Blog #15-Semester Reflection

WOW!! I cannot believe that it is already over. I guess that time really does fly when you are having fun. I found this class to be a true joy. I actually found the material interesting and useful. After I completed the final I was really surprised how much of the information actually stuck. I also believe that it will be information that will beneficial to me in the future. Mrs. Gould and all my classmates were great. Again this class was a true joy. Thank you all for sharing your thoughts, I wish you all the very best and hope to have some of you in future classes.

Blog #14- Preventing Assualt

Some of the best ways that women can reduce their risk of assault is by being aware of their surroundings, try not to put themselves into vulnerable situations (ex. dark alleys), and also stand up for what is right. What I mean by standing up for what is right is if someone is hateful and threatens you than get out. Do not stick around to see what might happen later. So many terrible things happen in this world so everyone needs to be aware and prepared. It has gotten to the point where I have actually taken some defense classes. It never hurts to know little helpful hints when you are put in a bind.

Blog # 13-Drug Addiction

I think that we should defiantly put drug addicts into a mandatory drug treatment program. I understand that this will be quiet costly but it is also becomes expensive when they are in and out of jail numerous times. I also think that the drug treatment program should not be the Beverly Hills version. What I mean by that is it should be the bare minimum, no luscious spa treatments. I struggle with drug addicts because they ruin so many people’s lives. Several of my family members have been hurt due to other people’s drug addictions. So my tolerance for them is pretty low.

Blog #12- Mental Illness

I think that there is still so much shame when it comes to mental illnesses because in the past if you had any mental issue you where locked away and the situation as a whole was viewed negatively. One thing that could be done is to prove that many mental illnesses can be managed with in reason. There are so many more options these days-medications and programs that are developed to help with the different disorders. I know that I have said this a million times but another thing that would help is to educate people about all the different disorders, this would help them better understand and be more open.

Aging Healthfully

I think that I could always do some things better to help me age healthfully but as of right now I don’t drink alcohol, don’t smoke, and don’t really hang out with those that do (you know the saying). In all seriousness I workout, I eat fairly healthy, get as much sleep as possible, I try to not sunbath too much although I do love being outside. I attend all my check ups when it comes to my teeth and body. Overall I just do what makes me feel good. I truly feel better when I take good care of myself. You have to take care of you because nobody else will.

Disease Prevention for Women

I think that academic institutions can be active in the role of disease prevention for women by first and foremost educating women about the different disease that plague them. The lack of knowledge is half the battle. Women are notorious for putting other people before themselves. What they don’t understand is that you can not care for other people if your health is not good.

Another thing that academic institutions could do is to possible make different screenings available. Just like organizations participate in blood drives maybe they could also offer screenings that would detect disease earlier. This could help by catching the diseases before it gets too far along. Time is of an essence when you work, attend school and have a family. So anything that would make a little bit easier and convenient.

Exercise and Diet

I think that my biggest problem when it comes to regular exercise and a healthy diet is TIME. There are not enough hours in a day. I know that this sounds like an excuse but it is not because before I became a mother I had a very good regiment when it came to diet and exercise. Now time slips away very fast and the route becomes fast food joints and a little walk here and there. I used to compete in fitness competitions before I had my son Carsen so I always watched my food intake and went to the gym at least four days a week if not more. So people could say that I was obsessed with lifting weights but that was not the cause it just made me feel really good. It gave me more energy and made me an all around happy person because; I was doing what I enjoyed. It was also a stress reliever.

I would not for one second change the way things are now because I still go to the gym one day a week and walk a mile almost every night. Life is still good. It could not hurt me to eat a little better and I am working on that. I am addicted to fast food breakfast. I would imagine that this route will continue for a while, at least I hope that it will-beside the fast food part.

Fountain of Youth

We are all on the hunt for the fountain of youth. I believe that people want to stay looking young because we all yearn for the body that we had when we were 20 years old. It is hard to be comfortable in your skin when everything that you read and see on TV is about a younger, better looking self. I think that the society, media and advertising is to blame for a lot of this way of thinking. No one looks at aging with a positive attitude. I wish that I had a dime for every time that I have heard someone say that they were not celebrating anymore birthdays. I am going to celebrate ever birthday because it is much better than the alternative which means not being alive to enjoy yourself for another birthday.

People including myself need to just let it go. Enjoy every minute of life.

Possible STD-Chapter 7

Having a STD would be a scary situation but people need to understand that not knowing for sure and prolonging the diagnoses would be even more frightening. If I had a friend or loved one that thought that they might have a sexually transmitted disease I would strongly encourage them to be tested. I would explain to them that it is nothing to be ashamed of, it happens to a lot of people. This loved one or friend must understand that prolonging the unknown is not the way to handle it. Knowing for sure if you have a disease is much better than wondering and worrying about it all the time and in some cases there may be medication that will help with the symptoms. If it would make them feel better I would go with them to be tested. I would do everything that I could to educate them on the different diseases and just let them know that I am here for them whatever the case may be.

Chapter 6-Prenatal Testing

I have mixed emotions about prenatal testing. I think that the routine tests that involve the normal blood and urine tests are fine just to confirm that the baby and mother are progressing. These are the tests that can help the pregnancy and keep both mother and baby safe.

As for the Down syndrome testing and other tests that are used to determine defects in the baby, I have reservations against those tests. Amniocentesis is one of the methods used to test for Downs and other fetal abnormalities. The reason that I personally chose not to partake in this testing was simply because even if they did find something I would not choose terminate the pregnancy. The testing can also in some cases cause a miscarriage.

I know that everyone has their own thoughts and concerns regarding prenatal testing. You have to do what works best for you. Some people are at higher risks than others. I personally am a person that has a lot of faith in God so I just laid it all over to him. Thankfully I had a loving health boy with 2 arms, legs and hands, 10 fingers and toes.

Chapter 5-Reproduction

To have or not to have that is the question!

This was never really a question for me. I have known since I was a little girl playing with dolls that I would like to have a child someday. Now that I have a son, he is the light of my life and I could not imagine life without him now. He is 16 months old and everyone is pressuring for another baby. I however am not sure that I am so convinced. I am not sure that I want another baby. I myself did grow up with an older brother and love it and hated it at times but overall I think that it is good to have siblings (that is another subject all together).

I do work in a large corporation where many of the women have chosen to not reproduce. This is largely in part to the fact that they are more career oriented. This is fine for them but I am just working to live not living to work. They are also a handful of women that would have liked to have children but are not able for one reason or another. This could go into all the different reasons why they did not have children but some of the reasons are very personal and lots of women do not like to talk about it because they feel somehow that it is flaw within them. This is not true at all but the few that I have talked to feel this way—it is very disheartening.
This just goes to show you that children truly are a blessing and a miracle

Blog 3- Week 3- Sexual Health

Going through menarche or getting my first menstrual cycle---This is a tough one. I think that over all it was a positive experience just simply because I was a really late bloomer and my family was beginning to worry if it was ever going to happen.

Looking back it was also really scary and painful. For a long time it was a running joke in my house and through a lot of my high school that I had a boob job. This was because when I left school for my sophomore summer my chest was as flat as a desk top. Then I bloomed that summer and when I came back for my junior year I was literally a whole new person-if you know what I mean.

I think that girls these days are already growing up way too fast. You have heard that saying “My daughter is 12 going on 21.” I truly believe that so many girls want to be older than they are. I do not have a daughter yet and am not sure if I every will but if I do I think that I as a mother will fear my daughters menarche.

Week 3- Chapter 3

Rating myself on prevention…..out of the 10 questions that were asked I can honestly answer “yes” to all 10. I truly believe that I take very good care of my body and health. It is not something that I do because I should. I do it because I want to. It really does make me feel better when everything is taken care of.

A good example of this is working out. You hear people say that if you work out you will feel better but most do not believe it. I am living proof that this is very true. When I work out, I have more energy, I am less stressed and I also make better food choices. Life is short and you should get to enjoy things like food if that is your pleasure. I enjoy eating good food and I eat what I want, when I want--moderation is keyword.

Prevention is half the battle. It is like Jennifer Sharp stated in her paper -- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I also found a quote from Thomas Edison (US inventor (1847 - 1931) “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”

Week 2- Chapter 2

I got started early on this weeks readings and assignments. Chapter 2 has some very interesting information. Insurance has always been a mind boggling subject to me. There is so much information that it becomes overwhelming. Chapter 2 cleared a lot of things up for me. I found a clear definition of how PPO's and HMO's work. I have always had an idea but never took the time to completely understand the whole realm of things.

Some other things that were intriguing was the timeline of health care, the numbers of uninsured Americans, and all the money that goes into Health Reform. The timeline was imforative because it truly showed that history does repeat itself. Then the uninsured numbers continue to sky rocket and i would not look for that number to decrease anytime soon.

We know as a country that Health Care is an important issue and it needs lots of attention.

**On a personal note- I was just curious if any of you think that all the people that are uninsured hurt the people that are insured. What I am trying to say is--Do you guys think that insurance premiums continue to rise to cover the people that are not insured?

I also get extremely frustrated when you pay your part for a medical procedure and insurance pays their part. Then still you get a bill in the mail asking for more money. Why can't they be happy with the amount that insurance pays?

Chapter 1-Week1

This week has been tough. The blogging was a new experience but I think that once I get more familiar it will be a great tool.

The readings this week were very interesting. Many of the topics hit close to home. As you all may know I work in an industry that is made up of mostly men. In a company of over 2,000 people only about 150 or so are women. I do not spend much time dwelling on it but after reading the 1st chapter some of the things that were discussed made me think about this a little deeper. I thought about how far women have come since the 1800s and how much further we have to go.

Also I did not realize how women are so much more vulnerable to disease and aliments than men. I especially found the statistics that it gave when it came to smoking, strokes, and even something as simple as anesthesia.

I am really looking forward to this class for personal reasons also. I think that the major problem with women's health is the lack of knowledge.