Taking Mental Days

Have you ever employed the ubiquitous sick day just because you really needed a break? People work so hard these days, and it's showing. Perhaps we've gotten a little lax on self-care, but it isn't unnoticed that as obesity, stress, and mental illness skyrocket, professional pressures likewise rise. I've often heard of people calling in sick to take a day for themselves.

Despite our daydreaming, sick days aren't enjoyable when you're actually ill. Remember high school? You thought you'd take in a few movies, eat junk food, relax. Instead, you sleep all day, are crank and miserable and then stress about the homework and quizzes you'll need to make up.

As work, family, societal demands accumulate, the desire and need to have a day free of worries, obligations, deadlines is obvious. I was talking with one of my mom's coworkers and friends, who suggested that work contracts include a select number of "mental health days" in addition to the set sick days employees are given. Being at your very best, for work or just life, requires that you are happy, healthy, rested, and at peace.

I took a mini mental health day from school last semester when things were getting ultra-busy and out of hand. It was just what I needed. I felt amazing and ready to finish school strong after taking time for myself.

P.S. I seriously recommend trying to get a job at Google. Their employee benefits are insane!

What do you think? Would you call in sick for a mental health day? Should this be something that employers acknowledge as necessary? Is a mental healthy day as real as a sick day? I'd love your thoughts!

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Antibiotics Are....Scary

My latest article for The International is about antibiotic resistance. This issue is rampant, and as more and more bacteria gain strength, our miracle drugs are losing steam. Some experts are predicting an antibiotic armageddon with in the next decade. Can you imagine a post antibiotic world? Yikes!

Remember That Stem Cell Debate?

Remember a few years back when the biggest debate was over stem cell research? Although we don't hear about it as much anymore, some advances in the field are yielding exciting possibilities, and with those possibilities, some concerns. 

"The Berlin Man" received a blood stem cell transplant (which is pretty much a bone marrow transplant) a few years ago to treat his Leukemia. Surprisingly, after the treatment, his HIV seemed to have disappeared. Although remnant traces linger, he is symptom free and has been off is medication for over five years now! So is this possibly a cure?

Stem cell research is finding all sorts of new discoveries. For example, embryonic stem cells (the big debate) offer a plethora of information and opportunity, while somatic or adult stem cells (like the blood stem cells) don't have the flexibility or potential of the embryonic. So what did scientists do? They've found a way to essentially create stem cells in labs that resemble embryonic stem cells, without actually harvesting any!

Pretty crazy stuff. It seems as though this advancement means no more debate. But wait, there's more...

Read more of my article here, on The International!