Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Blog # 12 Eating Disorders
What to do if a freind is suspected of having an eating disorder and denies it?
Friday, April 16, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Blog # 11
If peple were more fututre minded I believe many changes would be made to live a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately many people live their lives in a level of denial believing that disease and health problems only happen to others. Because of this somewhat stunted way of thinking poor choices regarding sexual behavior, food choices, and certain habits and addictions may develop often at an early age.
How many times while growing up does one hear the consequences of what will happen if you don't eat your vegetables, smoke cigarettes, stay out in the sun without using a SPF, and drink and drive, to name only a few of the endless list presented by parents? As adults who hopefully have learned valuable lessons from expereince, how many risky and unhealthy things have we done with little regard to developing disease, cancer, or some other chronic health problem? If we are honest I would bet quite a few.
Being future minded is a liefstyle choice just as dieting, exercising, the decision to stop smoking, or any other behavior that needs to be changed to ensure a healthier and quality filled life. The question that comes to mind as I write this is whether more people would be mindful of current health habits that have a direct impact on future health if they were more educated and informed on health issues. My own habits and behaviors have changed as a result of staying current on the benefits of physical activity, making healthy food choices, and developing healthy, positive, and supportive relationships.
Michelle Dukes
How many times while growing up does one hear the consequences of what will happen if you don't eat your vegetables, smoke cigarettes, stay out in the sun without using a SPF, and drink and drive, to name only a few of the endless list presented by parents? As adults who hopefully have learned valuable lessons from expereince, how many risky and unhealthy things have we done with little regard to developing disease, cancer, or some other chronic health problem? If we are honest I would bet quite a few.
Being future minded is a liefstyle choice just as dieting, exercising, the decision to stop smoking, or any other behavior that needs to be changed to ensure a healthier and quality filled life. The question that comes to mind as I write this is whether more people would be mindful of current health habits that have a direct impact on future health if they were more educated and informed on health issues. My own habits and behaviors have changed as a result of staying current on the benefits of physical activity, making healthy food choices, and developing healthy, positive, and supportive relationships.
Michelle Dukes
Monday, April 12, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Blog # 10
Academic institutions especially those of higher learning such as TWU can play a pivotal role in addressing disease prevention for women. Incorporating health fairs is just one option that can be used to address a large audience. I realize that TWU does conduct health fairs for students, however I would like to see more of them through out the school year and even during the summer months. I have been to a couple of these forums and while I have learned basic information on various health topics, I would like to see more health issues addressed to the particular needs of women. Issues such as breast cancer awareness, osteoporosis, menopause, and other health conditons specific to women would be especially beneficial.
Instituting a campus health committe to develop student surveys on what their particular needs are and what they want would be a good place to start when deciding what types of activities or programs to offer. I participated in an optional health program last semester that involved weekly assignments and challenges. Prizes were randomly given weekly to participants which was a motivating factor to follow thru on the assignments. This is just one option that was fun to do as well as offering continued activities to pursue at an individual pace once the program was complete.
Academic institutions can also address disease prevention issues by introducing more lecturers who are experts in their fields on a particular health topic. I have found these to be very informative and beneficial as most of the time they offer more in depth information that I would not necessarily get from from reading Women's Health, or getting info from WebMD.
Michelle Dukes
Instituting a campus health committe to develop student surveys on what their particular needs are and what they want would be a good place to start when deciding what types of activities or programs to offer. I participated in an optional health program last semester that involved weekly assignments and challenges. Prizes were randomly given weekly to participants which was a motivating factor to follow thru on the assignments. This is just one option that was fun to do as well as offering continued activities to pursue at an individual pace once the program was complete.
Academic institutions can also address disease prevention issues by introducing more lecturers who are experts in their fields on a particular health topic. I have found these to be very informative and beneficial as most of the time they offer more in depth information that I would not necessarily get from from reading Women's Health, or getting info from WebMD.
Michelle Dukes
Friday, April 2, 2010
Blog # 9
The biggest obstacles I face regarding regular exercise and a healthy diet are what I refer to as the three C’s: commitment, consistency, and challenge. Whereas I consider myself a very health conscience person, and do whatever I can to lead a healthy lifestyle, there always seems to be external and internal factors that create hurdles to overcome in order to maintain my healthy goals. Habits and routines are difficult to break or adjust because they require change, and getting out of one’s comfort zone. In addition to these behaviors rationalization can often be a psychological war fought with ourselves. If not vigilant, this thought process can win, defeating the good intentional goals set.
Commitment is the biggest obstacle I face when it comes to exercise and eating a healthy diet. Busy schedules, weather, and attitude can hinder the commitment needed to make any kind of change especially those that require additional energy when one is already tired from a busy day at work or school. As with exercise, eating a healthy diet also requires commitment and pro-activeness. Energy drinks, Starbucks, and quick snacks are very tempting when in a hurry or just too tired to take the time to prepare a meal and sit down to eat it much less enjoy the taste and nutrition healthy food has to offer.
Consistency in maintaining pro-active behavior towards living a healthy lifestyle is the second biggest hurdle for me to overcome. Changing a behavior for a short period usually is not that difficult compared to making a lifelong commitment. When the weather is nice walking, cycling, swimming or any other outdoor activity that I enjoy is easy to maintain. As with many regular or scheduled activities when consistency is broken for any length of time, the harder it is to get back on track.
Challenge is the third obstacle I have and the one that requires the most diligence. Due to the high level of activity I require to keep boredom and monotony at bay, changing the types of exercise and foods eaten on a regular basis is imperative to leading a healthy and quality life. I believe lack of variety is the reason many people fail to be successful at losing weight or attaining other personal goals. Honesty towards recognizing negative and positive self talk, behavior, and the level of involvement one is willing to engage in will determine how successful any life change will be.
These obstacles will continue to require maintenance not only for the next five years but for a lifetime if I want to live a healthy lifestyle. I have incorporated many useful tools such as keeping a daily food and exercise log that has aided in my success. Reading current and accurate information regarding health issues, maintaining regular medical checkups, and developing relationships with others that have similar health goals has been beneficial in keeping my motivation and desire to stay healthy. The bottom line is to decide what you want, and how you want to live your life. I want to feel and look good, and have a quality filled life. In order to obtain these things takes work, having a positive attitude and outlook, being pro-active, and knowing that I am empowered to accomplish whatever I want.
Michelle Dukes
Commitment is the biggest obstacle I face when it comes to exercise and eating a healthy diet. Busy schedules, weather, and attitude can hinder the commitment needed to make any kind of change especially those that require additional energy when one is already tired from a busy day at work or school. As with exercise, eating a healthy diet also requires commitment and pro-activeness. Energy drinks, Starbucks, and quick snacks are very tempting when in a hurry or just too tired to take the time to prepare a meal and sit down to eat it much less enjoy the taste and nutrition healthy food has to offer.
Consistency in maintaining pro-active behavior towards living a healthy lifestyle is the second biggest hurdle for me to overcome. Changing a behavior for a short period usually is not that difficult compared to making a lifelong commitment. When the weather is nice walking, cycling, swimming or any other outdoor activity that I enjoy is easy to maintain. As with many regular or scheduled activities when consistency is broken for any length of time, the harder it is to get back on track.
Challenge is the third obstacle I have and the one that requires the most diligence. Due to the high level of activity I require to keep boredom and monotony at bay, changing the types of exercise and foods eaten on a regular basis is imperative to leading a healthy and quality life. I believe lack of variety is the reason many people fail to be successful at losing weight or attaining other personal goals. Honesty towards recognizing negative and positive self talk, behavior, and the level of involvement one is willing to engage in will determine how successful any life change will be.
These obstacles will continue to require maintenance not only for the next five years but for a lifetime if I want to live a healthy lifestyle. I have incorporated many useful tools such as keeping a daily food and exercise log that has aided in my success. Reading current and accurate information regarding health issues, maintaining regular medical checkups, and developing relationships with others that have similar health goals has been beneficial in keeping my motivation and desire to stay healthy. The bottom line is to decide what you want, and how you want to live your life. I want to feel and look good, and have a quality filled life. In order to obtain these things takes work, having a positive attitude and outlook, being pro-active, and knowing that I am empowered to accomplish whatever I want.
Michelle Dukes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
