For years, scientists have discussed the 100-calorie mark that means the difference between losing and gaining weight. Just 100 fewer calories a day can help you lose weight, while 100 extra calories will mean you’re packing on 10 pounds a year. It’s easy to set long-term goals about eating right and staying healthy, but day by day it can be hard to resist the temptation of the office birthday party treats, free cheese samples at the grocery store, and surprise happy hour. Whether you lead a crazy busy life or are the stuck-in-a-rut type, there’s no way you can control food and drink in every situation, but there are ways you can cut calories in your daily diet just by taking a closer look at what you consider your normal eating pattern.

The easiest way to cut back is to adhere to portion size. Realistically, we pour more than the suggested portion of cereal, add extra butter (or even margarine), and eat more Triscuits than the portion size listed on the box. Start measuring out portion sizes until you’re able to more accurately estimate realistic amounts just by eyeballing them.

Finding satisfying substitutions is the next step in cutting daily calories. Make a commitment to find at least one substitution per meal, as in finding a different type of cereal, loading your sandwich with veggies instead of spreads, swapping out fatty salad dressings for light versions, and limiting your use of olive oil and butter when you cook. For snacks, use salsa instead of bean dip or ranch, light yogurt instead of ice cream, and look for low-calorie desserts endorsed by weight-loss programs like Weight Watchers. They’ll usually give you a chocolate-y fix with a sensible portion size and calorie amount.

Other suggestions:

• Drink diet soda or water with lime, lemon or frozen raspberries instead of sugary juices and regular soda.
• Use a smaller plate when you eat to control portion sizes.
• Eat salads or a side of veggies before your main meal. You’ll start filling up on the good stuff faster and hopefully won’t clean your plate of mashed potatoes or bread.
• Drink low- or nonfat milk instead of whole milk.
• Choose unsweetened varieties of snacks and teas rather than sweetened versions. You can always add Splenda to taste.

Remember to check nutrition labels at the grocery store and commit to eating healthy when you eat out, too.

The word pharmacology comes from the Greek for "study of drugs" and that is exactly what this discipline entails. It is the study of drugs and their interactions with the human body. It also includes the study of drug composition and properties, interactions, toxicology, medical applications and antipathogenic capabilities. By definition any substance that displays medicinal properties, like fever reduction, pain reduction, and germ growth prevention, is called a pharmaceutical, a drug. Typically the practice of pharmacology can be divided into two areas: pharmocadynamics and pharmacokinetics. The former studies the physiological effects that pharmaceuticals have on the human body. The latter category studies the exact opposite, the effects the human body has on drugs.

The origins of this biomedical study can be traced to middle ages. The oldest and most valuable of the historical material relating to pharmacology is Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica. Dioscorides was an ancient Greek physician and botanist that studied the medicinal properties of plants. William Withering, an English botanist, chemist and physician of the 18th century in England is known for the same studies. He discovered digitalis, also known as foxgloves, and studied its active ingredient, cardiac glycosides, on conditions of the heart. Pharmacology didn’t see any significant advances again until the mid 19th century. Prior to this many physicians and pharmacologists only knew that such drugs as quinine and morphine had serious and potent effects on various parts of the body, but few know to why or how this happened. The first department of pharmacology was created by Rudolf Buchheim in 1847 at the University of Giessen to combat this lack of knowledge. Buchheim was a German pharmacologist that has been credited with turning the discipline from a mere study of medicine into an exact science and for creating a methodology for determining the properties and medicinal aspects of chemical substances.

Today, pharmacology can be categorized into 12 divisions: clinical – medication effects on humans, neuropharmacology – medication effects on the nervous system, psychopharmacology – medication effects on the brain, pharmacogenetics – genetic variations and their differing responses to medication, pharmacoepidemiology – medication effects in large groups of people, toxicology – harmful and toxic effects of medication, theoretical pharmacology – metric studies, posology – medication dosing, pharmacognosy – medications derived from biological origins, behavioral pharmacology – medication effects on behavior, and environmental pharmacology – effects of drugs on the environment.

The field of pharmacology is wide and varied and can be credited for making this world and our lives much more healthy.

Everyone’s tired of talking about the tanking economy, and while the job market may brighten soon enough, there are still certain industries that are healthier than others. One of those industries is health care, due in part to President Obama’s recent stimulus package and also to the increase in baby boomers-as-patients over the next few years and into the next decades. Doctors, general practitioners, nurses, lab technicians, physical therapists, long-term caregivers and other health sciences professions are in desperate need of young, energetic, well-educated individuals to join the industry, but while colleges and universities are struggling with funding issues so that they can keep up with registration, employment remains unbalanced. If you’re thinking of going back to school because of a layoff or to pursue a more profitable career path, or if you’re a high school or college-aged student trying to decide on a major, consider these health sciences professions which are supposed to grow dramatically over the next several years, no matter how the economy stabilizes itself.

DailyFinance.com points out that "17 of the 30 fastest-growing occupations identified by the BLS are health-care related," and the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ own website reiterates that "healthcare will generate 3.2 million new wage and salary jobs between 2008 and 2018, more than any other industry." The facilities experiencing the highest job growth in health care are home healthcare services, health practitioner offices, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and outpatient care centers. Nursing homes are still expected to increase jobs by over 20%, and public and private hospitals by about 10%.

Many of these job openings will not require four full years of education and training, though the highest paying jobs will certainly pay more. Nursing continues to create the most new jobs in the health sciences, from entry level nurses and assistants to registered nurses. The actual health care occupations expected to expand through 2018 are: physician assistants, physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, pharmacists, and dietitians and nutritionists.

Pharmacy school is a big commitment to a specific education field and involves dedicating yourself fully to the program while additionally understanding the intricacies of the pharmaceutical industry.  California has emerged as one of the leading contenders in pharmacy school and has attracted students around the world to its many programs and stellar reputation.

Atmosphere
Aside from anything else, the atmosphere that you find in California is one of the best for attending pharmacy school.  Instead of being distracted by the beautiful scenery and lifestyles, you will instead concentrate more on graduation so that you will be able to live in this type of paradise after graduation.  Furthermore, the lifestyle in California helps students relax throughout school and revel in their surroundings.

Reputation
The major pharmacy schools in California have built up a name for themselves and remain among the top in the nation.  California has the most pharmacy schools within the state as compared to other states and additionally has some of the oldest pharmacy schools.  This level of prestige comes with years of experience and faculty that is committed to ensuring the excellence of their students. 

Flexibility
Pharmacy school does not have to confine you into one small square of a future, but can instead mean many different options for your future degree.  While the obvious career choice is that of pharmacist, most California pharmacy schools encourage students to study different topics to prepare them for a career in research, or a career working with a large corporation as part of their medical staff.  This allows students the freedom and flexibility to try different classes without straying outside the pharmacy world. 

University of California
Frequently ranked the top school in most pharmacy school rankings, the University of California in San Francisco captures students’ imaginations in the world of pharmacy.  Rather than solely focusing on a future at Walgreens or CVS, the University of California looks to the future and what coming technological advances hold for the field of pharmacy.  The school better prepares their students for a future in the pharmacy industry without confining them to the pharmacy counter; the school instead focuses on novel treatments for diseases and the best use of therapeutics for individuals and populations.

The Need
Despite the wide array of pharmacy schools that abound in California, the state always has a need for pharmacists, especially during a time where most students opt to go to medical school rather than pharmacy school.  There are many opportunities for students of pharmacy throughout the state, which serves as an even greater incentive for future pharmacy students.