is to keep making resolutions - to keep making goals and sticking to them.


​Katie Gillingham: I want to block out more and more negativity in my life and keep up with positivity and optimism. ​

​Alexis Torres: My New Year's resolution is to participate in more activities and take more opportunities that are given to me.


Freedom Gobel: I plan to start the year off with positivity and carry that out throughout the year.  And maybe I should stop taking so many naps. I also want to practice the piano everyday to get better.

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Madelyn Drury: As many seem to say, I want to start the New Year determined to be healthier, and stick with a healthier lifestyle. I also want to practice my guitar and study habits a bit more than I do now.
 

Morgan Stark: My New Year's resolution is to manage my time better between all aspects of my life and one of my other goals rather than a resolution is to cut red meat out of my diet.
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Submit your new year’s resolutions and they will be published in next month’s edition!

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This Year in emojis

CREATED BY JEROMY WILL

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2016 How TO: Stick to your resolutions

CREATED BY GABBY NEWTON
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Water You Doing?!

WRITTEN BY LEO ESPINOZA
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Energy Drinks
Energy Drinks are a Monster of a Problem

​Some people love energy drinks so much they drink them in place of having a normal breakfast. Products from brands like Monster, Red Bull, NOS, and Rockstar, are now being drunk as much as fruit juice. However, there is more than meets the eye. Who would have known that these drinks shouldn’t even be drunk by teens? The ingredients can cause health problems that can lead to death. The overuse of energy drinks can cause some people to form a habit, but stopping can mean a change for the better.
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Energy Drinks Are A Whole Bunch Of NO’S
Addiction

The head and brain are very important to functioning. However, the over consumption of energy drinks can take a toll on those vital organs. First, the need for caffeine produces feelings of withdrawal when inaccessible, similar to what may be experienced with drugs. This period of separation can cause headaches and migraines. They can become addictive and can become a habitual part of life for some. This, like any drug, can cause lack of focus and can even become a financial burden given the amount of money that is spent on purchases.

Heart Problems

The heart is a very sensitive organ and muscle. Too much of something can be devastating to the body’s well being. Energy drinks are so sugary that they cause forceful heart contractions, thus causing an arrhythmic heart rate. The inconsistent heart rate can then cause many other problems, such as cardiac arrest, especially for people who have existing heart conditions already. Another study by the National Poison Data Center says that between 2009-2011 there were 4,854 calls to the Poison Control Center in regards to energy drink related concerns. The worst part is that 51% of those were children who had gotten sick from energy drinks. In addition to those studies, there was another study by the Mayo Clinic that links teen energy drink consumption to cardiac events that can be life threatening.

Blood Pressure

Another problem is the high blood pressure that is associated with energy drink consumption. With continuous intake of such beverages, people with a history for high blood pressure could potentially suffer from a stroke. This kind of occurrence has mostly been associated with the energy drink “Rockstar,” according to a study by the Mayo Clinic.

Ingredient Issues

The ingredients in these energy drinks are the underlying problem. Too much caffeine can influence people to engage in risky behaviour because of the anxiety it creates. This can then lead to bodily injury or even criminal prosecution. These drinks can cause jitters which lead to emotional issues and/or anxiety. These feelings of nervous cause interference with daily tasks. Shaky hands from caffeine overdoses, for example, reduce grip. A study in Australia by the National Heart Foundation of Australia said that even 250mL of energy drinks can increase anxiety in people.

Caffeine

Caffeine is known to keep people awake. Energy drinks have caffeine, a stimulant, which wards off feelings of fatigue. This becomes a problem when the consumer wants to go to sleep. In extreme cases, too many energy drinks can cause insomnia. Insomnia is the inability to sleep at night which can come from many causes. However, anxiety is one of the causes and caffeine causes anxiety because that is its job.

Medicine

Another reason to be wary of energy drinks is how it affects your body when taken in combination with medicine(s). Certain ingredients can interact with medicine in negative ways, in the same way that alcohol is terrible with medicine. Side effects most often appear in those who take antidepressants according to caffeineinformer.com. Some can create feelings of uneasiness, while others are potentially fatal.

Niacin

Niacin, also known as Vitamin B3, is essential to life - however, too much of anything can be dangerous. Many energy drinks contain niacin in order to boost energy as is their claim. The symptoms of an overdose are:

• Skin Flushing (blushing in certain areas of the skin causing areas of heat)
• Dizziness
• Rapid Heart Rate
• Vomiting
• Gout (a little bit of phlegm on the throat)
• Diarrhea

Diabetes

The excessive amounts of sugar found in products like energy drinks are Type 2 diabetes is the disease that is caused by the wearing out of the pancreas’ ability to process sugar. Insulin is low and one cannot eat as many sweets as before. The sugar in these drinks is a lot and the best recommendation is to not exceed the drinks.

Vomiting

Moderation is necessary, because too much can cause vomiting and if vomiting wasn’t enough there are complications with vomiting, too. There is first the acid that is spewed out which erodes the areas through which it passes. It erodes the esophagus and burns it. Another thing affected by the acid are teeth. Teeth look great for that job interview but they have to be in good condition to impress. The acid erodes the enamel of the teeth leading to weaker, uglier teeth.

Allergies

Another thing to be wary of, just like with any other food, is allergies. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. People with this sensitivity can become sick from drinking energy drinks and experience symptoms such itching of the body and airway constriction.

In The End
What to Do

Many people don’t want to leave their energy drinks. So what should they do? They should start by drinking no more than 250 mL of energy drinks a day. Also, they should make a point to avoid Rockstar brand of energy drinks since it is the one with the worst effects. Of course none of these drinks were ever intended to be harmful. However, it’s mostly the fault of consumers: complaints filed against energy drink companies are often because of misuse and/or overuse. Drinking in moderation is key.

Sources:
Top 14 Energy Drink Dangers. (n.d). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://www.caffeineinformer.com/top-10-energy-drinks-dangers

Gout Definition. (n.d). Retrieved December 5, 2015, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gout?s=t

What’s Causing My Skin to Flush? (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2015, from http://www.healthline.com/health/skin-blushing-flushing

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Staying healthy in 2016

CREATED BY MADELYN DRURY