Blog #9 Challenges to a Healthy Life

         My biggest challenges to regular exercise and a healthy diet include my children, being a working mother, lack of money, and lack of motivation.   I am sure the biggest challenge is the lack of motivation, because I am sure if I had the motivation, I would find a way to make exercise and healthy eating a priority in my life.

          According to the body mass index (BMI) in our text book, New Dimensions in Women’s Health (fifth addition) and my waist line is less than 35 inches I am at a healthy weight.  But I feel that I am out of shape and have lost my tone throughout my body.  Before kids I never had to work at staying trim or about exercise.  I was an active person that ate halfway healthy for a young adult.  Since I had my children (10 years ago), I have put my own health priorities on the back burner. 

          I am very thankful that God gave me the opportunity to be a mother and I wouldn’t change it for the world.  My only problem is that my world revolves around them.   I eat what they like and feel guilty when I leave them to do something for myself, like exercise.   The only exercise I got in the last 10 years was chasing and cleaning up after my kids.  I did walk when they would sit still in a stroller or let them walk as they got older, but it was never the same.  I tried leaving them with a sitter after work, but felt guilty leaving them after working all day.  I even tried workout videos at home but the girls thought it was playtime when I got down on the floor.  As far as eating healthy, I tend to cook what my kids will eat, within reason, meals that are quick, and meals that cost less.  My kids love fruit and vegetables so I am lucky, but they like the traditional kid foods too (mac –n- cheese, PB&J, pizza, chicken nuggets etc.) and it is cheaper.   I try to watch what I eat and try not to eat these foods, but I occasionally will take a bite or finish their plate so the food doesn’t go to waste.  It is these hidden calories that add up.  Did you know that a couple of bites of mac and cheese are about 54 calories or a chicken nugget is about 50 calories (Scott, 2010)?  These bites or nibbles add up when trying to watch calories, but I tended not to count these calories.   So they extra pounds started to slowly creep on to the scales.

         My challenges may be excuses but hopefully they will improve in the next few years since my girls are getting a little older.   They are a little more independent and we are able to do more family activities together (riding bikes, roller blading, kayaking, brisk walking) so I think it is going to make exercising easier.  They are also willing to try new foods and understand why it is important to eat healthy.  So hopefully I can get in better shape and I can teach them healthy habits.

References:

Scott, J. (April 1, 2010) Today's Tip: Hidden Calories Add Up.  Retrieved on October 29, 2010 from  http://weightloss.about.com/od/caloriecounting/qt/hiddencaloriesaddup.htm

Beth Stauffer

Blog #8 "Society's View on Menapause"

I feel that the “baby boomers” generation is going to change the way society views menopause and older women.  Women in that generation have changed the expectations between work and family life and are now taking care of their own children as well as their parents.  The baby boomers represent 29% of the American population (“What is the”, n.d.).  The women of this generation are not going to go through menopause and age quietly.  Many well respected women, like Opera, are speaking out about the symptoms of menopause and discussing the options of treatment in the public.  I think the combination of the media and the baby boomers they will change how many view menopause and growing older.   Many women are starting to make jokes about the “change of life” and getting through it together with humor and support groups.  There are musical plays, jokes, and cartoons that help make light of menopause and this going to help take the edge of the negative feelings that go along with the change.  The baby boomers have defined what it means to age with grace!

I found a couple of websites that help add humor or support/educate women going through menopause:

http://www.minniepauz.com/

http://www.squidoo.com/menolaugh

http://www.menopausethemusical.com/

Enjoy!

Beth Stauffer

Reference: 

What is the Baby Boom Generation? (n.d). Retrieved October 20, 2010 from

 http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2061.html

Blog #7 "Helping to End Sex Slavery"

The supplemental video "Helping to End Sex Slavery",  from the following location; http://www.ted.com/talks/sunitha_krishnan_tedindia.html really hit home. In November 2009, Sunitha Krihman talked about sex slaves in India and around the world.  She talked about what she is doing to help the victims and how she is saving them.   She is not only giving them the medical and psychological treatment they need, but providing education to them.  Teaching the victims of sex slaves a skill such as carpentry, welding and other trades allow the victims to help rebuild their own lives.  Giving them a life they have a right to as a human being and a life they deserve.  These trades are not only giving them a job, but are also therapeutic for the victims.   As an occupational therapist I can understand how this works!  Sunitha Krishman is a savior! 

 Watching that video made me sick, and even more so when she talked about children as young as three as being victims.  The idea of anyone abusing an innocent child for his own pleasure, what kind of person does that? This subject has really opened my eyes about our cruel world!  How can people be so inhumane and cruel especially to children? It is not right and needs to be stopped.  I knew other countries were less fortunate then us, but never in a million years would I believe of people using children for sex slaves.  How can the government not see it or allow this to happen?  Why is our country not trying to help?  What can we do to help stop these monsters from taking innocent lives from children? 

In this video, Sunitha Krishnan told us how to help.  We can help by spreading the word to our friends and family!  Just by being a voice for the victims and making people aware of what is happening to children around the world.  Then maybe somebody will hear us and starting saving our children.  I plan on posting this video on my Facebook, to help speak for the victims!  Please help spread the word and paste this video to your social network or just tell several people and have them do the same.  Maybe then someone will start listening!

Blog #6 Miscarriages do Hurt

The power point, "Little Loss, Big Hurt: Miscarriages", written by M. Kampschroeder (2007), really hit home!   I never realized how common a miscarriage was until I had one during my second pregnancy.  I felt so alone and wasn’t sure how to act.  I knew that I was very sad, but I felt guilty for being sad.   Nobody talked about the emotional part of the loss of a pregnancy.

 The power point stated that 80% of miscarriages happen in the first trimester.  I was 7 weeks pregnant, and shocked that this happened to me, especially after a normal healthy pregnancy.  My OB/GYN was very nonchalant after telling me that he could not find the heart beat and that I was in the process of having a miscarriage.  He acted as if it was any everyday thing and no big deal.  I was in shock and sent home without answers, to pass the embryo on my own.   The nurse explained the physical changes, the bleeding and cramping and gave me some pain pills.  Nobody prepared me for the psychological part of a miscarriage.  The moment I passed the embryo, was moment that I will never forget.  I panicked, not knowing what to do with it.  Was I supposed to pick it up out of the toilet to take to a lab?  Should I call my priest?  Should I burry it own my own? I called the OB office and they said they didn’t need it, to just flush it!   It was an unbearable feeling when I had to pull that handle.  I was devastated.   I felt guilty and wondered what I did wrong. 

After my check up with the doctor, he reported that after my next healthy menstrual cycle, we were able to start trying again.  I couldn’t bare the idea of getting pregnant again and taking a chance of going through another miscarriage.  But after a couple of months I knew I needed to get pregnant again.  I needed to get over the grief and guilt I was feeling. 

I know realize how common miscarriages are and that everything I felt was normal!  And yes the third pregnancy did help, and I delivered a healthy baby girl 9 months later.