Blog 10

Academic institutions can take a more active role in disease prevention for women by teaching ways of adopting healthy behaviors by utilizing knowledge already portrayed by health educators. Academic institutions can also provide leadership in forming organizations designated in promoting disease prevention in women.

By teaching the importance of healthy diets and physical activity and stressing the importance of reducing risky habits such us smoking, unhealthy eating patterns and sedentary lifestyles is a fundamental step to building a strong foundation towards prevention of chronic illness in women and maintenance healthy living.

Academic institutions employees can live by example, this can be done by practicing what they preach; this is crucial because people want to see results. By being healthy and looking healthy one is more likely to be a significant factor in someone else changing their lifestyle to maintain the educator’s health.

Academic institutions could also seek ways in partnering with health care providers, communities, religious organizations and local government officials to advance and execute health promotion and disease prevention initiatives for women. Health promotion can significantly influence women as it involves going out and spreading the word. The more women targeted the likelihood that a vast amount of them will begin implementing these programs in their lives.

Blog 9

The biggest challenge for me when it comes to regular exercise is time—lack of it. As a mother, a wife and a full time college student; time is scarce. On numerous occasions I have began an exercise regimen only to fall back due to scantiness of time. I am currently attempting a three-day work out program with a college mate and it seems to be working well. I think the fact that I have an exercise partner makes me more likely to abide to this exercise program due to commitment. I realize there are times I may miss a workout due to unavoidable circumstances like baby sitting but with a back up plan in place at all occasions; I think I might succeed in the program.

I have overcome the challenges of eating unhealthy by making sure that I always pack a nutritious lunch rather than buy unhealthy food. This sometimes proves to be a challenge when I am out with friends and decide to have meals in restaurants that do not offer healthy meal choices. I am attempting to overcome this challenge by studying menus of most restaurants and mastering their health foods. One other thing that is really helping me is talking about healthy food choices to my friends who apparently all want to incorporate a health lifestyle as well. Healthy eating has always been a priority of mine and thus offers trivial challenges to me.

In the next five years I may encounter less challenges since I will have graduated from college, my son will be older and I will have more time on my hands to incorporate a serious five-day a week exercise program. I may incur other challenges five years from now like the birth of a second child; I plan on tackling this obstacle by enrolling in a health fitness center that offers babysitting to allow me to continue my exercise program without any impediments. As for healthy dieting, I see no major challenges since I have been successful in ensuring my family and I consume healthy foods that meet the requirement set for healthy living. One way I have been able to accomplish proper dieting is by attaining healthy food recipes to avoid monotony and sticking to what my family likes. It is my hope that years from now, I will be a good role model to my children and I do pray for a healthy life to prove that healthy living is equal to longevity and happiness.

Blog 8

Mid-Term Reflection

This course has made a severe impact on how I view myself as a woman and my outlook on women’s health. It is almost impossible to single out any topic we have covered thus far as all the topics have a significant impact in my life as a woman and a mother. Perhaps what really transformed my thoughts is the knowledge acquired of the fact that I can utterly take control of my health life. As a woman, I have the power to make changes in my health and that these changes could have a significant positive effect in my life and my family’s life.

Women’s sexual health was a remarkable chapter as I got to learn how to take care of my sexual health from contraceptive decisions and risk factors associated with the various birth control options. The pregnancy and childbirth chapter made a profound impact on my outlook on pregnancy and childbirth; this chapter made me acknowledge the beauty of bringing life to this world. The various pregnancy stages offered important information on the fetal development and the maternal changes at each stage. One important segment on the pregnancy and childbirth chapter was the importance of breastfeeding; as a mother who breast fed for 18 months, I can truly attest to the benefits acquired from breastfeeding a child. Women should strive to breastfeed their children if anything from the fact that it strengthens the baby’s immune system and confers cognitive benefits to a child.

My desire is to continue learning other aspects in women’s health that will enable me to live a robust life. My desires revolve around ideas on ensuring that am I able to make permanent lifestyle changes to live a vigorous and wholesome life. I am curious to learn about women’s health at old age, this is due to the fact that my mother and grand mother are still alive and would require guidance on healthy living during old age. I have an ardent desire to learn about cancer and the risks associated with them. I have truly enjoyed this course thus far and I know there are many more gripping topics left to uncover.

As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”. The more one knows about their current health standings the better decisions one can make concerning sexual relations. I would recommend STD testing for any individual who has suspicions of an STD. By refraining from sexual activity one would be saving a lot of people from contracting STDS. STDs like HIV, Hepatitis and Herpes have no cure. It is therefore wise to prevent the spread of these deadly STD’s than finding a cure for them.