Unit 1

Squared Away

On one hot, humid afternoon, with the sun directly overhead, my squad and I stood outside in the parking lot for a uniform inspection. About twenty Marines form a box facing the same direction waiting for their supervisor to look at their uniforms for any discrepancies. As he comes down the line, he carefully looks at each seam and buttonhole for any loose stitches. When he spots someone that did not iron their uniform, he shouts “Get out of formation and unscrew yourself!” When it was my turn for inspection, he checked my uniform and told me it looked “squared away” and went on to the next person. As the inspection went on, with about five individuals picked out for discrepancies, we had to redo the inspection as a group another time, regardless of who passed or failed, until we were all squared away. We would spend hours on end trying to make sure our uniforms were up to standard, looking at every nook and cranny of the uniform, every single pocket for loose stitchings, and if there was a single wrinkle on the fabric. After hours of going over our uniforms, we would end up checking each other if we missed anything. We helped each other get squared away, policing our own and making sure we were all perfect. The following day, it was time for our second inspection and we all felt confident but our supervisor still found discrepancies somehow, nonetheless, we still passed.

A couple of days after the inspections, our squad got together again in the building’s meeting room. It was right after we finished training in the humid forest for several hours. We got to enjoy the air conditioning for a few minutes before our supervisor came in to begin his little speech. He told us that there was once a Marine that was deployed to the Middle East and was loading gear and supplies into his heavy vehicle. He would tell us that everything that goes into the vehicle should be anchored down, no loose objects in case of an accident and that everyone was taught this on the deployment. That day, the Marine did not secure some of the ammunition cans, which weigh about 45 pounds each, and went on patrol with other vehicles. Midway through the patrol, their vehicle got hit with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The explosion was not strong enough to hurt anyone inside but it still sent it flying. He would go on about what happened after that but he emphasized one thing in his story. The only person that passed away that day was the Marine that did not secure the gear in his vehicle. The loose ammunition cans became projectiles causing serious injuries. “Everything we do in the fleet is to prepare you for what is to come. It all starts by squaring away your uniform.”

As I continued on with my career, I would hear more stories about how small little details that were neglected turned into huge consequences. One where a Marine ended up having dental issues and had to be sent back to the States from the Middle East but due to an accident, never made it back. That was once told when I was in training and the Commanding Officer told us the importance of medical and dental readiness and how that was also part of being squared away. Learning how to be squared away was the first step in my military career. I had to pay attention to every single detail and try to understand the reasoning behind it if I wanted to succeed. Every time I was given a task, I would make sure I did it to the best of my abilities. If there were things I did not know about or if I needed some help, I did not shy away from asking for guidance. Completing my task perfectly was my priority no matter how small it was.

Years later as I transitioned out of the military, I still continued to strive to be squared away. The attention to detail and the professionalism that was ingrained in me allowed me to perform well in the civilian sector. By showing that I had these characteristics, my employer, coworkers, and customers were satisfied with my work. I made sure my workstation was clean and orderly, my products were prepared to the company’s standard, and my customers were satisfied and welcomed. Another area in which being squared away helped me was in the beginning of college. I made sure I was attentive in my courses, taking notes, and completing assignments which helped me pass quizzes and exams. Even though being squared away was taught to me in the military, it also allowed me to succeed in the civilian sector.

 

 

Unit 2

Physical Activity vs Cancer and Pain

What’s the point of working out when you already feel healthy? Isn’t it just to allow people to look good? I never gave working out much of a thought. All I wanted to get out of it was so that I don’t end up with a belly later on in my life. As long as I felt like I burned those calories I had yesterday, I felt healthy enough to not accumulate any excess fat. I became curious if all this physical activity had any other benefits and decided to go to google. What are some benefits of working out? Surprisingly, I found out that physical activity has a large variety of health benefits, some of which are modulating pain and reducing the risk of certain health issues, things most people do not think about but should get to know to prevent issues in the future as they live out their lives.

With physical activity being able to reduce the risk of certain cancers and interestingly modulate pain, it surely can extend the well-being and longevity of a person’s life. As we slowly recover from covid-19, it is important to learn and remind ourselves of these health benefits, especially for the young adults who have been stuck indoors sitting around looking at their electronics for the past couple of years for the vast majority of the day. They probably will not notice it right away, but once they start going out again, they will feel sluggish and notice that their body is not what it used to be. This will have a negative impact on their health and may increase the risks of health issues, leading them to become part of the statistics of the rising American health concerns involving cancer. Physical activity is the best way to reduce health risks, especially if people start early in their lives and stay consistent with their routines.

According to the article, “The Promise of Leisure-Time Physical Activity to Reduce Risk of Cancer Development“, the authors who are doctors of philosophy and a master of science explain that cancer is on the rise worldwide and that physical activity is linked to the probability of developing certain cancers. The authors state, “These studies, primarily conducted in cancers of the lung, breast, prostate, colon/rectum, and endometrium, show a 10% to 40% cancer risk reduction when the most physically active study participants were compared with the least active participants.” This shows that this topic has been researched in the past relating physical activity to rates of cancers. The body parts listed in the statement are all important factors in everyday life. With a 10 to 40 percent chance of reducing the risk of developing cancer in those areas, everyone should keep in mind that physical activity is also a means to prevent some negative life-changing events. Their article also states that based on the intensity of a person’s physical activity, can reduce different types of cancers. “For example, light to moderate physical activities performed in the recent past appear to reduce risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, while for colon cancer it has been suggested that moderate to intense activities performed consistently over the life course result in the greatest benefit.” Based on the intensity of your activity, it will generate different results. During an interview with Samantha Liang who is a registered nurse said “it is recommended to exercise three times a week for at least one hour. Exercises can be as simple as walking can have long-term positive effects on the body and mind”. I believe the key takeaway from this information is that you should stay consistent when conducting your exercises in order to receive the actual benefits. It could be as simple as walking or doing some calisthenics for a certain amount of time every day if you don’t want to lift any weights or go for a run. Every type of physical activity has its benefits regardless of intensity.

The way physical activity reduces the risk of some cancers is due to your body regulating hormones. The article, “Physical Activity and Cancer” published by the National Cancer Institute provide details of how physical activity can lower levels of sex hormones, prevent high blood levels of insulin, reduce inflammation, improve the immune system, prevents obesity, and reduce the risk of cancer in your gastrointestinal tract which is part of your digestion system. This information shows how physical activity regulates the elements that influence cancer as these factors can lead to cancer development in a person’s breast, colon, pancreas, and so much more.  Any abnormal development in an individual’s body can lead to cancer, but physical activity can help the body maintain equilibrium to stay healthy. This is also reinforced by Samantha when she told me, “if a person eats healthy and exercises daily, the chances of having co-morbidities will decrease.” This means the less likelihood of having two or more medical conditions in a person’s body can be achieved through physical activity and a proper diet allowing your organs to properly function. Exercising will prevent any internal issues allowing you to conduct your daily business without worrying about it in the long run.

The other benefit of physical activity is pain tolerance, specifically pain that is persistent (chronic).  In the article, “How does physical activity modulate pain?” researchers from the National Library of Medicine state, “As the current study emphasizes, chronic pain rates increase in the older adult population and older adults are less physically active than younger adults.”  Regardless of age, an individual is more susceptible to pain if they are not physically active. The article further describes how it is an effective treatment and prevention method. As we get older, our bodies become smaller and more fragile. This is important to keep in mind because time is not on your side. If you do not maintain or improve the muscle mass of your body, you will lose it even faster, exposing your nerves and veins. Being active is almost like maintaining and developing your body’s armor. The more muscles you have, the lower the chance of injury to your nerves, veins, and organs. Another example from this article says, “Similarly, in a Norwegian population-based study, incidence of chronic musculoskeletal pain was from 10 – 38% lower in those who participated in regular physical activity (moderate exercise one – three times/week) than those not reporting any leisure-time exercise.” The statistics show us that physical activity strengthens the foundation of your body.

Based on the article “Exercise and Chronic Pain” written by health professors from the Utah State University, “Individuals suffering from chronic pain can enjoy a number of benefits of physical activity and exercise. Physical activity reduces chronic pain by building muscle strength and flexibility, reducing fatigue, reducing pain sensitivity, and reducing inflammation.” This tells us that physical activity develops tissues in your body that can help regulate the pain you receive from external elements.  The flexibility benefit comes from the repetition of movement increasing your range of motion. The article further provides us with information on how physical activity reduces fatigue which is a symptom of many chronic pain conditions, how it allows your brain to regulate pain by releasing natural pain relievers, and how it helps with sleep for you and your body to rest and repair. This shows how your body produces chemicals to aid in tolerating pain. Additionally, Samantha backs this up by saying, “Exercise can help chronic pain by targeting certain muscles to be stronger. That’s why people go to physical therapy to help identify muscles that can help prevent or lessen the pain of certain spots such as back pain.” This shows that physical activity can be used as a remedy to relieve pain as well.

For these reasons, physical activity is not only for outside appearances but is also for a large variety of health benefits that will help prolong your life. If you want to have a healthy life, I strongly recommend staying consistent with your physical activities. It will help reduce the risks of cancers and increase your pain tolerance, especially as you grow older. Additional research is also required if you want to learn more about specific information to questions that you may have as this topic is constantly being updated by researchers around the world.

 

Bibliography

  1. Lauren E. McCullough, PhD. “Leisure-Time Physical Activity to Reduce Risk of Cancer Development.” JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Network, 1 June 2016, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2521822.
  2. “Physical Activity and Cancer Fact Sheet.” National Cancer Institute, https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/obesity/physical-activity-fact-sheet.
  3. Law, Laura Frey, and Kathleen A Sluka. “How Does Physical Activity Modulate Pain?” Pain, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5303119/#R9.
  4. University, Utah State. “Exercise and Chronic Pain.” USU, 29 Nov. 2021, https://extension.usu.edu/heart/research/exercise-and-chronic-pain#:~:text=Individuals%20suffering%20from%20chronic%20pain,pain%20sensitivity%2C%20and%20reducing%20inflammation.

 

Unit 3 

Infographic – Reasons Why Physical Activity Matter!

I chose an infographic to provide short, detailed information for other people around my age group on how physical activity can reduce the risk of having health issues later on in their lives, as well as how it can affect pain. This method is best for a young audience because it is easy to read, share, and can easily grab people’s attention with imagery. Most, if not all, young adults now have access to the internet and spend a lot of time surfing the web. They can quickly look over the post on their free time and it won’t take more than a couple of minutes compared to having to read an article. The tool I am using for this method is a website called Canva. It provides templates and tutorials on a lot of graphics such as how to make a video, a presentation, and an infographic. It provides pictures whose art style is friendly to people of all ages and text items similar to Microsoft  PowerPoint and Word.

In my infographic, right after my introduction page, I start off with something similar to a comparison chart with two columns showing the benefits of physical activity with respect to cancer and pain. This will allow the reader to instantly get the information. I did this because if the reader is not interested or not hooked to the topic, at least they were able to get the main points of the infographic. The pages after that will contain the data I gathered with my analysis. This will show the reader that the listed benefits are backed up by solid evidence and research from other publishers and organizations. The very last page will have the sources of where I got the data in the event that the reader wants to read their full report/article. The pictures that I will be placing throughout the infographic make it aesthetically pleasing and provide visual aids to help the reader understand the data.

This method may not have been the best method as most young adults like to watch videos on YouTube or read posts on social media but I believe an infographic is something in between those two platforms that can also be easily referenced or linked on the two platforms. In the end, I hope that I was able to provide the reader with some helpful information on why physical activity is a great way to stay healthy, how it can prevent some negative life-changing events later on in their lives, as well as encourage them to start or continue their work out routine.

 

Reflection

Compared to earlier on in the semester, I believe that I was able to refine my writing skills. It became more organized and detailed thanks to the lessons that were taught in class. I learned about Point Information Explanation (PIE) paragraphs, quote sandwiches, concrete details, and how to incorporate them into my writing assignments. As I look back at assignments, I was able to see what I had to improve on thanks to the constructive feedback which also played a huge role in refining my writing skills. Without it, I would have just taken what I learned in class and hoped that I did it properly.

The first unit was all about me learning how to use concrete significant details to tell my story about being squared away. That was a time when I had very little confidence in my writing ability so I did what my professor told me to do and that was to just start writing a garbage first draft. I did not remember the last time I wrote a story explaining anything. I managed to put something together based on the lessons in class, but I still had a small error in my writing that the professor pointed out. In Unit 1, I wrote, “As I am introducing myself to everyone and as I am brought around our office building, I meet my supervisor who is in charge of the unit. I will never forget how he told me his expectations. ” It was the switching of tenses that disturbed the flow of the story. After that was pointed out to me, I used that to try and make sure to never make that mistake again in my future assignments.

Unit 2 was where I learned how to efficiently write a research paper and it was also my favorite assignment for this semester. Learning the PIE paragraphs and quote sandwiches taught me how to organize the information that I gathered for my topic. I found out that I would very much prefer to conduct research on a topic I was interested in rather than telling a story. In this assignment, one thing that stuck out for me was when I wrote, “As we slowly recover from covid-19, it is important to learn and/or remind ourselves of these health benefits. Especially for the young adults who have been stuck indoors sitting around looking at their electronics for the past couple of years for the vast majority of the day.” I learned that I made sentence fragments when I would think my sentence was too long. This is something I will need to look out for in the future because I am still stuck in the mindset that sentences should not be too long which can cause confusion in my writing.

Unit 3 was a new learning experience where I had to change the way I presented my research and information based on my audience. I learned that you do not have to write a whole essay or article to try and get your information out. The presentation varies depending on the audience in which you have to account for age, technology, and interests. In my artist statement, I wrote, “I chose an infographic to provide short, detailed information for other people around my age group”. With my audience being other college students, I had to understand that they are most likely to be on their phones for the majority of the day and that their attention spans are not going to be long. With this, I learned how to simplify my research paper so that someone could read it in a couple of minutes without losing interest immediately. Understanding how to present my data will allow me to influence my audience.

Overall, this semester turned out to be a lot better than what I initially thought it was going to be.  Explaining was always a struggle for me but I believe this class has taught me ways to improve that skill through all the unit assignments. The lessons I learned in class that improved my writing skills will benefit me in the future as it establishes a good foundation in the event that I will need to conduct research and present it as an electrical engineer in the business world and as I continue my studies, it will help me take better notes in my other classes.