What is the function an apple provides for our body?

You mean besides keeping the doctor away and answering your questions?!!  

Resecent research has shown that eating an apple or drinking apple juice each day may help reduce the levels of “bad cholesterol” (LDL) in your body.  Basically, this means apples help prevent some damage that fatty foods may cause.  Apples are packed with vitamins and fiber; both of which you need to keep healthy.     

After dinner, I always sit on my desk to read or watch tv. right away. My mom told me it was’t good for my digestion. She told me to wash dishes or take a walk for about 30 minutes right after dinner before I do any reading. Do you agree or disagree with her? Why?

Mike,

There are many opinions regarding “what is best to do after a meal.”  In order to devise your own, I think it is important to understand what your body is actually doing during digestion.  Depending on what you ate will dictate what level of activity your body is ready for after a meal. 

Basically, during digestion, your body directs more blood to your abdomen to help aid the process.  Those muscles need the extra blood in order to sustain thier activity.  You body’s re-direction of the blood supply leaves less blood for the muscles located in the rest or your body, such as your arms and legs.  If you were to have an intense work out right after eating a meal, your body is going to struggle to decide where to send the blood. 

A meal containing a lot of fiber and fat will take longer to digest.  Meals that are high in carbohydrates digest quicker.  Therefore, a good rule of thumb, wait an hour or more to exercise after a heavy meal (400+ calories).

Reading or watching T.V. after a meal will not cause indigestion.  However, it’s probably a good idea to help with the dishes!

Can you please tell me why the bigger goldfish’s respiratory rate is slower than the smaller goldfish?

Hi Mike!

A fish’s respiratory rate is dependent on several factors. Essentially, how much oxygen a fish consumes per breath depends on the mass of the fish, the temperature of the water, their respiratory health status, and their basal metabolic rate which is determined by their stress level and digestion. Any one of these factors will create variation in the “normal” rate.

Assuming their respiratory function is healthy (your fish does not have asthma), to get the most accurate test results, make sure your fish are the same for all factors except their mass. For example, you may want to separate the fish. Keep them in their own environments. That way, you know they are not causing stress for each other. Take your measurements at the same time of the day, before feeding, so that their metabolism will be at its base rate. Also, keep them in the same size containers and in the same room so that their water temperature will be comparable. Again, you want to make everything the same as much as possible.

This will ensure that you are only testing how their size affects their respiratory rate. Some studies have shown that the greater the mass of the fish, the more oxygen it will consume in a given time period. However, to verify this association, you must control for all variables other than mass and make precise and accurate measurements.

Good luck on your project! Have fun!!

What is Macular Degeneration?

Macular degeneration is a disease that weakens one’s ability to see sharp central images. 

Macular refers to the macula, a portion of the retina that is responsible for your “detail” vision.  Degeneration means to break down.  Therefore, as the macula begins to break down, one cannot normally process images. 

Macular degeneration can be classified into two categories, dry (non-neovascular) or wet (neovascular).   

As one ages, the macular tissue begins to thin.  The thinning can cause deposits to build up on the macula.  This process is known as dry macular degeneration, which is the most common form.  Wet macular degeneration occurs when new blood vessels grow beneath the retina near the macula.  They produce fluids that inhibit the macular function; thereby causing blind spots in vision.   

What are the dark areas/spots on the lungs?

Guests of the museum have the opportunity to participate in an interactive demononstration of the effects of smoking on the lungs.   A comparison is made between a pair of pig lungs, one of which is healthy and the other is diseased from smoking.

A network of branching airsacs called alveoli bring oxygen into the lungs and expel carbon dioxide from the body.  When these sacs become filled with toxins and tar from smoking, they collapse and no longer function.  They appear dark and gummy to the naked eye.  

The American Lung Association estimates that 440,000 Americans die each year from diseases related to smoking.  Furthermore, secondhand smoke includes close to 69 known cancer causing agents.  Even smokless tobacco users are at risk for many types of cancer.  Remember, smoking is a choice and all of the harm it causes to the respiratory tract is preventable.       

What makes turkey meat different colors?

Muscles that are used for sustained activity, like flying, or walking, contain high levels of myoglobin.  This makes the muscle appear darker in color.  Myoglobin is a chemical that transports oxygen.  Muscles that are used for short periods of time do not need as much myoglobin, therefore, are lighter in color. 

Thanks for the question and have a perky turkey day!!

My teacher said our veins carry blue blood. My mom says we have dark red blood in our veins and bright red blood in our arteries. Who is right?

Kendall,

The body does not have blue blood.  The terms “red” and “blue” are used in diagrams in order to show the difference in oxygentated and deoxygenated blood. 

All blood is red. 

However, arterial blood, blood traveling in your arteries, is rich is oxygen while venous blood, blood traveling in your veins, is a darker red.  It is poor in oxygen.  It only appears “blue” in your veins because the skin actually diffuses light.  Blood does not reflect light well, so as light travels through your skin, the reflected color is a dark, deep bluish red color.   

What happened to my ankle when I sprained it? I couldn’t walk on it for one day. Why?

Great Question Bryan! When an ankle is “sprained”  that means a ligament in your ankle was either torn or stretched. Depending on the severity of the stretch or tear, you will experience different levels of discomfort.  Essentially, the body’s response to this kind of trauma is bleeding or swelling.  A complete tear of the ligament would have immobilized you.  The joint would be unstable and there would be dramatic swelling and pain.  A simple stretch of the tendon would result in mild pain and swelling.  The joint would be uncomfotable to walk on for a day or two, but not immobilizing.  Therefore, your ankle would feel tender and painful when used.   The good news, once the swelling and bruising has reduced, you will be able to regain flexibility in your ankle again.  Get some rest and be careful!

How can one prevent too much protein from building up in the eye?

Protein build up in the eye can occur in two very different ways. 

First, and most often, protein buildup in the eye occurs with specific types of contact lenses,  rigid gas permeable lenses and soft extended wear contacts.  Basically, your tears contain certain proteins.  These proteins can be deposited on your lenses.  If you wear your lenses too long, build up will occur.  To prevent this, use special cleaning solutions to dissolve the proteins and remember to replace you lenses as recommended by your doctor. 

Second, naturally occuring proteins in your eye can become disorganized not only with damaging exposures to radiation and UV light, but also with increasing age .  The lens is made mostly of water and proteins which are arranged in a specific way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it. In time, some of the protein may clump together.  This casues a small area of the lens to cloud.  Doctors call that clump a cataract!  Over time, it may grow larger and make it very hard to see!  There are no known preventions for cataracts.  However, good eye health starts with a healthy diet and wearing your sunglasses while outside! 

Hello Everyone!!

Welcome to my new blog!

My name is Apple A. Day, and I am The Health Museum mascot. I am all about fun (as long as it is safe and healthy fun of course!) and am smiling bright because there is always something new and exciting going on at the Museum.

If you are wondering…The Health Museum is an interactive and entertaining science experience for all ages that promotes understanding and appreciation of the human body, mind, and spirit and inspires a lifelong commitment to health and wellness.

Come join me for hours of fun investigation!  We’re all about you!

To ask me a question, just click on the “Ask a Question” tab above.