The goal of this project was to solve a real world problem. As a group, we researched a large selection of problems, We considered problems that ranged from dangers in tattoo ink to rape culture. In the end, our group determined that dangers in medical drugs would be the most interesting problem to pursue.
Concepts: Engineering Design Cycle 1. Identify the need 2. Research the problem 3. Develop solutions 4. Choose best solution 5. Build a prototype or experiment 6. Test prototype/experiment 7. Redesign
Gastronomy: the practice of the art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food Food Science: the study of the physical, biological and chemical makeup of food. Food science draws from many disciplines such as biology, chemical engineering, and biochemistry in an attempt to better understand food processes and ultimately improve food products for the general public.. Biology: the study of living organisms Biotechnology: the exploitation of biological processes for industrial or other purposes -This project uses biotechnology by exploiting digestion and how the body reacts to chemicals in food to manufacture a commercial product. We implemented food science to create a medical product that can be used for medical or nutritional benefits. We also implemented gastronomy by developing our product to look and taste sublime.
In researching the problems with modern medicine, we learned more about the pill culture that American society has developed. In our world where an average American takes 10 pills per day, popping pills has become too normalized. We have been taught that when we're aching or have a sore throat, our best option is to down as many pills as possible. However, these actions can lead to serious side effects. From coughs to comas and diarrhea to death, most Americans choose to ignore the side effects associated with the medications they are taking, preferring instead to take the easiest, most efficient, and most accessible method of getting rid of whatever is ailing them. This creates a culture where overdosing is abundant among all types of people. Painkiller overdoses have increased by 10,000 since 2002, and the pill culture has led to a normalization of recreational drugs such as heroine and opioids. The opioid overdose rates increased by 20,000 between 2002 and 2015 and the heroine overdoses increased by 10,000 in the same amount of time. The national overdose death rates have increased by about 15,000 since 2002. In addition to all of this, the FDA rarely regulates medications and drugs properly. Our research uncovered that modern medicine has even more flaws than we originally believed.
We then researched different solutions for this problem, including vitamin supplements, traditional medicine and FDA regulation changes.
We quickly determined that FDA regulation changes would be ineffective as only certain ingredients in medications are checked and this would not help the overdosing and side effect problems. More FDA regulations could also result in higher costs for medication which would cause medication prices to rise, and with each pill currently costing $1-$5, this was not a price we were willing to pay.
Vitamin supplements seemed to be a more viable solution, until we dove deeper into the negative impacts of supplements. Vitamin supplements have even less FDA regulations than medical drugs do, and overdosing is extremely common. Former NBA star, Lamar Odom overdosed on an herbal supplement meant to simulate the effects of drugs such as Viagra, Odom quickly went into a coma after ingesting about 10 doses of the herbal supplement. Although Odom did not die, many don't have that luck. Not only are overdoses on Vitamin A, zinc, selenium and other supplements common, but they can be deadly. These supplements also carry the risk of extreme side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, hair loss, gastrointestinal upset, fatigue, and nerve damage. These side effects can last for the rest of a person's life, even when that person only takes the supplement once. Because of the extreme risks surrounding vitamin supplements, we decided against using this as our solution.
Our final solution, and the one that we decided on, was traditional medicine, specifically the use of food as an alternative for drugs. These traditional solutions have a long history in the cultures of India, China and other countries. Looking back on the school year, we remembered the study of epigenetics. Epigenetics use external experiences to shape a person's genetic makeup. One study done on rats found that a mother rat can be fed specific foods which dramatically change the color and size of her offspring. This can also be seen with identical twins that do not have the exact same characteristics. It amazed us that food can have an impact on the very genes that make us who we are. This made us firmly believe that food could cure illnesses.
With further research, we found that factors found in food such as antioxidants, phytonutrients and vitamins could help battle noxious chemicals (found in sanitizers, paint, perfume, soap and bleach), depression, anxiety, arthritis, chronic diseases, and many other health problems.
We began to develop a product be examining the chemicals in specific foods, researched cases of overdoses on food, and studying traditional medicinal foods. Our final product combined the most accessible, most effective, and least expensive foods into products that were specially designed for certain times of day. Our foods targeted sleeping difficulties, flu symptoms, stress, and grogginess. Below are the active ingredients and chemicals in each food:
Granola Bar (Sleep): Walnuts - contain tryptophan which helps create melatonin and serotonin which lower brain function, allowing you to sleep faster Almonds - contain magnesium which relaxes muscles Yogurt Chips - contain calcium which helps body use tryptophan to create melatonin Honey - raises insulin levels which allows tryptophan to enter brain Dried cherries - raise melatonin levels Pretzels - high glycemic index increase blood sugar and insulin which helps body absorb tryptophan
Overnight Oats (Grogginess): Oats - contain Beta-glucan which boosts immune system and low glycemic index jump-starts metabolism Coconut Milk - contains medium chain triglycerides which are fats that turn quickly into energy Chia Seeds - contain omega-3 fatty acids which increase energy and they absorb water which speeds up digestion for faster conversion of food to energy Dark Chocolate - contains iron which helps blood provide energy to cells Bananas - contain potassium and vitamin B which slows digestion and keeps sugar levels stable
Smoothies (Grogginess):
Frozen Fruits - contains fiber which keeps you full longer and stabilizes blood sugar Oranges - contains vitamin C which boosts the immune system Kale - contains calcium which promotes bone growth, vitamin B which stabilizes blood sugar levels Chia Seeds (discussed above) Coconut Milk (discussed above)
Vegetable Chips (Flu Symptoms): Garlic - contains allicin which is a sulfuric compound that produces antioxidants Kale - contains vitamin C which has antioxidant effects and helps regenerate other vitamins like vitamin E; and folate which increases DNA synthesis and repair, cell and tissue growth; and helps metabolize homocysteine into an amino acid Fennel - contains calcium which boosts bone strength and health, and lowers blood pressure
Sweet Potatoes - high in vitamin A which increases immune efficiency and stops mucus vulnerability, benefiting the body’s mucus membrane and protecting the blood stream from invasive bacteria
Chocolate Bark (Stress): Dark Chocolate - lowers stress hormone cortisol and “fight-or-flight” hormone catecholamine Yogurt Chips - probiotics reduce activity in the emotional region of the brain, relieving anxiety and stress Dried Blueberries - antioxidants lower cortisol and fiber stabilizes blood sugar levels Pistachios - contain healthy fat, fiber and antioxidants which keep blood vessels open when you are stressed Assorted Seeds - contain tryptophan which triggers a serotonin response that gives feeling of calmness Cashews - contain tryptophan, magnesium that fights low blood sugar, and vitamin B6 which helps magnesium reach cells
This project also called for a mentor. We reached out to a local nutritionist with the email is below: "Hi, as a group, we have been exploring the use of food as a form of alternative medicine. We have done an experiment with foods that have chemicals known to have specific effects on the body. We were wondering if, as a nutritionist, you have used or noticed the effects of food, not only on people’s weight, but also on their health. Do you think that food could be harnessed as a medicine? We have noticed, in our research that medical drugs often have a lot of harmful side effects, but most people choose to ignore them. Do you think that if people paid more attention to the listed side effects in the pills they are taking, they would be more inclined to look for less harmful solutions to their illnesses? Do you think that they would be interested in trying food solutions, even if the results are slightly less effective? The foods we used in our experiment included overnight oats and smoothies to wake up, granola bars to sleep, veggie chips for flu symptoms and dark chocolate bark for stress. We found that the foods designed to wake you up had the most successful results. Do you think that that could be simply due to the fact that many teens don’t eat breakfast? Or, perhaps, could it be because the chemicals in those foods are more effective than the chemicals in the other foods? If you have any thoughts on how we could have better implemented our experiment, or any tips for using food for medical purposes, please let us know. Thank you for your time." However, she never returned our email and we were unable to contact her to get a response.
We then conducted an experiment with each food where we distributed the foods to students at our school and had them take a survey. All of our foods had beneficial impacts on the participant.
In this project, I learned an incredible amount about how food affects your body and the negative impacts of modern medicine. I also learned a lot about myself. Throughout this project, our group of three basically turned into a group of two, with two of us doing all of the work and the other talking to friends and playing on their phone. Because of this, I learned that I need to work on pushing others to do their share. I also learned that I need to work on being patient and not giving up on people. I started becoming resentful in this project because it seemed like no matter how hard I worked, I was being dragged down by the team mate who wasn't doing their share. However, I did do well with my work ethic. I didn't waste any time during class, spending the entire time doing research and creating our presentation. Because of my work ethic and the work ethic of my team mate, we stayed ahead of schedule and were able to refine our presentation significantly. Not only did I learn about myself and the concepts I was researching, but I also learned from my teammate how to temper chocolate and how to properly cut granola bars so that they do not fall apart. We ended up with great results and definitely saw the fruit of our efforts when communicating about our project with our teacher. There were a few pits in this project, namely that I felt one teammate was not fully completing their share and also that our experiment did not have as extreme of effects as we had hoped, though we were able to deduct that the lack of extreme effects was due to the non-active ingredients that were present. However, there were also many peaks in this project. We were able to complete an actual experiment that held positive results and have become very knowledgeable and aware of what we are eating which will benefit us throughout our lives.I feel very proud of what I personally have accomplished this year both academically and in personal growth. I believe these accomplishments have been shown in my work this project.