Kids Taking Their Health Into Their Own Hands — Thinking and Acting Smart

When I first heard that my daughter was going skydiving, I thought, “Please don’t.” Then, after hearing her cite statistics on how safe it is (compared to driving a car) and how well-trained the staff are that “jump” with you, I sort of softened and reconsidered.

Same thing happened when another daughter decided to zipline from treetop to treetop with only some ropes supporting her. My first reaction was, “Please don’t.” Again, another discussion ensued about the merits (and safety) of the activity.

Once I got over the shock and did some research on my own, I felt a lot more comfortable about my kids participating in these sports (to use the term loosely). Then, I realized the reason I felt better about their choices of leisure fun was that they’d both taken the time to check out the safety factors for themselves, they weighed the risks, and then acted with decision.

This got me thinking about the general health and safety of kids across the nation. Specifically, how so many children are not growing up healthy and if parents (and then kids) begin taking their health into their own hands by making smart eating and exercise choices, this generation of young people will be able to jump, leap, and even soar over whatever obstacles come their way. For their sake, “Please do” review the following stats on our children’s health and help yours start thinking ahead by making smart choices today.

Toledo Orthopedic surgeon,Dr. Christopher Foetisch writes –

FACT: Children, teens and young adults live for the moment. From their standpoint, today is all that matters, tomorrow is too far away. As a result, they seldom think about what they do today and how it will affect them tomorrow or next month or even in years to come. Young people have little awareness that today’s choices can have profound effects on their health as an adult.

STATISTICS: According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 16 percent of today’s children ages 6 to 19 are overweight. This percentage represents 9 million children. Alarmingly, the number has tripled since 1980. The obese child is at risk for numerous health problems. These include diabetes, coronary artery disease, asthma, hypertension and sleep apnea.

PREVENTION: Experts agree that inactivity and poor eating habits contribute to obesity. National guidelines recommend 150 minutes of physical activity each week for elementary children and 225 minutes for older children. Most children do not meet this modest level of physical activity on a weekly basis.

CONSEQUENCES: It is important for parents to ensure that their children (teens, and young adults) eat a healthy balanced diet and exercise regularly. The CDC reports that 80 percent of obese 10-15 years olds become obese adults. Clearly, it is vital for parents to set the bar early on for a healthy weight and activity level as failure to do so will likely carry a lifetime of obesity related problems.

The Anatomy of a Strength — Why You Should Keep Doing What You Do Best

Authors Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton pose the question –

“What does a strong life look like?”

Answer:

“A strong life (person) identifies their strongest threads (talents/gifts/bents), weaves in education and experience, and builds them into the dominating strengths around which they function best in a work environment.”

In their book, Now, Discover Your Strengths – the authors explain that most organizations operate under two flawed assumptions about people:

1. Each person can learn to be competent in almost anything.

2. Each person’s greatest room for growth is in his or her areas of greatest weakness.

As long as companies continue to operate under these assumptions, their growth (as a business and their employees’ personal development) will be limited.

Instead, organizations need to start identifying each individual’s areas of strengths and place these people according to their natural giftedness by assuming –

1. Each person’s talents are enduring and unique.

2. Each person’s greatest room for growth is in the areas of his or her greatest strength.

Throughout this text, the authors define and describe the most prominent 34 themes of human talent (how to recognize them in yourself and others) as well as how to interact with people whose themes are different from your own.

To help readers put a mental picture to defining what a “strength” looks like….these authors describe strength as –

“Consistent near perfect performance in an activity.”

To assist readers in quickly assessing what their strengths might be, ask yourself what you love to do as opposed to what you hate doing? What activities (work/leisure) bring out your best (or worst)? What types of tasks fulfill you (or frustrate you)?

Start with these introspective questions and then move forward with a more in-depth study covered in this insightful (and thoroughly practical) resource.

Happy strength hunting (and discovering)!

Performing Surgery (And Other Tasks You Can Do at Your Desk)

In between finishing up a review and some interview questions, I performed a tonsillectomy this afternoon. How’s that for multi-tasking?

Seriously, I did complete a review and did work up some interview questions and I did actually perform a tonsillectomy. It’s true.

Now, I think I’ll try my hand at performing a Cesarean Section. And you can too…

Check out this cool site, SurgerySquad.com where you can be the virtual surgeon and try your hand at any number of surgeries (all while sitting in front of your PC and with the click of a mouse).

Courage Has Different Looks (Depending on What You’re Facing)

Watching the updated version of True Grit, it struck me that while the main character, Rooster Cogburn, had “true grit” it became more and more obvious that the fourteen year old girl, Mattie Ross, was the one who exhibited the greatest “grit” or courage throughout the film. Whether you read the book or view either of the two movie versions of this story, it’s worth taking note of how each character worked out their fears and stood fast when they needed to (despite making mistakes along the way). Each of them defined courage by their mental attitude and their choices.

Here’s another definition of courage offered by Marcus Luttrell, author of Lone Survivor, where he tells his story of being the only survivor on his Navy SEALS team of the now highly publicized account of the 2005 Afghanistan combat mission.

“I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.”

Like the fictional Mattie Ross, Luttrell writes about summoning up whatever it takes to get the job done. Also like Mattie Ross, both individuals had to identify their enemy, create a team, formulate a plan, and then execute it.

While most people will never be called upon to face the horrors that Luttrell did, everyone has their own fears, struggles, and challenges to face and conquer. What I appreciated most about both of these stories was the emphasis on choosing the right people to surround yourself with — people you can trust. People who are skilled at what they do. People who don’t give up (and don’t allow you to give up either.)

Courage might sound all nice in theory, but it’s plenty practical. Here’s a few ways to bring some “grit” into your own battle plan for overcoming hard seasons.

COURAGE – Facing facts and doing something about them. When sorrows tally up, women need to harness and guard their emotional strength by reminding themselves of the following.

· Balance work, home, and relaxation; don’t take on new responsibilities during this time.

· Talk with trusted friends about what you’re feeling; as you do, you’ll find the weight of sorrow is shared as it is distributed some amongst people who care.

· Understand your limitations; listen to what others are observing in you and heed their counsel.

STRENGTH – Making sure you’re fit for what’s coming. When sorrow makes its presence known day after day, women need to build up and maintain their physical strength.

· Exercise daily; set (and maintain) your routine of getting a minimum of 20 minutes/3 times per week.

· Get enough sleep; factor in 7 – 8 hours of nighttime rest every night.

· Take vitamin supplements daily and eat for optimal health to offset the extra emotional pressures.

FEARLESSNESS – Moving forward even when the outcome is uncertain. When the worst is over, women need to decide what they believe, why they believe, and how their beliefs will equip them to face the future, here they develop their spiritual strength.

· Revisit and re-evaluate former belief systems; ask yourself how what you say you believe about life/death/suffering makes a difference?

· What did you learn about yourself and about how you handle loss and sorrow?

· Contemplate tomorrow in the aftermath of today’s painful circumstance. What can you do to be better prepared for future challenges?

Emotional Triggers — Those Happy/Sad Feelings We All Experience

Let’s take a quiz.

Which of the following scenarios can trigger an emotional upset?

1. Young adult son gets a tattoo.
2. Young adult son buys a motorcycle.
3. Young adult son believes he will be safe on motorcycle.
4. Young adult daughter marries a wonderful young adult man.

If you answered, #1,2 or 3…you’d be right (and wrong). Scenario number #4 triggers just as much emotion as the other three options. We often mistakenly believe that if a life experience is positive then it will trigger only positive, uplifting emotions. The truth is, even the most joyful and happy occasions cause stress and inner stress can cause a meltdown of emotions.

So what to do?

Learn to recognize that even the best of times makes a person vulnerable to emotional swings. Then learn to manage the emotions (and not let them manage you.)

Common Top Triggers:

*Positive Life Stress

Job promotions, weddings, vacations, even the most coveted of life’s milestones can precipitate short-term depression in mid-life women. Surprisingly, many women don’t realize how much emotional toll these beneficial experiences can take on their mental and emotional psyche. As with everything in life, balance is key. Realistic planning is also highly recommended for all women, no matter what their age or station in life.

*Negative Life Stress

Family emergencies, extended care-giving responsibilities, financial upsets, unresolved relational issues, childcare dilemmas, and workplace challenges…are part and parcel of the majority of women’s daily existence. Long-term perspective is a must coupled with a strong support group of fellow travelers who can come along side with empathy, care, and unconditional acceptance, is more vital now than ever before. Enlisting (and lending) anticipated help before the next major landslide of distressing events is especially crucial at this period of mid-life.

*Shifts in Health

Sadly, many mid-life women neglect their health by avoiding regular check-ups with the family doctor, gynecologist, dentist, and ophthalmologist, not recognizing how quickly most delineations from former good health can be detected and corrected. Simply showing up can make a difference. Women especially need to be checked for ever altering hormone levels, informed on how their current meds will affect their bodies and emotions, and what signs to be on the watch for according to their particular family health history.

Health-Inducing Restoratives

*Exercise, Stretch, and Sleep

As women age, regularity in habits and scheduling becomes primary. The body will respond to even the simplest minor alterations toward good health. Discover the least resistant path to consistently exercise, eat healthily, and sleep effectively and make these habits a priority.

*Realistic Expectations

Striving for excellence is exemplary…expecting perfection is counter-productive. All of life is riddled with imperfection, brokenness, and frailty. It is the wise woman who does what she can to make a positive difference. Wiser still, is the same woman who understands she cannot fix every thing, person, or situation…and she makes peace with that fact.

*Healthy Relationships

Prudent women recognize healthy boundaries that include immediate family and close friends. Surround yourself with people who support your efforts, stand by your decisions, and are at the ready to offer assistance when required.

Wedding Day Indulgences — and the Best RX Tips for Hair Styling for Every Day

The wedding might be over…but the memories are just taking hold. One of which is the morning of the big day where we spent hours getting ready…a bonding experience only females can truly appreciate. We had lots of food…beverages…and laughs (lots of those).

Good friend and fabulous hair designer, Mary Anne Johnson, transformed everyday hair to wow hair! As she worked, Mary also gave us lots of helpful tips for keeping our hair in the best shape possible after the wedding.

Maryanne Johnson of An Va Spa & Salon says –

It is amazing how far “hair care” has come. It is much more like pharmacy now and an educated hair stylist professional should be able to help get the right “prescription” for every client.

Here are a few very important RX solutions.

· For the fair-haired – Use small amounts of effective shampoo, not those full of unnecessary fillers. Most important, consistent use a conditioning treatment that is processed with some protein bonds as it penetrates the hair shaft and doesn’t simply lie on top where it does little good.

· You should only be washing your hair every two to three days, not every day. Washing or wetting the hair daily is very hard on the hair shaft. Opening and closing the small fibers causes stress and therefore makes the hair more fragile and porous and when hair is over washed it becomes limp.

· Using a hair-smoothing product that contains SPF helps immensely in every season whether it is fall coolness, or winter dryness. Add small amounts and work in these smoothers to the ends only of the hair every day to keep it bouncy and shiny. Heating your hair up in the morning just briefly with a blow dryer can reactivate your conditioning product from the day before and your hair will bounce back.

· While it is important to add some leave-in smoothers or a bit of shine emollient to restore the next day’s hair, it is just as vital that these products are added only to the ends and the shafts of the hair. Keep all products off your scalp or you will have an oily residue on your head. Thus, the term “hair only” products.

What can your pharmacist do for you? What every patient should know before taking their next pill.

If you take any pharmaceutical medications, you’ll want to check out this new website for getting helpful (and sometimes lifesaving information) on the drugs prescribed by your physicians.

What can your pharmacist do for you? What every patient should know before taking their next pill.

Have you been prescribed the wrong medication? Has one of the medications you have been taking for a long time suddenly changed in color, size, or shape? Both of these are questions we as pharmacists address on a daily basis.

Pharmacists are widely trusted professionals who are often called upon to answer diverse questions regarding a patient’s health. Patients often go to their local pharmacy to see if the pharmacist can answer their question before seeking their doctor due to the pharmacist’s ease of access, minimal wait time, and low cost for advice (mostly free).

Pharmacists are often called upon to:

● Review prescription orders for accuracy. Drug, Directions, Quantity, Refills
● Drug utilization review (DUR). Safety, Effectiveness, Drug Interactions
● Compounding medications (making a drug that doesn’t exist in the prescribed form)
● Counseling and advice on proper medication usage, dosage, side effects
● Over-the-counter drug recommendations
● Health monitoring and advice
● Immunizations
● Educating physicians and other healthcare providers
● Medication Therapy Management (MTM). Normally, a one-on-one session with a pharmacist to thoroughly review all medications and often, in addition, education on your general health wellness.

This may seem like common knowledge so far, but what happens when there’s a mistake?

While mistakes are relatively rare in the pharmacy, they do occur. Some of the most publicized cases in recent memory include:

● A 2 year old patient, Emily, being treated for cancer who received a solution of 23% salt. The patient was supposed to receive a 1% solution of salt. Emily suffered an agonizing death. She screamed as the 23% solution of salt went into her body before going into a coma shortly thereafter. She was pronounced dead a few days later. “Emily’s Law” was passed in Ohio, January 7th 2009, regulating the certification of pharmacy technicians in hopes of preventing a re-occurrence from taking place.

● In another example, Beth was supposed to receive her normal monthly blood thinner, Coumadin 1mg. Instead, she received Coumadin 10mg. Unfortunately, Coumadin is a narrow therapeutic index drug (a small change in dose = large results). The patient suffered a major stoke which resulted in left side brain damage. She had to stop her chemotherapy medication and died of cancer 2 months later.

What can I do to help minimize the chance of taking the wrong medication or taking the medication the wrong way?

Ask questions!

You may feel like you’re bothering the pharmacy, but it is absolutely vital that you understand how you are to take your medications and when to take them. The first mistake concerning the 23% solution of salt would have been hard to prevent from a patient’s perspective. However, the second mistake concerning the Coumadin 10mg may have been prevented if the patient or caretaker would have called the pharmacy to verify the change in color, shape, or identification numbers on the tablet.

Do you have a question for the pharmacist?

FreePharmacist.com was recently started by two pharmacists to answer patient questions on medications. They have provided links to drug identifying tools, a free medication email/text reminder, drug interaction tool, and also a wide range of prescription cost savings tools including drug coupons. The website has a drug pricing tool which gives you a general idea of how much the medication will cost and, more importantly, the price of similar drugs that may be cheaper. In addition, they offer a drug discount card which is accepted at over 60,000 pharmacies nationwide with an average savings of 52%. If you or anyone you know takes a lot of medications, if you have a general question regarding a prescription, or if you want to check for prices or coupons before filling your prescription, be sure to visit FreePharmacist.com.

Guest Post by Shelly Beach — The Caregiving Advocate

One of the most exciting parts of being a writer is hearing other people’s stories (and then being able to pass them on). One of my passions is to help equip and encourage women who find themselves in the role of caregiver primarily because my own first experience was a difficult and exhausting one. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to share author and Caregiving Advocate Shelly Beach’s story with readers. As you read, you’ll see Shelly’s heart beats strong for caregivers (and those they take care of)…from her own experience Shelly offers wisdom, hope, and practical strategies that lighten everyone’s load.

Shelly writes…

A few summers ago, my then-eighty-eight-year-old father underwent open-heart surgery. After nearly a week in one of Michigan’s finest cardiac hospitals, Dad was transferred to a rehab center. As a family, we’d gathered recommendations regarding the facility’s quality of care, maintenance standards, and the staff’s medical and rehab expertise.

So when Dad’s care turned out to be . . . let’s just say, sub-par, I was not only disappointed, I was alarmed. My father’s life and health were on the line.

I could have thrown my arms and berated the staff when we were ushered into a room that smelled like dirty socks. (Dad was later moved at my request.) I could have thrown a fit when I was asked to hike to rehab and retrieve footrests for a wheelchair after my father nearly collapsed because he wasn’t given a wheelchair. I could have thrown a temper tantrum when the nursing staff didn’t respond to my father’s call light after fifteen minutes. And I could have given the staff a sample of my lung capacity when I was told I was five minutes over the designated reservation time when I requested to eat dinner in the dining room with Dad (I’d been tending to his toileting needs in the absence of staff).

Instead, I smiled, took notes, jotted down the names of staff — including those who were performing their jobs well and deserved commendation – and placed a call to management the next day. I stated my concerns politely, with documentation of safety risks, then asked the manager what steps would be taken to assure that my dad’s needs would be met appropriately in the future.

I mentioned that the facility had come highly recommended, but unless I saw immediate evidence of improvement in several key areas, we were leaving. I identified staff members who’d cared for my father in a manner I felt deserved recognition. The manager thanked me profusely and kept me on the phone, asking for details. It was obvious his desire was to provide excellent service for residents and their families. In the end, my family chose to keep my dad at this facility, even though our impression during the first twenty-four hours had been to head for the hills.

As caregiving advocates, we can’t afford the luxury of letting off steam when our responsibility is to stand in the gap for our loved ones. I believe that caregiving advocates fulfills their roles most effectively when they are –

Articulate: Advocates must be more than communicators. We must be able to clearly articulate ideas, information, emotions, fears, and concerns in spite of our feelings. We must hone the art of communication.

Decisive: We often stand in the gap as the responsible party for making tough decisions. It’s our responsibility to gather and weigh information within the context of life-changing implications for our loved ones.

Vigilant: Vigilance includes the caregiving environment; medications; our loved one’s physical, emotional, and social changes. If the one we care for is in a nursing home, be sure to drop in frequently and on all shifts. Report concerns immediately and document your reports.

Observant: Watch for details and keep a notebook if you need to. Know the names of staff members and the shifts that they work. Be familiar with your loved one’s surroundings.

Capable: Not everyone should shoulder the responsibilities of a caregiver. Consider who in your family may be the most capable for the task, recognizing that the role most often needs to be shared.

Appreciative: Show your appreciation for those who extend hands of care to your loved ones — not only to those in day-to-day contact, but to administrators and maintenance crews.

Teachable: The caregiving journey is long and difficult, and a teachable spirit will carry a caregiver through to the end. Be willing to listen and learn — from doctors, hospice workers, caregivers, family members, your pastor and church family.

Envoy: An envoy creates connections and paves the way. Your role as a caregiving advocate is to create the smoothest possible path for your loved one. Listen and give them a voice. Stand in the gap for them, extending Jesus’ hands of love.

Prescriptions, Remedies, and Cures — Parenting in Front of Watchful Eyes

Recently, Jennifer Reich of MommyMDGuides.com asked me if I had a “prescription” for a few parenting topics. Straightforward questions. Simple answers. Easy.

Or not. Real life almost always translates differently than what we expect (and hope). Sometimes the “real” is far better than we imagined. Other times the “real” can be far more difficult. But in either scenario, all moms embrace their own personal “Prescription for Life” for parenting.

And our kids (no matter what their age) are watching us. What we do (and say) matters. Whether it’s modeling healthy eating habits, daily exercise, positive self-discipline, or a selfless attitude toward others…the youngsters who share our heart and home are paying attention. They’re observing both the “ills” and the “remedies” we live out in every area of life.

Moms may not see transformation overnight (or for many years)…but eventually when a child starts modeling the principles they’ve been taught by putting them into practice in their own lives, it feels like the perfect cure for whatever ails you.

Guest Post by Jory Fisher — Pathway to Purpose

Not long ago I had a conversation with former attorney and law professor, Jory Fisher, during which time she asked me a variety of questions (some I knew the answers to, others I’m working on answering) about my immediate and long-term goals (for life, work, and ministry). I was amazed how much clarity I received after that brief thirty minute interchange. Since then, I’ve been able to refine (and define) what I want to do and how to best get there. Jory helped me better understand my gifts…and that ability of hers is a gift indeed.

Check out Julie Fleming’s interview of Jory here.

More about Jory’s work here.

Beginning in July, Jory is starting a brand new program to help women discover their passion and purpose…here’s the scoop!

There’s a lot of “here’s” here…but remember, in order to get from “here to there” you have to take the first step. Here’s how…

Details about Heart & Soul for Women of Faith here!

If you’re striving to make a meaningful difference in the world… If you’re longing to lead a purposeful, passionate, prosperous life… If you’re determined to be a successful entrepreneur… Welcome to Heart & Soul for Women of Faith.

A former attorney, law professor, and Youth For Christ ministry director, Jory holds coaching certifications from the International Coach Federation, the Institute for Life Coach Training, the Career Coach Academy, the Christian Coaches Network, and the True Purpose™ Institute.

Questions to ponder…and with Jory’s sensitive direction, you’ll find the answers.

Do you long to make a bigger, more meaningful difference, but aren’t sure how?

Do you aspire to earn an excellent living while fulfilling your life purpose?

Do you sometimes feel disheartened, isolated, and overwhelmed?