Besser+John


 * 2C. Breast Cancer**

a. At first I thought that a double mastectomy as a preventative treatment was a bit rash, to say the least. But then I read the Times Article Mrs. Jolie wrote and learned that it wasn't so black and white. Some women have an increased chance of developing breast cancer, due to a mutation in one of or both BRCA genes. Like Angelina, some women have such a high risk of developing breast cancer that it feels like only a matter of time before they get it. For some, a double mastectomy would be the best option. However, because Jolie is in the position of being a role model, some women will do what she did, and get a preventative mastectomy, even though they don't have a high genetic risk of developing breast cancer like her. In fact, these women don't increase their chances for survival by getting these preventative surgeries. Perhaps only those with a family history of breast cancer should get a preventative mastectomy, because only a history of such cancer hints of a mutation of the BRCA genes. If someone is worried about developing breast cancer, they should take the necessary precautions, get proper testing done, and determine that a double mastectomy is the best option before they go under the knife.

b. It is absolutely ridiculous that a company can own a patent on a human gene. Myriad Genetics owns patents on the BRCA 1 and 2 genes, and they are the only company that can provide tests to determine whether or not someone has a mutation of one or both of those genes. This is absurd because the tests need to be open to everyone, but they aren't because of their high cost, and they cost so much, about $3,000, because Myriad Genetics has a monopoly and can charge whatever they want. I understand the necessity of the patent; without it, and the ability to charge whatever you want because of it, there would be no incentive to do any research on these genes. But so much more research could be done on these genes and so many more people could be helped if the patent were to cease to exist. We need to find a better way to motivate companies to do research on human genes; perhaps with government research grants. The more people we have doing research, the more we can learn how the human body works and figure out how to fix it when it breaks down. A patent on genes is a rather inefficient way to learn more about the human genome, especially since the business involved is helping people. The best way to help the most people is to make research on the subject more competitive; monopolies raise the cost of whatever comes from the research, giving only those with enough money the option to use it. Stifling competition is a very bad idea, especially in an industry where competition, and consequently innovation, means the difference between saving more lives than less.
 * Fetal Pig Dissection**




 * 13. You Are What You Eat.**


 * Diet Report:** After seeing my diet recorded, and not how I remember it, it surprisingly varied quite differently from day to day, and was pretty unhealthy at times; quite the eye-opener. The only aspect that remained the same throughout the week was the amount of protein I consumed, which stayed well over the recommended daily amount; justifiable only due to the level of intense activity exercised throughout the week, but that too varied from day to day. One thing I found terrifying and in need of rectification is the amount of sodium I ingested over the week. Only on one day out of the five recorded I stayed just barely below the recommended amount of 2300 mg. The other days averaged at around 3000 mg and one even went as high as 5200 mg. One good thing that I can say for sure is that unhealthy things, at least when consumed in large amounts, like dairy and sugar, stayed well below the recommended amount. I ate a lot of fats as well, but they were generally healthy, mostly olive oil. One thing as well, that I try my hardest to enjoy but falter mostly, are kale shakes that I drink down at least several times a week. I get around five cups of vegetables and some fruit as well, to make it palatable, with each serving. This is my boon that allows me to eat so radically differently and unhealthily most of the time, which I need to fix desperately. I feel like I'm lying to my body, because I drink these shakes but eat extremely unhealthily the rest of the time. One thing I've tried to fix is cooking my food rather than heating it up in the microwave, which seems to cut down on my sodium intake by quite a bit, and the food I make tastes better as well. Overall, I eat relatively well, but I tend to go overboard. When I find something out on the counter that looks tasty, even though I'm not hungry when I see it, I find myself thinking, "I can have it just this one time, because I probably won't ever see it again." I have also noticed that I have this thought often. I need to grab the reins and take control of what I put into my body, because it matters more than I'd like to admit, especially after realizing how unhealthily I actually eat.


 * Times Article:** Before skimming the article again to remember what I've read a few days before, I'd just like to say that I thought it was absolutely fantastic how inhuman the process of creating and selling food is these days. The idea of a hyper-palatable salty-sweet food that leaves you craving more, created in a lab, is mind blowing and kind of absurd. The process of its creation is even more- I can't even think of the proper word to describe it; amazing, to say the least. I can't even grasp the concept of a "Bliss Point" where the food is sweet, salty, and fatty, but not too much of each, just enough to grab the most customers. I also thought it fascinating how the scientists who worked on these "foods" felt regret afterward. It's a shame that the companies who make these foods do it solely for the money, and don't even try to contemplate the repercussions on their customers; they just try to make the food taste good. The problem isn't even how unhealthy the snacks are, it's the way they are made; tasty but not filling, allowing someone to eat a whole bag's worth in one sitting and not even realize it. But hey, the consumer is king, right? They choose to buy the food and I have no right to impose my feelings on them. It's just hard to watch when I see kids overwhelmingly prefer the junk food their parents buy them to the more healthful home-cooked meal; it must hurt for the parent who made dinner for them to be so easily rejected like that. Something else I found unfortunate is how Companies, like Coca Cola, are really aggressive and try to squeeze as much money as possible out of, well, everybody, but especially poorer areas. Places like the //fravelas// in Brazil, are being drained of what little money they have because the Coca Cola being sold down there is sold in smaller containers, making it more affordable. "These people need a lot of things, but they don’t need a Coke. I almost threw up.” said Jeffrey Dunn, president of Coca Cola at the time this article was written. There seems to be a lot of regret in the junk food industry, which is good, because it means that the people in charge are still human, at least those not influenced by greed, seeing as how this is a billion dollar industry. Food should be made in the kitchen, not a lab with computers calculating the "Bliss Point."