1. Never skip more than 1 day.
2. Find a fun exercise.
3. Go with your body’s schedule.The Happy Life offers these tips, and more, in her most recent entry about sticking to her fitness plan after working out for more than a month. In addition, she's taken on the enormous goal of meeting 101 life-changing goals, one per week until 2010. Visit her blog for more inspiration and helpful hints.
Blogger and author Dr. Sherri Colburn has been updating a regular series on staying motivated to continue healthy lifestyle choices. One of my personal favorite tips is below:
Keep track of your progress, and reward yourself.
If you have already started an exercise program and are having trouble keeping it up (especially if you’ve previously been one of those 50 percent of people who drop out within the first six months), there are a few things that you can do to keep yourself motivated. Set realistic exercise goals or milestones to keep track of your hard work, and set up rewards for yourself when you meet them. Who says that stickers and treats are just for kids? If it works for you, use a sticker chart or some other visible record of physical activities that you accomplish each day and then give yourself frequent reinforcement with “tokens” or “treats” (preferably noncaloric ones) when you meet your goals. Maybe you can promise yourself an outing to somewhere special, the purchase of a coveted item, or anything else that is reasonable and effectively motivates you to exercise. Helpful recommendations for physical activities, activity logs, and other motivational tools are also widely available.
Last but not least, Running for the Prize offers her own take on self-accountability in the diet and exercise departments:
...Where I used to be able to do not even one real push up, I can now do sets of 15. I used to only use 8-10lb dumbbell for chest presses. Now I’m up to 25lbs. Etc, etc…It’s exciting to see improvement like that in a short amount of time (started at the gym in late October 2007).
And take my word for it, once you start getting into a regular workout routine that really pushes you, you think twice before eating unhealthy food. You certainly won’t want to undo what you just did at the gym. It’s a great kind of self-accountability.
For more great motivation on keeping your healthy resolutions, check out the following BlogHer articles:
Good Health-A-Thon, Week 1 and Week 2
]]>Blogger mommyverde offers tips on reducing one's carbon footprint in her entry, "The 2008 Carbon Footprint Diet."
Do you know how you personally contribute to global warming? It's called your carbon footprint, and it's a measure of how much energy you and your family use each year, in terms of home energy consumption, driving, and other daily activities. This new year, calculate your footprint, and then find ways to help reduce it—saving you money and the earth a lot of stress.
Shades of Pink has been writing about her continual effort to incorporate more exercise and less stress in her life.
t’s 2008! Happy New Year! I’m starting fresh and committing myself to exercise. I’m starting small. I’m starting with Yoga. I’m participating in WoYoPracMo. What on earth is that, you ask? It stands for World Yoga Practice Month. In January 2008, I will practice Yoga in some form and blog it. I figure it’s perfect for training for The 3 Day while the weather is bad.
And My Total Chaos writes of the challenges that she's faced as she tries to quit smoking:
Today is day 2 of our New Year’s Resolution: to quit smoking. This is something we have wanted/needed to do for a long time but it seemed our time-tables were never in sync. Despite many attempts we remained smokers. Today I can honestly tell you that I have not “cheated” at all. I have not had a cigarette in over 36 hours.
Here's to a healthy and happy 2008!
]]>While the pros and cons of the Pink for October awareness campaign have been debated for some time (check out these BlogHer articles from October 2007), one of the key issues with the breast cancer movement is the sheer magnitude of it. While there are countless agencies researching breast cancer causes, cures and treatments (whom are funded by even more philanthropic and corporate entities), there has never been an attempt to organize the fight against the disease. As a result, the research is fractioned, sometimes disorganized, and even duplicated at times. (Think Before You Pink produced an excellent PSA on this very topic that may be viewed here.)
]]>
However, there is a new movement afoot; a movement to coordinate the efforts of the dozens of agencies into a more stream-lined approach. The first ever Collaborative Summit on Breast Cancer Research was recently held near Washington DC and brought representatives from twenty-seven funding and research agencies together. Marisa Acocella Marchetto, the author of the amazing book Cancer Vixen, on her new HealthCentral blog, recently offered her own take on the Summit:
Sharing can also minimize overlapping studies and help get more out of funding. We all know that the US Government only spends 11 billion dollars annually on ALL cancer research, and we as a nation must demand more and this is another big IF, as in IF we received more money from the U.S. Government for research and...
Here's hoping that the new "culture of collaboration" will streamline the effort against breast cancer into a thorough and quick eradication of the disease.
The first step in holiday decoration safety begins with purchasing safe products and/or taking a safety assessment of what you already own. A good place to start is by checking the packaging and tags on all strings of lights that you plan to hang: each strand should bear a seal from an independent testing laboratory. If using lights from previous holiday seasons, check each strand visually before plugging in for damage to any of the bulbs or insulation. The Keep Kids Healthy blog offers a few more tips for holiday light safety:
Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
Turn off all lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house. Lights could short and start a fire.
Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.
The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and any person touching a branch could be electrocuted! To avoid this danger, use colored spotlights above or beside a tree, never fastened onto it!
Keep "bubbling" lights away from children. These lights with their bright colors and bubbling movement can tempt curious children to break candle-shaped glass, which can cut, and attempt to drink liquid, which contains a hazardous chemical.
Tree safety is also an important consideration for those who decide to put one up. If you choose an artificial tree, be sure to look for one that is labeled as fire-retardant. If choosing a fresh tree, the blogger Safety Dad has a few tips on choosing a safer one:
Make sure your tree is freshly cut and not dried out. Shake the tree a few times, if the needles fall out than your tree is too dry. Bend the needles as well. If they break in half, it is too dry.
Make sure you’re the tree stand has water up to it’s base. A well watered tree will be less likely to dry out.
Trees should never be near direct heat sources (heater, fireplace) this direct heat will accelerate the drying process and creates a fire hazard.
Throw your tree out as soon as it becomes too dry.
Cut the lower branches off the tree as these branches can poke a child in the eye causing injury or worse.
Make sure there are no lit candles near the tree.
All artificial trees should be labeled fire resistant.
Place your tree out of people traffic and do not block doorways.
Fasten all outdoor lights to protect from wind damage and potential fire and use GFI circuit interrupters to prevent shocking.
Finally, the month of December brings twice as many candle-related reported injuries than any other calendar month. Aside from the obvious dangers of unattended open flame, parents of young children should also be on the lookout for the festive air fresheners filled with brightly colored scented oils. These are often overlooked and in easy reach of a child's grasp, and many of the oils are harmful if ingested. However, with a little foresight, holiday decorations can be a source of safe enjoyment during this magical time of the year.
Additional reading:
]]>RN Laurie White offers ways to curb the average seven-pound weight gain:
]]>1. Eat a low calorie and low fat breakfast and lunch on the holiday to conserve some calories for the big feast. Don't skip meals however, because you'll be very hungry and then it's really hard not to over eat.
2. Put small portions of the heavy calorie things on your pre-dinner snack plate: vegetable spreads (they are usually held together with oil or mayo), cheese, and dips are some examples. Most of us eat without thinking, especially while socializing, so put a lot of lower calorie items on the plate as well, such as raw fruits and vegetables and whole-grain crackers. That way you won't consume a ton of calories but you'll still be nibbling like everyone else and won't feel out of place.
3. A snack of veggies, fruit and whole-grain items can also have a lot of fiber in it; this will help you to feel full and tends to control eating when you sit down to the full meal.
Using different tactics, Jennifer Scott has hints for becoming triumphant in the battle of the bulge:
-Be a picky eater.
We all have particular foods that we love and others that we may eat simply because they're there. Remember, whatever diet you're on, you have a "budget" of fat, calories, carbs, etc. Watch your "spending" habits and only choose the foods you really want. Mindlessly munching on potato chips isn't nearly as satisfying as allowing yourself a small slice of Aunt Edna's apple pie, right? Don't beat yourself up about eating something that is normally out of the question. Enjoy it! As long as you keep your portions under control, there's no reason you can't treat yourself to your favorite goodies.However, be sure to remind yourself that the holidays aren't a license to overindulge. Make sure you remember that old adage of "All things in moderation." when you're tempted to binge. When you reach for seconds, ask yourself if you are really still hungry. Chances are you'll realize it's just force of habit (Or force of Aunt Edna offering "Just on more slice, honey?"!). Say no to yourself and politely decline the offer, and you'll be very proud of yourself for staying in control.
-Go "veggie" for a day.
Many families have vegetarians or vegans in their midst these days. Chances are your hosts will have prepared a special dish or two just for those non-carnivores in the crowd. Take advantage of the healthier fruit and vegetable-based fare. Why not try those veggie buffalo wings, the eggplant casserole or a mushroom burger? While not all vegetarian dishes are low-fat or low-calorie, they're still a very healthy option, as they will provide you with the extra nutrients that you might not have gotten eating meat and carb-based foods. Plus, this is a great time to try a new vegetable or discover a dish you may not have tried otherwise. You just might find yourself asking for the recipe before you leave. Maybe you'll even decide to go "veggie" for good!
And finally, Stephanie, the author of Back In Skinny Jeans, has been busy created a multi-part holiday weight loss video log:
]]>I thought the videos would be a fun community way to help each other to not go crazy and gain enough weight over the holidays to make the muffin top bigger than it already is. Also, admittedly, I am partly doing this for shameless reasons too. I am sooooo close to my weight loss goal of 25 pounds adios that I thought these holiday tips videos would also help me and others like me stay focused during this tough weighty time of year.
In the first video, I talk about just how much the Average American gains over the holidays, and the 3 reasons why along with how easy it is to gain over a pound a week. I also go into details about the emotional influence the holidays has over our eating and drinking. Some of that holiday weight gain can also be tied to calorie loaded alcoholic drinks. If we help each other out, I think we can all get through the holidays having fun, being healthy, and in no need of a straight jacket ;-)
The first part of the video log can be seen here at YouTube.
The Health Blog offers a few suggestions for healthy gift-giving.
Good health can start at an early age with gift tips for the kiddies from That's Fit.
The DocShop Blog offers ways to keep your holiday festivities on the healthier side.
The University of Michigan offers many ideas for healthy holiday gifts for everyone on your list.
Jackie at The Peaceful Hands Blog offers a list of gift ideas that are certain to help the recipient attain an inner peace during this stressful season.
And finally, holistic expert Dr. Andrew Weil weighs in with his own ideas on creating a healthy holiday season.
]]>A shopping center. On a bench
I sit in silence
A dark smudge on an otherwise brightly colored canvas.
Families bustle by,
Loudly arguing:
Stress over locating the “perfect” gift.
But little do they know
That perfection
Is the time spent with their loved ones.
My perfect gift is non-existent:
There is nothing
That I want more than to have my partner back.
A shopping center. On a bench
I sit in silence
A dark smudge on an otherwise brightly colored canvas.
Families bustle by,
Loudly arguing:
Stress over locating the “perfect” gift.
But little do they know
That perfection
Is the time spent with their loved ones.
My perfect gift is non-existent:
There is nothing
That I want more than to have my partner back.
Written in November 2006, the above poem was my attempt to overcome the suffocating isolation and depression that I felt during the first holiday season spent without my husband. While the entire journey of widowhood is a difficult trip that no woman wants to take, the winter holiday season is often a minefield of potential emotional triggers. The very notion of spending the holidays with family is a cold reminder to the widowed that part of their family is no longer with them. Add the resulting anger and loneliness to an already high-stress season with decorations and festive music everywhere, and suddenly even a trip to the grocery store becomes daunting.
There are many good resources, both on the web and in print, for dealing with the holiday season when you've recently been widowed or are suffering from the blues. However, I'd like to share a few tips that were particularly helpful to me:
1. Create a new tradition that allows you to remember something you loved about the deceased.
For me, this was finding very sarcastic, black-humor greeting cards that I knew would have made my husband laugh. And then, I sent them out to everyone on my mailing list with a note explaining why I chose the cards that I did (as unconventional as they might have been).
2. Avoid crowds.
This one applies to everyone yearning for a simpler, less stressful holiday season. However, if you're finding that the holiday music and festive decorations are particularly grating this year, minimize your exposure by shopping at off hours. Weekday mornings are usually your best bet for getting in and out of a shopping center quickly.
3. Stay active.
Whether it's going to the gym or meeting up with a friend for a walk around the neighborhood, exercise will raise your serotonin levels and get you out of the house. Furthermore, you'll be ahead of everyone who will start their diets in January.
4. Talk to others about how you are feeling.
Whether you choose to talk to friends, family members, a clergy person, a support group, a therapist, or even your family doctor, it's important that you communicate your feelings to someone with good listening ears. Your confidante might not be able to solve all of your problems, but just talking about your feelings is a cathartic act.
Above all, remember to be kind to yourself this season.
]]>During the month of November, we pause annually to recognize both family and professional caregivers during National Caregiver's Month. The National Family Caregiver's Association has announced that this year, the focus of the awareness event will center on educating family caregivers of their own personal rights:
This is an opportunity to advocate for stronger public policy addressing family caregiving issues and raise awareness about community programs supporting family caregivers. This is also a time to focus on encouraging family caregivers to always...
Believe in Yourself.
Protect Your Health.
Reach Out for Help.
Speak Up for Your Rights
However, some caregiving professionals are skeptical about the efficacy of a national awareness month when caregivers continue to face many of the same challenges that they did decades ago. Denise questions the motive behind the press releases in her post, "Blah, blah, blah:"
It’s the same press release I’ve received every November 1 for the past 10 years—or so it seems. The legislation typically duplicates what’s already available–like a resource center for family caregivers and professionals. Don’t we have enough of these resource centers, which really are the dozens of caregiving websites already established? Do we really need another?
Honestly, I just don’t think these legislators have any idea what family caregivers need! They have a vague idea, such as family caregivers need help. So, bam!, they think a resource center will help. What a waste! How about setting up grant programs so family caregivers can manage their own help? So they have the money to hire the help they need and use the services they want without jumping through that awful bureaucratic red tape?
ARGH!
However, the Caregiver's Beacon provides some practical tips for caregivers that allow them to care for themselves appropriately:
...Other steps you can take include identifying yourself as caregiver when speaking to others, protecting your health, going to a support group, and asking for help when you need it. Striving for flexibility with balancing work and time that you need is another step caregivers can take.
You can also wear a personal medical ID tag identifying yourself as a caregiver so that if something happens to you, others will know that the person you care for needs help.
If you personally know someone who is a caregiver (or you are one yourself), National Family Caregiver's Month is the perfect time to let that person know how important their job is.
]]>Melissa Marr of The Healing Project offers these harrowing statistics on lung cancer:
]]>Approximately 50% of the people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked or are former smokers.
Melissa Marr of The Healing Project offers these harrowing statistics on lung cancer:
Approximately 50% of the people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked or are former smokers.
Lung cancer accounts for approximately 29% of all cancer deaths.
Lung cancer kills more Americans each year than breast, prostate, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers combined.
Lung cancer kills more than three times as many men each year than prostate cancer.
Lung cancer kills more women each year than breast, ovarian, uterine, and cervical cancers combined.
In 2007, an estimated 213,380 people will be newly diagnosed with lung cancer, and an estimated 160,390 people will die of lung cancer. An estimated 89,510 of these deaths will be men and an estimated 70,880 will be women.
Lung cancer kills 84% of newly diagnosed patients within five years. The survival rate is 49% for cases detected when the disease is localized to the lung, but only 16% of lung cancers are diagnosed that early.
More than 7% of American men and women will be diagnosed with lung cancer in the course of their lifetime.
The 5-year survival rate for…
Breast cancer has reached 88%
Prostate cancer – 99%
Colon cancer – 63%
Lung Cancer – 15%!In 2007, approximately $1,633 will be spent on research per lung cancer death, compared with:
$13,471 per breast cancer death
$11,298 per prostate cancer death
$4,774 per colorectal cancer death
Lung Cancer has the lowest survival rate of any other cancer but continues to receive the least amount of funding per death!
A recent addition to the BlogHer Health and Wellness blogroll, Dawn writes about her mother's recurring lung cancer on her blog, "Stronger Than Cancer:"
I was in Steamboat Springs, miles away from them. I was grocery shopping. But I thought it was probably just bronchitis or pneumonia. I returned home to unload groceries and my life forever changed. My mom called. She told me she had bad news. And from the tone of her voice I knew it was something horrible. Her voice cracked and she told me "It's cancer".
I fell to the floor crying. I cried so much those first few hours and even more in the days to follow. I cursed my mom for smoking. I cursed myself for not being there for her. I cursed the doctors because surely they had made an error. I cursed all the people that smoked and didn't have lung cancer because it wasn't fair that my mom did. I cursed the tobacco industry. And I cursed God for doing this to her. To us. My mom wasn't even 50 yet. My mom is the most vibrant person I know. Strong, hard-working and a great person are always used to describe her. To be so full of life and to possible lose her life to something so horrible seemed so unfair to me. All of a sudden, my mom was mortal. She wasn't the immortal mom I expected her to be. I realized that at some point in time, she would no longer be here with me. Or with her grandchildren. That thought made me cry fresh tears. And that point I did thank God for all that he had given us, for giving me such a great mom and I asked him to help her fight this horrible disease and to give me strength to get through this.
And finally, Valerie of Dig Your Toes In reminds us that lung cancer is not just a smoker's disease:
It’s easy to think of Lung Cancer just going along with a nasty habit that nasty people have. That provides a nice comfortable distance. “I am not a nasty person with a nasty habit. I am not at risk.” It’s a smoke screen (no pun intended) of safety or a faulty way of trying to make sense of suffering that doesn’t make sense.
That is, it’s easy to think that until you look into the faces of people–non-smokers and smokers alike–who have it, or have watched a loved one suffer with it.
See–it’s so much more than a ’smokers’ disease. It is a terrible disease that affects beautiful amazing people from all walks of life. Real people. Real families.
More information on lung cancer statistics, research, and charities can be found here.
]]>* Feeling restless or irritable
* Feeling sad, hopeless, and overwhelmed
* Crying a lot
* Having no energy or motivation
* Eating too little or too much
* Sleeping too little or too much
* Trouble focusing, remembering, or making decisions
* Feeling worthless and guilty
* Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
* Withdrawal from friends and family
* Having headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations (the heart beating fast and feeling like it is skipping beats), or hyperventilation (fast and shallow breathing)After pregnancy, signs of depression may also include being afraid of hurting the baby or oneself and not having any interest in the baby.
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), one of the Congressmen who introduced the MOTHERS Act, offers the following information on the legislation:
A major part of prevention is informing new mothers about the symptoms and providing them with the services that are available in their community. This bill helps mothers by providing important education and screening on postpartum depression that can lead to early identification and treatment. The two grants help health care providers educate, identify and treat PPD.
Because the exact cause of PPD isn’t known, research continues to be the key to unlocking the mystery of this condition. This legislation incorporates House legislation, the Melanie Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, which would expand and intensify research at the National Institutes of Health with respect to PPD and psychosis, including increased discovery of treatments, diagnostic tools and educational materials for providers.
The MOTHERS Act will be instrumental in overcoming PPD by allowing greater funding for research and education. Meanwhile, if you feel that you may be suffering from postpartum depression or know someone else who might be, please don't hesitate to be your own strongest advocate. After contacting your physician, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends the following steps for coping with PPD:
* Try to get as much rest as you can. Try to nap when the baby naps.
* Stop putting pressure on yourself to do everything. Do as much as you can and leave the rest!
* Ask for help with household chores and nighttime feedings. Ask your husband or partner to bring the baby to you so you can breastfeed. If you can, have a friend, family member, or professional support person help you in the home for part of the day.
* Talk to your husband, partner, family, and friends about how you are feeling.
* Do not spend a lot of time alone. Get dressed and leave the house. Run an errand or take a short walk.
* Spend time alone with your husband or partner.
* Talk with other mothers, so you can learn from their experiences.
* Join a support group for women with depression. Call a local hotline or look in your telephone book for information and services.
* Don’t make any major life changes during pregnancy. Major changes can cause unneeded stress. Sometimes big changes cannot be avoided. When that happens, try to arrange support and help in your new situation ahead of time.
For more information:
Postpartum Education for Parents
]]>The Makeup and Beauty Blog shares tips on ways that cancer patients can care for their skin, nails, and oral health while dealing with the effects of chemotherapy:
- Hydrate daily. Drink plenty of water and moisturize your body including your lips. I like Cetaphil and Eucerin products.
- When you feel tired, your body is telling you something…it’s saying “REST, I’m tired!”
- With clearance from your doctor, EXERCISE! If you are taking steroids to counter the side effects of chemo drugs, don’t be surprised if you find yourself a little plumper.
- Eat healthy but don’t deprive yourself of an occasional treat. Ask your doctor to speak to a nutritionist. Some hospitals offer complimentary consults. If needed, you may also want to consider speaking with a cancer psychologist as well as a social worker to assist with financial aid and participation in cancer programs.
- FLOSS! See your dentist for regular dental care. Post chemo and radiation, I now have xerostomia (dry mouth) and gum recession. Some cancer patients also experience cold/canker sores. I recommend topical fluoride treatments (like Omnii Pharmaceutical’s varnish) and regular cleanings with clearance from your medical physician.
The amazingly creative Jacqueline Skaggs of Rebel1in8 has created her own clothing line, Rhea Belle, with unilateral post-mastectomy women in mind. Simple, beautiful, and striking, you can From the Rebel1in8 website:
Rhea Belle clothing was born from a passion to create garments for women who have had a single or bi-lateral mastectomy and are moving forward without reconstructive surgery or prostheses. Conceived and designed by a two time breast cancer survivor Rhea Belle garments create visual balance, re-create symmetry and invite women to embrace their natural architecture. A cotton tunic becomes an empowered asymmetrical cardigan, the buttons on a blouse find a new center, ruffles unite and a swirling scarf takes on a whole new life stitched atop rich plum goodness. There are many sides to comfort and every day is different as a woman's transformed body gracefully invites buttons, zippers or gathered falling fabrics. Rhea Belle clothing is more than fashion. It's a lifestyle with a view.
Last but not least, I was lucky to come across the WearEase line of products in my internet search. WearEase makes bras and undershirts that are suitable to wear directly after a mastectomy or other chest surgery. Constructed with vents and fastenings in just the right places to allow access for drainage tubes or a chemotherapy catheter, there are a variety of styles to choose from. Founder Sarah Lorenz says, "I wanted to give women a bra that would enable them to dress independently, helping them to maintain their dignity and femininity."
For more ideas on how to make a real difference in a women's life when she's affected by cancer, check back often throughout October.
]]>By promoting “disease-awareness” campaigns our trust-worthy drug manufacturers have since changed the public perception of what is normal, what is dis-ease. Suddenly, mild conditions are now a serious illness, worthy of it’s own medication. Billboards, tv, magazines invade insidiously the public subconscious and saturate consciousness with an infinite number of barbaric names that will blossom in the American medicine cabinet across the mighty landscape of the land of the free.
Suddenly, a benign condition has ferociously launched into, “If you have…” suddenly carry a FRIGHTENING dimension. “You may be at RISK for…” a curable DISEASE, obviously! They create fears about conditions to draw the attention to the latest treatment!
Sadly, this distribution of misinformation isn't limited to human patients, either. Dogged Blog author Christie Keith tells of her own experience with disease marketing:
So, after the obligatory advice to ask your veterinarian (or, as I'm sure Fort Dodge thinks of them, their marketing partners) "about a vaccination program that includes protection against enteritis-causing pathogens such as parvovirus, coronavirus, and Giardia," we get to the footnotes.
Now, you'd think for something I've never heard of before, this newly discovered trifecta of canine intestinal doom, we'd have some pretty cutting edge science. They must surely cite some new studies, hot off the presses, for me to not have seen them before. Right?
Wrong. Because those footnotes cite one study that is 19 years old, and another that is 25 years old.
No, dear dog lovers, the diseases are old, the citations are old, even the vaccines being promoted are old. The only thing new is the marketing campaign.
Furthermore, there is an excellent documentary, "Big Bucks, Big Pharma," that is available on YouTube (abbreviated version) and Google (full version--1.2 hours). The Manic Ramblings of a Swede provides this synopsis:
Big Bucks, Big Pharma pulls back the curtain on the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry to expose the insidious ways that illness is used, manipulated, and in some instances created, for capital gain. Focusing on the industry’s marketing practices, media scholars and health professionals help viewers understand the ways in which direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertising glamorizes and normalizes the use of prescription medication, and works in tandem with promotion to doctors. Combined, these industry practices shape how both patients and doctors understand and relate to disease and treatment. Ultimately, Big Bucks, Big Pharma challenges us to ask important questions about the consequences of relying on a for-profit industry for our health and well-being.
Stay tuned for more information throughout October about disease marketing, its evil twin cause marketing, and the Pink Ribbon Machine.
]]>The American health choices plan does not create any new bureaucracy. It is not government-run health care. If you are satisfied with your health care, you keep it, no questions asked.
But if you are one of those 47 million uninsured, or if you are one of the many millions more who actually have insurance except when you really need it and the insurance company won't pay for what your doctor has prescribed, you will now have the same choices that are available to members of Congress, because we will open up the plan that members of Congress have and give you a health choices menu to choose from.
October is also Lupus Awareness Month, and Emmyrose of Dancing With Butterflies shares her experiences with the illness:
Dancing With Butterflies is a blog about my journey as a sufferer of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) a chronic auto-immune disease.
SLE is potentially debilitating and sometimes fatal as the immune system attacks the body’s cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. SLE can affect any part of the body, but most often harms the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys and nervous system.
The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flares) alternating with remission. Lupus can occur at any age, and is most common in women. Lupus is treatable symptomatically, mainly with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, though currently there is no known cure.
Amy B. of the DC Metro Moms blog shares an important call to action about Down's Syndrome Awareness Month:
...While I have seen children with Down syndrome and children with special health care needs featured in everything from magazines to shopping circulars, it is striking to me when I do see photographs of these children. Striking not because they have Down syndrome or are in a wheelchair, but striking because it makes me realize how infrequently these children are included in our every day reads.
Why is that? Is it because statistically most parents do not have a child with special health care needs? Is it because magazines and retailers fear that some consumers will be "put off" by the inclusion of children who do not look like them? I truly do not know the answer to these questions, but I do know that there are over 350,000 people in the United States with Down syndrome and that number not only includes babies and toddlers, but also young adults and adults who, guess what, can be savvy consumers too.
And finally, Sheltie Girl of Gluten A-Go-Go is hosting a gluten-free bread recipe bonanza at her blog in honor of National Celiac Disease Awareness Month:
]]>Starting on September 10th and going through October 1st, bake any kind of original gluten free bread recipe or an adaption of another recipe (with credit given), take a picture (if you can), and write a post about it on your blog.
Once you are done, send your name/online name and the URL of your post to me at glutenagogo at gmail dot com. If you are so inspired, feel free to participate more than once. I will post a roundup of all the entries after the bread baking bonanza ends.
Jessica (formerly of Bumpy Bones) recently started a new blog dedicated to spreading awareness of Multiple Hereditary Exotoses, called A Medical Mystery. In her first post, Jessica talks of the important connections forged through the medical blogging community:
]]>I’ve only met two people who have the disorder, other then myself that is. I think I might be somewhere in the middle, or quite possibly have it quite severe. I’m not sure. I have had roughly 10 surgeries in my life, all with interesting stories to go along with the interesting looking scars - I’ll get to them later in greater detail. I’ll try to remember every last one of the surgeries I haven’t already talked about in my old blog. Anyways, I’m also a completely random case. There isn’t anybody in my family who has MHE. They generally call this a “genetic mutation”, and as my doctor used to say; it has to start somewhere.
Not having anybody to talk to who understood what I was going through was difficult, especially as a child. I didn’t like feeling like a “freak” of nature, and since my doctor didn’t know what to call it and didn’t know anybody who had it, I really had nobody to talk to. I literally felt like I was alone in the world.
Karen of The Adventures of Cancer Girl wrote of her upcoming marrow transplant while keeping her trademark sense of humor intact:
On Saturday night, Jay and I found some quality entertainment: An educational DVD that we received in the mail from the Mayo Clinic called "Autologous Blood and Marrow Transplant at Mayo Clinic." It was actually really informative, and even a little scary, because they were very upfront about telling you how crappy you're going to feel after a transplant. They were also quick to offer a lot of disclaimers: "Yes, a transplant could cure you ... but it could also fail, and then you die." Nice.
The video featured interviews with people who have had transplants as well as an actor (who was, of course, about 80 years old) portraying a transplant patient. The actor demonstrated all of the different steps in the process, including the period where transplant patients feel so awful they can't eat anything. The actor dramatically shook his head while his wife silently pleaded with him to drink a milkshake. Jay and I thought it would have added a little realism -- and maybe some extra dramatic flair -- if he would have just tossed the milkshake back in her face. Maybe I should get a job as a Mayo Clinic video director.
Badass BlogHer Laurie of Not Just About Cancer offered her own vision of what her cancer-fighting superhero would look like:
super me
a one-breasted warrior
with really great boots
a rhea belle top
and some seriously funky accessories
generous hips (the better to shoot from)
crows feet
and smile lines
honest
smart
strong
and always compassionate
but ready to kick ass
when she needs to.
And finally, Lisa of Not the C-Word talks about learning not to stress the small things:
]]>It took a very hard lesson like getting cancer, for the second time, to teach me that nothing is worth getting stressed out about. Too bad I didn’t learn that the first time around.
At least I’ve grown up and figured out who I am part of that is someone who used to be very high strung and stressed out. Here’s to the new mellower me!
The first step for family preparedness is to create a plan, and the Center for Disease Control's Emergency Preparedness and Response Program offers tips on how to do just that:
* Find out what could happen to you--Contact your American Red Cross chapter or local emergency management office, and be prepared to take notes.
* Make a disaster plan--Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disaster. Explain the dangers of fire, severe weather, and earthquakes to children. Plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team. Discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to happen. Explain what to do in each case. Pick two places to meet: right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire, or outside your neighborhood in case you can’t return home. Everyone must know the address and phone number. Ask an out-of-state friend to be your “family contact”. After a disaster, it’s often easier to call long distance. Other family members should call this person and tell them where they are. Everyone must know your contact’s phone number.
* Practice your plan
The Department of Homeland Security offers insight on the choice between staying put and evacuating in an emergency:
Whether you are at home, work or elsewhere, there may be situations when it's simply best to stay where you are and avoid any uncertainty outside. There are other circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between yourself and potentially contaminated air outside, a process known as "sealing the room," is a matter of survival. Use available information to assess the situation. If you see large amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you may want to take this kind of action.
There may be conditions under which you will decide to get away, or there may be situations when you are ordered to leave. Plan how you will assemble your family and anticipate where you will go. Choose several destinations in different directions so you have options in an emergency.
And finally, FEMA offers information for preparing a safe room in your very own home:
The purpose of a safe room or a wind shelter is to provide a space where you and your family can seek refuge that provides a high level of protection. You can build a safe room in one of several places in your home.
* Your basement.
* Atop a concrete slab-on-grade foundation or garage floor.
* An interior room on the first floor.Safe rooms built below ground level provide the greatest protection, but a safe room built in a first-floor interior room also can provide the necessary protection. Below-ground safe rooms must be designed to avoid accumulating water during the heavy rains that often accompany severe windstorms.
To protect its occupants, a safe room must be built to withstand high winds and flying debris, even if the rest of the residence is severely damaged or destroyed. Consider the following when building a safe room:
* The safe room must be adequately anchored to resist overturning and uplift.
* The walls, ceiling, and door of the shelter must withstand wind pressure and resist penetration by windborne objects and falling debris.
* The connections between all parts of the safe room must be strong enough to resist the wind.
* Sections of either interior or exterior residence walls that are used as walls of the safe room, must be separated from the structure of the residence so that damage to the residence will not cause damage to the safe room.
For more information on emergency preparedness, stay tuned later this week for Denise's post on what to do after disaster strikes.
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