Saturday, April 25, 2009

Blog 12: Mental Health


Mental Illness

Mental Illness is a disease that every year ends with millions of people around the world. This disease caused a big impact around the world too. Due to the effects and complications of this diseases many people had been suffering with these types of Mental Illness disorders. However, this disease has a big impact in families who has been passed for different types of mentally ill. Depression is a type of mental illness disease who is affecting the population around the world.

As I mention before this disease is affecting many people around the world. This disease has a big impact on me, because I have a friend who is suffering depression. And she almost get at the point to suicide by herself, the consequences that she almost suicides were due to the violence that she is suffering with his husband. It is really sad to see how not just my friend is affected for this abuse and illness. However, it is sad how they permit this abuse and knowing that the causes can be fatal. Now, she and his whole family is getting psychological help and I am so happy about it.

I remember when my friend call me, she was crying telling me that she do not want to live anymore that she wants to kill herself, but I told her that life is a gift of god and just he can take away. Until now I had been learned a lot for this experience, but sometimes I get sad because many people are suffering depression due to different consequences. Therefore, I save a life, but what about many other lives who are died due to mental illness.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Blog 11: Diabetes a Chronic Disease



DIABETES

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. “There are 23.6 million children and adults in the United States, or 7.8% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 17.9 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 5.7 million people (or nearly one quarter) are unaware that they have the disease.”(Diabetes, p. 1). Diabetes is also, a chronic disease which affects 8.9% of all U.S. women. Also in the power point of chapter 11 it was said that American Indians and Alaska Natives have highest prevalence rates of diabetes, also the estimated annual cost on diabetes is about $ 132 billion in United States.

There are two types of Diabetes, Diabetes type 1 and Diabetes Type 2: These two are more common and Childs and adults. Type 1 diabetes is most often diagnosed in children, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Also, type 1 diabetes is frequently diagnosed in young adults as well, but type 2 is the most common form of diabetes knows as adult-onset diabetes. It is why we need to adopt many healthy behaviors to control our diabetes, but sometimes when became in genetics is hard to engage.

What you eat is one of the most important aspects of managing diabetes. Don't fight against good nutrition. Find tips and ideas to make healthful eating a part of your busy lifestyle, because people with diabetes have the same nutritional needs as anyone else. Along with exercise and medications, nutrition is really important for good diabetes control. So I think people with diabetes can keep a healthy diet. By eating well balanced meals in the correct amounts, this way everybody can learn to thrive with diabetes. In addition, diabetes is a disease that attacks in every moment, no matters what age or gender you are. It is why I am glad to know about health, however my first patients to teach is my same family.



(1940). In American Diabetes Association. Retrieved n.d., from http://www.diabetes.org

Saturday, April 11, 2009

To adopt healthier lifestyles


What factors can influence women to adopt healthier lifestyles and engage



Most of the times, it is really hard to adopt a healthier style and engage in preventative behaviors. Why? Because many women have different styles on how to eat healthy. The family culture provides an important setting in which individuals interpret and share their health information and formulate strategies to engage in health-promoting behaviors. Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but that doesn't mean you have to accept it as your fate. Although you lack the power to change some risk factors, such as family history or age. There are some key heart disease prevention steps you can take. Take steps to avoid heart disease don't smoke, get regular exercise and eat healthy foods. Avoid heart problems in the future by adopting a healthy lifestyle today.

Poor lifetime eating habits are often established during childhood in many Mexican American families. Such as in my family my mom always cook with oil, and as you know Mexican families cook Mexican-food, which is really hard to avoid or change a healthy behavior. But, since I change my major to Health Studies I start seeing things in different ways. Also I tell my mom that she needs to reduce cooking with oil or change the style of the oil. Also my mom or many Latinas mom’s are those kinds of mothers who worried more about their family then themselves. My mom is one mother like that, but when get the time that she needs to do something for her health she say: “luego mi hija, yo me siento bien” (later on my daughter, I feel fine). So I think we need to start changing our families’ behaviors first, and then it would be easier for us and our future family to adopt a good healthy behavior.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Procrastination



One of my biggest challenges that I face is also time management because working out can be an obstacle even for people who are in good health. The secret to developing a consistent exercise routine is to find activities that you enjoy. Whether or not you like exercising is irrelevant. It’s something that has to be done.

However, it was great idea that you choose this question, because now I am taking a class, where the professor give us a project on how we can change or unhealthy behaviors and stay on some healthy routine. So I decided to choose regulate my routine on doing exercise. Now is difficult to change my behavior, because one of my barriers is time management due to that I have to work, go to school, and be a good wife. I think a Proper diet is a necessity for all people, particularly those living with diabetes there’s no need to follow a complicated meal plan or subject you to a life of deprivation. Instead it’s a matter of practicing moderation and consistency. What that means to most people is eating smaller portions at regular times throughout the day. Also, because many doctors and nutritional people recommended that eating smaller portions can put you in a healthy diet by losing some weight and stay in a healthy diet.

Moreover, my husband has been my motivation on getting an exercise routine. Because I think each person needs a supporter that way you can reach your goal more easily. In addition, now I almost have done my routine on doing 30 minutes of exercise three days per week. Also I end with the word of procrastination because it is also a big barrier for many people. So, if you wanted to start a routine of doing exercise start now later on you will see benefits.