Becca Meyers, 20, who attends Franklin & Marshall, was born deaf and was diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes gradual balance and vision loss. She broke a world record in swimming and won the ESPY Award for the Best Female Athlete with a Disability. In 2014, Meyers set two world records (400 freestyle and 200 IM) and earned six medals (four gold, two silver) at the Pan Pacific Para-Swimming Championships.
"It's amazing how being nominated and winning for Paralympics brings a lot of awareness to the sport [of swimming]," she said. "That's one of the reasons I do this is to raise awareness and give back. If you asked me five years ago, I wouldn't have believed I'd be in this position [to win an ESPY and give back]. It's a roller coaster and I'm still on the ride enjoying it."
Over the years, weve seen so many food trends come and go, such as ramen burgers, matcha, and spiked ice-cream. Nowadays, were seeing another trend making waves in the food industry. How many times today have you seen an Instagram photo of a scoop of black ice cream, or a cup of black yogurt, or hamburgers with black buns? Indeed, the charcoal trend has taken the world by storm.
So, what gives your latte that deep black shade? Activated charcoal, or coconut ash, is produced by heating coconut shells to insanely high temperatures until theyre burnt to a crisp. The ashes are then increased in size by steaming at high temperatures. Through this process, the ashes become a strong detoxifier, mostly because they become extra absorbent. This product may be purchased in pill form, and promises to alleviate hangovers, minimize the effects of food poisoning, and fight the visible signs of aging.
Activated charcoal is said to boost ones energy as a result of decreasing toxins in the body. However, no evidence proves that detoxifying can lead to increased energy. Also, while it can help cure a hangover, it doesnt necessarily remove alcohol from your blood. It is also said to aid in debloating your stomach because it cleanses your colon but again, this all anecdotal and isnt supported by scientific evidence as of yet. All we can say for sure is that it is a proven detoxifier.