Of the topics and information that we have covered this semester in the course, what has been the most impactful or interesting?
This question is actually a really hard one to answer. I feel like I have learned so much through the semester but to me what has been the most impactful was the topics on personal health and nutrition. I really enjoyed reading the chapter (9) discussing it as well as the chapters leading past it about heart disease. This was really the most effective chapters to me personally and I really took away a lot about my own personal health and the amount of nutrition I was missing in my diet. I really enjoyed reading about different cultures of women and the customs of each culture and how different they were. I will take away with me an open mind and an open heart about different ideas and beliefs because women of all races and ethnicities go through their own hardships and thats important to remember.
Sara Abbasi
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Blog 14 Assault
What can a woman do to reduce her risk of assault?
I think first thing a woman can do is buy herself pepper spray. If nothing else, having something on you can always help if you are being attacked. My brother bought me one to put on my key chain and to have some in my house and in my purse. He also bought me a taser which I mainly used on drunk people per request =).Never the less, I seemed to be a little prepared. Among having actual physical objects, I was taught to always be aware of my surrounding. When you are out anywhere, by yourself or not, look around. Keep yourself aware because sometimes you might catch something you otherwise would not have noticed, like a car following you or someone staring a bit too long. I also have an older car so every time I get in I lock my doors immediately. I do this because if you are sitting a red light, stop sign, or behind a train someone can run up and jump in your car before you know it.
I try to always be with someone no matter what because muggings usually only happen when you are alone so try to go to the store with someone you know. And always lock your doors, car and home. I have seen countless entry's of perpetrators because people left their front or back door unlocked. We can only do so much to protect ourselves, especially as women. I am not promoting the use of guns, but personally I go to the range and practice because I want to be prepared no matter what. I hope that if any kind of advice or training is offered, you guys will take it. It is so important to protect yourself and their are so many people out there that will and can hurt you. SO stay alert and prepared, always.
Sara Abbasi
I think first thing a woman can do is buy herself pepper spray. If nothing else, having something on you can always help if you are being attacked. My brother bought me one to put on my key chain and to have some in my house and in my purse. He also bought me a taser which I mainly used on drunk people per request =).Never the less, I seemed to be a little prepared. Among having actual physical objects, I was taught to always be aware of my surrounding. When you are out anywhere, by yourself or not, look around. Keep yourself aware because sometimes you might catch something you otherwise would not have noticed, like a car following you or someone staring a bit too long. I also have an older car so every time I get in I lock my doors immediately. I do this because if you are sitting a red light, stop sign, or behind a train someone can run up and jump in your car before you know it.
I try to always be with someone no matter what because muggings usually only happen when you are alone so try to go to the store with someone you know. And always lock your doors, car and home. I have seen countless entry's of perpetrators because people left their front or back door unlocked. We can only do so much to protect ourselves, especially as women. I am not promoting the use of guns, but personally I go to the range and practice because I want to be prepared no matter what. I hope that if any kind of advice or training is offered, you guys will take it. It is so important to protect yourself and their are so many people out there that will and can hurt you. SO stay alert and prepared, always.
Sara Abbasi
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Blog 13 Drug Addicts
Is it better to put drug addicts in jail or to send them to mandatory drug treatment programs?
Drug addicts are people who have lost their way and cant seem to find a way back, out of their situation. Drugs are such a powerful thing, which is why people get addicted to them in the first place. What starts out as a innocent curiosity can sometimes lead to a women prostituting for more or a man hurting someone to get more drugs. Its a dark and sad place to be addicted to something and people who took the chance to get high off of anything, especially the harder more dangerous drugs, need help. I think drug addicts, to a point, should be given mandatory drug treatment programs. They should have the chance and opportunity to receive help because addiction is a powerful thing. What would you want if you were addicted to meth and you wanted to get sober or you found your health declining rapidly because of it? You would want the chance to get away from it. Everyone should have a chance to get sober and drug treatments can not only help, but provide a safe place for doing so. It can provide the person with the support they need because if you send someone to jail, what do they get out of it? Maybe a little fear? Mostly, they don't get anything from jail because their is no support, no care, nothing to help them, no one to educate them, and it's pretty much a place drug addicts aren't scared of.
There comes a point where I do think jail is necessary. after so many times in treatment, a person just doesn't want to change. I think jail can provide the discipline to make them change, simple because they have no choice and they cant leave when they want like in rehab. I am thankful I never got into drugs. I have seen people die from it, my cousin actually. He was only 26 years old. People should have the opportunity to get sober. Once that has passed and they still keep doing it, it becomes a discipline problem and jail is the place for poor decisions. I truly believe people want to change, I just don't think they should be given 4 opportunities in rehab to so.
Sara Abbasi
Drug addicts are people who have lost their way and cant seem to find a way back, out of their situation. Drugs are such a powerful thing, which is why people get addicted to them in the first place. What starts out as a innocent curiosity can sometimes lead to a women prostituting for more or a man hurting someone to get more drugs. Its a dark and sad place to be addicted to something and people who took the chance to get high off of anything, especially the harder more dangerous drugs, need help. I think drug addicts, to a point, should be given mandatory drug treatment programs. They should have the chance and opportunity to receive help because addiction is a powerful thing. What would you want if you were addicted to meth and you wanted to get sober or you found your health declining rapidly because of it? You would want the chance to get away from it. Everyone should have a chance to get sober and drug treatments can not only help, but provide a safe place for doing so. It can provide the person with the support they need because if you send someone to jail, what do they get out of it? Maybe a little fear? Mostly, they don't get anything from jail because their is no support, no care, nothing to help them, no one to educate them, and it's pretty much a place drug addicts aren't scared of.
There comes a point where I do think jail is necessary. after so many times in treatment, a person just doesn't want to change. I think jail can provide the discipline to make them change, simple because they have no choice and they cant leave when they want like in rehab. I am thankful I never got into drugs. I have seen people die from it, my cousin actually. He was only 26 years old. People should have the opportunity to get sober. Once that has passed and they still keep doing it, it becomes a discipline problem and jail is the place for poor decisions. I truly believe people want to change, I just don't think they should be given 4 opportunities in rehab to so.
Sara Abbasi
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Blog 12: Mental Illness
Have you ever known someone with a mental illness? How did/does the illness impact his/her life? What have you learned about this mental illness just from knowing them?
I have known a woman, a friend of mine, who suffers from depression. Although she is recently married with a child, its seems like nothing is ever good enough. She is actually a really funny outgoing girl but the more you get to know her, the more you find out how unhappy she is. Its like she puts on a happy face at work and then after words you realize there was something weird about it. Like she forced it. So one day I asked her, are you ok? Is there something going on? And she told me that she was unhappy at home. When she described her life to me, I didn't see what the big deal was. But then she said she had to go to the doctor to get medication... for depression. She has been suffering from it since high school where is was really bad. She said the medication changed the way she acted and felt and that she didn't like it but that she knew she needed it.
Sometimes I try to give her advice on how to put her self in another persons shoes, or I try to help her see that situation is not as bad as it seems and she just cannot change the way she thinks. Its bad. End of story. Thats how she views things. I think the best thing I can do is to not get mad at her or give up on her. I want to always help her see the bright side and to know that sometimes intentions or acts of kindness are just that... kind! I think depression affects a lot of people. And What makes me so willing to help and be nice and calm with her is that I personally know what it felt like to not want to get out of bed. I knew what it felt like to literally stop feeling anything but sad... and angry. It was terrible because you end up pushing away the people you love and you don't even know you are doing anything wrong. All you know is that YOU feel sad and that it must be your life and the people in it. A to someone depressed... it seems as though no one understands how you feel. So I know what it is like to feel like this, to live with it. If you know someone, even if you aren't good friends, take a chance to ask them how their day was and to make them laugh. Sometimes its the little things that make you realize how unhappy you've been and how you want to change. I encourage everyone to extend a hand out and care... really care about the people in your life. No matter how close they are to you... everyone needs to know there are people out there who really care.
Sara Abbasi
I have known a woman, a friend of mine, who suffers from depression. Although she is recently married with a child, its seems like nothing is ever good enough. She is actually a really funny outgoing girl but the more you get to know her, the more you find out how unhappy she is. Its like she puts on a happy face at work and then after words you realize there was something weird about it. Like she forced it. So one day I asked her, are you ok? Is there something going on? And she told me that she was unhappy at home. When she described her life to me, I didn't see what the big deal was. But then she said she had to go to the doctor to get medication... for depression. She has been suffering from it since high school where is was really bad. She said the medication changed the way she acted and felt and that she didn't like it but that she knew she needed it.
Sometimes I try to give her advice on how to put her self in another persons shoes, or I try to help her see that situation is not as bad as it seems and she just cannot change the way she thinks. Its bad. End of story. Thats how she views things. I think the best thing I can do is to not get mad at her or give up on her. I want to always help her see the bright side and to know that sometimes intentions or acts of kindness are just that... kind! I think depression affects a lot of people. And What makes me so willing to help and be nice and calm with her is that I personally know what it felt like to not want to get out of bed. I knew what it felt like to literally stop feeling anything but sad... and angry. It was terrible because you end up pushing away the people you love and you don't even know you are doing anything wrong. All you know is that YOU feel sad and that it must be your life and the people in it. A to someone depressed... it seems as though no one understands how you feel. So I know what it is like to feel like this, to live with it. If you know someone, even if you aren't good friends, take a chance to ask them how their day was and to make them laugh. Sometimes its the little things that make you realize how unhappy you've been and how you want to change. I encourage everyone to extend a hand out and care... really care about the people in your life. No matter how close they are to you... everyone needs to know there are people out there who really care.
Sara Abbasi
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Blog # 11 Our Future, Our Choice?
If everyone lived "with our future in mind", do you think that we would live differently? (different habits, behaviors, etc).
I think for the most part, people live in the present. Live for now, worry about it later... but later comes all too soon for most. We realize that living can sometimes mean forgetting to take care of ourselves. If I lived for my future in mind, maybe I wouldn't go out and have so many drinks with my friends when I get the chance and maybe I would choose to give up soft drinks because no good comes from drinking them. Although it isn't often that I do this... I dont have my future in mind. My body, mind, and soul are living in the now and later I realize I may not have made the best choices. If everyone lived with their future in mind, things would DEFIANTLY be different. We wouldn't think twice about making the best decisions for our selves and for the people who are apart of our lives. Maybe there would be less premature babies and less drug addicts or maybe heart disease would lose its number one spot and we would see that change can take place, change for the better. Maybe we wouldn't let the little things get to us and build weight on our shoulders because in the end, it was never really worth getting mad over. Relationships may take a turn for the best, less cheating and more loving and listening. Although I can't say only good would come of it, I know that living first and thinking later is what's easy and most of us are pretty lazy, therefore the choices we make reflect like mirrors back at us all too soon. What goes around comes around and if we could make better habits of thinking about our future and the future of our friends, family, and children... we would take two steps forwards.
Living is so important. Nothing should stop someone from living a full, happy, and healthy life. But what seems to last and stick with us, are the memories of the decisions we made... and no one should regret what they did. Thinking with the future in mind, I personally would make better decisions. I personally have made better decisions like choosing not to cheat on my boyfriend who cheated on me. When I thought about it, I never wanted to look back and be like him. I wanted to be better and when I thought it out... I just couldnt do it. I also found myself forgiving a lot of people I had held a grudge against for so many years. I think the weight was getting to heavy and when I let it go... I felt like I had made the best decision of my life. Not because it was right, but because I taught myself how to forgive and what it feels like to let go. I have made a lot of decisions that weren't right, many of them I have learned from. But if I take anything with me, its that we get one chance, and I want to leave foot prints... big ones.
Sara Abbasi
*Music for thought: The Hush Sound- You Are the Moon
I think for the most part, people live in the present. Live for now, worry about it later... but later comes all too soon for most. We realize that living can sometimes mean forgetting to take care of ourselves. If I lived for my future in mind, maybe I wouldn't go out and have so many drinks with my friends when I get the chance and maybe I would choose to give up soft drinks because no good comes from drinking them. Although it isn't often that I do this... I dont have my future in mind. My body, mind, and soul are living in the now and later I realize I may not have made the best choices. If everyone lived with their future in mind, things would DEFIANTLY be different. We wouldn't think twice about making the best decisions for our selves and for the people who are apart of our lives. Maybe there would be less premature babies and less drug addicts or maybe heart disease would lose its number one spot and we would see that change can take place, change for the better. Maybe we wouldn't let the little things get to us and build weight on our shoulders because in the end, it was never really worth getting mad over. Relationships may take a turn for the best, less cheating and more loving and listening. Although I can't say only good would come of it, I know that living first and thinking later is what's easy and most of us are pretty lazy, therefore the choices we make reflect like mirrors back at us all too soon. What goes around comes around and if we could make better habits of thinking about our future and the future of our friends, family, and children... we would take two steps forwards.
Living is so important. Nothing should stop someone from living a full, happy, and healthy life. But what seems to last and stick with us, are the memories of the decisions we made... and no one should regret what they did. Thinking with the future in mind, I personally would make better decisions. I personally have made better decisions like choosing not to cheat on my boyfriend who cheated on me. When I thought about it, I never wanted to look back and be like him. I wanted to be better and when I thought it out... I just couldnt do it. I also found myself forgiving a lot of people I had held a grudge against for so many years. I think the weight was getting to heavy and when I let it go... I felt like I had made the best decision of my life. Not because it was right, but because I taught myself how to forgive and what it feels like to let go. I have made a lot of decisions that weren't right, many of them I have learned from. But if I take anything with me, its that we get one chance, and I want to leave foot prints... big ones.
Sara Abbasi
*Music for thought: The Hush Sound- You Are the Moon
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Blog 10 Heart Disease
Is heart disease common in your family? What are some of the environmental, physical, cultural, socioeconomical, and educational factors that impact the prevalence of this disease?
Heart Disease is very common in my family. My grandmother and great grandmother both passed away from heart disease. I know all too well the risk factors associated with heart disease and I also know the lifestyle they led is what caused them to eventually lead into heart failure. Both women in my family were smokers, about two packs a day, and ate good Ole southern food. They were not active in a way that allowed them to get their heart rate up through exercise and this is what probably led to heart disease. Because I know this, my mother has been an advocate for health in our family and has tried to teach me to live a lifestyle that protects my heart. I eat homemade healthy food ( most of the time), I play soccer (which my mom got me in to), and I do NOT smoke and rarely do I drink. These were all very important to my mother and she educated me on why these behaviors are so important to my health specifically. Some factors that I know I should avoid are no smoking, heating healthy, staying active, keeping up with yearly doctor visits, avoiding too much alcohol, and staying informed on any new ways to prevent heart disease. The best thing for me to focus on is prevention because I know in the future I my chances of getting heart disease will increase. Its really odd to think I can prevent something as terrible as heart disease from taking my life or reducing my life expectancy.
I am currently dating a guy who was born with congenital heart defects and even at his age (24), he feels that effects but cannot yet do anything about it. He had a cardiac catheter procedure done, but they were unsuccessful in fixing his SA node as well as the hole in his heart. As minor as this seems compared to other heart problems, this makes a huge difference in the way he feels when he exercises and I couldn't imagine feeling the way he does. Because heart disease is the leading cause of death, I feel compelled to help him lead a healthier life and make better choices when it comes to diet and exercise. I have seen a change in him, but I still get worried that one day, one of us will be diagnosed with this debilitating disease and then what?
Heart Disease is tricky that way. Maybe you can do everything right and still get it wrong somehow and end up with heart disease. Hopefully, the changes I am making in my life will ultimately lead to a longer, happier, healthier life.
Sara Abbasi
Heart Disease is very common in my family. My grandmother and great grandmother both passed away from heart disease. I know all too well the risk factors associated with heart disease and I also know the lifestyle they led is what caused them to eventually lead into heart failure. Both women in my family were smokers, about two packs a day, and ate good Ole southern food. They were not active in a way that allowed them to get their heart rate up through exercise and this is what probably led to heart disease. Because I know this, my mother has been an advocate for health in our family and has tried to teach me to live a lifestyle that protects my heart. I eat homemade healthy food ( most of the time), I play soccer (which my mom got me in to), and I do NOT smoke and rarely do I drink. These were all very important to my mother and she educated me on why these behaviors are so important to my health specifically. Some factors that I know I should avoid are no smoking, heating healthy, staying active, keeping up with yearly doctor visits, avoiding too much alcohol, and staying informed on any new ways to prevent heart disease. The best thing for me to focus on is prevention because I know in the future I my chances of getting heart disease will increase. Its really odd to think I can prevent something as terrible as heart disease from taking my life or reducing my life expectancy.
I am currently dating a guy who was born with congenital heart defects and even at his age (24), he feels that effects but cannot yet do anything about it. He had a cardiac catheter procedure done, but they were unsuccessful in fixing his SA node as well as the hole in his heart. As minor as this seems compared to other heart problems, this makes a huge difference in the way he feels when he exercises and I couldn't imagine feeling the way he does. Because heart disease is the leading cause of death, I feel compelled to help him lead a healthier life and make better choices when it comes to diet and exercise. I have seen a change in him, but I still get worried that one day, one of us will be diagnosed with this debilitating disease and then what?
Heart Disease is tricky that way. Maybe you can do everything right and still get it wrong somehow and end up with heart disease. Hopefully, the changes I am making in my life will ultimately lead to a longer, happier, healthier life.
Sara Abbasi
Friday, October 29, 2010
Blog 9 Exercise Challenges
What are the biggest challenges to regular exercise and a healthy diet that you face? How are these challenges going to change for you over the next five years?
Exercise used to be a second thought to me. You know when you go to the gym and its just not fun for you so you get bored and don't give it your all? I never had that because my form of exercise was always playing soccer, something I enjoy and take pride in. Now, after a few years of college, I have found myself outside of anything I have ever known. I actually have to work to stay fit! And it feels like work to me...
I have taken on a challenge. I will develop a lifestyle I enjoy. That means I need to stay active any way I can. Therefore, I found out about my companies indoor soccer team and I joined it. I was really nervous because I knew no matter how much I ran, I was not going to be fit enough or ready for this new season. I was also scared because well... it was a mens league.
The biggest challenge in my life right now and forever will be having the discipline to stay active and having the time to do it 3 or more times a week. I don't have a family right now but I can only imagine how that will impact my life. But some times I just have to think about the statistics of heart disease or problems associated with living a sedentary lifestyle and I get enough motivation to get my butt off the couch (or bed) and go for a run. AND IT FEELS GREAT. I always feel so good after a run. I get to to put on my headphones and relax. It sounds crazy right... elevated heart rate and relaxed? Its actually a feeling I relate back to being a child and being carefree. There gets a point where it isn't always easy to run given Houston's weather or what I had for lunch but never the less, no matter what, I always feel great after words. And I had nothing to loose by going for a run. 30 minutes for myself is worth it and everyone should have 30 minutes to relax, get away, and do something! For me, in the next 5 years, I plan on joining a womens soccer team. Partly because the happiest part of my life was playing with my girls and partly because guys play rough! 2 torn ligaments and I'm thinking maybe I should stop. I see myself at least trying to live an active life and no matter what, in the future, I will always remember and keep in mind the small things that make staying active so worth it.
Sara Abbasi
Exercise used to be a second thought to me. You know when you go to the gym and its just not fun for you so you get bored and don't give it your all? I never had that because my form of exercise was always playing soccer, something I enjoy and take pride in. Now, after a few years of college, I have found myself outside of anything I have ever known. I actually have to work to stay fit! And it feels like work to me...
I have taken on a challenge. I will develop a lifestyle I enjoy. That means I need to stay active any way I can. Therefore, I found out about my companies indoor soccer team and I joined it. I was really nervous because I knew no matter how much I ran, I was not going to be fit enough or ready for this new season. I was also scared because well... it was a mens league.
The biggest challenge in my life right now and forever will be having the discipline to stay active and having the time to do it 3 or more times a week. I don't have a family right now but I can only imagine how that will impact my life. But some times I just have to think about the statistics of heart disease or problems associated with living a sedentary lifestyle and I get enough motivation to get my butt off the couch (or bed) and go for a run. AND IT FEELS GREAT. I always feel so good after a run. I get to to put on my headphones and relax. It sounds crazy right... elevated heart rate and relaxed? Its actually a feeling I relate back to being a child and being carefree. There gets a point where it isn't always easy to run given Houston's weather or what I had for lunch but never the less, no matter what, I always feel great after words. And I had nothing to loose by going for a run. 30 minutes for myself is worth it and everyone should have 30 minutes to relax, get away, and do something! For me, in the next 5 years, I plan on joining a womens soccer team. Partly because the happiest part of my life was playing with my girls and partly because guys play rough! 2 torn ligaments and I'm thinking maybe I should stop. I see myself at least trying to live an active life and no matter what, in the future, I will always remember and keep in mind the small things that make staying active so worth it.
Sara Abbasi
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Blog 8 Menopause
Menopause, in our society, is viewed as something that most women do not look forward to. In most cases, they have valid reasons given the hot flashes, inability to reproduce, and other side effects that affect womens sexual life. But, it is also the beginning of something new. I think, at times, we stray away from the things that matter in life. Experience, age, family and friends... these things come with time and are all things to look forward too! Like these things, menopause is something we all know will happen for us. Its just another obstacle we women go through but it too will pass. I am only 23, but I cant imagine that this period will be too hard for me because although society looks at menopause as a bad thing, its just another time in our lives that we experience change. Sometimes I wonder how this can be viewed so negatively because its a natural part of life for women! As this time approaches, I think it's extremely important to remember who they are and that they can enjoy that person well into old age. If they can maintain a healthy lifestyle and make decisions that are best for their bodies and health, this process will only be that much less stressful.
I remember when my mom started to experience the beginning stages of menopause at around her mid forty's and she was devastated. It was a time in her life she viewed as "getting old". Yet, she looked great, had lots of energy, was in a great job position, going back for her PhD, and still had lots of energy to travel and learn new things. How in the world could she think she was old? It is amazing what social stigmas can do to an individual and how they can break someone down like this. Now, after going through menopause for a few years, she is fine. She is the same person and although she still goes through some physiological changes every now and then, shes learned that it didnt really effect her the way she thought it would. Some ways we could change this view of menopause is to, as individual women... stand up for the natural process. As a women, I know I will have to embrace what is happening to my body and learn to change with this process. I also know that if anyone talks negatively about menopausal women, its my duty to stand up for them. I think we can all make that choice to embrace our biological changes and to also make the choice to not engage in behavior that only stimulated negativity of this change.
Sara Abbasi
I remember when my mom started to experience the beginning stages of menopause at around her mid forty's and she was devastated. It was a time in her life she viewed as "getting old". Yet, she looked great, had lots of energy, was in a great job position, going back for her PhD, and still had lots of energy to travel and learn new things. How in the world could she think she was old? It is amazing what social stigmas can do to an individual and how they can break someone down like this. Now, after going through menopause for a few years, she is fine. She is the same person and although she still goes through some physiological changes every now and then, shes learned that it didnt really effect her the way she thought it would. Some ways we could change this view of menopause is to, as individual women... stand up for the natural process. As a women, I know I will have to embrace what is happening to my body and learn to change with this process. I also know that if anyone talks negatively about menopausal women, its my duty to stand up for them. I think we can all make that choice to embrace our biological changes and to also make the choice to not engage in behavior that only stimulated negativity of this change.
Sara Abbasi
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Blog # 7 STD's
Many people equate STDs with immorality, promiscuous behavior and low social status.
When I was in high school, I didn't know much about STD's. All I knew was that people who had them were promiscuous and it seemed to me that most of them were of the lower social status. Now that I am older, and more educated on the topic, I have come to realize that the statistics of people who have STD's effect all races, all cultures, and all social economic statuses. It is really sad that people make comments judging others who have an STD because in reality, no one is safe from it. Their are men and women who are born with it, who are raped, and who are lied to by their partners. In fact, in our culture, not even using a condom can fully protect you. I know a few people who have contracted an STD from their husbands because they were too scared to tell their wifes what they had. Instead of socially ostracizing people with a disease, we should be putting in all of our effort to find cures and better treatments for them. People are dying every day from untreated STD's all over the world and I find it repulsive when someone takes the time out to say how gross and dirty STD's are and that anyone who has them must be ignorant sexually active person. I often wonder if it is those people who actually have a secret themselves.
Education, as usual, is the best way to inform people about the risks they are taking when becoming sexually active. The research being done on the treatments for STD's is only getting better each day and is only getting closer towards a cure. I hope that people will only mature as they grow and take into consideration the magnitude of their influence in helping this cause. It's actually really scary when you think about it because we are all looking for someone to spend out life with and even when we find that person, you can never really know you are safe. Hopefully, the research can improve in the next couple of years to include ways prevent the spread of major STD's with no cure and permanently find cures for them.
Sara Abbasi
When I was in high school, I didn't know much about STD's. All I knew was that people who had them were promiscuous and it seemed to me that most of them were of the lower social status. Now that I am older, and more educated on the topic, I have come to realize that the statistics of people who have STD's effect all races, all cultures, and all social economic statuses. It is really sad that people make comments judging others who have an STD because in reality, no one is safe from it. Their are men and women who are born with it, who are raped, and who are lied to by their partners. In fact, in our culture, not even using a condom can fully protect you. I know a few people who have contracted an STD from their husbands because they were too scared to tell their wifes what they had. Instead of socially ostracizing people with a disease, we should be putting in all of our effort to find cures and better treatments for them. People are dying every day from untreated STD's all over the world and I find it repulsive when someone takes the time out to say how gross and dirty STD's are and that anyone who has them must be ignorant sexually active person. I often wonder if it is those people who actually have a secret themselves.
Education, as usual, is the best way to inform people about the risks they are taking when becoming sexually active. The research being done on the treatments for STD's is only getting better each day and is only getting closer towards a cure. I hope that people will only mature as they grow and take into consideration the magnitude of their influence in helping this cause. It's actually really scary when you think about it because we are all looking for someone to spend out life with and even when we find that person, you can never really know you are safe. Hopefully, the research can improve in the next couple of years to include ways prevent the spread of major STD's with no cure and permanently find cures for them.
Sara Abbasi
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Blog # 6 Surrogacy
Surrogacy is something the just recently started to become very popular. Adaption seemed to be the only outlet for mothers and fathers that were infertile or had problems having children. I never really gave this any thought because like most young women, I can only imagine myself having children one day. But what if the chances I cannot have a child fall into my steps? Its truly a very frightening thought that I can one day realize I am unable to carry a child. The pain a woman goes through is probably the worst feeling she will ever have. But now there are some great options out there. Among the many ways to help a woman get pregnant, there is an alternative for women who have no chance or need another outlet. Its called surrogacy and its where a woman is paid to carry a child to term for a couple. In the video clip, a woman who helps the couple and agrees to carry their child describes the emotional journey both her and the couple face. She talks about how easy it is because she feels as though this is what she was meant to do. The video also shows how she has a family of her own and a husband who supports her in her decision to be a surrogate. This is extremely important in the process because both the couple and the surrogate need to have emotional support. I just think its great that we can help one woman to the next with something like this.
We, as women, face so many issues and hardships and to be able to extend our bodies to carry for another woman is just magical really. Technically, the child is created from the husbands sperm and the surrogates eggs. So realistically , the child is hers too. But she notes that the planning involved before the pregnancy was about this child being apart of the couples life and how the baby was planned before it was created to be their (the couples) baby so that the decision was not a hard one to carry the child and give birth to it and hand it over to the couple. This takes true strength and compassion and I can only admire a woman capable of doing this. I hope woman across the world will reach out a hand when needed and put themselves in another womans shoes.
Sara Abbasi
Reference
Marinella, K (Performer), Mallicoat, F (Performer), Wankum, M (Performer), & Ratte, M (Performer). Surrogate Moms [ Television series episode]. In (Executive producer), The Ten O'Clock News. Boston: WB
We, as women, face so many issues and hardships and to be able to extend our bodies to carry for another woman is just magical really. Technically, the child is created from the husbands sperm and the surrogates eggs. So realistically , the child is hers too. But she notes that the planning involved before the pregnancy was about this child being apart of the couples life and how the baby was planned before it was created to be their (the couples) baby so that the decision was not a hard one to carry the child and give birth to it and hand it over to the couple. This takes true strength and compassion and I can only admire a woman capable of doing this. I hope woman across the world will reach out a hand when needed and put themselves in another womans shoes.
Sara Abbasi
Reference
Marinella, K (Performer), Mallicoat, F (Performer), Wankum, M (Performer), & Ratte, M (Performer). Surrogate Moms [ Television series episode]. In (Executive producer), The Ten O'Clock News. Boston: WB
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Blog # 5 Views on Contraception
In what ways could someone's culture, beliefs and practices influence contraceptive decision making?
Culture and beliefs make up our decision on most of the choices we make throughout out lives. It is not any different when it comes to contraception. I am half Persian and half white and for me, contraception was kind of a middle ground. What I mean by that is we were taught that it was a safe way to practice sex but at the same time we were also told that abstinence is the way to go. Because my mom was a nurse, she knew what contraceptives could do for young adults and the benefits for using them.
The two main contraceptives I knew of were condoms and birth control. Considering I grew up around my brothers and their friends it wasnt hard to figure out the reason my mom made it clear that waiting is best but that if we were to become sexually active to protect ourselves. She was pretty much talking to my brothers at the time. Being a female, the only daughter, I had responsibilities to wait. Once I turned 17 I realized I needed the help of birth control to regulate my monthly cycle. Growing up in a western culture made this decision easy on me without it looking like I was having sex. But I also knew what birth control could do for me if I were to get married or enter into a serious relationship and although religious fanatics dont believe in the prevention of conception, I personally believe I have a choice.
Sara Abbasi
Culture and beliefs make up our decision on most of the choices we make throughout out lives. It is not any different when it comes to contraception. I am half Persian and half white and for me, contraception was kind of a middle ground. What I mean by that is we were taught that it was a safe way to practice sex but at the same time we were also told that abstinence is the way to go. Because my mom was a nurse, she knew what contraceptives could do for young adults and the benefits for using them.
The two main contraceptives I knew of were condoms and birth control. Considering I grew up around my brothers and their friends it wasnt hard to figure out the reason my mom made it clear that waiting is best but that if we were to become sexually active to protect ourselves. She was pretty much talking to my brothers at the time. Being a female, the only daughter, I had responsibilities to wait. Once I turned 17 I realized I needed the help of birth control to regulate my monthly cycle. Growing up in a western culture made this decision easy on me without it looking like I was having sex. But I also knew what birth control could do for me if I were to get married or enter into a serious relationship and although religious fanatics dont believe in the prevention of conception, I personally believe I have a choice.
Sara Abbasi
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Blog 4 Sex Education
Sex education is a very important topic that should defiantly be discussed in public schools. Children and teens should be aware of the risk they are taking and the ways they can protect themselves from STD's and pregnancy. We have seen an increase in both of these topics and I feel this is linked to the amount of education children receive on these topics. No matter what we teach or how much we try to protect teens from having sex or sexual intercourse, it is going to happen. To better prepare them, we need to educate them. This does not mean we should advocate having sexual intercourse, this just means that with knowledge comes power.
I remember in high school all of the girls and boys going around talking about how cool it was to do certain sexual things with one another and I thought, how scary! I don't want to get pregnant or get an STD! I mean, maybe I knew something they didn't but either way, knowing or not knowing, people did what they wanted through their biological drives or peer pressure or what ever it took to make an excuse to get experience. Now I am sitting here with my 12 year old cousin who is looking on the internet for answers because there is not enough education provided on this subject. Children need to know it is normal to feel the hormones and changes going on but that there are options and ways to help protect themselves. Simply providing abstinence only education has NOT proven effective in the past. I actually attended a private christen school in middle school and found the sexual activity going on there was much worse and a much younger age. This to me was shocking, until later when I found out what sexual intercourse could actually do to a person in a health class. I am very thankful to have gone to a school where this topic did not stray far from the truth about sex and hormones.
I am not saying that abstinence is bad and should not be taught, but that children and teenagers need to be educated on their options should they decide that abstinence is not for them for whatever reason. This web link from WebMD provided insight to my thoughts so please feel free to take a second and read it.
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/abstinence-vs-sex-ed
Sara Abbasi
I remember in high school all of the girls and boys going around talking about how cool it was to do certain sexual things with one another and I thought, how scary! I don't want to get pregnant or get an STD! I mean, maybe I knew something they didn't but either way, knowing or not knowing, people did what they wanted through their biological drives or peer pressure or what ever it took to make an excuse to get experience. Now I am sitting here with my 12 year old cousin who is looking on the internet for answers because there is not enough education provided on this subject. Children need to know it is normal to feel the hormones and changes going on but that there are options and ways to help protect themselves. Simply providing abstinence only education has NOT proven effective in the past. I actually attended a private christen school in middle school and found the sexual activity going on there was much worse and a much younger age. This to me was shocking, until later when I found out what sexual intercourse could actually do to a person in a health class. I am very thankful to have gone to a school where this topic did not stray far from the truth about sex and hormones.
I am not saying that abstinence is bad and should not be taught, but that children and teenagers need to be educated on their options should they decide that abstinence is not for them for whatever reason. This web link from WebMD provided insight to my thoughts so please feel free to take a second and read it.
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/abstinence-vs-sex-ed
Sara Abbasi
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Blog #3 Preventative Practices
When I think about my health, a lot of times I only use certain categories to rate it. I often overlook the amount of sleep I get, the way I handle stress, and the social wellbeing aspect. The healthy idea planted into my brain is, are you eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables, are you drinking enough water, are you exercising, and lastly do you smoke or drink. I tend to focus primarily on the physical wellbeing of myself, and often overlook the social, mental,and spiritual aspects. When I rated myself, I found that I am not 10 out of 10 which makes me wonder how I could miss such important factors in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Now that I have seen that I am missing some very important health practices, I need to make a change.
I know that if I could get 1-2 more hours of sleep, I would feel so much better throughout the day. But by the time 10:00 PM rolls around, I cant seem to settle down. I feel this sense of stress that I need to study for an hour or two longer or that I could use that time to clean or catch up work. I realize now that this is effecting the way I study and do my work throughout the day because I am so tired sometimes. I try to stay up to accomplish more, but I end up accomplishing less because I cannot focus on anything throughout the day except for my really soft, warm, wonderful bed. So to better my health, I am going to implement a new schedule. I will write down a two week look ahead so that I can see what needs to be done everyday and how much time I will need to devote to those things. Then I can plan on setting a strict bedtime, reverting back to the days when I was 5, and sticking to it for two weeks. If I feel better, I can stick with it. However if I do not feel better, I can adjust it to meet a good 7-8 hour sleep schedule. It can help fight disease, help with mood
I really feel that most people overlook how important sleep is. It's the time our bodies can rest and reload for the next day. I often put this health factor last and when I really think about it, I should be considering sleep as my number health factor. With out it, you really cannot function to your best. Maybe a few days out of the week will be okay but after that it starts to catch up to you. Harvard health Publications posted something very important about six reasons why getting enough sleep in crucial. It helps for memory consolidation, metabolism, mood and concentration, and overall physical health and immune function.Therefore, I am making a better effort to make this my number one priority and will hopefully see the improvement in the other areas of my life.
Importance of sleep : six reasons not to scrimp on sleep. (n.d.) Retrieved from
Regards,
Sara Abbasi
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Blog2- Is Healthcare a Right or Privilege?
Being insured most of my life has really shielded my view of what it is like to be unable to have access to healthcare institutions and medication when I need it. Until a few years ago, I never realized how much we pay for this privilege if I should even call it that. How can something be considered a privilege when you are paying and working for it? Without the people who pay for it, healthcare in essence would not exist and without good healthcare, the peoples health would decline over the years and they soon would not exist. It's a circle that must have a balance. I know that some people say that universal healthcare is going to make our healthcare system jam up and create a low end health system. But those people are like me, insured and secure.
I recently found out one of my cousins in Iran could not come to the US (because of money) to get treatment for a rare skin disorder and that the Iranian healthcare did not have the medical necessities he needed to be treated. The point is, there are people like that here that need treatment and they too cannot access it because a lack of healthcare or money. All I could think about was how this boy was just 3 years old. He cannot help what was happening to him nor could he do anything about it. If we allow healthcare to be a privilege and not a right we are saying that this kind of treatment is acceptable. I agree that I do not want to pay for other people's healthcare in the sense that they do nothing and get it for free while I work hard to pay for theirs and mine, because lets face it... there are people like that all over the world. But if I had to choose what is best for us all, I would say that healthcare is a right and with the idea that more education and awareness can help reduce health problems the addition of universal healthcare is a good step in the right direction. This may put a slightly bigger dent in our paychecks but I feel as though healthcare is a right and no citizen should ever have to be turned down. A small part of me worries about the people who would take advantage of this and live off of our taxed paychecks but a bigger part of me worries about the men, women, and children who have no where to go and may have lost a job, spouse, or some other determinant that causes them to not seek out proper healthcare. We have to start somewhere and if this does not work, at least we know we tried to make a difference and that if anything we can learn from out mistakes. We need to take a step forward even if it means we do not all agree, we have to make a change and unless there is a better idea, this is definitely where we should start.
Until next week,
Sara Abbasi
I recently found out one of my cousins in Iran could not come to the US (because of money) to get treatment for a rare skin disorder and that the Iranian healthcare did not have the medical necessities he needed to be treated. The point is, there are people like that here that need treatment and they too cannot access it because a lack of healthcare or money. All I could think about was how this boy was just 3 years old. He cannot help what was happening to him nor could he do anything about it. If we allow healthcare to be a privilege and not a right we are saying that this kind of treatment is acceptable. I agree that I do not want to pay for other people's healthcare in the sense that they do nothing and get it for free while I work hard to pay for theirs and mine, because lets face it... there are people like that all over the world. But if I had to choose what is best for us all, I would say that healthcare is a right and with the idea that more education and awareness can help reduce health problems the addition of universal healthcare is a good step in the right direction. This may put a slightly bigger dent in our paychecks but I feel as though healthcare is a right and no citizen should ever have to be turned down. A small part of me worries about the people who would take advantage of this and live off of our taxed paychecks but a bigger part of me worries about the men, women, and children who have no where to go and may have lost a job, spouse, or some other determinant that causes them to not seek out proper healthcare. We have to start somewhere and if this does not work, at least we know we tried to make a difference and that if anything we can learn from out mistakes. We need to take a step forward even if it means we do not all agree, we have to make a change and unless there is a better idea, this is definitely where we should start.
Until next week,
Sara Abbasi
Friday, September 3, 2010
Women's Health Concerns
Today, right now, there are so many issues I could tell you that worry me in regards to my health. There are genetic diseases and factors that play a huge role in this thought process as well as environmental roles. I guess I should first tell you what my main concern is that I feel is a huge health issue, and that is cancer. If I had to choose what kind of cancer specifically I would have to say lung cancer. This is not an issue that runs in my family which makes my choice a little odd to some. But lets be honest here, how many people do you know have had lung cancer and survived? As a matter of fact, how many women do you know that have been diagnosed with lung cancer and did not smoke? I can personally say that every woman I know that has been diagnosed has not smoked and has been under the age for 40. And the icing on the cake... they all found out by the time it had spread and were only given a matter of months to live, if that. So, all in all this is my biggest concern. There are very few signs and symptoms that give it away. And to top lung cancer off, it does not discriminate. No matter how old you are, how much you weigh, how much you run and do NOT smoke, what ethnicity you are, this is something that can get you. This type of disease, this type of cancer, is the most worrisome to me.
When I interviewed some women I found out that we all have similar and very different views of what health issues matter most. Each of the three women had different views from one another.
#1 was worried about cervical cancer. Even though there are strides being made to help decrease women's chances, and how treatable it is, this was her biggest concern. As a young Caucasian women of the age 25, she realizes that this is a huge issue to young women all over the world because of lack of health care and education.
#2 was most worried about lung cancer. She is an older Asian woman who runs everyday and does not smoke. She has known a few people who have passed away due to lung cancer and have also been very healthy individuals who showed no signs. I most defiantly agree with her, although I do not favor any issue over another.
#3 was a middle aged Hispanic-American woman who was concerned about obesity. This is largely due to her family history as well as culture. She realizes that with obesity comes other issues such as heart disease and diabetes.
I can not help but completely agree with all three women! I mean it is so hard to say only one issue concerns me. Even when it comes down to deciding the most concerning health issue, more than one most likely will come to mind. I hope that as I get older, new discoveries and advances are made towards understanding each of these issues and more than anything, I hope that everyone tries to live a healthy and happy life... because you honestly never know what the next day will bring.
Until next week,
Sara
When I interviewed some women I found out that we all have similar and very different views of what health issues matter most. Each of the three women had different views from one another.
#1 was worried about cervical cancer. Even though there are strides being made to help decrease women's chances, and how treatable it is, this was her biggest concern. As a young Caucasian women of the age 25, she realizes that this is a huge issue to young women all over the world because of lack of health care and education.
#2 was most worried about lung cancer. She is an older Asian woman who runs everyday and does not smoke. She has known a few people who have passed away due to lung cancer and have also been very healthy individuals who showed no signs. I most defiantly agree with her, although I do not favor any issue over another.
#3 was a middle aged Hispanic-American woman who was concerned about obesity. This is largely due to her family history as well as culture. She realizes that with obesity comes other issues such as heart disease and diabetes.
I can not help but completely agree with all three women! I mean it is so hard to say only one issue concerns me. Even when it comes down to deciding the most concerning health issue, more than one most likely will come to mind. I hope that as I get older, new discoveries and advances are made towards understanding each of these issues and more than anything, I hope that everyone tries to live a healthy and happy life... because you honestly never know what the next day will bring.
Until next week,
Sara
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)