Blog 3: Let's Talk About Sex...

First and foremost, I would like to apologize for the cheesy title.. I couldn't resist!!

Secondly, I would like to clarify that the following is completely my opinion and should be regarded as such. :)

I believe that sex education should be taught in schools. Honestly, its really quite ridiculous that this topic is passed up because of fears of stepping on toes or offending anyone. I understand that it is a huge responsibility that schools would be taking on; this isn't quite on the same level as social studies!

In my personal opinion, I think that sex is sacred and designed exclusively for the marriage relationship. However, that probably wouldn't go over too well in a classroom discussion! Although I understand my beliefs to be truth, I also understand that in our country everyone holds different values and I believe those values should be respected. I would say that teaching abstinence-only sex education would only fall on deaf ears and be a waste of educational resources.

My opinions aside, I think it is more important to teach students how to keep themselves safe and protected if they decide to become sexually active. I believe that the benefits of abstinence should be emphasized and the dangers of contraceptives should be discussed, but if anything I think safe practices need to be taught. I think teenagers often are mislead to believe that between the pill and abortion, that sex isn't a big deal. I think that sex education should be taught in a holistic approach and all of the options should be weighed and discussed.

Blog 2: Personal Health

The following are the results of my self-assessment on page 84 of the text:

1. Yes; I have a fairly balanced diet, I eat lots of fruits and veggies and I take daily vitamins. The only problem is I also consume a lot of fat!

2. Yes; I work out 3 times a week and my job requires me to help people with exercise and I'm up moving a lot.

3. No; I never get enough sleep! Even though I'm tired, I always find something to do instead of sleep.

4. Yes; I do not smoke or use tobacco and I NEVER intend to!

5. Yes; I JUST turned 21! However, it doesn't change much for me, I hardly ever drink, except maybe for a special occasion.

6. N/A; I am not sexually active.

7. No; I do spend time relaxing with friends, but I don't think that's quite enough to reduce my stress level!!

8. Yes; I use all safety procedures from seat belts to designated drivers.

9. Yes; I am completely non-confrontational, and I would never engage in any sort of violence.

10. Yes; I do preventative health check-ups regularly.

Overall, it would appear that I am doing almost everything to prevent illness. The things I need to work on the most are, getting enough sleep and not procrastinating to lower my stress level! I also need to watch what I eat. I usually have a good evening meal, but around lunchtime tend to eat on-the-go a lot. This means eating fast and eating high fat foods, neither of which are good for my health. I could also stand to drink a lot more water instead of so many Dr. Peppers! The preventative practices I already implement are things such as regular dental cleanings, pap smears, self breast exams, eye exams and etc. The only thing I could improve in this category would be to get a regular physical from my primary care physician.

Blog 1: Health Concerns

As a young woman, I am concerned about my health and ways that I can be healthier so that I can enjoy life to the fullest extent. I would say I am most concerned about my weight. Most women obsess about their weight (especially this time of year.. it is bikini season!). And all too often society associates beauty and worth with being thin. Sure, I'd love to be skinny so that I could fit into all the cute clothes, but I am more concerned about how my weight affects my health and livelihood. Being overweight is a main cause of a multitude of other health issues, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. These are things I hope to avoid! To prevent this from happening, I have started to exercise three times a week. Diet is another thing that I struggle with, but recently I have tried to monitor my portions and cut out excess calories by avoiding things like sodas and sweets.I want to be able to have a healthy adulthood. I want to get married and have children (and healthy pregnancies!) and not be burdened by health issues which could have been avoided.

I interviewed two women to see what they worry about:

Interview 1: Karen, 50

Tristan: What is your biggest health concern?

Karen: My biggest concerns are mental illnesses, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

T: Why are these your biggest concerns?

K: Because my mother's side of the family has a history of mental illness. Several of her family members had some form of dementia, so I know first hand how difficult it is for the family to deal with.

T: So what are you doing to prevent these health issues?

K: The last doctor I saw told me I was just as likely to be hit by a bus than to have one of these illnesses, which wasn't helpful. I guess the only thing I do that is preventative is keep up with my hobbies, like arts and crafts, to keep my mind sharp.

Interview 2: Liane, 29

Tristan: What are your biggest health concerns?

Liane: Alzheimer's, obesity, arthritis, senility, reproductive health issues, like endometrial cancer... I have a lot of worries.

T: So why are these your biggest concerns?

L: Because I am at risk for all of them. Mental illness and obesity run on my mother's side. My father's side has a history of arthritis. And since I had my children I have discovered that I am at a higher risk for endometrial cancer. I'm afraid to get any of these diseases because I've seen my family members endure them and it's not pleasant. Plus, I know that doctor and hospital bills are expensive.

T: So what are you doing to prevent these from occurring?

L: Basically nothing. I have never heard of any preventative measures for any of them.

I had similar concerns as the two women I interviewed. As I stated previously, most women worry about their weight. It is a real issue that can cause so many problems later in life, so I believe the best way to deal with it is to be proactive now. Aside from obesity, I am also worried about mental illness. I have some family history of it and I know that it is extremely difficult for both the patient and the family. I know there really isn't much to be done about dementia, but I like to exercise my brain by doing crossword puzzles.

Lastly, I was concerned that neither of the women I spoke with were doing anything preventative for their health concerns. This was especially discouraging because both women stated that their doctor's hadn't discussed it with them. Prevention is the key to avoiding disease! I have found some resources that talk about prevention for some of the aforementioned health issues:

Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation: 4 Pillars of Alzheimer's Prevention

http://www.alzheimersprevention.org/intro_4_pillars.htm

National Cancer Institute - Endometrial Cancer: Prevention, Genetics, Causes

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/prevention-genetics-causes/endometrial

-Tristan Thompson