Reflection weeks 13-14 and Overall Course

Good Will!

Touring the Good Will here in Duluth was a great learning activity. We got to see the operations that go down behind the scenes, and I thought it was really cool to learn more about the great things this organization does for the community (like enabling and employing individuals with disabilities). This really made me feel good about shopping at Good Will. 

Lifestyle change finale!

In week 14 we all wrapped up our eco-chic lifestyle changes/SMART goals. It was great to hear that many of us plan on continuing with our lifestyle changes- that shows that this assignment was really valuable and practical. I know I learned a lot just from reading about the changes other blog group members had chosen. I think reading other people’s posts was a good way to prepare in case I someday decide to make any of the same changes my group members made. 

Advocating! 

To wrap up our advocacy projects we all created learning activities for other blog members to complete. The learning activities were all very informative but also fun and I thought this activity helped solidify a lot of the things we learned in these advocacy projects.  

Junk! 

I think we all had a lot of fun with our junking projects! This was a really cool way to drive home the idea of recycling but in a different way than I think many of us were used to. This activity let us all express our creativity in a useful way and I had a great time seeing what other people did for their projects. I thought it was fun to see all the possible ways to re-use old items and make something new! I know my hat hanger is going to come in handy this winter! 

I think overall what I learned from this class was that little changes and little things we do every day can make a difference. There are SO many issues with our environment (as we’ve learned about in class) that it can seem like it would be difficult to tackle them all, or difficult to make a difference. This class really showed me that the little changes I make DO make a difference, even if it’s just a small one. I also learned the importance of being aware of these issues, and how spreading the word to just a small group of people can actually be very influential. I learned so much from this course but I still feel like it’s just the tip of the ice berg and I plan on learning more about a lot of these issues we discussed in class in the future. I feel much more aware and educated now that I have taken this course. 

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

Learning Activities-

Heidi:

Take childhood obesity quiz and report results/what was learned. 

I got 90% on this quiz about childhood obesity. I learned that being overweight at an early age has a lot of risks, including increased risk of hypertension and diabetes and it also makes it much more likely that an individual will be overweight later on in life. 

Mary:

Read 2 articles related to health reform and health insurance, watch a short video and play the game “bet your health”. 

I thought the article related to pros and cons of health reform was really interesting! As a health educator I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t know too much of this info before doing this learning activity. I didn’t know that the new health plan would allow extended coverage for people with pre-existing conditions (I think that’s pretty cool) and I also think it’s awesome that the new plan would require free prevention and wellness benefits. I think that’s a great idea and could be so helpful in making our country healthier. 

Brier:

Watch videos and review the links provided and report 5 things learned, including reasons why you don’t smoke. 

1. Smoking costs Minnesota 3 billion dollars in health care costs

2. Tobacco causes 5,500 deaths in Minnesota annually

3. Smoking accounts for almost 1 in every 5 deaths in the United States annually

4. The tobacco industry spends over 100 million dollars a year just to market to Minnesota

5. Smoking is responsible for the leading cause of death in the United States- Coronary heart disease

I don’t smoke cigarettes because my parents smoked them when I was growing up and it set a great example of what NOT to do. 

Molly:

Read the articles provided and post a short reflection regarding chemical (BPA) regulation. 

I am definitely in favor of more rigid regulations for chemical use, especially in products and packaging that babies are exposed to! I’m amazed that babies can be exposed to levels of BPA that were higher than levels that caused serious side effects in animal studies. These babies are our future, yet we’re knowingly exposing them to harmful chemicals on a daily basis in infant formulas. It’s time to re-evaluate our chemical regulations. 

Kristen:

Read the articles posted on her blog then complete the crossword puzzle provided in a link.

Answers:

1. Air Quality Index

2.Air Toxics

3.Mobile Sources

4.asthma

5. carbon monoxide

6.EPA

Alicia

Read the following article and identify 3 myths and why they are myths about emergency contraception. List 3 places you can find emergency contraception.

1.Myth: Emergency contraception is the abortion pill. In reality, emergency contraception is a form of birth control that stops pregnancy before it occurs. In fact, emergency contraception does not work if conception has occurred.

2.Myth: Emergency contraception will harm my health. Emergency contraception is less hazardous than regular combination birth control methods.

3. Myth: I’m underage and I can’t get my parent’s consent. In reality, in most areas birth control can be provided to individuals under age. It is not required to obtain parental consent. 

Places where one can find emergency contraception:

Planned Parenthood

Women’s Health Center

Essentia

Advocacy Project: Uncovering the facts about cancer

Uncovering the Facts about Cancer

Purpose: 

To help people learn the facts about Cancer and how it can best be prevented. Completing this activity will provide students with the knowledge they need to start making lifestyle changes (if necessary) to help protect themselves against different types of cancer. This activity will also provide basic info about cancer and will allow students to search for and discover cancer-related information that is most interesting and of value to them individually. 

-Visit the WebMD webpage related to cancer and read up about cancer, it's effects, why it's so harmful, etc.

-Go to the American Cancer Society web page and read about known causes of cancer 

-Check out the webpage from preventcancer.org and read about some of the best ways people can protect themselves, their family, and their friends from cancer.  

Instructions:

1. First visit the WebMD webpage related to cancer and find 3 facts about cancer that interest you or that you never knew. 

2. Next, visit the American Cancer Society Cancer causes webpage and read about the different known causes of cancer. Be able to list 3. 

3. Once you feel you know what the causes/ risk factors are for cancer, go to this webpage  from Preventcancer.org and read about things you can do to reduce your risk for cancer. 

4. Report 3 common causes of cancer and describe 3 of the ways you think you could best protect YOURSELF against cancer. If you already meet all the criteria, discuss changes you think are the most helpful in general. 

Share and Voice: Real vs. Fake Christmas Trees

Photo Courtesy of http://www.halfvalue.com/christmas%20tree.jpg

I know I’ve done a lot of holiday-related posts lately but I guess I’m just really excited for break! Anyway, it occurred to me that it could be interesting to look into the eco-friendliness of Christmas trees (real vs. fake). I found this cool blog on the Chicago Tribune website called Julie's Health Club where she posted about Christmas Trees: Real vs. Artificial vs. Eco-Friendly. This post discusses different types of Christmas trees and the pros and cons of each. As it turns out, artificial Christmas trees leave a pretty big carbon footprint, as I’m sure many of us assumed. This article offers tips for making an environmentally friendly christmas tree purchase or choosing environmentally friendly alternatives. Check it out, see what you think!

Share and Voice: Duluth Restaurants

Hey guys, for this Share and Voice I just thought I'd compile a list of restaurants in Duluth that serve vegetarian, vegan, locally grown or organic foods. This idea came to me when I was eating out the other day at a restaurant (not on this list...) and I started to wonder where the food I just ordered came from. Here's for future reference:

Pizza Luce:
11 East Superior Street
218-727-7400
Vegan and vegetarian friendly food options (includes pizza toppings like soy cheese, etc)

Duluth Grill:
118 South 27th Avenue West
218-726-1150
Lots of vegetarian, gluten-free and organic food options. Recently featured on Food Network!

Amazing Grace Bakery and Cafe:
394 South Lake Avenue
218-723-0075
Vegetarian food options. Serves mostly breakfast food. Awesome bakery where baked goods are made fresh daily.

I would personally recommend these 3 dining establishments for those in search of more eco-friendly food options. Enjoy!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change: Week 5 Final Weekly Review and Overall Project Reflection

 It looks like this is the last week I’ll be keeping you all updated on my SMART goal of reducing my dairy consumption to no more than 1 serving (2 oz cheese, 1 cup milk, 1 yogurt, etc.) of dairy twice weekly. This last week went fairly smooth in terms of maintaining my efforts not to eat dairy (especially cheese!). The biggest challenges I’ve faced lately is simply being mindful of which foods have dairy in them. Lately I’ve been so busy that I’ve actually forgotten that I’m limiting my dairy consumption and I’ve had to remind myself just in the nick of time (especially when I go out to eat- dairy is in SO many of the best foods). 

Also, I’m still feeling a bit sad about cutting out such a large chunk of my normal diet, but I’ve been feeling a lot better and more confident about this lifestyle change now that I know I can stick with it for a while. Also, since I’ve been mostly dairy-less for a while now, I’ve noticed I feel a lot better and more healthy. It’s a great motivation to keep going, and I plan on continuing with this lifestyle change. 

Overall I think I would definitely recommend this lifestyle change to others. I won’t lie, I found this change to be pretty difficult simply because eating dairy was such a big part of my diet and I had a lot of eating habits to break in the process of cutting out dairy. As with any change though, I found it just took a bit of time and consistent effort, and with the support of a few friends I learned it was much easier to make progress towards my goal. I feel pretty good about the changes I’ve made, not only because I feel healthier now, but because I feel like I’m making less of an environmental impact by cutting down on my consumption of mass-produced dairy products. 

For those of you out there who might be interested in incorporating this lifestyle change into your own daily lives, here’s some tips and some info on what to expect/what I went through:

• Try to get someone to make the change with you- this helps you stay strong in the face of peer pressure (not eating dairy can be difficult when everyone around you makes dairyfull foods and eats them in front of you). 
• Pack a lunch/snacks before going to school/work- this ensures that you will be prepared with dairy-free food so you will be less tempted to buy or share foods that contain dairy (it can be difficult to make rational food choices when you’re STARVING at school, I’ve noticed). 
• Try to keep a steady supply of snacks (veggies, fruit, etc) and other dairy-free food at home- especially condiments. I found that using or trying out different condiments helped keep me from adding cheese to sandwiches, crackers, pasta, and other foods. 

Advocacy project: Letter and Fact Sheet

Letter:

December 6, 2010

Senator Amy Klobuchar

U.S. Senate

302 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Klobuchar,

I am writing to encourage you to vote YES to bill H.R 1927: Assuring and Improving Cancer Treatment Education and Cancer Symptom Management Act 2009. Over 1,529, 560 new cancer cases are projected to be diagnosed in 2010 alone according to the American Cancer Society. As the second leading cause of death in the United States, cancer has become a threat to our national health and we need to make every effort to prevent cancer related deaths for future generations. 

This year alone, 1,500 people are expected to die each day because of cancer according to the American Cancer Society. Many of us believe this number doesn’t affect us, but in reality,  cancer can affect anybody, whether it be physically, emotionally or financially. According to the National Institute of Health, the overall cost of cancer in the United States in 2010 is 263.8 billion, including medical expenses and loss of productivity due to illness or death. 

Fortunately, cancer can largely be prevented by behavior change and education to encourage healthy behavior. According to the American Cancer Society, those particularly at risk of developing cancer include: smokers, heavy drinkers, people who are obese, those with poor diet or nutrition, and those who receive excessive sun exposure. The proposed bill H.R. 1927: Assuring and Improving Cancer Treatment Education and Cancer Symptom Management Act 2009, will provide education not only for those already suffering from the disease, but for those who have not yet acquired it but wish to learn how to prevent it. By showing your support for this bill, you will help our communities learn how to protect themselves against this devastating disease. 

My sincerest thanks to you for taking the time to listen to my concerns regarding this issue. I truly believe this bill will give our community the education it needs to start making healthy behavior changes to prevent this disease. I hope you will vote YES to help those in our community protect themselves against the unnecessary threat of cancer. 

Fact Sheet:

Cancer- We are all at risk

What is Cancer? 

Cancer is a group of diseases marked by excessive growth and spread of abnormal cells in the human body. If the spread of these abnormal cells is not controlled, it can result in death. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease. In the year 2010 alone over 569,490 Americans are expected to die of cancer.  

What are the known causes of cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, causes of cancer include: Cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, obesity, physical inactivity, and excessive sun exposure. It can also be caused by Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Human papillomavirus (HPV), or Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 

How can cancer be treated and prevented?

Cancer can be prevented through behavioral change, early screening by health professionals the use of vaccines, and the use of antibiotics. Behavior changes that are effective in preventing cancer include improved diet and exercise, quitting smoking, drinking alcohol only in moderation, and limiting sun exposure. 

Where can I learn more about cancer and how to help prevent it?

More information can be found at this American Cancer Society webpage, or their website

Share and Voice: Holiday Lights

The holiday season is upon us! Winter break is just around the corner and with all the free time we'll soon have, what better way to celebrate the season than by checking out some of the way awesome holiday lights around town.

I'm sure most of us have seen the sprawling Bentleyville light display in Bayfront. I went last year and I highly recommend going with friends or family to enjoy this display. There's free hot chocolate, cookies, popcorn, and other treats and it's a fun and inexpensive activity for just about everyone. It's also an official collection site for the Salvation Army and you can bring non-perishable food items or new un-wrapped toys to make a donation that will be distributed locally to those in need.

Still, there's another awesome site for holiday lights that's been overshadowed by Bentleyville in recent years. Located on Park Point (3739 S. Lake Avenue), a local Duluthian Marcia Hales has decorated her house with thousands of lights for years now, and it is definitely worth checking out. This light display is truly spectacular and I highly recommend going for a quick walk around.

Just thought I'd let you all know about these awesome light displays!

But on a more environmentally friendly note: If you have old holiday lights that don't work anymore, or if you're upgrading to LED lights instead, the Recycling Association of Minnesota has provided a place for everyone to recycle their old lights.

You can take your holiday lights to be recycled at:
Denny's Ace hardware: 7 Calvary Road
Materials Recovery Center: 4857 Ridgeview Road
DRCC: 728 Garfield Ave

Happy holidays and happy recycling!

Reflection: Weeks 9-12

I can't believe there's just a few short weeks left this semester. This class really seems like it's been flying by. Here's a quick recap of the past 4 weeks and what I've taken away from it all:

Week 9: This week we all learned about how to make SMART goals. If a goal is SMART that means it is Specific,  Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. We all made some great SMART goals, and I think this was an excellent way for us to apply the things we've learned in class to our everyday lives. This week we also learned about Advocacy and took the first step in getting involved by searching for and posting our political representatives.


Week 10: In week 10 we really got started on our Advocacy Projects. We all chose an issue that we cared about from Healthy People and searched for related legislation on the topic. The issue I chose involved reducing overall cancer rates (new cases) in the United States. We also watched the video Unnatural Causes  in class and learned how to do an issue overview, which involves considering all aspects of an issue, who it affects, what the impact is, etc. We also kept up to date on our eco-chic lifestyle change/ SMART goals, and posted about our progress.


Week 11: This week in class we watched the short video The Story of Stuff. I think this has been my favorite movie we've watched yet because of the way it addressed consumerism and it really made a lot of big complex ideas seem very simple and easy to understand. We also posted our issue overviews related to our Healthy People objectives, which I found to be a great learning experience. Being able to read the organized overviews of everyone's different topics was a great way to break down the information so we could all easily see the impact, the people affected, and the importance of the issues.


Week 12: This week we all presented our photo essays on topics of our choice. I loved seeing everyone present their pictures in class and I thought a lot of people had really great stories to share. I also thought it was a really cool idea to assign a photo essay instead of a regular essay because sometimes seeing what people are talking about is much more helpful than words alone and it let us express our creativity. We also continued with our eco-chic lifestyle changes/ SMART goals and I think a lot of us are pretty proud at the progress we made in 4 weeks.

So, the past 4 weeks were a blur as usual, and I felt like I learned so much in such a short time. Still, I'm glad it's almost the end of the semester and I'm excited to apply everything I've learned...over winter break.

Share and voice: Peace Coffee

For this share and voice, I thought share a bit about Peace Coffee which I mentioned in class during the presentation of my photo essay.

Like I mentioned in class, peace coffee is pretty cool AND environmentally friendly. They have a variety of coffee and all of it is certified fair trade and organic. They are also a local company based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I think it's pretty cool that we serve this coffee here at the UMD coffee shop. It's an easy way to reduce your environmental impact, just by buying Peace Coffee!

Eco-chic Lifestyle Change: Week 4 Weekly update

I try to keep a supply of soymilk in my fridge so
my roommate and I don't drink or cook with milk.

This past week, I was surprisingly on track with my attempts at eco-chic lifestyle change. Despite all the mouth-watering dairy-laden Thanksgiving food, I was able to stick to my SMART guidelines.

Just a reminder of my SMART Goal: I will eat/drink no more than 1 serving of dairy (2 oz cheese, 1 cup milk, 1 yogurt, etc) twice a week. 

Considering that I was surrounded by dairy all weekend long, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. I did have some difficulty resisting the urge to eat cheese (as usual) but I solved this by asking my friends and family to help me out. I learned that it's really helpful to have a few people looking out for me and supporting my efforts. 

I really want to keep up with the progress I've made this week, so I searched for some tips on eating dairy free. eHow.com had some pretty good info which I I think will be helpful these next couple of weeks.

Wish me luck!

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

For this eye-opener, I decided to document my coffee drinking habits and my shift from one behavior to another. All photos were taken by Yours Truly.

This is the coffee shop here at UMD. Although I occasionally make my own, this is where I tend to buy most of my coffee, especially if I'm in a hurry or really tired.

I like buying coffee from school because they sell Peace Coffee! For those of you who don't know, Peace Coffee sells only organic/fair trade coffee and operates out of Minneapolis MN. They even have people deliver coffee on bikes! Needless to say I feel good about supporting this brand. But I could still be a bit more eco-friendly with my coffee-drinking habits.

This is an example of a disposable cup I buy and then throw away (or recycle) each time I buy coffee at school. Although you'll notice the cup says it's eco-friendly, it would still be better not to use these at all.

I noticed the school has a great selection of reusable coffee mugs in the school store. This seemed like it could help me on my quest to be a more eco-friendly coffee drinker.

Here's my nice new (sort of dirty) reusable coffee mug! This way, I'm not generating all the waste I was before each time I drank coffee from a disposable cup. This was a very environmentally conscious choice, if I do say so myself.

Thanks for checking out my photo essay! I hope it was eye-opening and informative. 

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change: Weekly Update

This week marks the third week of my attempts to meet my SMART goal. I've decided to make a slight change to this goal based on my recent progress or lack thereof.

The goal: that I will eat/drink no more than 1 serving (2 oz cheese, 1 cup milk, 1 yogurt, etc) of dairy once a week.

The new and improved goal: I will eat/drink no more than 1 serving (2 oz cheese, 1 cup milk, 1 yogurt, etc) of dairy TWICE a week.

I think this will be much more manageable for me in my efforts to cut dairy out of my diet. Despite my no dairy jar (which accumulated about seven dollars ) I still had trouble cutting cheese out of my diet. I think this was so difficult for me, partly because I felt bad turning down foods offered to me by other people. Also, it requires a bit of advanced planning to avoid diary completely, and last week was a very busy week so when I grabbed food on the go, I didn't give much thought to whether or not dairy was an ingredient.

I think these next weeks will be much better now that I've allowed myself to include 2 servings of dairy each week instead of just one. I feel much more relaxed and capable already. I still plan on using the no-dairy jar (it's helping me save money !).

Advcocacy Project: Issue Overview

Introduction

Although our country faces a number of health issues, many consider Cancer to be the most wide-spread and devastating. According to the American Cancer Society, 569,490 Americans are expected to die of cancer in 2010 alone. That’s over 1,500 people a day! Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States next to heart disease. It is also very difficult to treat if allowed to progress into later stages. Promotion of healthy lifestyle changes (quitting smoking for example) could help reduce annual cancer cases in the United States by one third. Early detection and treatment is also essential in the fight against cancer in the United States, as over half of new cancer cases can be prevented by early detection. Legislation is proposed to address this issue- H.R. 1927- Assuring and Improving Cancer Treatment Education and Cancer Symptom Management Act 2009. This act is aimed at providing more comprehensive education about cancer prevention and providing better information to cancer patients as to how they can improve or cope with their condition. 

Who is affected by the issue?

This issue affects a variety of individuals, depending on what type of cancer is being discussed. Overall however, cancer rates are highest for those of lower socioeconomic [SES] status. People of lower SES are much more likely to engage in activities associated with increased cancer risk such as tobacco use, physical inactivity and poor diet. Environmental conditions may provide fewer opportunities to lead healthy lifestyles and many marketing strategies also target those of lower SES.  If cancer prevention efforts go into effect, the people of lower SES would benefit from receiving information that would help them enact healthy lifestyle changes and enjoy better quality of life. On the other hand, tobacco industries would likely lose a lot of customers and money, as would other companies known to market or promote unhealthy products and behavior.  

What are the consequences of the issue?

The greatest consequences of this issue are related to the health problems and impaired quality of life for those who have cancer. Cancer can result in a variety of health problems and the treatment can be expensive, painful, and debilitating. This process is also difficult for families of those who are diagnosed with cancer. Struggling to pay for cancer treatment can impair the function of entire families, not to mention the devastation in the event of the loss of a loved one. The death rates from cancer in the United States in 2010 alone are staggering, and without proper prevention and education related to this health issue, the death rate and prevalence of cancer in our society will only continue to rise. 

What is the economic impact of the issue?

In 2010 the estimated cost of cancer  was approximately 263.8 billion.  This estimate includes total cost of health expenditures (treatment, detection, etc.), loss of productivity due to illness, and loss of productivity due to early death. This is a lot of money being spent in relation to an illness that is largely preventable. Those who could possibly benefit from this issue include insurance companies, who earn large sums of money from premiums paid by those who have health insurance. 

What is the social impact of the issue?

This issue affects all of us, directly or indirectly. As a society we are all touched in some way by the deaths associated with cancer- whether it’s a family member or a friend, an employer, teacher or classmate, chances are we all know someone who has been affected by this issue. This issue can be extremely taxing both emotionally and financially, particularly for Cancer victims and their families. Cancer rates have also taken a toll on our country’s overall health status. We could all benefit from better health and well being if  this issue is addressed. Increasing education related to cancer can help us all lead healthier lifestyles and spend more time with our loved ones. 

What are the barriers to addressing this issue? 

 Since those affected most by cancer are individuals of lower socioeconomic status, money presents a large issue that affects the capacity for change in a variety of areas. With adequate funds, it would be possible to restructure the environment to promote healthier lifestyles, educate a greater number of people about the risks of cancer and how to prevent it, and provide  necessary resources for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Unfortunately, our nation as a whole is seriously in debt and it’s difficult to find money for almost any cause. If we start small, however, by increasing the educational efforts in more impoverished communities to promote healthier lifestyle changes, it would be much easier to get the ball rolling. 

What are the resources?

The resources needed to address this issue include: educational resources to inform people of the risks of cancer and how to prevent it, marketing resources to help promote healthy lifestyle change, corporate resources who could help provide funding for cancer prevention or modify their own practices to be healthier, and non-profit resources to assist and organize efforts in poor communities and provide healthier foods, a safer environment, medical assistance, and support for those who have cancer. It is necessary to bring these forces together, through cooperation to assist in lowering the cancer rates in the United States.

What is the history of this issue?

Cancer has a fairly long history, but thanks numerous advances in science and medical technology we have a greater understanding of this disease and how best to prevent and treat it. The American Cancer Society has extensive information about the history of cancer dating back to the renaissance period. Most importantly, however, is the fact that our knowledge regarding cancer, it’s causes, treatment, and prevention, has grown more in the past 20 years than it ever has. In contemporary society, these advances are important but we also need to recognize the social constructs that promote cancer causing behavior and limit positive changes. Through education, we can increase the success of our efforts to reduce the cancer rate in the United States. 

Allies & Opponents

Supporters or allies of this issue would include those who have been or know someone who has been directly affected by cancer. Nonprofit organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Cancer Care, American Breast Cancer Foundation, and the National Children’s Cancer Society would also likely be supporters of this issue. Opponents would include the tobacco industry, insurance companies, and manufacturers of high-fat foods who may receive criticism and lose customers as a result of increased education and promotion efforts related to this issue. Resolving this issue could be beneficial for both those who oppose and those who support this issue because it could increase our overall longevity and decrease cancer rates. Regardless of which side of this debate you are on, chances are you will know someone who has been a victim of some form of cancer. By helping this cause, everyone could work to protect their family members, friends, coworkers, and classmates from many forms of Cancer and it’s devastating effects.

My Recommendation

Vote YES to assuring and improving cancer treatment education and cancer symptom management.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2: Weekly Update

Last week was the beginning of my attempts to achieve my SMART goal. The goal, which stated that I will eat/drink no more than 1 serving (2 oz cheese, 1 cup milk, 1 yogurt, etc) of dairy once a week, proved to be about as difficult as I thought it would be. Yeah, it was pretty tough. I might have slipped a couple of times here and there, mostly with cheese. For the most part I did really well and used salt, hot sauce, salsa and spices to provide more flavor in my attempts to avoid cheese. This made me feel a lot healthier but was difficult to keep up for very long, especially when eating with other people.

mmmm cheese

Luckily, I've devised a method to prevent this from happening again- For each time I eat dairy when I'm not supposed to, I will put one dollar in a "no-dairy jar". Hopefully this will give me some more motivation not to slip up.

I'd really like to continue this SMART goal and see the changes in my health as time goes on. Hopefully with the help of my friends and my trusty no-dairy jar I will make progress towards achieving my goal.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

Healthy People Goal: Reduce the number of new cancer cases as well as the illness, disability, and death caused by cancer (Focus area 3. Cancer).

Objective 3-1: Reduce the overall cancer death rate.
(There are no sub-objectives for Objective 3-1)

According to the Progress Quotient Chart for objective Objective 3-1, there has been a 17% improvement towards the objective. Considering this objective is by far the most all-encompassing objective in Focus area 3, this improvement is exceptional. Several of the other objectives did have higher improvement rates and some have already been met (Reducing incidence of prostate cancer deaths, for example). Overall it seems there has been improvement towards meeting most objectives in focus area 3- reducing the number of new cancer cases.

Progress: The progress made towards objective 3-1 can be largely attributed to tobacco control efforts made during the 1980's and 90's. Increased screening for colorectal, cervical, and breast cancer also accounted for progress towards meeting objective 3-1.

Disparities: Unfortunately there were some disparities regarding the extent to which this objective was met across various populations. In terms of race and ethnicity, the overall cancer rate was reduced the most for those of Asian, native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander descent while black non-hispanics were the farthest from this rate by 100% or more. Females with at least some college education also saw the highest rates of improvement compared to Males (who differed by up to 50%) and those who only completed some high school or graduated high school alone (up to 99% difference). No information was available regarding income or disability disparities for objective 3-1.

Opportunities/Challenges: There wasn't much information provided regarding challenges to obtaining objective 3-1. Opportunities however, seem to rely on the collaboration of Federal agencies, State and local health departments, primary care providers, large employers and health care companies. Uniting these different agencies and increasing collaboration will create more opportunities to decrease disparities and provide the needed support for cancer prevention. Attaining objective 3-1 also depends upon progress in many other focus areas as well (Access to Quality Health Services, Education and Community-based Programs, Health Communication, etc).

Emerging Issues: The biggest issue regarding objective 3-1 is related to determining which methods of cancer prevention are the most successful. Monitoring the effects of different interventions on reduction of death rates related to cancer will assist in pinpointing which methods deserve the most attention in upcoming years in the ongoing battle against cancer related illness death and disability.

THOMAS
H.R. 1927- Assuring and Improving Cancer Treatment Education and Cancer Symptom Management Act 2009.


Title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide comprehensive cancer patient treatment education under the Medicare Program and to provide for research to improve cancer symptom management.  


Sponsor: Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] (introduced 4/2/2009)


Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned


Recommendation: Vote YES for H.R. 1927 Assuring and Improving Cancer Treatment Education and Cancer Symptom management act 2009. 


My Political Representatives:  Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken