Hello, Normans! My name is Mia Gorlick, and I am a senior here at Beverly Hills High School. I am not a formal staff member of Highlights, but I am part of the school’s journalism program through the yearbook division, Watchtower. 

By an unexpected turn of events, I found myself in the Medical Science Academy (MSA) and Journalism programs here at school. Though I hadn’t anticipated being part of either group, I am eternally grateful that I discovered both as they have exposed me to interests I had never previously considered or explored. 

My final MSA project tasked me with effecting a change in my community within the field of biomedicine. The key word was impact. In a world rife with quick fixes and hacks to solve a wide range of problems, I decided to generate an impact by instead focusing on prevention. The only thing better than fixing a problem, is avoiding it altogether. 

Yet despite all the strides we have made in access to information, it remains an upsetting truth that we as young adults lack information about our own bodies and education about the long-term health impacts of the day-to-day choices we make. 

What, then, could be more timely, necessary, and beneficial than better, holistic education? 

It was with this reasoning that I decided to establish a biomedical journalism column that researches and relays valuable information about Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance, a health phenomenon that affects millions upon millions of teenagers our age. Ultimately, I hope to provide synthesized and accessible information to anybody who seeks it, and restore agency and autonomy to all of us who desire guidance or lifestyle changes that may help us prevent rather than fix, one of the most far-reaching epidemics in contemporary healthcare. 

The following articles will cover a basic overview of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance; warning signs; risk factors; anatomy and physiology; biological impacts; prevention methods; implementable lifestyle changes; the Standard American Diet and food pyramid; cafeteria lunches and making empowered choices; bioethics and the pharmaceutical industry; and student voices and perspectives (please fill out this survey!).

I began my educational journey attending the Global Montessori School of Westwood. The school placed a profound emphasis on whole and healthy eating in order to fuel young bodies and minds. As a young child, I did not fully understand the importance of healthy eating habits, but as a volunteer over a decade later, I recognized the profound value of this philosophy. Indeed, I have watched students ages two through five navigate a 9am-3pm school day with sustained focus and energy. I witnessed their rapid intellectual growth and was amazed by their ability to absorb information exponentially faster than peers of the same age. 

I realized how much healthier we as a society could be if we all had such a healthy beginning. I cannot change the past or people’s life foundations, but I can work to improve the future of American health one, small step at a time. And that first step is this journalism column.

Education is knowledge. Knowledge is power. Power is independence. Independence allows us to make healthier lifestyle choices. And healthier lifestyle choices improve us as individuals and as a society. I urge you to join me on this investigative journey, and Take a Bite out of Health!