Reflections: Week 9 and 10

Week 9:

We have done many posts already this semester, but I knew there was one label we hadn't used yet and that was the Advocacy Project. I didn't know at all what to expect from this project, but I really like the introductory assignment to it. Having us go through and find our political representatives was a good eye opener because I have completely been avoiding these people and their significance to my life. Even though I'm not a huge political person, doesn't mean I shouldn't be aware of those affecting my life politically. In addition, I never knew CHES existed, let alone what it is. Although it doesn't have as much of impact on my life because of my degree, it was cool to find out about it. I liked working in groups, too! It was a short class period, but a good start to becoming an advocate. 

Week 10:
I was very excited about the topic we discussed on Monday and the video we watched to go along with the discussion. I remember taking Economics in high school and learning so much about the topic, but it has been many years since then, that I have forgotten most of the information I learned. The video "Unnatural Causes" has a perfect breakdown on the affects socioeconomic status and race in correlation to health. I would like to know the percentage of the nation's population that actually understands how just these two topics affects EVERYONE'S health. To go along with these affects, stress was a significant point brought up and how it affects health. Internally, someone could have no health risks or problems, but if their pituitary gland sends off too much of the hormone Cortisol, then they could result with health problems, regardless of their socioeconomic status or race! I wrote down the equation Dr. V put on the board because I want to use it to explain to my extended family how all of it ties together. That is why I really enjoyed this topic, because every holiday we get together on my dad's side, the issue with taxes always comes up since most of that side is Republican and most of them don't agree. The discussion after the video was important as we went over different ways to approach the topic which is getting us to critically think. This was a good way to guide us into doing the project due on Monday. 

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 7: Weekly Update

What and How
My SMART goal is to use my reusable bags 100% of the time I go to the store, and start looking up products I use to see how hazardous they are. I went to the grocery store once this week and used my bags, but ended up having to use one plastic bag to get everything back to my place. I didn't look up anymore products this week.

Successes and Challenges

As I walked out my door from my apartment building last week, I realized I had forgotten my bags. I stopped and thought either I could just go without, or take less than 5 minutes and run back in and get them. It was a quick decision as I headed back up to grab my bags. Once I was checking out, I was worried all my groceries wouldn't fit in my bags and ended up being right. I bought quite a few big cardboard items, so it made sense, but I can figure out a way to use my plastic bag I gathered. I didn't look up any more of my products, but it was because I didn't know which ones I should choose. I think I will keep that as a part of my goal only one more week, because I don't know how many more products I could look up that will be on the website. 


Feelings
I felt so good about myself for going back into my apartment and grabbing my bags! I obviously could have just kept going, but I knew that I need to stick to my goal, and continue on being environmentally friendly. I'm not sure what products I should look up this week, because many of them don't come up on the website that I have searched on. I will do some more digging to find more products and see how I feel about it this week.


I learned

I decided to look online for coupons to see if I could find any that work at any grocery store. As it turns out I was right! I stumbled upon the website www.coupons.com that you can print out for free. This was a good way to save money, which in turn is economically helpful! I will be using that website much more often for groceries, as I saved over $5.00.


Plans
My plans for next week are to continue with my goal and that is:


"Use my reusable bags 100% of the time I go to the store, and look up products I use to become more aware of how hazardous they are to my health."


Like I mentioned before, I will look up products only one more week to see if I can get more information to pull up when I search for some of them. I also plan on looking for coupons no matter what the store is!


Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 7 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

Healthy People Goal:
For the Healthy People Goal 2010 I chose Nutrition and Overweight. One objective is to reduce the proportion of children and adolescence who are overweight and obese. According to the Progress Quotient Chart, the target has negatively gone away from target by 83% for this population.


Disparities:
Disparities within race and ethnicity, gender, income, and disability all can affect weight status. For example, one of the disparities in children who are 6-11 years old and overweight or obese, within Mexican American and black non-Hispanic populations has declined. However, for children 6-19 years olds, the prevalence was 50% lower in white non-Hispanic populations than the Mexican American and black non-Hispanic populations combined  (Healthy People 2010).


Opportunities and Challenges:
A few tools are being implemented with trying to reverse the affects of overweight and obesity rates in children. One of them is the dietary guidelines have been revised in the Food Guidance System MyPyramid. Another tool is to educate the public (children) on the food label to demonstrate choosing healthier diets.


Emerging Issues:
A few things I found really interesting were they have developed newly pharmaceuticals and increased bariatric surgery to use as potential treatment options (Healthy People 2010). In spite of that, the best way to implement reduced obesity rates is simply by prevention. By educating and putting in the positive effects on having a healthy diet with advertising and making actions are great ways to promote the importance of nutrition.


Progress:
There is only one objective that has moved toward it's goal, which is not my objective. It is food security, which is defined as household members having access at all times to have enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle (Healthy People 2010). With that being said, my objective has not met or exceeded it's target.


H.R. 3200 America's Affordable Healthy Choices Act


Title: Sets forth provisions governing health insurance plans and issuers, including: (1) exempting grandfathered health insurance coverage from requirements of this Act; (2) prohibiting preexisting condition exclusions; (3) providing for guaranteed coverage to all individuals and employers and automatic renewal of coverage; (4) prohibiting premium variances, except for reasons of age, area, or family enrollment; and (5) prohibiting rescission of health insurance coverage without clear and convincing evidence of fraud.


Sponsor: Rep. Dingell, John D.


Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Introduced to House. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Budget, 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. 3200 America's Affordable Healthy Choices Act


My Political Representative: Congressman Earl Pomeroy