Happy Meal 1 Year Later- Still WAY too happy.

These pictures depict a home study that a nutritionist created to display the harmful effects of McDonald's food on a child's body.

STUDY =

• Joann Bruso put a happy meal hamburger and fries into a closet for a period of ONE YEAR

• The picture on the right displays the results.
  

Other than looking a little wilted, the year old hamburger BARELY changed. Joann Bruso took on this study to reveal how McDonald's cannot possibly be ok for children to eat considering the amount of preservatives it clearly contains.

"Food is supposed to decompose, go bad and smell foul eventually. The fact that it has not decomposed shows you how unhealthy it is for children."

Some people commented on previous blogs about this issue stating that this is not shocking because food decomposition is climate-dependant and thus lots of food does not get mouldy quickly. In certain parts of the world (France is an example), people shop for their bread DAILY. Food is supposed to spoil, especially anything made with yeast, and not last forever. The always-efficient North American culture added preservatives to our baked goods so we wouldn't have to go shopping as often and so that our food would last. However, Fast Food is expected to be just that. Fast. It is meant to be eaten immediately. That being the case, why is it so full of preservatives that it doesn't change over time?

I leave you with just one thought: Gross.

A new trend in the food industry will likely (and hopefully) be preservative-free!

Check out McSpotlight for some perspective.

Body Detox: Fact or Fiction?

A body detox/cleanse is said to rid the body of harmful toxins and leave the person feeling healthier and more energetic. Critics argue that this process is not backed by science, rather its simply a marketing scheme for companies to make money by encouraging and promoting body detoxification.

It has even been argued that the 'toxins' you attempt to rid your body of do not actually exist. However, the human body at death decomposes more slowly than it did 30 years ago. This is evidence for the fact that our generation consumes a higher amount of preservatives and synthetic chemicals than previous generations.

I believe that people SHOULD detox every once in a while due to the fact that we do absorb so many preservatives and pollutants. However, I don't think you need drops, a book, a package or anything else to help you cleanse your system.

An article I read listed 9 Quick Detox Methods and one of these was the Lemonade Diet. For 10 days you eat no solid foods and just drink a lemonade mixture. I have heard of other detoxes like this and I warn you that any weight lost is put right back on as soon as you start eating solid foods again. It is definitely not healthy to eat nothing for 10 days and I think this misconception is one of the reasons that detoxes have a negative stigma associated with them.

Another article suggested a 17 day cleanse which begins with a 24-hour fast. Once again, I don't think cutting out all food is a healthy beginning to the detox process.

Considering the amount of preservatives and processed foods that the typical person consumes in their lifetime I think that detoxing every so often is a way to give your digestive system some necessary help.

Here is my recommendation for a healthy detox:

• cut out dairy


• cut out gluten


• cut out processed foods


• cut out alcohol


• cut out anything with yeast in it


• cut out sweeteners and added sugars


• cut out tropical fruits


• get lots of sleep

I followed this meal plan for 12 days and felt noticeably lighter, more energetic and revived once I was done. It seems super strict but it is completely doable and definitely worth it! Some tips for making it through:

-almond butter and rice cakes will be your new best friend

-use spices on anything and everything (it's crazy how boring food is without the added processed goodness)

-fresh berries blended with ice make a refreshing and nutritious juice

-choose a time when you know you have 12 days that can be alcohol-free!

PINK - social media campaign analysis

PINK exemplifies targeted marketing and is a brand which truly communicates with its target audience through social media. PINK is a clothing line which was developed by Victoria's Secret to target a younger audience. PINK understands its target audience and proves this by effectively using social media to communicate and drive sales. On the first page of the PINK website you are given the option of becoming a fan of the brand on facebook, following it on Twitter and receiving text messages about upcoming promotions. Clicking the link "PINK Nation" brings you to an interactive page where you become a member to receive exclusive access to promotional videos, discounts and shopping tips.

SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS

• This website exemplifies social interaction and targeted marketing.
• To keep consumers coming back to the website it must constantly be updated. The information on the website is clearly relevant and kept up-to-date considering that when I searched it there was information about Spring Break and clothes to take with you on vacation.
• The website incorporates the target audience's love of music and recommends 10 current songs to rock out to. This will keep consumers coming to the site even when they are not planning on shopping.
• The interactive portion of the website allows the shopper to vote and potentially win a PINK party for their school.
• The Facebook page maintains TWO-way communication between the brand and consumers. It is on this page that people can comment and discuss why they love the brand.
  
• There are multiple tweets each day from the brand and this keeps followers well-informed.
  

THREATS

• The only real threat I see is future competition from other similar retail brands. PINK jumped on the social media bandwagon first but it is only a matter of time until other brands catch on.
  
• PINK will have to continue to be innovative and stay ahead of the trends with regards to both social and traditional media.
  

Check out Neil's and Catherine's blog for a continuation of this SWOT analysis. Also, check out Aislin's, Christiaan's and Laura's blog for a POST analysis of this website.

Tanning WITHOUT health risks

My 5 minutes of fame- courtesy of Global News


It is well-known that excessive sun exposure causes skin damage and can lead to skin cancer. In our beauty-obsessed society people still seem to choose a beautiful tan over their health. Up to 80% of people under the age of 25 believe they look better with a tan. This may explain why the number of new cases of melanoma (skin cancer) is growing, while the rate of other types of cancer is leveling off.

Sunless tanning was created as a response to growing concern that there is a link between sun exposure and skin cancer. Spray tans are NOT a form of spray painting or dying the body, as some people assume. Rather, the spray contains dihydroxacetane (DHA) and the resulting 'tan' is a chemical reaction between the DHA and the amino acids in the layer of dead skin cells. This chemical reaction is similar to how the inside of an apple turns brown when it is exposed to the air. This product is completely safe and can even be used by pregnant women!

A couple of my classmates and I recently tried spray tanning. Naturally, we got our spray tans on Global TV. Global was doing a story on spray tanning parties and so the 4 of us gave our opinions on the matter, got a spray tan, and then revealed to the world the finished product. I would definitely recommend it as a safe alternative to sun exposure. Although we got our tans for free, it is pretty pricey, each spray tan costs about $60. However, I think it is definitely worth is before a big event or even before you go away somewhere so that "you have some colour on the beach." (I stand by the line I said on TV)

For more tanning facts click here.

Check out aislin's blog for a look at the do's and don'ts of being on Global TV.


Below is the 4 of us with our spray tans. Looks pretty legit to me!

the new vegetarian = "FLEXITARIANISM"

First there was the vegetarian. Then, the vegan. Now, the flexitarian? Flexitarians are people who eat meat once in a while but try to avoid it when they can. Ok, so i get that it seems silly to even have a word for this- either don't eat meat or do...no one really cares. But, I have to admit that I myself am a flexitarian. Oh, I've tried to practice complete vegetarianism. It went a little something like this:

day one:

Breakfast - going well....no meat in cereal necccessary.

Lunch- good thing I like veggie wraps!

Dinner- at a barbeque. damn. ....pass me a burger.

Just for fun I found some other interesting labels for people who aren't full-fledged vegetarians:

Pescetarianism are people who classify as vegetarians but also eat fish.

Pollotarianism are people who classify as vegetarians but also eat poultry. Poultry is chicken. Chicken is meat. Umm, so aren't pollotarians the opposite of vegetarians? just sayin.

Back to flexitarianism, I am a flexitarian because I don't want to be one of those annoying people who goes to your house and requires a completely different menu than everyone else, but I think the healthier option is to consume as little red meat as possible. Annnd, I admit, I like being able to label myself as different from the general meat eating public.

Lots of people are trying to eat less red meat for health reasons and also for environmental reasons. Red meat contains high amounts of saturated fats and has been correlated to increased risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Regular consumption of red meat is linked to arthritis. It takes 78 calories of fossil fuel to produce just 1 calorie of beef protein. Cattle used for meat use up a ton of our planet's water resources. Check out this article for more reasons why being a vegetarian helps the planet.

So I say jump on the flexitarian band wagon and don't look back.

This article gives some great tips on making the switch to vegetarianism.