Gemma Follari

More by Gemma Follari

The Hidden Danger That May Be In Your Nail Polish 5/23/2012	Ever wonder what’s in your nail polish? The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) recently released a study that found some nail polish manufacturers have been mislabeling their products as being free of certain toxic chemicals including dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde, the chemicals know as the “toxic trio.” These chemicals are associated with cancer, birth defects, asthma and other health conditions according to the DTSC. They can also cause short-term effects such as dizziness. While it is unclear whether the levels of these chemicals are high enough to cause damage, public health officials are still concerned said Michael DiBartolomeis, the head of the California Safe Cosmetics Program. “In public health we try to prevent things from happening in the first place,” said DiBartolomeis, referring to the potential of birth defects for salon workers who are exposed to these chemicals every day. Researchers tested 25 nail products for two out of the three “toxic trio” chemicals. Formaldehyde was not tested for. Overall, products labeled as free of these chemicals had higher concentrations of them, according to the study. “We were surprised as a whole, and in general, just as a regular consumer, you would hope that if you bought a product that was labeled in a certain fashion, that indeed those products would have or have not the ingredients,” said Valetti Lang, branch manager for the Pollution Prevention branch of the California DTSC. [pagebreak] Lang said her department plans to communicate with manufacturers to get information on the “level of confidence they have in labeling their ingredients as they sell them to consumers.”
Boots To Refresh Your Rainy Day Look 5/10/2012	It rains a lot it Evanston- especially in the spring. For most girls, this means wearing their beloved Hunter boots at least once a week. If you’re getting tired of wearing the same boots over and over again this season, though, here are some other rain boot options that will help you change up your style for under $100. 1. Spring Brights From top to bottom: 1. Kamik $35.99 at zappos.com 2. Kamik $52.99 zappos.com 3. Le Chameau $86.99 zappos.com Brightly colored rain boots are the perfect way to incorporate spring colors into your outfit and brighten up a gloomy day. Try wearing these with leggings and a longer top. Black leggings give a pop to these bold boots and let them be the centerpiece of the outfit. And, you can still wear colors or patterns on top because the shoe is in a sold color.
Sexual Assult Activism Week Presents, Girl Talk: How to Talk to a Friend About Relationship Violence 4/24/2012	One out of three or four women in the U.S. is in an abusive relationship. It can be difficult to realize one of your friends is being abused and know how to react to the situation. Girl Talk: How to Talk to a Friend About Relationship Violence was a discussion for Northwestern students held Monday at the Women’s Center as the start to Sexual Assault Activism Week at Northwestern. Women’s Center Counselor Sara Walz and Women’s Center intern Kristin Holmes Clifford offered advice to a small group about the warning signals that a friend is in an abusive relationship and how to handle the situation. As close as you know you are with your best friends, it can be very difficult for a woman to tell anyone about her situation. “We don’t have the words to say ‘oh, I’m being abused,’” said Clifford. “I always say the red flags are in your stomach.” Besides the gut feeling, any significant changes in a friend’s behavior can be an indicator of relationship abuse. Red flags to look for include:
Juice Cleansing: The Diet Truth 4/6/2012	It’s spring quarter. That means the weather’s getting warmer and soon enough everyone will be coming out of hibernation and head outside in less clothing and more skin. We all think about shedding the pounds for summer, but if you’re looking to lose weight quickly before breaking out the bikini, a juice cleanse may not be your solution. Juice cleansing has become increasingly popular as a way to lose weight and eliminate toxins from the body. Juice bars have begun appearing in Chicago. They offer cleanses on which clients replace all meals with juice for a certain number of days, usually between one and seven. Even Starbucks has gotten in on the action. The company recently bought the Evolution Fresh Brand, which features juice with “pure, natural ingredients” according to a Starbucks press release. While cleansing may seem like a quick way to lose weight, it may not be as healthy as advertisers and businesses want you to believe. Karen Klimczak, a registered dietitian at Mindful Nutrition Counseling in Chicago, is very cautious when client want to go on a juice diet and warns of the harmful effects a diet like this can have. The increase in sugar intake from the juices can be “really intense on the body” she said. More sugar forces the pancreas to put out a lot of insulin, which can cause “a rollercoaster” of high and low blood sugar. Also, if you are on any medication, the diet can disrupt how the medication works. “They may react in a way that isn’t necessarily how they normally react,” said Klinczak. This is especially true if the medication needs to be taken with food. A cleanse is also a bad idea if you are very physically active. There is such a decrease in calorie intake that it can be harmful for very athletic people said Klimczak.
Colin LaBran 9/19/2011	Name: Colin LaBran-Boyd Major: Math Hometown: La Cañada Flintridge, California Birthday: September 29 (Happy Birthday soon! Love, Her Campus Northwestern) Relationship Status: Single and OTP Graduation Year: 2014

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