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Are you living a Sedentary lifestyle?
Yayra Kponyoh| September 2025
Do you spend half of your day on your butt? Do you lack significant physical activity in your everyday life? Does your free time mostly consist of device usage? If so, I’d truly hate to break it to you, but you are absolutely living a sedentary lifestyle! I bet you have a bunch of questions right now, like: What does ‘sedentary’ even mean? And what truly qualifies as a sedentary lifestyle? What does a sedentary lifestyle lead to? Don’t worry, I am here to explain to y’all what all of this means and what I’m trying to get at. What does it mean?To start, being sedentary means spending too much time seated or being somewhat inactive. So, basically, a sedentary lifestyle involves too much sitting around all day and little to no physical activity.The most common example of what a sedentary lifestyle looks like for teens our age would be lying in bed when you get home from school to doomscroll on TikTok all evening until bedtime. Maybe getting up a few times here and there for a snack or to use the bathroom. Now, I’m not saying doing this every once in a while is bad for you; I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t me most of the time.But let’s say that IS you 24/7. This lifestyle can significantly impact your health now and in the future. According to The Cleveland Clinic, Inactivity increases your risk of aches, pain, and chronic diseases. They also mention that your body sends signals when you lack movement in your daily life. Here are some signs you are too sedentary:
Low energy levels: When you don’t move enough, your metabolism and blood circulation slow down because inactive muscles have less demand. This can make you feel fatigued, even if you’re getting enough sleep at night.
Weight gain: When you burn fewer calories than what you consume, your body stores its energy reserves as fat. Combined with a metabolism that tends to adapt to your activity level, this can lead to gradual weight gain.
Muscle weakness: Sitting too much can lead to physical deconditioning (weakness) and the loss of muscle mass and function. You may even feel numbness in your legs and experience trouble walking over time.
Poor posture: Slouching or hunching for long periods while sitting can lead to rounded shoulders, back strain, and neck pain.
Back and joint pain: Sitting for extended periods can reduce the natural lubrication between your joints and weaken muscles. This can create stiffness and discomfort, particularly in your lower back, hips, and knees.
Unfortunately, that’s not even it. Continuing to stay sedentary leads to bigger and more serious health problems like obesity, heart disease, hypertension, depression, and certain cancers like colon cancer, lung cancer, and more. What am I trying to get at? No, I am not trying to scare you; I am trying to raise awareness about the most common lifestyle among teens and express the dangers of continuing this lifestyle. Now, instead of showering you with only bad news, I am going to explain and encourage you on why you should become more physically active to avoid these health problems before they become present and control your life. Now, I’m not going to tell you to make an effort to go to Planet Fitness every day or adopt a whole 1-hour workout routine. To keep it short ‘n sweet, I’ll just give you a few small tips to start applying to your everyday life to become less sedentary. A little goes a long way. Matthew Solan, the executive editor of Harvard Men’s Health Watch, believes these small exercise tips help you move a little more each day,
- Walk for five minutes every two minutes
- Always stand or walk around when you’re on the phone
- Do a set or two of push-ups against the kitchen counter. “Your body weight is always a good way to strengthen muscles,” says Evelyn O’Neill
- Perform up to 10 reps of stand-and-sit exercises, where you rise from a chair without using your arms and then sit down again to complete one rep
“Also, look for opportunities to do extra movement during regular errands and chores,” says O’Neill. Manager of outpatient exercise programs at the Harvard-affiliated Hebrew Rehabilitation Center.If those aren’t relevant enough for you, don’t worry, I have more! Referring back to the Cleveland Clinic, they also have a few suggestions that might suit your needs. If you drive, instead of parking right up in front of the school, park at the farthest end to get some steps in. Or maybe instead of driving to your local coffee shop, start making an effort to walk there. Whichever one or more of these tips you decide to pick up, I hope you’ve now learned the dangers of continually living a sedentary lifestyle, and whether you decide to change or not, I hope the best for you and your journey.
The sides of technology: We need or don’t?
Ella Harper| September 2025
Technology has gained immense popularity over the past few years, especially in the school system. Students have been using technology 90% of the time for their school work and for other reasons. Technology has effects on students’ learning in both good and bad ways. Students have the ability to look up information for their schoolwork with technology, but students can also use artificial intelligence to write essays for them or to do their math homework. Students enjoy using technology for school work because not only does it make schooling easier, but it also allows students to better understand the work better than doing work on paper.Other countries have banned technology from being used in schools. According to The Guardian, France banned technology and personal devices in schools because students were more focused on their own devices and not focusing on schoolwork. There are many countries that have officially gone back to paper-and-pencil schoolwork. The Guardian also states that some countries, such as Finland, have banned technology for all students. But other countries like ours, the US, have gone almost completely online for schoolwork. Everyone has one-on-one devices solely for schoolwork. Everyone has their own Chromebooks to use in almost every class.Many countries benefit from technology, such as South Korea. According to the International Trade Administration, once COVID-19 started, the rise in technology began, and in recent years, including last year 2024, South Korea spent a total of 6.2 billion USD, and it’s estimated that by the year 2030, they will be spending 10.4 billion USD on technology just for school work. Korea has tightened up policies on having cell phones in school; they have completely banned them starting in March of 2026. The bill banning cell phones in schools in South Korea was passed on Wednesday, August 27th, 2025, and does not go into effect until March next year.
Fluoride In Our Water?
Bridget Johnson | September 2025
When someone tells you there are chemicals in our water, what’s your immediate response? It sounds like a bad thing, right? As it turns out, fluoride is something we want in our water—but it might be taken away.
What is fluoride?
The first step to understanding the effects and legislation of fluoride in our drinking water is to understand what fluoride is. From a scientific standpoint, fluoride is the more stable, ionic form of the element fluorine. In simple terms, fluoride is a chemical found in small amounts in soil, plants, food, and water. Chemical can be a daunting word. However, what a chemical actually is, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is “a substance made up of elements, such as hydrogen or sodium.” The oxygen you breathe in every day is considered a chemical, and just like oxygen, fluoride is naturally occurring. For instance, a cup of raisins contains 0.32 milligrams of fluoride, and a cup of black coffee can contain around 0.22 milligrams of fluoride, according to NIH.
How does fluoride affect us?
Now that you know what fluoride is, how does it affect us? Fluoride greatly reduces the risk of developing cavities and tooth decay. A Cochrane Review in 2015 cited by NIH concluded that fluoridation increased the number of children with no decay in their permanent teeth by 14%. A Cochrane Review in 2011 cited by NIH found that children taking daily supplemental fluoride of 0.5-1 milligrams for 24-55 months had reduced rates of missing, decayed, and filed teeth by 24%. Essentially, repeated studies show that fluoride statistically decreases the rate of tooth decay.A claim made by some that fluoride is not necessary cites statistics that even communities without fluoride in their water have better dental health now than in the 20th century, when fluoridation was first being implemented. However, consider fluoride present in other beverages. Many major drinks, such as Coca-Cola, are made in locations with public drinking water that contains fluoride. According to Johns Hopkins, a leading medical school, these drinks are then distributed to communities without fluoridated drinking water, introducing fluoride into their diet and making it appear as though their dental health increased without access to fluoride.
What are the risks of fluoride?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, is pushing to remove fluoride from our drinking water due to the claim that it has adverse effects. While it is true that excessive amounts of fluoride (>1.5 milligrams per liter) can cause negative side effects, are we really at risk from our communal drinking water?Some frequently cited risks of fluoride include skeletal fluorosis, dental fluorosis, and even cognitive decline (lowering IQ) in children. Skeletal fluorosis can cause joint pain, stiffness, increased bone density, and bone deformities. Dental fluorosis ranges from mild (discoloration of the teeth), which is mainly considered a cosmetic issue, to severe (loss of enamel), which is rare in the US. Both are caused by levels of fluoride 1.5 milligrams per liter or more, according to NIH. The current level of fluoridation for Georgetown, Kentucky, according to the Fluoride Action Network, is only 0.7 milligrams per liter. This is the level recommended by most national, local, and international health services.Studies about cognitive decline in children due to fluoride have been carried out by the National Toxicology Program in several non-US countries, where the children receive around 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter. This level is much higher than is found in the water in Georgetown and most places in the US. These studies seem to show an association between excessive fluoride and lower IQ scores among children, but NIH says, “An association indicates a connection between fluoride and lower IQ; it does not prove a cause and effect.” Overall, the health risks of fluoride are negligible to people living in Georgetown, as our fluoride is at a safe, recommended level.
What’s in store for our drinking water?
Because of the potential risks associated with fluoridated drinking water, multiple figures of the Trump administration, primarily Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are attempting to pass successive legislation that will remove this mineral from our water. Multiple locations, including all of Utah and Florida, have already banned fluoride in their water. In Kentucky, House Bill 16 has made fluoridation programs optional. A proposed amendment to HB 16, sponsored by KY State Representative Mary Lou Marzian, would require the governing body of an area that did not implement fluoridation to reimburse the state government for any dental Medicaid costs that exceeded the costs of the year before fluoridation ended. This would both provide an incentive to keep fluoridation programs in place and potentially supplement the state Medicaid program.
Currently, Georgetown is keeping our fluoridation program in place. However, there is a possibility that future legislation will change that. You can help influence the local and state legislature by writing to your representatives. Keep your eyes open and your teeth healthy.
Rise of the machines?
Lainey Wilkins| September 2025
Envision a world where machines hold the power to cure our diseases, conquer climate crises, and elevate every aspect of our existence. Now, picture those same machines seizing control of our destinies, stripping away our livelihoods, and challenging the essence of what it means to be human. The development of artificial intelligence can be traced back to 1966, when MIT computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum introduced “ELIZA”, one of the first chatbots ever created. “ELIZA” was built to stimulate therapeutic conversations. Later, between 1966 to 1972, researchers at the Stanford Research Institute Artificial Intelligence Center developed “Shakey,” one of the first mobile robots capable of autonomous navigation and interaction. Equipped with sensors and a TV camera, Shakey could analyze visual data to make decisions and move through various environments. In just 53 years, AI has evolved from a research project to a powerful force reshaping our world. Its rapid rise leaves us uncertain, standing at the unknown edge of the future. On March 16, 2024, “Phoenix”, a highly advanced, humanlike robot, was created. With 20-degree hand mobility and integrated AI, Phoenix can perform complex tasks across industries-from manufacturing and logistics to healthcare, customer service, and even security. Its ability to think, move, and interact like a human makes it adaptable to a wide range of roles. As of September 5th, we have made at least three new robots; just imagine what they can do.