Beth Cotter

Tweets, Posts, Tags and Likes: Is Social Media the Future of Outbreak Epidemiology?

April 11, 2013

Did you ever think that scientists would look to Twitter to gain information about public health? Have you ever considered your own Google searches as valuable scientific data? According to a growing body of research, public health scientists are beginning to realize the utility that real-time updates within a population can have upon identifying the [...]

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A Muscle Myth-Buster: Stretching and Physical Performance

April 4, 2013

Having grown up playing soccer since first grade, it was a common ritual in my life to form a circle with my teammates and follow the captain through a routine series of stretches. Counting to 20 for each stretch (in a call-and response fashion, of course) we would work our way from our necks, to our [...]

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Stress, Anxiety and Fear – Oh my!

March 28, 2013

As I sit here and sift through my twenty-four years of life experiences, I can place my finger on various situations where I have attributed stress as the motivator for helping me to perform at my highest level. These experiences range from honing in my focus to nail my fifth grade clarinet solo, to channeling [...]

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Got milk? Dunking into the truth behind child milk consumption and obesity

March 21, 2013

While we may think that it is healthier for toddlers to be drinking skim or 1% milk, it may actually prove to be more protective against obesity if they are sipping on a bottle of the higher fat-containing 2% or whole milk. Wait, really?!… I have recently come across a few articles in the news that [...]

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Look, no hands! Is it really safer to drive hands-free?

March 14, 2013

It’s spring break! You’re excited to embark upon the picturesque road trip with your friends down highway 101 from Portland to San Francisco, and YOU were picked to take on the first driving shift. A few hours into the drive you notice that your friends are fast asleep, and the reality sinks in – 12 [...]

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Diets and cravings: The meat (or sweet) behind the mystery

March 7, 2013

Dieting and cravings. They seem to go hand-in hand, right? Some studies would say, “Wrong!” Speaking from personal experience, it seems that whenever I attempt to go on a restrictive diet and promise to myself that I will “cut out sweets,” or “eat less salty foods” that I end up craving exactly what I am [...]

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Late-night snacking: The tease that doesn’t always please

February 28, 2013

It is the night before an exam. Midnight is quickly approaching and the nerves are starting to settle in. As you reach to grab your calculator you hear your stomach grumble and realize that your mind has wandered – you are wishing that your calculator were actually a late-night snack. How could six hours have [...]

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A melody a day keeps the doctor away? The proposed health benefits of singing

February 21, 2013

Whether you are belting out a song in the shower, taking over the lead vocals to a hit on the radio, joining in exclaiming your alma matter after a football game, or performing a vigorously rehearsed performance of Handel’s Messiah, on a daily basis, the majority of us most frequently participate in the expression of [...]

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To smile or not to smile: Gender specific attractions to emotion

February 14, 2013

If you have been following the posts on Mind the Science Gap this week, I’d imagine that you are beaming with excitement considering that the special day of flowers, chocolate, mating, dating, and kisses is finally here – Happy Valentine’s Day! For those of you that are currently hitched (and have graciously withdrawn yourselves from the [...]

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The ABC’s of Vitamin C and the Common Cold

February 7, 2013

We all grew up with our parents telling us to wash our hands, stay home from school, drink plenty of water and get a good night’s rest to fight off the common cold, but it seems that now-a-days in our fast-paced world that people have adopted to the practice of slamming orange juice and Vitamin [...]

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