Over the last few days, I’ve been noticing a lot more public service announcements about the dangers of smoking (some of them are so graphic I could barely watch). I’m not a smoker, but I can’t imagine a smoker not being scared to death after seeing some of these. And today, the Food and Drug Administration announced that new (larger and more graphic) warning labels will be mandatory on all cigarette packaging. If you haven’t seen them yet, this Associated Press news video shows them…
I actually think this is something that really could work. I think these images have a lot of potential to increase the number of people who want to quit smoking, and I also think they will serve as a strong deterrent to anyone who might be considering starting.
Health News: In the last few days we have been hearing a lot about the possibility of our cell phones actually causing brain cancer. But how much truth is in such a statement? Well, the answer is much more complicated than you might think.
I found a video from the Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society, and I think his explanation about this latest study is both informative and easy to understand.
There is a lot of stigma and misinformation surrounding eating disorders, and I imagine the biggest misconception about eating disorders is that it’s somehow the patient’s fault…But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Since this week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I thought I would dedicating this post to providing as much information and facts about this disease as possible.
Mission: Our aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses — not choices — and it’s important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.
This year, NEDA asked everyone to do just one thing to help raise awareness and provide accurate information about eating disorders.
So how do we turn the mass of misinformation around? We educate ourselves. We learn what the latest research has to say and listen to the voices of recovery. We keep our ears, eyes, minds, and hearts open. And once we have educated ourselves, we talk.
Here are some the the facts and statistics about eating disorders.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness
A study by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reported that 5 – 10% of anorexics die within 10 years after contracting the disease; 18-20% of anorexics will be dead after 20 years and only 30 – 40% ever fully recover
The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate of ALL causes of death for females 15 – 24 years old.
20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems
In honor of NEDA Week, I wanted to talk about the common obstacles on the road to eating disorder recovery and how individuals can overcome these obstacles.
If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, know that you can absolutely recover. It’s normal to experience setbacks and challenges. Everyone does.
Here is a very informative video about the facts about eating Disorders, with Lynn Grefe, CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association…
Are your kids drinking enough water? Is it really that big of a deal if they’re not? The answers may surprise.
[For the sake of this post, when I use the word child I am referring to children as young as 2, and as old as 19.]
We all know that our bodies require a lot of water, and living without it for even just a few days can be life threatening. But the implications of even mild dehydration can not only be serious, but it can often go unrecognized. Here are a few examples…
Does your child seem more tired than other children his/her age?
Is your child finding it more difficult of concentrate on school work?
Does your child complain about headaches or muscle weakness?
Each of the above problems can be associated with your child not drinking enough water. Your child could also suffer with an impairment of their cognitive and mental abilities as well, simply because they have become mildly dehydrated. It’s a much bigger deal than parents realize.
A few weeks ago my daughter and I were at the mall doing some back-to-school shopping and walked by a kiosk selling what looked like cigarettes. We both thought it was odd, but we assumed it must be some type of “quit smoking” devise. But, on the way out we actually saw a man demonstrating this product which looked exactly like a cigarette (including the smoke). I have to admit, it was very strange seeing someone smoke in a mall, you just don’t see that anymore (except for right outside the mall). As we walked by I noticed a sign that claimed it was a “clean” way to smoke. At the time we just rolled our eyes at the ridiculousness of it all, and wondered why anyone would want to pay money for something that looked like a cigarette but wasn’t?
Fast forward to a few days ago when I was asked to write a post about the controversy surrounding the e-cigarette. I hadn’t heard of an e-cigarette, but after researching it, I realized it was the same thing we saw being sold at the mall.
After reading more about e-cigarettes, I have mixed feelings about their benefits. On one hand, the manufacturers of the e-cigarettes are claiming they only want to give smokers an easier way to quit smoking. But on the other hand, they are marketing the product by glamorizing a new “cleaner” way to smoke. So what is it? It’s clear the real motivation (as always) is in making money, not so much the health or best interest of the consumer. And that’s why I’m happy to hear that the FDA is cracking down on these “questionable” products.
Is it time to start selling birth control pills over-the-counter (OTC)?
The easy answer is, yes.
But is it really an easy question to answer? No. Remember, we are living in a country where many parents are still against condoms being available to students, and where many schools are teaching abstinence only in place of sex-ed classes. I’m thinking this isn’t going to be as easy of a switch as some of these articles make it appear.
The pill meets F.D.A. criteria for over-the-counter medications. Women don’t need a doctor to tell them whether they need the pill — they know when they are sexually active and want to avoid pregnancy. Pill instructions are easy to follow: Take one each day. There’s no chance of becoming addicted. Taking too many will make you nauseated, but won’t endanger your life, in contrast to some over-the-counter drugs, like analgesics. (There are even side benefits to taking the pill, like reduced risks of ovarian and uterine cancer.)
Childhood obesity is taking a huge toll on the health our kids. Diseases that in the past have only been seen in adults are (for the first time) being seen in children. And these are serious medical conditions that can potentially reduce the life span of our children by up to 20 years.
It’s clear that something needs to be done to help children make healthier food choices and reduce their risk of life threatening illnesses. Even the First Lady is getting involved, Michelle Obama recently announced her Let’s Move initiative to help solve the epidemic of childhood obesity.
We also need to address the emotional and psychological toll that obesity is taking on our children. Living with obesity can dramatically effect a child’s self-esteem, and in many cases these children can also become severely depressed.
“Overweight kids are more likely to have depression and low self-esteem, to be teased or bullied, and to bully other children,” said Catherine Davis, associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia. “These can be serious problems for these children.”
That’s why it is so important to make sure that while helping our kids get to a healthy weight, we do everything in our power to protect their fragile psyches.
We know that the food we choose to put into our body can have a huge affect on our health and quality of life, but many of us still choose to eat unhealthy foods. Let’s face it, the unhealthy stuff tastes really good, and we don’t usually have cravings for healthy food. That’s exactly why obesity is such a large problem for both adults and children in our country…But is dieting the answer? I don’t think so. As we all know, dieting can often lead to a roller coaster of weight loss and weight gain, that leaves many weighing more in the long run.
So if dieting isn’t the answer…What is?
Well, I don’t think there is just one answer to this question. There are a million reasons why people become overweight, and once overweight, weight loss can be very difficult. That’s why focusing on a healthy eating lifestyle needs to be more important than actual dieting and weight loss.
The thing is – Your overall health is not determined simply by the numbers on a scale or where you fall on a BMI chart. It’s much more complicated than that. Obviously, these things are important guidelines, but they are certainly not the holy grail of good health.
Troubling news about teens and sex…Teen pregnancy rates are up after a ten year decline. There is no doubt that teen pregnancy is on the rise. The question is…What can we do about it?
It seems obvious that abstinence-only programs aren’t working to reduce teen pregnancy. If you ask me, it’s not the “abstinence” part that is the problem, it’s the “only” part. I’m not against teaching abstinence as part of a sex education program, but to only teach abstinence seem irresponsible.
So then, what is the best way to reduce teen pregnancy?
Christmas. Is it the most wonderful time of the year? Or the most stressful time of the year? Would it surprise you to know that 8 out of 10 people suffer some degree of stress during the holiday season?
My name is Catherine Morgan...I'm a writer, nurse, and mother. I'm also a contributing editor for BlogHer Health & Wellness.
Welcome to my blog...I write a little bit of everything with an emphasis on healthy living, inspiration, nutrition, and health news. I hope you'll find topics that interest you here, and I would love to know what you think in comments. Thanks for stopping by.
We know that the food we choose to put into our body can have a huge affect on our health and quality of life, but many of us still choose to eat unhealthy foods. Let’s face it, the unhealthy stuff tastes really good, and we don’t usually have cravings for healthy food. That’s exactly why obesity is such a large problem for both adults and children in our country…But is dieting the answer? I don’t think so. As we all know, dieting can often lead to a roller coaster of weight loss and weight gain, that leaves many weighing more in the long run.
