Reflection of Weeks 13-15 and Overall

Weeks 13-14

I cannot believe that we are already nearing the end of the semester. This semester seemed to fly by, not that it was not busy. Over the last two weeks of class we have learned a lot of new information once again. One of the biggest things that I learned was how to write a letter to a representative. I never really knew how much work went into it. I think that this will be a great skill for us to take with us when we start to apply for jobs, and when we get hired. I also think that it was a great activity because now everyone is more involved with current events in our country, even if it is just on specific issue. I know that personally for me that I will continue to advocate, even if it is just on a small scale.


In addition to learning how to advocate, I also learned a lot of new things from the fact sheets and the learning activities. At first I was really intimidated by the learning activity, but after I completed it I thought that it is really great that we used our health education skills and applied them by creating learning activities. This is something that many of us will have to do in the future so it is definitely good practice. I also found out information that I feel will be beneficial to me such as:

• The effects of the oil spill
• Ways to encourage kids not to smoke
• Food safety for college students
• Ways to recycle
• And links to smoking videos

I also learned a lot of valuable information by creating my own learning activity.  I had no idea that dust can be one of the main causes of asthma, and that it effects so many people lives on our country. Overall I think that everyone did a great job on their learning activities and I was really proud of them.

My favorite activity that happened over the last few weeks was taking our field trip to Goodwill. I cannot believe all of the great stuff that they have going on there.  It is really amazing all that they do for the community, and the environment. There mission states" It makes me want to shop there more and more just so I can support what they do.  Some of the my favorite things that I saw there was:

• the recycling of mattresses, down to the  springs
• how they sorted everything
• and the great opportunities that they offer their employees who may not ever get those opportunities

This was really fun and I am glad that some of my classmates found some cool items for their junking projects there as well.  I personally thought that the junking project was a great success too.  I could not believe how great some of them turned out.  Some of my personal favorites were Sonny and Dane.  They really did a great job.  I want to try to make some glasses like Dane did, I think that they would be a great gift.  The junking project has really taught me that I do not need to go out and buy brand new expensive things when I am going to redecorate.  I think that it makes us realize that we really can make due with something that has already been used.  I think it makes things look more personable, and not so cheap.

Overall Course:

As for the class overall I don't exactly know how to sum it up and give it enough credit for how it has impacted me.  I think that this class has been one of the most influential yet at my time here are UMD.  It may not have taught me skills on how to specifically do something related to being a health educator, but it has taught me things that are much more important than that.  Life long lifestyle changes is one of the main things that I have learned. I cannot believe how naive I was coming into this class.  We were all aware of what environment, recycling, and sustainability were, but I don't think many of us knew how to really put those words into action.


Starting from the begging I have learned so many new things.  Before this class i had heard of blogs and seen them, but this was my first time ever Blogging.  I think that this is a great way to interact with people and look forward to doing it on my own in the future.
  One of the biggest things I learned from day one was sustainability i really had no idea how unsustainable I was living.  But thanks to the carbon footprint calculator. That we took we were really able to open our eyes and see. It just something small that really catches your attention.  That personally made me think about everything as the class went on.  


Throughout class we watched many documentaries and they all seemed to leave a lasting impact on all of us.  I could not believe some of the things that go on in our world today.  Is there really a price on water, or is it a basic human right.  And I cannot believe the health effects that some of the factories are causing just to make our stuff.  

Even though I am not an avid reader doing our read n seeds really opened my eyes to alot

• The Future of Food
• Creating a graphical header
• Junking 
• SMART Goals
• What it means to be Eco-chic
• advocacy
• the food industry
• ourselves!

Overall I am really grateful that I had the opportunity to take this class this semester.  I have learned so many things.  One thing that I think that is important for all of us to do is to remember that though we know a lot about the subject, many others do not such as our family and friends.  I think that we should all try to educate others on the information that we have learned, using our advocacy skills, and try encourage change in others.  We can all make a difference even the small things add up weather they be good or bad, we do have an impact.  With that I would like to thank you all for a great semester and best of luck in the future.

Eye Opener: Environmental Learning Activities

Matt’s Smoke Free Zone
Kiss my Glass Activity:

Matt I played that game that you provided on your like, I thought that they game was really fun, however I don’t know if I did it right, because it was not telling me information. However I did search around on your site and found out some information that i did not know including:
Nearly 90 % of Lung Cancer can be attributed to tabacco and smoking

Also I read a link titled The Useful Cigarette. I also thought that this was really interesting because it gave a list of all the things that a cigarette was useful for, and basically all of it was used for making toxic chemicals, which is very scary. Way to go Matt!

Danes Trail of Health
Essay on Oil Spill:

If something such as an oil spill were to happen in Duluth, I think that our lives would be turned upside down. Many of us may not have job, or be switched to something different due to the havoc that it would cause. Nothing would be secure anymore including our health, safety, and job assurance. It was mentioned that the economy in the Gulf States had declined dramatically. Could it be from stigma, that is placed around such a terrible incident, or is it merely just the fact that people cannot get to these places anymore and are concerned about their health because of all the pollution. Truth is it is a combination of the two, and this would be exactly what would happen to Duluth. A downward spiral of event of cancellations and unemployment is what would happen. Many of us like to hang out at Park Point in the Summer, that would be no longer if that were to happen, and what about all the other outdoor things that go on around Lake Superior. Could you imagine not having the lake walk, or even worse Grandmas. Overall it is easy to see that the effects would not be good, and I am thankful that we have not had that problem.

Go Blue Too With Carly
Crossword Puzzle:

Carly I think that you did a really great job putting together your crossword puzzle. I also think that it is a great way to people to learn and remember information. I also found the other links that you included such as the food safety quiz and the food safety in college to be very beneficial to college students like us. Most of us think that food borne illness will not happen to us, but the fact of the matter is that it is a lot more common than we think, and majority of the time it is preventable. After completing your crossword puzzle, I have learned a lot of new information. Some of the things I will definitely try to remember include:

Canned foods with a high acid content, like tomatoes, pineapple and grapefruit, may be stored in the pantry for 12 to 18 months

And that leftovers should be heated to 165 degrees or higher before serving


Thank you once again for creating such a great learning activity

Share and Voice: Junking Photos

I decided to post some pictures from my junking project so you could see the whole thing. I originally had something else planned to make, but that fell through. So this is what I did. Though it might not be the most unique or elaborate things, I still though that they were pretty cool, and it has helped me to be a lot more organized. So take a look and tell me what you think..

This is how unorganized my stuff was before:

now its much better after thanks to a shelf from the goodwill

getting ready is much faster in the morning now that I dont have to dig for things

its hard to see, but I used old christmas bulbs to make stocking hangers for out mantle

Overall I thought that this really fun, and would like to continue to do this in the future.

Advocacy Project: What you want to know about asthma and allergies

Asthma: What is it?

So as you have read in my previous posts I am trying to show you the effects of asthma and allergies.  Most people have a general idea of what they are, but not to much after that.  For example; did you know that allergies are the main cause of asthma? Some other questions that people may wonder is why are they so bad for you? and also what effects can they have on you?
To start out this activity I would like you to take a short quiz about asthma just to see how much you already know about it. The quiz is brought to you by WebMd, and is very short.  It also provides some great feedback to your answers.

• Take the quiz here

Since you know have an idea about what you would like to learn I included a fact sheet from the EPA. It gives you some general knowledge about the subject.

• Some of the information could be general knowledge, but some of the other information may be things that you didn't know.

I have included a brochure from the CDC. That goes over important factors such as triggers to asthma and how asthma is treated. 


One of the main triggers to the development of asthma is outdoor air pollution, there are many ways that you can control your exposure and here is a flyer created by the CDC that can help you to do that.


Now that you have read the information and took the quiz, it is probably easier to see that asthma is a much bigger problem that we may have thought. To end just write two three things that you learned throughout this activity about asthma that you did not know before.


Thank for your time! 

Share and Voice: HP goes GREEN too

For health 4000 I had to buy a new printer to print off all of my papers.  I went to the school store, and really had no idea what to buy.  I was looking at the different options than something cool caught my eye.  I saw the HP box and on the side was a big section titled  "eco SOLUTIONS" I was very curious to see what this was.  On the box some of the information included:

• made with 30% percent recycled plastic
• you can recycle 100% of the packaging 
• includes a reusable to put it in
• printer cartridges contain up to 70% recycled materials

Also it seen that it was an energy star related product which I thought was really cool.

I checked out the website www.hp.com/ecosloutions and it included some really neat information.

• it included a carbon footprint calculator for your printer
• information about a HP Powers UN Climate Change Conference
• and information about HPs own recycling center. I found out that HP was the first computer company to have their own recycling center in 1997, and is on its way to recycling 2 billion pounds of products and materials

I think that its great that big companies are starting to do this.  And its definitely something to look for when shopping.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5: Weekly Update and Overview

What was your SMART goal? How did you do in achieving your SMART goal?
I will eat 2 servings of vegetables (serving= 1/2 cup) and 2 servings of fruit (servings= 1/2 cup) 4 days a week, for the next 4 weeks.
Address successes and challenges. What strategies helped you to be successful?
I had a lot of success this week. Each day last week I brought fruits and vegetables with me to school. I brought things that were easy to snack on in between class such as carrots and celery. I also brought apples and had bananas. It also helped when I set my food together before school. Then when I woke up.. No matter how late it was I had no excuse not to bring them.

What challenges did you face? How did you deal with them?
I didn’t face to many challenges this week. I almost think that I should have made my challenge a bit harder. My only challenge that I had was eating fruits and veggies on the weekend. For some reason its just so hard for me. I think I just need to treat it more like a weekday. Maybe if I went to the library that would help.

What feelings did you experience? When did you feel them?
I felt great this week after eating so healthy. I had a lot more energy until the weekend came around. I was also very proud of myself that I met my goal this week. However I was kind of upset how easy it was.

What did you learn this week?
This past week I learned that being more prepared makes attaining your goal very easy. I also learned that I would like to continue my goal, but be more creative when eating fruits and vegetables. I want to learn some new vegetarian recipes.

What are your plans for next week?
Next week I plan to continue my goal, but modify it just a bit. I want to try to start eating organic fruits and vegetables, and up my servings of them. Im not exactly sure to how much. I have to plan out my budget first.

What was your SMART goal?
I will eat 2 servings of vegetables (serving= 1/2 cup) and 2 servings of fruit (servings= 1/2 cup) 4 days a week, for the next 4 weeks.


Did it change at all during the project? 
I did not change my behavior at all during our time in class. However I do think that I am going to modify my behavior, when I continue it on my own. I want to increase the servings of fruits and vegetables that I eat daily.

What helped you be successful?
It helped me to be successful when I was more prepared the night before. Also it helped me to see how great me peers were doing in reaching their goals, and that motivated me to my best that I could.

What things got in your way? How can you address these in the future?
One of the biggest things that got in my way was Thanksgiving. Its important for me to remember that I cant stop being healthy just because it is a special occasion. Its ok to tweak things here and there, but not to totally forget about it. Also having low finances also created some issues for me. Some weeks I had more money than others. Buying expensive things when your broke is tough.

How did you benefit from this project? 
I benefited from this project because I am now eating much healthier than I was before. I feel alot better and I am doing great things for the environment.


What did you learn about yourself? 
I learned that I can achieve things that may seem hard to do with time constraints and low funds.  I am happy that I was able to follow through with this.

How did others and/or the environment benefit from you changing this behavior?
The environment and local economy benefited from me eating more fruits and veggies because it is more Eco friendly. It has lower impact on the earth because a lot less water is used to produce vegetables than is used to produce meet. Others may have benefited because I am in a much better mood when I am eating right.

Will you continue this behavior?
I plan to continue this behavior and hopefully keep using it throughout my life. I want to try to continually increase my fruit and vegetable intake.

What recommendations do you have for others about making a lifestyle change?
My biggest recommendation to anyone trying to make a lifestyle change is to remember just that. It is a lifestyle change. Its something that you have to do everyday, and it had to be become routine in your life. So many people just do things temporarily, that makes it important to remember that a lifestyle change is not just temporary. Also I think its very important for people to start small. You can always make your goal harder and tweak things here and there. It might seem to overwhelming if you start with a goal that is to large, and you may give up easier. I also suggest that everyone try to make a lifestyle change. It is very rewarding when you achieve it.

"Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain."

Advocacy Project: Letter and Fact Sheet

Facts about Asthma and Allergies

According to the CDC asthma is a disease that affects your lungs and it affects both children and adults. And is a key component in the Healthy Peoples 2010 respiratory goals.


Asthma Prevalence Rates


17.5 million of U.S adults suffer from asthma


7.1 million children in the U.S have asthma


According to a study done by the CDC overall children born in the U.S have greater odds than children born outside of the U.S to develop asthma.


Number of visits to health care facilities in which asthma is the primary diagnosis is just over 13 million


Nearly 3,500 people in the U.S die annually from asthma


Some important triggers of asthma include:
• outdoor air pollution- caused by industry and automobile emissions, therefore it is important to pay attention to air quality.
• Dust mites
• second hand smoke- also called environmental smoke


American spend nearly 90 % of their time indoors therefore indoor allergens can be a big factor in asthma rates.


By 2012 it is the EPA’s goal to reduce indoor asthma triggers and has created a variety of educational activities to do so.


May has been designated as possible National Asthma awareness month, therefore it is important for our representatives to keep informed and vote Yes as on the issue.


All information found at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/asthma.htm


http://www.epa.gov/asthma/awm/index.html
Letter to representative:


December 3, 2010


James Oberstar
U.S Senate
2365 Rayburn HOB
Washington , D.C. 20515


VOTE YES ON H.RES. 407 Designate the month of May as National Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month


By allocating the month of May as National Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month we will be able to better educate the American people of the effects and problems that asthma creates. Designating a month toward awareness will create more educational programs in schools and in workplaces. As a college student pursing a degree in health education I feel that there is great need for such recognition towards the problem of asthma in our country. If people become more aware of it will be able to begin working on ways to reduce the number of people effected by eliminating the factors that cause it whether they be environmental, or not.


The educational programs created for the month of National asthma and awareness month will help to education the public on the following issues: causes of the diseases, disparities to the condition, and environmental factors that may contribute to it. Some of the most common factors that are linked to asthma are secondhand smoke, dust mites, and outdoor air pollutions. Industry is the main concern of outdoor air pollution. Some of these risk factors are very modifiable. Just over 20 million U.S citizens suffer from asthma and by becoming more aware of these issues people may take the steps necessary to help prevent themselves and their families from developing asthma. In turn if less people are getting sick this means that they will have lower health care costs and me more productive in our economy.


Industry and health care companies would be the biggest opponents of this bill. Industry that produces the harmful pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, may not want to reduce their emissions of this. It may cost them more money and less productivity. Health care companies also may oppose such awareness, they like them money that they receive from all of peoples health care bills. Yet we should all know that health is more important than money.


I appreciate your past support on related issues. We hope that you vote Yes on bill H.RES. 407 Designate the month of May as National Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month.

Reflection of Weeks 9-12

I cannot believe that we are already in week 12.  Its scary how fast time goes by.  Its getting to the point now that we are all getting really busy and stressed out, but I also cannot wait until this semester is over.  Once again we have learned a lot on the last few weeks, but at first I did not even realize it.  I couldn't really remember what we had talked about, but when I looked back it all came back to me.

Advocacy
We probably learned one of the most important things this week.  I would assume that before this week most of us had heard of the word advocacy.  The problem is that I didn't know what it meant.  It can be defined according to wikipedia as aim to influence public policy and resource allocation  descions within political, economic, and social systems institutions; it may be motivated from the moral, ethical, or faith principals, or simply just to protect and asset of interest.

 Some other important things to remember include:

• advocacy is not a direct service
• does not need to involve conflict

I never really realized just how important this was expesially to our major. I also never realized that it was one of our seven responsibilities.  Im excited to see how the rest of it goes and hope to learn more because it definietely does not come naturally to me.

Another thing that I learned was more about my political represnetatives .  Being aware of who are leaders are is the first step in the advocacy process.  Also I was surprised at how much I didn't know, and doing the research really made me realize that I need to keep more up to date on that.  It was also really nice to see the different representatives from the different part of the states and the local governments.

Smart Goals:

We also learned about smart goals.  Most of us thought that we knew what they were exactly, but it turns out they were a lot harder than you think.  There are certain things that you need to remember when formulating one and they include:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timely

I think its really great that we turned them into our eco-chic life style change.  I think that its a really good tool to use to motivate us.  I have been making concious efforts to try and meet my smart goal each week.  Its also great to see everybody else and how they are doing.  It makes you want to try out some of their smart goals too such as

• eating organic produce
• riding the bus
• taking shorter showers

One of my favorite activities that we did this quarters was showing our photo essays.  Im glad that we got to see everyones it was really great. I could not believe the neat stuff that some people just had laying around.  Its also really great to see the progress that people are making in being more environmentally friendly.

Overall I think that this class continues to have a great impact on all of us.  It has made us more aware of what we do and how we can change things that we don't like.  I look forward to the last couple of weeks.

Share and Voice: Go Green During the Holidays Too

Since the Holidays are coming up I thought I would do something Christmas themed. Did you ever wonder what to do with your old Christmas decorartions.  Im sure we have all gotten hand me downs from our parents, but what do you do with them after that.  After all that we have learned this year we all know what can happen if you throw them away.. bad things.  Any ways there is some exciting news out that I heard on WCCO 4 news in the cities. You can now recycle your Holidays too!  Recycling lights isn't really a new concept, they are just making it a lot more convient by getting ACE hardwear stores involved.  Not only are we recycling,  but we are now even producing LED christmas lights at Target.  This Christmas they are hoping to collect 200,000 pounds of lights!   I included an interactive map that gives you a list of locations to recycle your lights at. 

For more information in this article you can visit:
http://www.recycleminnesota.org/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/tag/recycle-your-lights/

Here is a list of locations you can drop them off at:
http://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/community-projects/campaigns/recycle-holidays-2010#map

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4: Weekly Update

My smart goal is:

I will eat 2 servings of vegetables (serving= 1/2 cup) and 2 servings of fruit (servings= 1/2 cup) 4 days a week, for the next 4 weeks.


I have to admit, that I definitely did not meet my smart goal this past week. I really did try , but it was just to hard for me to do it when I was on the road so much. A lot of it was poor planning on my part. I should have thought ahead and went to the store and brought me own fruits and vegetables.


One of the biggest challenges this week was being tempted by all of the bad food that was offered to me this weekend. Also I went out to eat at restaurants a lot so I didn’t really have much of a choice. One good thing, was that I did eat a lot of veggies and fruit, but the bad thing was that they were not in their whole form. They were in pies or hot dishes, so they don't really count.


One thing that I noticed this week was how crappy that I felt over the weekend. Eating bad foods really does take a toll on my body. I noticed that I had much less energy, and got a lot of headaches. Its crazy how food can do that.


One of the biggest things that I learned this week is to remember to plan ahead, and that you cant rely that you will do it when you get there. Its hard when your in a new place to do that, but in the long run I think that it will really help out.


This week I will meet my goal, and I am going to try and surpass it by eating my goal all seven days this week. I know that I can do it, but I just have to get to the grocery store :) I am excited to see how the week turns out.


Blogged for the Eco-Chic lifestyle change Week 4 Hosted by Amy@Amy in the rain

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

Neat Things From Goodwill

 Since we talk about Goodwill in class, and the importance of buying used items when you can I thought it would be a good idea to show some of the things I have found at Goodwill since I have been in school.  They really do have some great stuff!

This is a picture that I have hanging in my room.  Its actually an old vinyl record that I found at Goodwill my freshman year.  Its a really fun was to decorate especially if you like music.  Its easy to change if you want to, and plus it was only around $2.00, so its a really cheap alternative to buying expensive new wall hangings.

There is a lot going on in this picture, but what I wanted you to see is the vase.  I got it for 50 cents, and they always seem to have a lot of them in a variety of shapes and colors.

This is pretty self explanatory.  My roommates and I got this table from Goodwill when we were going to move in,  Its a great place to find furniture.

The shoes and the scarf are also some items that I have found there and fell in love with.  The shoes were new with the tags on them even.  

You can usually find some fun glass wear there too!

Last, but not least my guitar.  I had always wanted a guitar, but wasn't serious enough about playing to be able to buy one.  So when I came across this I was so excited.  I bought it for $15.00 and needed to put one new string on it for $2.00, so it cost me under $20.  It is such a great find and its all thanks to Goodwill.  

Remember to that its important to remember to keep your eyes open there and don't be afraid to dig, because you never know what you might find.

Share and Voice: Vegan Smoothies

Since my eco-chic goal is to eat more fruits and vegetables, I have been looking for new and fun ways to incorporate them into my diet.  One of my favorite things to have as a treat, or for breakfast is a smoothie.  I came across some pretty cool recipes online and thought that I would try one and share it with you.

Vitamin Greens Energy Vegan Smoothie Recipe

Mixed Greens
2 Carrots
2 Apples (core removed)
1 Cup Rasberries

I added some ice in there too. Also the websites says to make sure you add the fruit first, then the greens, then the harder vegetables because it will blend better.

I encourage you to find some that you like and try them out. They are quick and easy way to get lots of servings at once, and they keep you full!

Check out this website for more ideas!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3: Weekly Update

My smart goal is:

I will eat 2 servings of vegetables (serving= 1/2 cup) and 2 servings of fruit (servings= 1/2 cup) 4 days a week, for the next 4 weeks.

This past week I feel was a little more difficult for me in trying to stick to my goal. Im not really sure why I think maybe just because its the second week of things and it gets old. One of the bigger challenges I had this week was that I did not go grocery shopping this week, so I had to eat a lot of frozen vegetables, which I feel get old fast. I also learned that broccoli gets really old fast as well. Other than that it went pretty well I reached my goal again pretty easily.

One cool thing that I learned this week is some new recipes that include lots of fruits and vegetables. One of my favorites is a smoothie recipe that includes a lot of different varieties of them. I can’t wait to try it.

I might have to modify it next week, and make it a little bit harder. I know that I could, and should eat more, especially on the weekends. Also this coming week, because it is Thanksgiving and I will be doing a lot of traveling I will have to make sure that I am prepared and pack my fruits and vegetables before hand. Also I have to be sure to plan ahead what I will choose to eat at Thanksgiving, and when I am home with my family. Overall I think that this is a good challenge and I am excited to see what next week brings.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain

Advocacy Project: Issue overview

Introduction:

Many people do not know the effects that allergies and asthma can have on an individual.  Studies show that a reduction in indoor allergen levels can help to reduce the rates of allergies and asthma in individuals.  Therefore there is need for more education on the subject to help to reduce the rates of allergies of asthma.  By designating the month of May as National Allergy and Asthma Awareness month we would be able to combat the issue by focusing on primary prevention techniques by educating the people.

The following bill H.RES. 407 "Designate the month of May as National Allergy and Asthma Awareness month" By doing this we would be able to combat the issue by focusing on primary prevention techniques by educating the people.  Providing more access to cleaner air solutions, and hoping that industry can see the problems that they cause as well.

Who is effected by the issue?

Like most instances all people are effected weather it is in a negative or positive way, but when it comes to this situation specifically families with a low social economic status are the ones mostly effected.  Of those children that are exposed to poor indoor and outdoor air quality are greatly affected, because they are being exposed to such things at a very young age.  Specifically children that live in poverty, and have not only bad outdoor air, but indoor air.  This is because many of them live in poverty, have poor ventilation systems, and no way to access air quality testing products.  

What are the consequences of the issue?

As stated earlier the more you are exposed to poor air both indoor and out, the more susceptible you will be to developing allergies or asthma.  The consequences for these can be very devastating.  Asthma many times can lead to death, it the attack is bad enough.  Research from a study done in 2009 from the Department of Pediatrics shows that incidents of death can also be correlated strongly with certain kinds of allergens.

What is the economic cost of the issue?

The economic cost to this issue can be very great to everyone. As it is with any health issue it is very big economic cost when it comes to the cost of our nations health care bill.  As more and more people become sick the higher our bill will be and the more we will be paying.  This also makes it hard for people to spend money on the economy.  Its an ongoing cycle.  However I'm sure that pharmaceutical companies like this and are doing well because so many people have to buy medication.

What is the social impact of the issue?
According to an article from Pub Medhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2044870 There can be a lot of social impacts of the issue of asthma.  It can affect schooling, employment, level of physical activity, social interaction with peers, and relationships.  

What are the barriers?
One of the biggest barriers to the issue is lack of affordable health care to the people that are most at risk for getting asthma.  Many of the people that have low socio-economic statuses are the ones that are at the greatest risk for developing asthma and allergies do not have the money to afford health care to address the issue.  Another barrier is lack of education and the understanding of the problem its self.   

What are the resources?

One of the main resources that we will need to address the issue is more education on the problem. That is why designating May as National Allergy and Awareness month will help a lot.  If we offer more education on the topic more and more people will become aware and want to take a stand to help this problem. 

What is the history of the issue?

Though it may seem like this subject would have a lot of history, it is actually quite a new topic.  The first diagnosis of asthma was not made until the 1960's.  However it is probably as old as the human race. It has been steadily growing since the diagnosis, since we have been polluting our earth more and industry has kept .  Hence the reason why we need more education on the subject.  

Allies and Opponents?

Some opponents would definitely be big industries.  They do not want to have to try to make the air cleaner.  Because for them that would mean that productivity would have to change in some way, which in some ways it might decrease.  Also many insurance companies may not want people to be more educated on the subject, because then they may not have as many people sick with incidents of asthma and allergies.

Your recommendations?
My recommendations would be to let the people be more informed on the issue. Be designating the Month of May as National Asthma and Allergy and Awareness Month people would have the benefit of more education on the issue.  I think that education is the best way to help prevent disease and we would be doing just that.

The following information was found using the following websites
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1474709/pdf/envhper00436-0331.pdf
http://web.ebscohost.com.libpdb.d.umn.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&hid=7&sid=00923b6e-519c-41e4-af91-0f2f41126cd9%40sessionmgr15

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2: Weekly Update

Last week my SMART goal was:


 I will eat 2 servings of vegetables (serving= 1/2 cup) and 2 servings of fruit (servings= 1/2 cup) 4 days a week, for the next 4 weeks.


The last week has offered some success for me in trying to use my SMART goal.  I went grocery shopping last week and stocked up on fresh fruits and vegetables so it was easier to eat them, because I had lots of them around.  Another tactic that I used to remember to eat the fruits and vegetables was packing them up the night before.  This helps me to see what I will eat and what I still have to eat.  I have always tried to include a lot of healthy foods in my diet so I knew that it wouldn't be to hard, but eating all of these servings some times can be very challenging for me.  Some of the challenges that I face include:

• eating healthy on the weekends
• the money that it can cost to buy these foods
• time that we all seem not to have

I know that on days that I do reach my SMART goal I feel better all around.  I feel better knowing that I accomplished something that I set my mind to.  I also feel a lot better physically because my body is getting good foods in it.  It helps me to feel more energetic.  I learned that trying to achieve your goal is not always as easy as writing it down on paper.  But with a little effort its really not to be.  I look forward to what the next week will bring.  I plan to cook more meals that include fruits and veggies in them to try to get my servings in more creative ways.  I plan to keep my goal where it is , at least for this next week.  Im very close to meeting it and I am determined that this week I will be able to do it.


"Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2 hosted by Amy@Amy in the rain."

Share and Voice: The Preserve Brand

I don't know if any of you have every heard of the brand Preserve, but I came across a toothbrush made by them the other day and target, and I couldn't help but take a second look at it.  When I took a closer look I was really pleased to see all of the great eco-friendly qualities this product had even down to the packaging which doubles as a mail back package so the tooth brush can be properly recycled.  Some of the other features include:

• made from recycled yogurt cups
• recyclable after use
• BPA free
• Made in the U.S.A
• No animal testing
• and a variety of colors to choose from
• Affordable Price of $2.99

Preserve offers a variety of other products as well including dishes, table ware, and storage containers.  There motto states, "Nothing Wasted, Everything Gained"  I thought that was a neat way of saying things.  And I encourage you to check out their website. http://www.preserveproducts.com/products.html

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/ THOMAS

Objective from Healthy people 2010: Reduce Indoor Allergen Levels

The progress quotient chart showed no current data towards this goal.  Which I feel helps to justify the need for it even more.


Disparities: Exposure to allergies is greater in people whom live in urban areas


Opportunities & and Challenges:
 No low cost methods are available for people to check the allergen levels in their homes.  Also many buildings that have already had codes were not required to keep health considerations in mind, such as allergen reduction.  Many of the new ventilation processes may help to improve moisture and air quality control, and in turn may have a positive impact on indoor allergy levels.  Effective moisture control helps to reduce rates of dust mites, and cockroaches.  Use of ventilator fans in bathrooms and kitchens may help to greatly improve allergy levels.  However many building designers are not aware of the benefits of this.


Emerging Issues:
There has been a steadily increasing number of deaths from asthma and allergy related problems.  It has greatly increased awareness of the problems these types things can create.  In 2000 the Institute of Medicine released a publication called " Clearing of Air: Asthma and Indoor Exposures".  It overviewed new evidence listing the relationship between asthma and indoor air, and allergens from dust mite, mold, pets, and gas appliances.  People do now see the need for more education, hence why this bill is needed. 


H.RES.407
Title: Expressing support for designation of May as "National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month"
Sponsor: Rep Castor, Kathy
Co- Sponsors: 102 : follow link to see all
Latest Major Action: 5/28/2010 passed/agreed into the House.  On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolutions.
Recommendation: Vote Yes for H.RES. 407 : Expressing support for designation of May as "National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month"
My political representative: James Oberstar