Blog - #15

One of the topics that interested me the most was the eating disorder blog. When I was younger, we had a family friend that had to be admitted for her eating habits. She became extremely thin and her health began to deteriorate. Her family made her check in to one of those eating rehab centers to help her gain her wait back and break her of her poor eating habits. I'm happy to say that it worked and she was able to leave and go back home, but the process of getting to the end result was long and hard. Because of her, I have seen first hand what a low self esteem can do to an individual and that has helped me to try and show others the positive side of themselves instead of the negative.

Blog #14 - Reduce Risk of Assault

I think one of the most important things a woman can do to help prevent the risk of assault is to know your surroundings, never be alone in dark places and at night surround yourself with a few friends. These three things will a help a woman to protect herself from strangers that may attack. Another thing that will help a woman with strangers and with people she knows is self defense classes. Women that know how to protect themselves and know what to do in a dangerous situation not only can run off an attacker, but just by the look of confidence she has in herself may even prevent someone from wanting to attack.

Blog #13 - Jail or Drug Treatment

Personally, I believe that a drug treatment facility is much better than jail. One, because inmates still can get drugs when they are in jail; this is no secret to anyone. Two, because if they are going to be forced out of society for a little while they may as well do their best to try to get sober before they are let out. I have a friend whose husband was forced into a drug program and he will tell you himself that it was the best thing the system could have done for him.

Blog 12 - Mental Health

Unless you know someone or have a family member with a mental illness, the only way anyone will be able to understand this illness would be to educate yourself and others around you. This is the only way I can think of for people to truly understand mental illness and to break the stigma and shame around the illness. People that have mental illnesses did not ask for it and they should not be treated differently because they are sick.

Healthier Future - Blog #11

As I age, I want to maintain a healthy weight and take care of my skin. I enjoy being outside with my family but now you have the worry of skin cancer from being outside too much and not protecting your skin. This is one area that I can begin to work on now so that when I am older, my skin will still be healthy and maybe I will even look younger! I also want to begin a life change and start to eat healthier so I can pass healthy eating habits on to my children. This alone can help to prevent many diseases and illnesses. I know that it has to start with me if my children are going to pick it up and since I am the one that fixes the meals in my house, I can make my family healthier in the process of me bettering myself.

Blog #10 - Academic Institutions and Women

I believe that academic institutions can be more active in the health of women by holding more information sessions about health issues for women. If it is brought to their attention over and over again, then more women will start to pay attention to what is being said to them. Especially if the health issue is one that hits close to home, like a mother or friend that is having health problems. Schools could pass out flyers on different subjects or different meetings and women will attend.

Blog #9 - Eating Disorder

Having a friend with an eating disorder is very difficult to find a way to deal with. You don't want to push them away by confronting them, but you also do not want to watch them die because that is what will eventually happen if someone does not step up and say something. So what I would do is find a way to confront that person. Not in a mean way but as a concerned friend. Maybe gather some information to have some facts right there in front of both of us. Maybe talk them into attending a group session that I would attend also as support. I would try my best to let them know that it is their well being I am concerned about and let them know that my door is always open if they need me for anything.