Blog #10

                                                           Inspirational Woman

               For my blog I wanted to take a different route than choosing a woman who was in the limelight. I wanted to focus more on how much of an impact a person can have in their local community when they do something for it. My inspirational woman is Carmen P Cortez. She was nonetheless my husband's aunt and when I heard about her life I decided to investigate a little more about her. She was born in Kingsville, TX and came to San Antonio as a young adult to study at Our Lady of the Lake University. Upon noticing how many children were mistreated by their parents and how large the incidence of teenage parents there were in this city, she decided to do something about it. By overcoming the adversity and racism that was present in this city towards hispanics, she was able to create AVANCE. Avance is a non-profit organization in San Antonio that specializes in child care for infants, toddlers and preschoolers for the purpose of a head start as well as for the parents to make a better living for their children. This including an array of parenting classes that are required by participants to assist the young parents in the child's growth and development.  This program was so effective that it was able to remain even after her death and continues to assist young families. This to me is truly an inspirational woman.

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Blog #9

                                          Most Impacting Topic in Semester

        This semester proved to be very informative overall and covered a wide range of topics that are all considerations in women's health. If I had to pinpoint one though, I would choose the topic of sex trade to be the most impacting.  After watching the Frontline video provided in the module, I began to research this act more deeply. It is amazing how global sex trade is as it can span from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East affecting women and causing deep scars and traumas that will follow them forever. I was particularly affected by the Ukrainian woman in the sex trade video who was sold by her friend as she was unexpectedly going to Turkey for shopping purposes. She was pregnant and was given up for sale to a pimp and his wife. A great part of the video focused on her husband trying to bargain and get her back. He was successful, but when the camera focused on her you notice this intense sadness in her eyes that words could not explain. I think this hits close to home as I am a mother and a wife and cannot imagine living with these experiences, all the while trying to go ahead with life and rearing my children. Again, this was a very interesting course and I was very glad to be a part of it in my educational journey.

Blog #8

Is it a sign of personal weakness or strength for a woman to admit that she has a problem with alcohol or drugs?

It is almost everyday that you watch the news and see that someone has passed away due to substance abuse. The latest being Amy Winehouse the famous singer. Although it is currently not for sure that it was the direct cause of her death, what is a fact is that she had been battling substance abuse in her life.
As I was watching CNN, a former musician and ex-drug user gave his take on addiction. He described it as a real disease which you cannot rid if the abuser does not want to rid. I feel that it is a strength of great proportions to admit that you have a substance abuse issue. The strength that it takes to realize that you in fact have a problem and that not only is it hurting you, it is hurting everybody that you love takes a lot of courage. I feel that someone who has a substance abuse problem is comparable to a patient at the hospital for any other medical condition. Substance abusers are commonly people who have experienced traumas in their lives that feel like this is a way for them to cope. I don't agree with the kind of coping mechanism but agree that they should not be shunned from society or not helped. This is why when a woman or man is able to come out and admit that they have a problem, I feel them to be incredibly courageous.

Blog #7

Unfortunately, my family suffers from Diabetes. Out of my father's siblings five out of seven have type II Diabetes. However, they sometimes do not take the necessary steps to control this disease's course of action.
My aunt's name is Dominga and I interviewed her and asked her how she felt about her Diabetes. Her response was rather shocking as she reported that she has continued to live in a similar manner as she had pre-diabetes. She reported symptoms as fatigue most of the time that prevented her from exercising and attributed the cost of food to not allow her to have healthier alternatives. The economic aspect of healthy food is understandable however she also did confess that She would miss her favorite foods.
For insulin level maintenance, my aunt goes periodically from oral meds to injectable insulin which is determined by her doctor and she monitors her glucose daily as that is sometimes her indication of when to medicate.
It was alarming to hear this from my aunt but may possibly be the view of lower educated minority groups as she is. This is why I truly believe that education is a must and public health advocacy should continue especially in these underserved locations. In a personal level, it was sad to hear this from someone that you love, however it may be her reality and choice.

Blog #6

                                                     Weight issues at home

                 I can be quite honest about this topic without any protection of identity. The topic of weight is important to bring up at home although can be very harmful if not in a healthy perspective. I personally grew up in a home where weight was not only important to monitor for health reasons, but was the revolving focus of beauty and self esteem. It took me many, many years to figure out where I could be in weight, yet still be healthy and enjoy the joys of life such as food.
                The topic of weight was discussed in a rather humiliating tone as the heavier women were teased and labeled for their size and not for who they are. I recall moments where I did not want to go shopping or swimming as a teenager because I felt as though I did not look good enough. There were also moments in my adolescence where I strived to not eat much in the day or feel totally guilty and run for hours on end to burn the calories consumed.
               I believe that my family did not realize how much this affected my growth and self perception. We are much healthier now and enjoy balanced diet and exercise together as a way of bonding and sharing time together. I really caution care with this topic, I will exercise this as I have a young daughter and want her to feel confident in herself and love herself.

Blog #5

Health Beliefs and Women’s Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy Review

Even as we become more advanced in our technology and create more ways to fight serious diseases, we remain rather stumped when it comes to the study of women who have menopause.  Hormone replacement therapy has been a treatment available for years now, however the complications linked to its use create debate over whether it is worth taking. The article titled “Health Beliefs and Women’s Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy” touches the topic of whether they feel they should take HRT in correlation to a questionnaire that asks questions about preventative measures called the HBM. The HBM poses questions related to barriers they feel are present in their care.  The HBM asks these questions:

1. People do not believe they are susceptible to this disease.


      2. People believe that if they contracted the disease, it would not have serious effects on their lives.

      3. People do not know the positive effects of actions, to avoid the disease or problem.

      4. The perceived threat of taking necessary action is greater than the disease.

      5. There is no driving force for many people to be healthy.

      6. People may not feel competent to overcome perceived barriers to taking action.

According to the study, the more barriers listed by the participants the least likely they were to take HRT. Vice Versa, the less barriers indicated by the participant, the more likely they were to take HRT to help them with their symptoms.  What seemed to be the trend in this study was the fact that most of the participants were Caucasian women as well as healthcare workers. It was not possible for the study to include a wider variety of race or socioeconomic models, most participants made more than $80,000 annually. I personally concluded in this study the possibility that women with this degree of education and income will be less likely to listen to perceptions of HRT but be more objective in the information of its use based on true statistics.  This is a topic to continue studying as there are continuous streams of information coming often.

References

McGinley, Anne. Health Beliefs and Women's Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy. Hollistic Nursing Practice. 2004.

Blog 4

 List the top 5 questions a woman might have who recently found out she was pregnant. Provide the answers to each of these questions in your own words and list the source of information. 

   5  Frequently Asked Questions About Pregnancy

1. What should I do before I get pregnant to ensure a healthy pregnancy for me and my baby?

    According to the information recommended on WedMD, you should consider planning before getting pregnant to receive prepregnancy checkups with your doctor. This should include addressing any questions about family medical history, genetic conditions, chronic diseases etc. A healthy diet is very important as it is recommended that you eat lots of leafy greens, fiber and lean proteins. A prenatal vitamin that includes folic acid should be included in your daily regimen to prevent Spina Bifida.  If you are a smoker, it is advised that you quit.

2. What should and shouldn't I eat while I'm pregnant?

  

 For a healthy start, it is important to eat lean meats, such as chicken and turkey, calcium rich foods, leafy greens, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  It is recommended that you also continue to take prenatal vitamins before, during and after pregnancy.  Foods to avoid are those with high levels of Mercury such as certain kinds of fish. Raw foods and unpasteurized cheeses such as sushi and brie should also be avoided due to the risk of bacterial infections. Alcohol should be avoided during the entire pregnancy as it is not exactly known what levels are safe.

3. Are there other activities I should steer clear of while pregnant?

   Certain activities should not be performed such as lying flat on your back during the later stages of pregnancy, changing a litter box,  using hot tubs and saunas, riding roller coasters and x-rays.

4. How can I safely exercise while pregnant?

   Light to moderate exercise is actually recommended. Back and abdominal strengthening are beneficial as this will assist you in post delivery recovery. As a rule of thumb, do not begin another exercise regimen without consulting your doctor. It is safe to continue performing the same exercise program that you had been performing before pregnancy.
 

5. How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?

    If you are within a normal weight, 25 to 35 pounds is the recommended total weight gain. For women who are overweight 15 to 25 pounds are recommended. Consultation with your doctor is important if you are expecting more than one child.

References

Frequently Asked Questions about Pregnancy. 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2011.     http://www.webmd.com/baby/frequently-asked-questions-about-pregnancy