All the latest from Go Ask Alice

Here are the latest Q & As from Go Ask Alice (see below) Topics covered below include ‘Marijuana and Ritalin’, ‘Orgasms and making babies?’, ‘Itchy legs?’ and lots more…

The latest Go Ask Alice book is available in the Wellness Centre at the back of The Hub - drop in any time for a read.

Remember, if you have problems or worries you feel you would like to talk about confidentially, contact Cindy Dring, Health Promotion Officer for NUI Galway at 091-492048. Alternatively e-mail her at cindy.dring@nuigalway.ie or just drop in to Aras Ni Eimhigh.

New and updated Q&As for the week of January 17, 2014

Best protein toppings for my salad?

Marijuana and Ritalin
Orgasms and making babies?
Fainting and low pain tolerance
Are epsom salts a safe laxative?

Theme of the Week

Lettuce Turnip the Beet

New and updated Q&As for the week of January 10, 2014

Sexual attraction and menstrual cycles

Boosting my booty
How do I know when I'm no longer hungry?
Hookah pipes - More or less harmful than cigarettes?
Itchy legs?

Theme of the Week

Pain Relief 

Copyright (C) 2014 Columbia University All rights reserved.

Debate about benefits and risks of fruit drinks and smoothies

A debate is now emerging amongst researchers over fruit drinks and smoothies. Are they beneficial or are they a risk? Should they be included as one of your five a day portions of fresh fruit and vegetables? Below is a summary of some of the debate. Please feel free to add your comment to this article. Its always good to know what other people think.

 

Dr Susan Jebb, Professor of Diet and Population Health in the Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford was recently quoted by the Sunday Times and later The Guardian as saying: "Fruit juice isn't the same as intact fruit and it has got as much sugar as many classical sugar drinks. It is also absorbed very fast so by the time it gets to your stomach your body doesn't know whether it's Coca-Cola or orange juice, frankly.’ Read full article at Fruit juice should not be part of your five a day, says government adviser

 

A previous article in The Guardian highlighted research in Singapore that showed that people who eat whole fruit have a reduced risk of developing the obesity-linked type 2 diabetes, whereas those who drank fruit juice were at increased risk. See Full article at:Smoothies and fruit juices are a new risk to health, US scientists warn

At the moment in Ireland the safefood campaign still lists smoothies as being one of the five portions of fresh fruit and veg. It should also be noted that despite the ongoing debate, safefood provides very positive advice on healthy eating. Of particular interest to students is the safefood fact sheet that shows the sugar content of everyday drinks including smoothies and fruit drinks. Whilst the chart is aimed at parents of young children it is worth everybody checking it out. See: Drinks Guide 

What the debate over smoothies and fruit drinks highlights is that the best food to eat is that which is nearest to its natural state. For more healthy advice about food check out:

Food Is FunMyths about food, weight and body image 

The Mediterranean Diet

Energy drinks will have a negative impact on your exams and studies 

If you are worried about food and body image a good website to check out is ProYouth 

To keep up to date follow Risky Bizzness on @RBizzness

Tonight! The wonderful Moth & Butterfly storytelling session. All welcome

Lovers of stories and good company will be glad to hear that there is a Moth and Butterfly storytelling session on tonight. I was so impressed by the Moth and Butterfly storytelling session that I went to in June that I wrote a review in my blog 

Here’s all you need to know about tonight's show, courtesy of the Moth & Butterfly crew:

Moth & Butterfly - A Night of Storytelling and Improvisation.

The Theme for January 2014's show is 'IN THE BEGINNING'

Calling all listeners, storytellers, improvisers. Join us for an exciting monthly night at The Townhouse Bar. We will be hearing great stories, telling great stories, and making up great stories. Wednesday 15th is our next show, and is the first of 2014

Each night has a theme and 'Moth' stories are true stories that must include the tellers themselves! These stories can be up to about 10 minutes long (with a bit of a grace period, and a shorter story is fine!). All stories are told (not read - no notes allowed) all types of true story, happy, sad, zany etc are welcome. There will also be a space for improvised stories and fictional stories that fit the theme of the evening. No pressure to be funny - laughter, crying, scowling, amazement are all equally welcome.

The Moth and Butterfly Crew will be hosting the night and we'll be asking for stories from the floor, and would love for you to give it a try, particularly if you haven't done one before. "I loved it!" is generally the response from anyone who's done one, so now that you know how much fun it is...

Admission on the night is €5
Doors at 8PM - get there on time - or pop in a little earlier for some dinner? Upstairs at The Townhouse (downstairs!) have just started a wonderful new menu courtesy of Yum Tree kitchen. Very reasonable and delicious

Please like our page and check out our full description to find out full details about how it all works:

If you know you would like to tell a story, you can always email us in advance to:
mothandbutterflystories@gmail.com
We're excited, look forward to seeing you there.

Upstairs at The Townhouse, 6-7 Quay lane, Spanish Parade, Galway City, Galway City Galway, Ireland

Click here for a map to the Moth and Butterfly show 

To keep up to date follow Risky Bizzness on @RBizzness

Laugh 'til you Fart!

Farts are funny. There’s no getting away from it. Even Dante had to throw a few bottom blasts into his masterpiece just to keep the narrative rolling along. In an age before the internet Dante had the demon Barbariccia communicating over long distances by making ‘a trumpet of his ass.’ (The Divine Comedy: Inferno.Canto XXI). Beckett, of course, was a great man for the farts.

One of the greatest farting scenes in world literature is that in the Bash Street Kids Annual 2007. The kids and their teacher take a trip to the deserts of Eygpt, wherein Fatty eats a huge bake bean sandwich and then lets rip with a fart so massive and majestic that he rises into the air like a rocket as the sands below are blasted away revealing an ancient pyramid…

But farts work best as a visual gag… Here’s one of Ireland’s most hilarious contributions to the Farting Hall of Fame.

I have to admit that I’ve not yet mentioned farts either in my blog articles or in my published books. But I have written plenty of funny stuff that, to quote a reader, 'made me laugh so hard I farted.’

Here then are some of my wittier articles. Hopefully they will get your new year off to a loud and happy start. Enjoy!

Monkeys, Flat Mates & Deep Fryers

Galway's Latest Porn Movie!

The Dangers of ‘Modern’Dancing! 

An erotic (if cautionary) winter's tale...

To keep up to date follow Risky Bizzness on @RBizzness

Free Tai-Chi workshops

As part of his MA in Health Promotion Zhen Yang will be running free Tai-Chi Workshop for NUI G students every Wednesday from 17:00-18:30, starting from 15th January.

Zhen Yang doing Tai-Chi

The workshops take place in the SPACE, which is up the stairs on your left when you come into Áras na Mac Léinn / StudentCentre. 

About Tai-Chi. Tai-Chi is an ancient Chinese internal martial art system, which combines profound principles, theories and martial art techniques. The slow, soft and continuously flowing movements appear mysterious on the surface. However, it is the cultivation of one's internal energy, mind and the physical body that make it so unique and challenging. To generate relaxation, Tai-Chi practice requires a deep level of concentration and a focused mind, thus allowing the mind to lead and guide the body's energy. Tai-Chi is not only a martial art, but has also been widely acknowledged as being an effective health exercise. 

Clothing requirements for workshops: Participants should wear sportswear - no jeans or skirts.  

Places are limited so to book a place please contact Zhen Yang at:  Z.YANG1@nuigalway.ie

To keep up to date follow Risky Bizzness on @RBizzness

Can electronic cigarettes help me quit smoking?

With a new year comes new resolutions and new worries and there’s no doubt some of the biggest worries are over smoking and weight.

The latest articles from Columbia University’s Go Ask Alice cover these two subjects and a lot more. Click the links below and see what you think. If you find the articles useful pass the word on.

Can electronic cigarettes help me quit smoking?

Energy drinks and weight loss?

Can an unhealthy relationship become healthy?

Arousal while breastfeeding

Difficulty maintaining eye contact

The latest Go Ask Alice book is available in the Wellness Centre at the back of The Hub - drop in any time for a read.

Remember, if you have problems or worries you feel you would like to talk about confidentially, contact Cindy Dring, Health Promotion Officer for NUI Galway at 091-492048. Alternatively e-mail her at cindy.dring@nuigalway.ie or just drop in to Aras Ni Eimhigh.

Here are related articles in riskybizzness that may also be of interest to you:

For those thinking of dieting have a look at

Myths about food, weight and body image

And smokers and non-smokers alike will enjoy

Handy tips on fighting zombies

To keep up to date, follow this blog on @RBizzness

Amazing art classes starting soon.

Illustration by Marina Wild from Galway Bay Folk Tales

The Arts & Theatre office will run a number of lunchtime and evening art classes  with artist and tutor Marina Wild at the Art Room, upstairs in Áras na Mac Léinn, NUI Galway. 

Commencing the week of January 20 for staff, students and the general public.  All are welcome.  

See details below for times and prices.

Tuesdays       1.00 - 2.00pm	Beginners Drawing & Painting	€55.00 8 weeks
Wednesdays  1.00 - 2.00pm	Drawing & Painting – all levels	€55.00 8 weeks
Wednesdays  5.30 - 7.00pm	Drawing & Painting – all levels	€80.00 8 weeks
Thursdays   5.30 - 7.00pm	Drawing & Painting – all levels	€80.00 8 weeks

 See also www.marinawild.com/classes

For further details regarding the course content and materials required, please contact Deirdre at ext. 5098 or deirdre.lydon@nuigalway.ie at the Arts & Theatre office, Room 105, Áras na Mac Léinn.