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Fri/Sat/Sun August 24~26, 2018

HAVE you ever wondered what hap-pens to disposable contact lenses when it’s time to dispose of them?

Some scientists at Arizona State Uni-versity asked that question and found that a lot of them are going down the sink or getting fl ushed down the toilet — adding to the problem of microplas-tic pollution.

Microplastics are bits of plastic that have been worn down into tiny pieces that are smaller than 5 millimeters. They can be harmful to wildlife.

After being fl ushed, the lenses fl oat through the wastewater system to sewage treatment plants. They don’t degrade during the treatment process but tear into smaller and smaller pieces. The fragments are heavier than water, so they settle into the treated sewage sludge, which is often spread on land. The lenses can then make their way into rivers, lakes and the ocean through runoff.

“It sounds like a very small problem, because the lenses themselves are tiny,

but they come by the billions,” said Rolf Halden, director of the universi-ty’s Center for Environmental Health Engineering.

“We have created an almost immortal material. It does not go away. It does not biodegrade,” Halden said.

This is a good thing when it comes to contact lenses, because, he said, you don’t want them to degrade in the user’s eye, which could impair vision or become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Contact lenses are a small part of the pollution problem, but researchers hope that the fi ndings will encourage people to think more about how to get rid of plastic waste. Contact wearers should throw their lenses in the trash or recycle them, they advise.

They also suggest labeling contact boxes with a line like “dispose of these with solid waste.” (SD-Agencies)

Stop fl ushing your contact lenses

WHEN you’ve had the most magical relationship, the idea of separating to attend your respective colleges or take your fi rst job in another city can feel grim. What if one of you meets some-one new? What if you become one of the many couples who part ways a few months later?

Here are some tips:1. Talk about boundaries.Although you may want to spend the

remainder of your summer having fun and savoring your time together, it’s smart to talk about the diffi cult things before they creep up on you both.

“It’s a great opportunity to openly and comfortably talk about the new rules you may want to establish,” says Dr. Mariana Bockarova, who teaches relationship psychology at the University of Toronto. She sees this crossroads as a growth opportunity for young couples.

Some guidelines may be explicit:i.e., cheating is unacceptable, while others, i.e., how often it’s cool to text each other, may need to be ironed out, she says.

Bockarova also recommends dis-cussing how often you’d like to call or visit each other, and clarifying any blurry boundaries, like what, in your opinion, constitutes cheating.

2. Find ways to make each other feel loved.

To be romantic and spontaneous when you’re far away from each other, you’ll need to think outside the box. And it’s never too early to start planning fun ways to make your partner’s day.

“The healthiest intimate relation-ships are defi ned by characteristics like knowledge — meaning knowing what’s going on in your partner’s life,” Bockarova says. Mailing small gifts you know they’ll love, sending “just thinking of you” texts, or planning a “movie night” where you sync up Net-fl ix and watch the same movie are all little ways to feel more present in each others’ lives.

3. Plan weekend visits.Hooking up and snuggling will feel

incredible when you haven’t seen each other in so long, but hanging in your dorm room throughout an entire week-end visit might not be the best idea.

“Relationships can become boring if you repeat the same activities, so set aside some time together to do something new,” Bockarova says, sug-gesting you explore your campus or city together or try a restaurant you’ve never been to.

To that end, while it’s important to schedule alone time, it’s also fun to invite your partner to a party or dorm fl oor outing to introduce them to your friends.

4. Prepare to give each other some breathing room.

Although communication is key, it only helps when it doesn’t prohibit you from being present in your new life, and when there’s no guilt involved. “If you want to call your partner at the end of every day, that signals a healthy relationship if the operative word is ‘want,’” Bockarova says. It’s when you feel pressure to Skype your partner for hours every night instead of making new friends or studying, that something may be amiss.

5. Address jealousy.It’s OK to be jealous. It’s a sign that

you’re invested in the relationship and don’t want your partner to leave you for someone they just met. That said, it sucks to feel insecure.

“Relationships should be built on a solid foundation of trust, safety, reli-ability, comfort, and care,” Bockarova says. It’s why anytime you feel like one of these pillars is compromised, it’s smart to talk it out, she adds.

If your feelings stem from a situa-tion that makes you uncomfortable — like your partner going out solo with a woman who fl irts with him on social media — say it! In many cases, setting reasonable boundaries you’re both com-fortable with will make you feel better.

And if you eventually decide to break up? Don’t feel guilty! “All relationships go through lulls and periods of diffi culty,” Bockarova says. “But if you continuously feel that something is wrong in your relationship, you need to re-evaluate whether this relationship or this person is right for you.” (SD-Agencies)

How to survive a long-distance relationship

Coconut oil ‘unhealthy’

COCONUT oil is under fi re again.The controversial food started gaining

popularity in 2011 for its supposed prom-ise of supporting the immune system and helping people lose weight, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Coconut oil has, however, fallen from grace in recent years as some health experts have spoken out against it. In one particularly harsh criticism, Dr. Karin Michels, an adjunct professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, repeatedly called coconut oil “poison” in a talk she gave titled “Coconut Oil and Other Nutritional Errors,” USA Today reported.

A video of her speech was posted in July and has been viewed more than 900,000 views on YouTube.

“I can only warn you urgently about coconut oil,” Michels said. “This is one of the worst foods you can eat.”

According to Business Insider, Michels said that coconut oil is more harmful than lard because of its saturated fatty acids, which can clog coronary arteries.

Frank Sacks, a nutrition professor at the Harvard Chan School, explained the ramifi cations of consuming saturated fatty acids to The Boston Globe, “Coco-nut oil is very high in saturated fat, and that raises your LDL cholesterol — bad cholesterol,” he said. “It’s unhealthy to eat it.”

Several experts agree with them.In The New York Times, Alice H. Lich-

tenstein, a Tufts professor of nutrition science and policy, noted that “there’s virtually no data to support the hype” of coconut oil as a healthy ingredient.

Lichtenstein said that “there appears to be no independent benefi t of consuming it,” although research about coconut oil’s impact on the body is limited.

Tom Brenna, a Cornell professor of human nutrition, told The New York Times, “If you’re going to use coconut oil, make sure you get virgin oil. ... And, of course, everything in moderation.”

(SD-Agencies)