Binge Drinking....Not Good!

          The article “Binge drinking raises diabetes risk by damaging the brain: study” discusses a new study done in Mount Sinai School of Medicine.  It found that binge drinking can raise the risk of diabetes later in life.  Binge drinking is defined as 4 drinks within 2 hours for a woman, and 5 drinks within 2 hours for a man.  The study was done on a group of rats.  One group of rats was given alcohol for 3 days and the other group, which was the control, was given only sugar calories.  The group of rats that were given had higher level of plasma insulin.  Insulin is a hormone that reduces blood sugar by helping cells take in glucose.  Higher level of plasma insulin is a sign of diabetes, because it shows the insulin is not being processed.  Not only that, they rats also had inflammation in their brain.  This proved that binge drinking caused diabetes by messing with the brain.  The part of the brain that it affects is the hypothalamus, which is a major endocrine organ.  It controls metabolism, and helps the body process insulin.  When the brain is swollen, the body becomes insulin resistant.  When the researchers blocked the protein that caused the inflammation, the rats were able to process insulin again.  Initially scientists thought insulin resistance in binge drinkers were due to liver damage, but this study proved them wrong.

          This article proves yet another way that alcohol is harmful to the body.  Alcohol is already known to contribute to obesity and liver damage.  There are also many accidents due to drunk drivers.  Now it causes brain inflammation and diabetes.  Why would any individual want to put themselves through so much torture?  Diabetes is already a huge problem in today’s society, and alcohol is contributing further to the problem.  I think bars should have more limits in alcohol consumption to at least try and limit the problem.  Also individuals need to think and behave more responsibly.  

Work  Cited

Miller, Tracy. "Binge Drinking Raises Diabetes Risk by Damaging the Brain: Study ." NY Daily News. Perle Vision, 30 Jan. 2013. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. <http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/binge-drinking-ups-diabetes-risk-damaging-brain-article-1.1251457>.

The Concept of Teamwork (Hobbit)

            In the book The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien I thought the theme of always working together was very important. I also agree that in real life it is teamwork that makes a person who he or she is.

            Throughout the book Bilbo and his friends all face many troubles. When Thorin was captured by the spider demon, Bilbo and the other dwarves went to save him. Teamwork is what allowed them to save Thorin and defeat the demon. While some dwarves were holding the net the others were stabilizing the bridge, so their leader could make it back safely. If the bridge wasn’t being held up then I am pretty sure everybody would have died right there on the spot.

            I can also connect teamwork to real-world connections. People may think teamwork is just a way to get things completed in shorter amounts of time, but it is more than that. Teamwork is very special because if the cooperation of one person or thing can really make a difference. If there was no teamwork in the world then the world will start collapsing one by one with the domino effect. People will continue to become independent and wouldn’t need anybody in their lives. When I was back in Kindergarten and 1^st grade I had HORRIBLE English. Thanks to the “teamwork” of my friends and teacher I speak English much more fluently than my own language, and one day I will probably be fluent with my own language.

            Therefore, teamwork is a very big deal. Without it life wouldn’t be right and Bilbo expresses that in The Hobbit by protecting his friends.