blog 15 my reflection

I can't believe I just titled this the 15th blog! 15 weeks of blogging in and of itself is a record for me! I really enjoyed this course and all of the topics we covered. I felt there was a great variety and something new to learn each week. I especially appreciated the harder-to-discuss topics like the trafficking of women into sex slavery, FGM, and the assignment #12. These topics forced me to look into, research, and learn about things I didn't really know much about before. Sometimes challenges in this world are to gruesome to acknowledge or are so insane that it's hard to imagine they exist. These are the topics I most appreciated. Since I am a mom, I already had some good knowledge about pregnancy and disease etc. I enjoyed the assignments and required blogging. The blog in particular was a lot of fun for me to keep and definitely something I hadn't done before. I enjoyed reading my viewers comments all semester as well as the opportunity to read and comment on theirs. As a woman, I believe this course provides and solid foundation of understanding and appreciation for where women came from and just how far they have come across history with all of the obstacles and challenges faced over the years. This course has helped me to be prouder of who I am and more informed on a global level. Thank you so much Mrs. Kampschroeder, I really enjoyed this class!

blog 14~ Vagina Vagina Vagina

Just as Eve Ensler said, "it sounds like an infection at best, it doesn't matter how many times you say it, it never sounds like a word you want to say....such an unsexy word."
I have heard of The Vagina Monologues and always wanted to check it out but never have. Now, I definitely will. What a fantastic intro video to who this genius of a woman is and what her passion is and where it stems from. I really had no idea what V-day was and what her purpose was. I thought it was a satirical comedy or something and as it turns out I am a tad bit wrong. While comedy is there, her purpose  really is to give the vagina a voice in issues more serious in nature such as violence, crimes, and inappropriate acts towards women. Why is the vagina so taboo anway? And where did that list of vagina nicknames she rattled off come from? Seriously! "Powder Box," "Pookie," and "Poopaloo," really?! And the list went on and on and on! Hilarious. Ms. Ensler did note, however, that once she opened the topic up for discussion women were on a roll talking about their vaginas. Story after story after story. She heard stories from a huge variety of women. Women from all over the world of different ethnicities, ages, and cultures. The stories could be funny, depressing, sad, gut-wrenching, entertaining, etc. It seems like what touched this woman the most was the number of women that lined up at her shows to tell their story about how their vagina, or womanhood, was beaten, gang-raped, mutilated, infected, and just abused. Eve Ensler went on to investigate and speak out against these topics. She has empowered other women across the globe (Ensler refers to them as "vagina warriors") to travel their villages and communities saving other girls, young and old, from potential tragedy to their vagina. Her movement has raised millions and millions of dollars, 75 to be exact, in an effort to end violence towards women and protect them from abuse. What began as a casual funny conversation about menopause has turned into to an international phenomenon encouraging women to embrace and protect their vaginas. It's an incredible movement. I love how she brings passion to the vagina and gives it a broader definition and purpose other than another part of the body, reproductive and sexual in nature, but rather a symbol of sorts for a woman's existence: mind, body, and soul. I can't wait to dive into The Vagina Monologues and laugh, cry, and discover. Somehow Ms. Ensler was able to draw a connection between balance at the center of the universe and the center and balance as a woman through the vagina, which happens to be located at the center of our body. Very thought provoking in so many ways. I encourage all of you to have a look at this!

V-Day link
http://www.vday.org/

Reference

Ensler, E. (2004). [playwright]. Eve Ensler: happiness in body and soul. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/eve_ensler_on_happiness_in_body_and_soul.html

Image copyright Google clipart

blog 13 to admit is to be stong

I believe it takes a lot of courage for a woman to finally admit they have a drug problem and need help. It is not a sign of weakness. Thousands of people struggle everyday with drugs, many of which never get the help they need. Some who do get help often relapse. It takes a lot of inner strength to finally realize you are powerless of the addiction and that you can't help yourself on your own. The "-ism" is to powerful once it grabs hold of a person.I think it's a sign of weakness when a person doesn't take the first step towards recovery by admitting their problem. After all, that would be the harder path and it's easier to remain in the comfort of their addiction no matter how debilitating it is. I think this is the shortest blog I have ever written but it's in response to a pretty cut and dry question!
I have personal experience, not with drugs and alcohol, but with a particular recovery program that deals with any person's habits and hang-ups. In this recovery program you find people coming from all walks of life battling different things. The women that I have met within who are trying to recover from drugs or alcoholism are so strong. They are honest in recovery and what their goals are and know that they can't do it alone but that it is a daily personal choice as to whether they will relapse or not. Now to me, that is not weakness but an incredible amount of strength to wake up everyday and sometimes hourly, choose to be sober and live that way. To give up is to be weak.

blog 12- Mental Illness

Isn't it sad that even with all the medical advances and discoveries and education available society still maintains a certain stigma against mental illness? I think so. Working in healthcare, I tend to find that when people don't know much about this type of illness, or what an umbrella for a variety of illnesses it is, they tend to judge or group those patients as "mentally retarded." All it really is is a lack of education and understanding. Why would a person uninterested in health take the time to research or learn about mental health especially if they aren't directly effected? Sometimes, even when a person is diagnosed, or a loved one is diagnosed, education lacks because the notion that the doctor will handle it takes over. Years and years ago, medical professionals didn't know what was wrong with people when they exhibited multiple personalities or developmental delays...eventually, many people weren't treated properly and sent off to insane asylums. It's actually quite an interesting history, field of work, and field to study. It really reminds you of how far the world of medicine has come. Education is a necessary approach to bring understanding about mental illness to light. A great avenue would be the media. People seem to plan their evenings around favorite sitcoms and reality TV or atleast DVR it. So, how about the networks develop characters in their programs that maybe have an illness or two? Medical programs already do this, but that doesn't always appeal to everyone. If someone likes comedy they might choose "Office Space" over "House." Also, channels like Discovery Health and TLC do a decent job in touching on mental health sometimes. I just think that if characters on TV could be developed than viewers could get a better sense of what a range it is for them to appear as. Also, it could show some care-giving or treatment methods. Media is creative enough to make such a character comedically fit into a show. My opinion. Another way would be to encourage late night viewing such as "Dateline" to spotlight mental health/illness. People just don't realize the spectrum and don't realize that it just isn't a severe case of Schizophrenia that makes up mental illness. And what were those stats again?? Something like half of all Americans will experience mental illness in their lifetimes (Alexander, L., Alexander, W., Bader, H., Garfield, S., LaRosa, J., 2010). That is a major deal and worth educating about. Frequent or routine physician visits are a way to ensure you are staying on top of your health. Your doctor may be able to pick up on something going on that you didn't think anything about and then refer you to the necessary professionals or for some testing to be safe. Mental Health is just as important as physical health.

For anyone really interested in Mental health or specifically OCD, have a look at this trailer put on by VH1. It's called The OCD Project.
http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/503670/the-ocd-project-supertrailer.jhtml

Reference

Alexander, L., Alexander, W., Bader, H., Garfield, S., and LaRosa, J. (2010). New Dimensions in Women's Health. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Blog 11 Celiac Disease and my Best Friend

     I am so grateful to have a handful of people in my life whom I consider my best friends. I have heard that old saying talking about "if you can go through life with atleast just 1 of these types of friends in your life then you are just fine"...or something like that, do you know what I am talking about? Anyway, luckily, I feel like I have a few of these people. Friendship is a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, disagreements, celebrations, good times and bad...much like a marriage! Included in this realm is health. It strikes each of us differently and at all different times. With this blog, I wanted to talk about Lindsey. She is one of my longest friends and very close to my heart. Ya'll know a little about her already....she has the granny that wants her to settle down. Well Lindsey was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in her early-mid twenties, she couldn't quite remember. For those of you who aren't familiar with this disease let me give you a quick overview..the disease is considered autoimmune because the body's own immune system causes the damage. The website http://www.counsellingresource.com/ defines it as: "Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine  and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats. When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine." A diagnosis like this, although things can always be worse, still took some getting used to, especially, at that age.
      I asked her a few questions, such as how difficult has it been to change your life to accommodate Celiac?, does this disease frustrate you?, how often are you sick from it?, and what do you do today to maintain optimal health and keep the flare-ups down? Having been friends for so long, I have seen her healthy and I have seen her sick. Here is a summation of her answers not verbatim:
It took a few months for me to get used to it because I had to evaluate everything I was eating and everywhere I went to eat. I had to learn to check ingredients and what the triggers were for my digestive/stomach pain. Sometimes I felt embarrassed at restaurants when the chef would have to visit me personally to discuss what was in the food cooked. I all the sudden felt so limited in what I could eat, yet I knew the pain caused by trigger foods wasn't worth it. Explaining my health when I would go on a date wasn't fun because I just felt like dealing with it was a pain. Fortunately, that was my insecurity and my situation always ended up being understood. Sometimes even today, it's hard to not give in to the foods that people will eat in front of me, and the people closest to me tend to order or serve with me in mind. I am not sick very often with this disease, thankfully, because I loaded myself up with education on it. Already being a healthy person who exercises made the transition of paying closer attention to ingredients etc. a bit easier. However, I do trigger a flare-up occassionally when I just have to satisfy a craving for some food with gluten in it, like pancakes, or a dessert. The way I maintain optimal health is through constant awareness of what I eat. I feel like I have to pay closer attention because of the digestive exacerbation on me than the person at the booth over. I realized that once I went an extended period of time without the foods I had to cut out, I had less desire/cravings for them. My body naturally adjusted to excessive amounts of veggies, fruits, and meats. Since I am living in Libya right now, this disease has been easier to handle than in America. The appealing food options here are much less...it's a way of life-vegetables (raw or cooked), camel, goat, fish, and fruit....most anything else around here is questionable!

Chronic diseases and autoimmune diseases range a great spectrum from severe and debilitating to mild and manageable. I have learned a lot from my friend, nutritionally, and perspectively. If your health is important enough to you, you will make the changes you need to make to adapt, in the end  your body will thank you for it and you will be a happier you.

Reference

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). Celiac Disease. Retrieved November 10, 2010 from http://counsellingresource.com/distress/chronic/celiac/index.html 

blog 10~~The Motivation Behind Reducing Cardiovascular Disease

     Majority of people know that Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally right now. The media (i.e. news stations) do a very good job at delivering health messages, my opinion...that's where I first learned this info anyway. However, there are many people that lack education about the disease, especially when you think globally. Developing nations don't have the technology for media resources, let alone electricity sometimes. So, how can anyone be motivated to make healthy changes for something as radical as this disease when they know nothing about it, or how their current lifestyle compares, in the first place?
     Education is a key factor in just about every topic these days. How do you know who to vote for in elections if you don't know their policies? How do you cook a meal if you don't learn how to boil water? How do you control the population if you don't learn about prevention methods? How do you gain motivation stronger than for a "to look good" goal if you don't hardly know anything about cardiovascular disease and how anyone is at risk?
     Our question for this weeks blog is this, "what factors can influence women to adopt heatlhier lifestyles and engage in preventative behaviors so as to reduce their risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer?" My response is clearly education about the disease. Now, after one has taken a few minutes to google the topic or, in a developing world, listen to that educator that journied into a village to discuss the matter, the person can now take a personal inventory on what their risk factors are. Here is a categorized list provided by the American Heart Association at www.heart.org:
           1.) Factors that can't be changed include: age, sex, and ethnicity
           2.) Factors that can be changed or managed include: smoking, weight, Diabetes, sedentary   lifestyle, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, stress, alcohol intake, and nutrition

With this knowledge, we can apply it to our life and who we are and judge where we stand as a risk for developing CVD. Also, bringing up the subject or asking for the necessary testing (ex. CBC-complete blood count) from your physician isn't a bad idea either. Personally, my motivation comes from my basic knowledge of the disease and knowing that there are measures I can take to avoid it the best I can. I also am motivated, as a woman and a mother, by those roles. I want to live to see grandchildren, weddings, and graduations. I want to reach my older years and know that I lived a long, happy, and healthy life the best way I knew how. It's about education for me. Smoking is a great example. If a person knew the in-depth harmful effects of this disgusting habit on their body than shouldn't that be motivation enough? Afterall, these effects include CVD and lung cancer. I have heard many times about those cases where a person justifies their habit by saying that "perfectly healthy people who have never smoked got lung cancer so why can't I just enjoy my smoke if I am at risk either way?" I hate that, it makes me cringe. Here's my answer: "You only get one body and why are you going to purposely cause harm and irreversible damage to it, as opposed to not, just to relax a little when there are plenty of other relaxing things you could do? It's lazy, dumb, and ignorant." Maybe if someone knew that those factors that can't be changed, in combination with their current lifestyle, potentially raised the bar greatly for probability of getting that diagnosis, then maybe they might be inclined to make smarter and healthier decisions.
     Common sense tells us that we need to eat a balanced diet, drink water, get ample rest, and incorporate physical activity into our crazy lives. I understand how some of these things can be challenging to a person, but ultimately it's up to the individual to compensate. If you are a busy working woman and don't have time to get to the gym or go for a walk at home, then make sure you ate wisely that day and parked further from the front door so as to get that extra walk in!
Seek out the education on your health and make an effort to treat your one and only body as best you can! Don't let the circumstances of life have complete control over your health.~~my advice and good motivation.

Reference for CVD
American Heart Association. (2010, November 3). Understand Your Risk of Heart Attack. Retrieved from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/UnderstandYourRiskofHeartAttack/Understand-Your-Risk-of-Heart-Attack_UCM_002040_Article.jsp 

image copyright from Google clipart

           

blog 9- The media does influence our bodies

Just like days, months, and years past, the media presently continues to influence how we feel towards our bodies. The media is such a huge and instrumental part of life. It's how we get our news locally and globally, how we satisfy our entertainment needs, where we find enjoyment, provides role models (good or bad is up for discussion!), persuades life decisions and habits, and many more things. Specifically, it continues to influence us women in our thoughts, attitudes, and judgments of our own bodies and self-image. For some reason, it seems like majority of society is so insecure with themselves that we are constanly on a mission to self-improve...no problem with a little self-improvement here and there because there is always room for it, but, when it is in excess, done for the wrong reasons, and unrealistic, that is when it becomes a problem-my opinion. We listen to the radio and recognize who the artist is and what they look like, we watch movies and are inspired to be just like the celebrity (minus the real flaws we don't see), we watch reality TV such as "Top Model" and see what we are led to believe appeals to people or men. It's all over the place and hard to escape. Have you gone through the self-help aisle at Barnes and Noble and seen how m a n y books there are? Still, it's no match against the media. I think most of us realize it's airbrushing, pro makeup, loads of money invested in personal trainers/chefs, great lighting, and a great photographer...and for the lucky-great genes. So, if we know this, then why in the world do we brush it off and still strive to be "just like her"? It's what we are persuaded to believe is beautiful and desirable. These two traits are important to women and we associate it with love and belonging....it probably would take some money towards a therapist to unravel those issues, meanwhile, we still turn the TV on everyday. Now, all that being said, I would like to give credit where I think it is due. Media gets some. Over the last few years in comparison to the many before it, I have noticed a change in models, ads, campaigns, and celebrity spokeswomen. I think companies have finally caught on to the vast numbers regarding obesity and are looking to broaden their audience and customer base because of it. We also have clothing stores for larger women and so a larger size woman, naturally, should be the model. I have seen ads/commercials on TV trying to appeal to a woman being comfortable in her skin and proud of who she is, hence, the heavier woman showing face in their skivies. Now, maybe to most people that isn't so appealing to see, but it is encouraging woman, who are larger, no matter their circumstance, to have more self-confidence and self-esteem, and to be proud and embrace their body in a healthy way. Didn't Jaime Lee Curtis recently shed some threads to show her real body? I think it is great she did, afterall, we are all human and we age. It's ok to be super fit one year (J.L.Curtis in "True Lies") and then within the next few years back off a little and enjoy life and put on a mini muffin top. It's ok. It's ok, as long as we are still mindful of our health and the importance of maintaining good nutrition and exercise. Replace the goal of seeing every rippled muscle and flawless complexion enhanced by botox with being secure, confident, and content enough to enjoy a hershey bar and walk a few miles that week.

Health educators have a huge job in front of them if they decide to focus on downplaying the media and trying to get out more positive messages to us. Creativity in message delivery would be an important element. The educator needs to remember that the media is very powerful and in knowing that, maybe use the positive aspects that are starting to come out to compliment their message. For example, use images and campaigns where popular faces have been associated with that specific message. J.L.Curtis for Activia yogurt is popular. Jennifer Hudson and Weight Watchers is another example. Jaime-Lynn Sigler is a spokeswoman for eating disorders. The Dove Beauty Campaign is another great example.
Take a peak at this website to find other celebs who have come forward with their issues and decided to use their popularity for the greater good.
http://www.caringonline.com/eatdis/people.htm

blog #8- Menopause.....Society Isn't Helping "The Change"

So upon researching articles online about this daunting, yes, it's daunting to me, transition in life, I came across a pretty good one from the American Psychological Association website talking about many things including society's negative attitude towards menopause. The article also mentioned a couple studies including the one that is supposed to have a follow-up study out this year which was the Women's Health Initiative (DeAngelis, 2010). Primarily, I wanted to blog about what the psychologists are doing with women entering menopause using the article I found and how society doesn't seem to welcome the change with open arms but rather focus on the negative aspects of it. Personally, in my mind I would love to embrace the attitude where I say I am excited to "age" naturally and take on life with more wisdom and self-confidence that life experience provides you, however, in my reality the thought of hormonal imbalances, potential osteoporosis, hot flashes, and wrinkles doesn't excite me one bit. Does that make me negative Nancy or what? I can work on my attitude towards aging and hopefully by the time it hits me I have fine-tuned myself enough to take it all in gracefully....we shall see I suppose.

First of all, let's mention the many reasons why a woman, and a man, would be led to look at menopause with a big frown: *hot flashes *night sweats *sleep disturbance *loss of bone density *emotional disturbances *depression *end of child-bearing years *vaginal changes *decreased libido(2010). It's no wonder why we don't think positively right off the bat.

When the women in the studies were asked questions pertaining to body image and appearance they were more likely to judge themselves negatively whereas women who were asked open-ended questions about menopause were more likely to mention the positive aspects being end of mentruation, more time for themselves, as well as more confidence and wisdom (2010). Author DeAngelis (2010) quoted these women in her article saying, “The women in these studies generally say, ‘I wouldn’t want to go back and be 20 again,’” says Chrisler. “But if you force them to think about their bodies then, yes, they’d like to be 20 again.”

Some early research suggested that cognitive behavioral therapy was successful in helping menopausal women with hot flashes and night sweats which also had a positive effect on mood (2010). One psychologist in the article also mentions how women, especially younger women, will be able to better cope with menopause if they are educated and taught strategies such as "self-control, self-maintenance, emotional resilience, body acceptance and the ability to better discern others’ motives" (2010).

In conclusion, as a society, if we are able to change our focus from appearance and physical change to what the fifties will positively have to offer (time, pleasure, family, wisdom etc) than menopause wouldn't be entered in so awfully. We all age, we all go through physical changes and celebrating the end of our monthly should be a great thing. Life on the other side of menopause will be greener if we choose the attitude that gets us there....years of misery post menopause sound about as exciting as wrinkles to me!

Madonna's Material Girl/Menopausal Girl    -pretty funny-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbuPnn6wHb0&feature=related

Reference

DeAngelis, T. (2010, March). American Psychological Association: Menopause, the Makeover.

     Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/03/menopause.aspx 

blog #7- Getting "Tested" Is The Responsible Thing To Do

     I can only imagine what I would tell someone close to me what I think they should do regarding STD testing....I have never been in this situation before although I am pretty positive I have known a lot of woman over my teen years and through my twenties that have been down this road, I just never actually heard about it probably because it's not an issue that a person wants broadcasted as if it were a public service announcement. Those are some funny words I just chose to use because in a sense an STD shouldn't be so private out of embarrassment or shame, it should be announced when applicable. It's a valid health concern for everyone involved who is sharing needles or having sex. The person who is affected most definitely should be honest and share important health information with the people they are tangoing with. Serioiusly, atleast let the person know they are at risk by being with you so that they can decide for themselves if they feel like dealing with an irritating case of crabs or something more serious like Syphilis.

     My advice to a loved one who suspects an STD would be simple-"Go find out!" And I would tack on there that "if you know you were negative before and you are certain that the STD was just given to you and you know by who then go ask them for money towards the medical and medication bill!" That's my initial reaction. Of course, this would be a sensitive and emotional conversation so I would include in my advice that I understood the embarrassment and humiliation they must feel but STDs are so common nowadays and treated all the time. I would say something along these lines, "Doctors see this sort of thing constantly and you are no different than anyone else. Hopefully, you have a good relationship with your doctor and comfortable enough to share personal info and dialogue about it. I think that would make it easier. The doctor wants you healthy and it's their job to help get you there and the only way they can is if you go talk to them and ask for the tests you need. It's the responsible thing to do for your health and the health of anyone you are involved with." Most of the time, those of us studying health related subjects or already have a career in the field know some info about STDs such as statistics, treatments, symptoms, etc. This is an advantage over those that don't because depending on the disease, it could bring some emotional relief to our loved ones who aren't as knowledgeable about STDs. They might be freaking our over something that is more of an irritant than something serious but in their mind it's the end of the world. With that being said, I would include some general stats for knowledge and to help calm my friend down. I would let them know that I had studied briefly STDs and learned that as many as 3.2 million teens have an STI and a ratio of 1:4 women age 14-19 are affected with something (Alexander, L. et. al., pp 175). New cases are popping up all over the place constantly. I would reassure my friend that many STDs are treatable with antibiotics including chlamydia, syphilis, gonnorrhea, and BV. (Alexander, L. et. al., pp. 179-185). Finally, I would tell my friend that if it would help I would go see the doctor with them if they would like and that I would be supportive of them through it. Waiting on test results alone can be agonizing. At the end of the ordeal, I would hope to hear my friend say that they would make better choices next time around and take better precautions. If you are single and mingling, how do you add "do you or have you ever had a STD?" to the checklist of standards for dating someone without coming across like a crazy person? It really should be something discussed just like finding out what they do for a living or what kind of car they drive or if they prefer cats or dogs.

Reference

Alexander, L. L., Alexander, W. J., Bader, H., Garfield, S., LaRosa, J. H. (2010). New Dimensions in 

     Women's Health. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

blog #6- Routine Prenatal Testing is a must...atleast the standards!

     I find this to be a tricky topic and dependent on way too many factors. It's a bit hard to have an opinion about whether or not prenatal testing should be routine for all pregnant women when it seems like a personal preference. The advice I would give myself and to another woman would be to do what you are comfortable with but take into consideration your discussions with your doctor. I assume in those discussions the doctor has reviewed family/medical history, ethnicity, and lifestyle. These are factors that potentially contribute to complications in a fetus.   
     Already during pregnancy there are standard tests performed during each trimester, given the woman is getting her prenatal care. Side note- now that is something that should be mandatory for all pregnant women. A nice review of these tests can be found at http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp133.cfm, which is the website for the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. This webpage gives a breakdown of testing for each trimester and what screening vs. diagnostic testing means. I agree that the standards should be required of the woman because it helps give the best tailored prenatal care possible. It helps doctors determine any expected complications with either mom or baby during the pregnancy, which, if known beforehand, can be treated appropriately. For example, towards the end of pregnancy a test is performed to determine if the Rh antigen is present in the mother. If the mother lacks the Rh antigen then she can make antibodies that attack the babies blood creating fetal problems. The Rh situation can become very serious and involves a couple other scenarios too, point being that if the screening hadn't been performed then a perfectly preventable tragedy wouldn't have occured. The medication needed to care for this situation would have been called upon to ensure safety for mom and baby.
     On the flip side of the coin is optional testing, such as screening for Down's Syndrome or other genetic diseases. I do not feel that these tests should be routine for all woman for a couple reasons. One reason is that the anxiety and worry associated with deciding whether or not to test and then waiting on the results can create psychological, mental, and/or emotional distress for the mother and father. Something to consider would be the question "What will we do with the results?" The parents will be faced with making very tough decisions regarding termination of the pregnancy, worry during the pregnancy, and anxiety over caring for a handicapped child in their near future. Some people opt not to test because they are firm in their decision that it simply wouldn't matter one way or the other if the child had a disability. Other people are not so sure. According to the Mayo Clinic Staff, not all tests offer 100% accurracy either. So what if you are the one that gets a false positive? That could be very devastating.
     A second point to consider, however, is that some woman present with a significant family or personal medical history or lifestyle. In these cases it might be highly recommended by the doctor to have some additonal testing done. At the end of the day it seems to be up to the parents though and I am ok with that. I am ok with that as long as it was an informed decision-that's the key. Those parents need to be educated on what their doctor's concerns are and what he/she sees as potential complications in their pregnancy or with the baby once born. After all points and scenarios have been taken into consideration is when the decision about whether to obtain further testing should be made.

References

American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Retrieved from http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp133.cfm 

The Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/prenatal-testing/PR00014  

blog 5- "Me Now, Kids Later....maybe"

My best friend of 15 years instantly came to mind when I was trying to think of a person who is choosing to be "childless." This is a topic we actually have discussed pretty frequently over the last 4-5 years. I will call her Lily for the publicity of this blog. You see, she grew up with a younger sister in a pretty loving, Christian home...dysfunction did exist though. So much so that it has caused her to intentionally create distance from her family after highschool. I believe that her childhood/teen years played a strong role in her decisions as an adult today. Lily has a brilliant mind and has accomplished amazing things academically and career wise. She holds three degrees, 2 of which are masters and has great ambition in her interests in a career internationally. She has lived in several places around the states, as well as Armenia, and most currently, Tripoli, Libya. She is under contract working there and loves her job. Culturally, it was a major adjustment to live long term but if anyone was up for the challenge it was her. Her strong sense of self and smarts have helped her to adapt in male dominated societies and achieve success in the corporate world. She is very knowledgeable about religion and a variety of ethnicities. These assets help her everyday. She loves her life and what she does but once in awhile finds herself longing for something different, something she hasn't experienced....a family. 
Her career doesn't come with much stability in one place nor opportunity to meet and sustain healthy relationships that meet her standards for what she would be looking for in a life partner. Dating is one thing, but husband material is another. I suppose this depends on where you are in life as to what you are looking for in a partner. Lily and I talk all the time but don't get to actually see each other much....
When we finally are able to be in the same zip code, family mode kicks in for her. Lily says, "I wish I had what you have." Prior to divorcing, I had a stable family life and 2 kids. That is what she saw. A sense of "normal." Her idea of a normal family was probably wacky to someone else. Part of her internal battle is wanting to pursue her career goals but sacrificing time and opportunity for a family or to "settle down." Her grandmother, age 92, constantly asks Lily in her British voice, "when will you find a nice Christian man and settle down and have a baby Lily?" This question has been asked as many times as you change your socks so her and I can just laugh about it now. At one point in her twenties, LIly believed that she would be fine if she never had kids and kept her focus on her career and maybe did finally settle down with someone who could keep up with her one day. Now as we get closer to thirty and majority of our friends have married and had kids, she gets bit by that bug....funny that it happens just in the nick of time before she jets off on her new adventure. In her heart, she talks about wanting that dream life with a family but in reality she recognizes her contentment with the path she is on. Maybe by some miraculous event, that special someone will come around and she will get to experience the best of both worlds....granny would be delighted! Until then, "live and enjoy what you have."

Sex Education in the Public Schools

     I am most definitely an advocate for sex education to be taught within the public school system. Much like everything else in life, this is a topic that I also believe should be an ongoing discussion at home once the subject has been introduced by either the child or the parent. Let's remember though that the teenager's timing doesn't always align with the parent's. So, in that case, we have our trusty school system to rely on....hopefully. 
     Morals, values, religious influences etc. all are first intoduced in the home. That is where abstinence is first talked about too and it's usually based off of those above listed influences. It's a different story, however, when you bring that teenager into the public schools where there is a vast mix of morals, values, and influences. Abstinence isn't always taught at home and neither is safe sex for that matter. Parents shy away from this topic out of denial or faith in someone else talking about it or whatever, who knows why. The point I am making is that influences among peers combined with the teenagers own growth and development, thoughts and opinions tend to hold a lot of value when it comes to decision-making. It's a wonderful thing when a teenager is able to remain abstinent due to strong morals and opinions etc. especially when coupled with all of the curiosity and pressure of the teenage years. But what about the teens that choose differently? What about the teens who are being raised in a home where the subject is taboo or that parents are ill-informed themselves? If for no other reason than pure education, it should be taught. At the end of the day, the teen is going to decide when the time is right to engage in sexual activity and once the decision is made, it will happen. No doubt about it. Instead of letting them be another negative statistic for us let's help them out with pamphlets, education, condoms, and resouces. Sex is a part of life and can be a beautiful thing when engaged in appropriately.
     It's vital for the education to be presented in a healthy and attention-grabbing way to all teens, especially if it's the only way one will hear about it. Learning about STDs, pregnancy, and safe sex may help to confirm the decision of the teen who has decided to be abstinent and remain that way until later in life anyway. I had never heard of "abstinence-PLUS" education and after researching it a bit, I suppose that is what I lean towards. It means to promote abstinence in the schools but to also provide information about contraceptives, STDs, HIV, and pregnancy ("Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education").  That sounds reasonable enough to me. The article I just mentioned, "Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education" is a very thorough one discussing the controversy and provides arguments, statistics, research, and disadvantages/advantages for both sides. Hopefully by the time my kids are school age and into their teen years this argument will be settled and give peace of mind to everyone across the board-parents, teachers, teens, and the rest of society that the subject is alive and being recognized and discussed.


Reference
 "Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education". Retrieved: September 21, 2010 from
http://ari.ucsf.edu/science/reports/abstinence.pdf. 

blog 3- Promoting Overall Health

     In general, I like to think of myself as a pretty healthy person. I do my best to keep health on my mind and prevent unnecessary issues with me that are within my control. Some of the questions in the self-assessment I looked at are a "yes" on some days/weeks/months and a "no" on others. I think it is difficult to incorporate every little thing into our daily lives to promote and prevent our own health. Personally, I do try to eat a healthy diet..I cheat and slip here and there though because I know I will work it off at the gym...In eating well and exercising I also am trying to set a good example for my kids. Obesity in children is a scary thing and I feel it's manageable and the responsibility of the parents. I know I have never seen a 5 yr old grocery shopping on their own or driving the car thru the drive-thru at fast food chains! Sleep is now an issue. Majority of my studies take place at night and then we have early wake up calls in my house. As for the rest of the assessment, I did pretty well. I don't smoke or do drugs, my alcohol intake is very occassional and usually with my girlfriends, and I definitely wear my seatbelt and find my downtime.
     Modeling healthy behaviors for adolescents is a key way to teach them about living a healthy life. It starts at home much like everything else (i.e. morals, values, relationship, habits, learned behaviors, etc). Parents need to be willing to be disciplined and strong enough to set important boundaries for their teenagers. Limit the inactivity and TV time daily and force more active choices. One hour of TV after school is enough when there is homework, dinner, extra curriculars, and a decent time to go to bed to be considered. Parents should cook healthy meals and provide healthy options. I do think it is fine to have "junk" in the pantry but in that case, teaching about moderation needs to be going on all the time. I think just by providing easy to read and appealing material to read from educators and doctors is a good way to continue getting the message across. Media is the problem. Highlighting the trendy diets and promoting skinny, photo-shopped images of beautiful people and celebrities encourages teens in a negative way. It's called instant gratification. Don't eat, take pills, run like crazy and maybe I will look like her and that's what the world sees as beautiful. How sad is that? I'm sure I was caught up in that at one point, but thank goodness it wasn't extreme.
     I found an article online talking specifically about women around the world: The Importance of Women's Health (http://www.globalhealth.org/womens_health/). It's a great article just pointing out the fact that women are the anchor for the health of their immediate families and communities. Therefore, if the health of women deteriortate then the health of their families deteriorates too. There are so many preventable health issues going on in the developing world, one being, maternal health. If those women just had the access to prenatal care, obstetric services, and education, so many deaths wouldn't happen as a result of pregnancy. I thank my lucky stars that I am not in the position of those women in developing countries and I have the option and education for prenatal care and when to begin (before pregnancy, mind you). It's overwhelmingly disturbing to scroll through the hundreds of articles and statistics of life-altering situations for women in less fortunate countries knowing that I am scrolling from my laptop at home, with a light on, a clean glass of water, and an insurance card in my wallet.

 “Healthy Women, Healthy World”
a slogan from the article discussed: "The Importance of Women'sHealth"
(http://www.globalhealth.org/womens_health/).

    

Healthcare Is A Right, NOT A Privilege!

     I, without a doubt, believe that healthcare is a right. By definition, the word privilege means:  a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary). What was a little ironic after reading this definition was the example used that followed it: "Good health care should be a right and not a privilege" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary). I smiled when I read that. Since when is a person's health "granted" to them? That sounds insane to me! People have the right to speech in order to say what they want and have the right to bear arms, but yet the ability to have healthcare is in question? At what point did this country get so backwards that "the right to individual healthcare" need to be added to the Bill of Rights?
     Nobody has a crystal ball to predict whether or not the person who has a license to carry a weapon is going to kill someone else yet it is their right to be able to carry that weapon. Similarily, nobody can predict whether or not the person that was just born is going to be blessed with good or bad health thus potentially needing thousands of dollars in coverage. People who live the healthiest lifestyle they know how, also, are diagnosed with an array of illnesses. Lung cancer doesn't just affect the population that makes a poor decision to smoke. It's just something that is a part of life and nobody is excluded from the chance of it happening to them. Dr. Davis Liu makes an excellent point in his article "Is Healthcare A Right Or A Privilege" (http://getbetterhealth.com/is-healthcare-a-right-or-a-privilege/2010.03.31) when he said:
                    "Children who haven’t had time to abuse their bodies do develop cancers, type 1 diabetes  requiring insulin, or are born with genetic problems, like cystic fibrosis, that require expensive medical therapies that potentially are lifelong. Once diagnosed, these children are now plagued with the “pre-existing” label and unable to get health insurance. Over the past many years, the leading cause of personal bankruptcy for individuals and families is due to medical expenses. As a parent with an ill child could you simply walk away?"

It's sad to think that a baby or young child who hasn't had much opportunity to really live and experience life yet, in an instant, can be considered to have a pre-existing condition and be denied necessary coverage to nurse them back to health and give them that shot at life. How is that just? I think it's a little embarrassing that the United States is among the wealthiest countries in the world and our healthcare system seems very contradictory, therefore, not doing a good enough job to take care of its citizens. One must have a clean bill of health in order to pass the application process and become insured. Even then, depending on employment and a few other things, it might not be affordable. People selling their homes and possessions, divorcing, or relocating just to have their healthcare needs met is unacceptable. I have great hope that the healthcare reform will "grant" that right to everyone to have healthcare coverage no matter what the age or situation of the individual. 

Here is a great link to a video with President Obama discussing the healthcare plan. Take a moment to watch, it's only 4 minutes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUNCpnRBf9o&feature=related 

Concerning health issues

I have always been one of those women who basically just paid attention to my immediate surroundings. I catch the news here and there via television or the net or by word of mouth but never really have dove into what my views, thoughts, and opinions really are regarding the hundreds of thousands of topics out there. Today's blog is specific to my concern, and a couple other women's concern, on a particular health issue weighing on them.
One of two major concerns for me is infertility. As a mother of two little blessings myself, I have the good fortune of having many great and wonderful women and mothers in my life. I have friends who struggle with infertility and it's a heartbreaking situation to watch someone close to you go through. There are so many internal "goings on" within a woman's body that factor into this sad problem. Proper hormonal balance, all the working parts need to be in tact and functioning, as well as the age of the tiny fragile eggs. I am not a professional, but I know that there are so many more factors involved other than what I mentioned. Much like we would all love to see a cure to cancer, I would love to see a cure to infertility.
The second concern would be the importance of exercise to bring health and wellness to a woman's body both inside and out. Obesity in women is out of control to say the least. Not only does exercise help us to look great on the outside but it helps bring balance, decrease cholesterol levels, increase serotonin levels (helping with mood), and increase our strength, endurance, and stamina. Heart disease is the #1 leading killer for women (http://www.americanheart.org/). Just by learning a way to incorporate some type of exercise into our lives daily, not only are we helping our outside appearance, we are helping to hopefully prevent more serious health issues like heart disease.
After speaking with one woman, age 54, I learned she had some similar and some different concerns than me. Heart disease was also a concern of hers. There is a misconception out there that breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women. It's not, it's actually heart disease. So the overall concern here is just being aware and knowledgeable of the different misconceptions regarding certain issues. Another major concern for her that I haven't given much thought to is healthcare for the elderly. Being that I am only 29, this issue seems to be in the distant future for me and not a "right now" worry. I'm slowly changing that! The questions on her mind include the following:  What are the costs of coverage going to be? Prescription costs? What doctors will accept medicare because not all do? What about pre-existing condition coverage? In speaking with a woman at age 50 and hearing about preventative health screenings and tests etc., and also health insurance concerns I am encouraged to give more thought to these topics and follow the news in these issues. Afterall, one day, I will be 54 and facing these same things.
An African American woman discussed with me her concerns specifically pertaining to diabetes and reproductive system type cancers. Diabetes and high blood pressure both run in her family and she is aware of the problems with both health matters. Proper nutrition, exercise, and knowledge are helping her to control the development of diabetes and to decrease her blood pressure. She has known women over the years that have had to fight breast cancer and other types of cancer that metastacized to the uterus. As a woman it scares her to think of cancer attacking those particular organs. Globally, she has given thought to the AIDS epidemic in Africa and she is of the opinion that education to those people is the key. If there were more effective and resourceful ways for the people of Africa to be knowledgeable about the disease than maybe that would help control the spread of it.
After looking into concerning health issues for myself and others I realize that I am more curious about them just in general and on a personal level. It is important to be educated about current topics in health both locally and globally.

Think of an economy where people could be an artist or a photographer or a writer without worrying about keeping their day job in order to have health insurance.


Nancy Pelosi