Lasik: Do The Benefits Outweigh The Risks?

Is Lasik Surgery Worth The Risk? — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at Qvisory)

I recently did a post on the news frenzy surrounding Lasik Eye Surgery. It seemed like the alarms were sounding, and we were going to soon find out that this procedure was much more risky then once thought.The Los Angeles Times points out that the FDA is going to review reported side effects from Lasik eye surgery:

Almost 8 million Americans have had the procedure, and most ended up discarding their eyeglasses or contact lenses without long-term complications, according to doctors and health officials. But a small fraction complain of serious side effects that have left their eyes painfully dry and their vision marred by ghostly shadows or starbursts of color. Some say their sight is so poor they can’t watch a movie or drive at night.

But after researching the news and facts on Lasik surgery, I came to the conclusion that the benefits of this surgery (at least for me) far outweigh any risk. Every person who I’ve talked to that has had this procedure was happy with it. Even the people who suffered with side effects for months after their surgery, still had no regrets.

Like Miriam from The Moh You Know:

Last November I got Lasik surgery and have never seen better! Of course, there were a few side effects the first couple of months after which included:

• the first night was tough and painful, but the next morning I was pain-free
• very minimal dry eye
• halos and rings during night time driving
• light sensitivity
  

It all wore off within a few months and I haven’t seen better. It’s the best thing I’ve done to myself.

So, what is Lasik? And how do you know if it’s right for you? This is from the FDA website:

LASIK is a surgical procedure intended to reduce a person’s dependency on glasses or contact lenses.

LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A mechanical microkeratome (a blade device) or a laser keratome (a laser device) is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middlesection of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced. There are other techniques and many new terms related to LASIK that you may hear about.

At WebMD, you can also find a section about some of the disadvantages of this eye surgery:

• Changes made to the cornea cannot be reversed after LASIK laser eye surgery.
• Corrections can only be made by additional LASIK laser eye surgeries.
• LASIK laser eye surgery is expensive, typically costing $2,200 to $2,250 per eye; though compared to the cost of glasses and contact lenses, the price is reasonable.
• LASIK laser eye surgery is technically complex. Problems may occur when the doctor cuts the flap, which can permanently affect vision.
• LASIK laser eye surgery can cause a loss of “best” vision with or without glasses at 1 year after surgery. Your best vision is the highest degree of vision that you achieved while wearing your contacts or eyeglasses.

For the record there is no surgery that has zero risk, and that goes for Lasik eye surgery as well. So, if you are considering having this procedure done, you need to make your own decision about whether it is worth the risk. If you decide that you want to have this surgery, then the most important step becomes finding a good Lasik doctor:

This is probably the hardest choice to be made after the initial decision to have refractive surgery. Factors such as word of mouth, reputation, certifications, and membership in associations are clearly important.

What the educated patient needs is a surgeon and center that not only minimizes the risks as much as possible, but also does everything possible to maximize the visual outcome. Although it is tempting to assume the surgeon or center that advertises the most is probably the best, in many cases this is not true.

What if you’re not sure about Lasik? Are there any other alternatives? Of course there are. This is from an Associated Press article about alternatives to Lasik:

Frightened by headlines about Lasik side effects? Lasik gets all the advertising, but there are half a dozen alternate eye surgeries — from a simpler laser approach to implantable lenses — that might solve your squint.

They all have their own risks. A key is finding a surgeon who doesn’t have a favorite but is qualified to evaluate patients for all of the options, to find the best fit.

If you’re like me and blind as a bat without your glasses, you might want to look into Lasik. Don’t let the media hoopla frighten you; make your decision based on facts, not fear.

I am a Contributing Editor for BlogHer Health & Wellness and founder of The Political Voices of Women. I am a writer, blogger, nurse, and mother of two. As someone who suffers with chronic illness, I am also a patient advocate, and host a blog in support of living well with chronic illness. To learn more about me and my many blogs, visit my website CatherineBlogs. See Catherine Morgan’s other posts and profile.

Get Motivated To Diet and Exercise With SkinnySongs

Get Motivated With SkinnySongs — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)

Motivation is the number one thing we all need if we are going to be successful at losing weight. But, it’s also the number one thing that tends to slip through our fingers and land us back in the cookie jar. Now, thanks to venture capitalist Heidi Roizen, staying motivated is as easy as popping a disk into our CD player. That’s because, when Heidi couldn’t find music to help her stay excited about dieting and getting back into her skinny jeans, she decided to write her own. She began to write motivational lyrics on losing weight and getting in shape…And that is when the idea for “SkinnySongs” was born.

Last week I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to ask Heidi a couple of questions about SkinnySongs…

1. How did you come up with the idea for SkinnySongs? What was your inspiration?

I got on the scale one morning, after a big night out, and much to my horror I had hit an all time high — at 190 pounds I was 45 pounds more than I was when I got married, and I weighed more than my husband, who is a pretty big guy! I was facing my 50th birthday a few months off, and knew I did not want to enter the ‘back 50’ feeling or looking like that. Unfortunately, I knew I would be facing a challenge ( a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, to be exact) at the first meeting I was going to. I got in my car to head to the meeting, mentally steeling myself for resisting the cookies, and the CD player came on. It was then I thought, that there must be great music to pump you up about taking care of yourself and sticking to a plan, like “I will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor got me through a few breakups, or more recently, “18 Wheeler” by Pink got me through a few tough work situations. So I went looking for it… But I couldn’t find what I wanted. I found weight loss meditation, podcasts, audio books — but what I wanted was fun, upbeat, current music, that sounds just like what I listen to on the radio — but with lyrics that would speak to me and reinforce my goals. I didn’t find it, so got inspired to do it myself!

2. How long did it take you to get from idea to realization?

I thought of the idea in May and we had the CD mastered just two weeks before the end of the year. For the first few months, I was experimenting with writing lyrics (I ended up writing over 40 songs to get to the 10 on the CD) and of course doing the most important thing, pitching the idea to the peole whose involvement was critical — the producers George Daly and David Malloy. I knew that in order for the music to work, it had to be just as good as top quality hits, or people would chose to listen to other things instead. Both George and David are longtime music industry execs, leaders in their fields, with tons of music awards, gold and platinum records, and hits to their names as both producers and songwriters. They were the ones who took my lyrics and worked with me to turn the ideas into reality.

3. Were shirts part of your original plan?

Actually, I had made up the ‘do not feed’ shirt years before this, as well as one that says ‘kick my a**’ (not in the lineup!) that I wear when I work out with a trainer. So the shirts seemed a natural extension once I got going. Just like it surprised me there is no music for this topic, it surprised me that there is so little choice for shirts to wear when exercising that reinforce the message you’re trying to stick with. All the shirts in the SkinnySongs lineup are intended to be fun reminders of what you are doing and why, and in the case of “Do Not Feed”, it usually gets a laugh from your friends, but maybe also, they won’t try to force that second piece of pie in your direction.

4. You created Skinnysongs as a motivator for your weight-loss. Have you met your goals?

It has been a great motivator for me. I have lost over thirty pounds as well as increasing my muscle mass. It took me six months to reach my goal, but I went from a size 14 to a size 8 and am back in my skinny jeans. I really do listen to the music every day, it puts me in a great mood and gives me the positive reinforcement about sticking to the plan and not letting food control my life.

5. What advice do you have for other women who are looking to begin a weight-loss plan?

I wish all you had to do was listen to SkinnySongs and you’d reach your goals, but sadly that isn’t the case! It is, of course, all about diet and exercise. For me, it was also about making a series of small but important, permanent lifestyle changes — I didn’t gain 40+ pounds because I had a bad week, and I wouldn’t have taken it off either (nor kept it off) by just ‘going on a diet.’ I committed to getting control over my emotional eating by following a schedule of eating five small meals a day, three hours apart, and not touching food in between, just because it smelled good or I was having an emotional moment. I incorporated strength training and walking into my DAILY routine, I do at least one of these things every single day. I keep myself motivated through celebrating my successes with a nice clothing item here or there, that I couldn’t have worn a year ago. And I read about other success stories as well as listen to SkinnySongs to keep the motivation up, since this is not something you do and then be done with, rather it is a part of how you live your life going forward from here on. I’m happy to say I turned 50 a few weeks ago and I look better and feel better than I did at my 40th birthday!

Heidi also has a great website for SkinnySongs. Where you can listen to samples of each of the songs, learn about the artists involved in the making of SkinnySongs, and even get some really cool shirts to workout in. There is also a clip of Heidi’s appearance on the Martha Stewart show. It’s a great site, you should really check it out.

Anyway, the music on this CD is great, and just what the motivation doctor ordered. I imagine the only thing missing, would be subliminal messages telling us that cookies taste like cardboard and dieting is fun. But, if you’re not having any fun with your current weight-loss and workout plan, or you just need more motivation to stay on track, then you might want to give SkinnySongs a try…Because, Doesn’t music always make everything a little better?

Also see posts from…

Jacki at That’s Fit

Amy at Diabetes Mine

Heather at The Well Mom

Eating Healthy in Three Easy Steps

Top Three Tips For Eating Healthy — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at Qvisory)

I am a firm believer that the number one thing any of us can do to promote good health…Is to eat a healthy, well balanced diet. Regardless of your weight (even if you are thin or at an ideal weight), it’s important that we all try to eat healthy. Unfortunately, that is sometimes the hardest thing for many of us to do.

It can be overwhelming for someone with “questionable” eating habits to make the changes necessary for good health. But, it’s also the best thing you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and chronic illness. So, what can we do? Well, I recommend you take it slow, and not put too much pressure on yourself.

Don’t decide today to make radical changes in your eating habits. If you do that you are setting yourself up for failure. Instead, let’s look at what I believe are the top three changes you can make that won’t be hard for you to stick to. Once you have conquered these three things, you will become empowered to continue taking a step at a time toward healthier eating habits and a healthier life. So, let’s give it a try.

#1 Increase your water intake. It’s amazing how easy it is to get busy with our work day, and totally forget that we haven’t had a glass of water all day. More than likely, even if you drink water, you are not drinking enough. Here is a great Hydration Calculator from About.com, that can help you pinpoint just how much water you should be drinking.

Hydration Challenge: If you already drink enough water, then take healthy hydration to it’s next level. Stop drinking soda (even diet soda is bad for you). I know that may sound radical to many people who are soda junkies, but aside from drinking pure fructose syrup, soda is just about the worse thing you can drink. Sorry about that. So, if you only drink soda occasionally, stop cold turkey right now. If you drink several cans of soda a day, then start cutting back gradually.

#2 Cut back on cookies, candy, and ice-cream. We need sugar for good health, but not the kind of sugar that is in these yummy dessert treats. And this type of sugar really is addicting…the more you eat it, the more you want it. Even if your preferred dessert has no fat, it is still fattening, and that is because unused sugar in our bodies turns to fat. I know it’s a bummer, but it’s true.

So, how do we cut back on desserts when they are soooo yummy? Try starting a list (nothing fancy), and write down what and when you eat one of these sugar filled treats. Now go back to your list…Is there any way you could consider replacing one of those items with a healthier sweet treat? Make one change at a time, with your goal being, to eventually change to healthy sweets altogether.

High Fructose Challenge: If you already turn your nose up to cookies, and candy (good for you), now take it to the next level. Make a conscious effort to monitor your intake of sugar and high fructose syrup, by always checking labels. You would be surprised how much of this stuff is sneaking into our diets. For example, you may think eating canned or jarred fruit is good for you, but many (for reasons I can not understand, considering fruit is naturally sweet), add tons of sugar and fructose. Always check and try to get only fruit without added sugar. Other items that seem healthy but you should check the ingredients before you buy are…cereal, yogurt, and all packaged treats that claim to be low in fat and/or calories.

#3 Cut back on high fat snacks and fast food. Use the same method I have mentioned above for sugar, and do the same thing with your high fat intake. Figure out what you are eating, and then gradually make changes. Just noticing what areas you could make changes in, will make it easier for you to find ways to eliminate or reduce the amount of fatty foods you ingest.

High Fat Challenge: If you already eat very little high fat junk foods, then try taking it to the next level. As with sugar, fat is sneaking into foods in greater numbers than you may realize. Try to make it a habit to check labels and compare. Make choices that have zero trans-fat (as this is the fat that is the worst for you), and lower in fat.

So, there you have it. Don’t be overwhelmed. Just make a commitment to yourself that you will be aware of what you are putting into your body, and gradually make changes. Once you have been successful with one change make another, and so on, and so on. Before you know it, you will be eating healthy. As you make these changes, you will also begin to notice that you feel better and have more energy, making it easier for you to continue replacing unhealthy foods for healthy ones.

I hope I’ve given you something to think about.

BlogHer Health and Wellness Roundup

BlogHer Health & Wellness Blog Roundup — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)

Tonight I am surfing the BlogHer Health and Wellness Blogroll. So many great blogs, I wish I could tell you about every one…But you could always do a little surfing yourself.

So, in no particular order, here are eleven blogs that are new to me.

Delicious Wisdom…

Delicious Wisdom was created by a person who wants to help you get processed food out of your diet. And,because it brings about such good things, keep it out of her own.

About Nicole…

Nicole deVries, HHC is a natural foods chef, non-practicing artist and certified Holistic Health Counselor. After eating this way–with the more than occasional cookie or Waffle House break–for over a decade, she’s figured out how to turn basically any unhealthy, processed food recipe into a whole food one. Follow along and you’ll be able to do it too.

Eat, Pray, Run…

The title of this blog is inspired by the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Eat, Pray, Love is Gilbert’s story of how she found contentment during her journey across Italy, India and, Indonesia.

This blog is my first Elizabeth Gilbert-esque step toward discovering, and rediscovering, myself — someone who I seemed to have lost touch with a bit somewhere along the way. Join me in discussions about health and nutrition, inspiration, fitness and, of course, good food to eat!

Mirror Image - Healing The World From The Inside Out…

What’s wrong with the world is what’s wrong with me. That’s why “there are no accidents” and “everything happens for a reason.” Instead of judging external problems, it’s my job to see them as a reflection of the internal me, and act accordingly.

Family In Shape…

Are you looking for new ways to get your family in shape? This blog is to inspire families, like yours, with ideas that will get you on the right path to a healthier lifestyle. I am a military spouse and busy mom of four and a Certified Group and Personal Fitness Trainer, but you can call me Spin Diva. Finding the time to exercise, energize and revitalize is not easy, but we can do it together. I am passionate about teaching others how to reach their fitness goals and bring the kids along with them.

Get on board and spin along with me. Turn your wheels my way again soon and see what new ideas are cycling through this site!

We Are One World Healing…

To help individual heal their own immediate world first, this blog covers alternative health therapies, such as aromatherapy, chakra balancing, crystals, healing energy, reiki, wicca, etc; spiritual topics, inspirational healing stories and healing ‘how to’s.

Nicole’s Weight Watchers Journey…

Join me as I get healthy, lose weight, overcome depression, nurture my family, open my mind and generally try to do my part to make the world a better place.

Weight 1 Day - Fabulous @ 50…

Sharing my story of weight loss, and gain, and loss… as I work my way through a 200 lb weight loss on my way to becoming and fabulous at 50.

Taking Care of Ourselves - A Small Person;s Guide To Self Defense…

We can take care of ourselves. Self defense isn’t limited to those with the talent and fortitude for mastering the martial arts, nor is it the sole domain of certified “tough guys.” Anyone can learn the basic skills of self protection.

And while learning a few strikes or blocks can be useful, self defense rarely requires a fight. By paying attention and trusting their instincts, most people can protect themselves without punching someone out.

This blog challenges the myths that leave far too many people scared and helpless and provides information to those interested in practical self defense.

Non-Toxic Kids - Helping Your Kids Stay Safe, Healthy, and Smart…

Americans make the assumption that all products on our store shelves have been tested by someone, somewhere. Well, obviously in light of the recent recalls, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. We here at Non-Toxic kids are researching products, data and information that will help you make your consumer choices healthier for your kids, families, and our environment. From sippy cups and baby bottles, to baby carriers and sleepers, we will give you a summary of an issue or concern, product reviews and recommendations, and where to go for further information. From my family to yours, in good health.

The Body Chronic…

Life, love and laughter with insulin resistance, PCOS, pelvic floor dysfunction and everything else my body cooks up. Daily inspiration and new insights.

Autismville…

I’m the happily-married, forty-something, retired CPA/mom of one drama-queen/second-grader and a preschooler with autism. I write a blog for Parents.com about parenting a child with autism. The view here in Autismville is guaranteed to refocus your perspective in ways you never imagined. Stop by and take a peek.

Thanks for taking this stroll down the Health and Wellness Blogroll. Have a great weekend.

Are You Stressing Over Money? It Could Be Making You Sick.

Stressing Over Money Can Make You Sick — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)

Do you stress over money? I do. With the way the economy is going, if you’re not stressing over money now, you sure could be in the near future. Gas prices are going up, home values are going down, and what money we do have is buying less and less. The thing about stressing over money is…It doesn’t pay the bills. What it can do is make you sick.

Yes, stressing over money (or anything for that matter) can and does make you sick. How sick? Here is an excerpt from an article at About.com, that addresses Health Problems Associated With Stress…

Science is constantly learning about the impact that stress has on your overall health. Stress is or may be a contributing factor in everything from backaches and insomnia to cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome (many people believe that CFS and fibromyalgia are the same illness).

Stress is often a key factor when women experience either absence of menstruation or abnormal bleeding. Hormonal imbalances caused by stress may proliferate the symptoms of fibroid tumors and endometriosis, as well as make pregnancy difficult to achieve for couples with fertility problems.

Heart disease is the number one killer of American women. High blood pressure, heart attacks, heart palpitations, and stroke may be stress related cardiovascular conditions. Some women experience changes in their sexuality and encounter various sexual dysfunctions such as loss of desire and vaginal dryness as a result of stress.

Often people feel the effects of stress as fatigue, various aches and pains, headaches, or as emotional disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Stress affects others by causing gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcers, lower abdominal cramps, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Frequently people under the effects of over stress will have more colds and infections due to lowered immune system responses. Stress can initiate dermatological conditions such as itchy skin and rashes.

Wow. That’s a lot of problems. So, what is a person to do? Well, learning to control the things we can control, and letting go of the rest, is a good first step…and potentially, the hardest step. Maybe we can find something that will help…

Here is a post from ChEsKa’S pRiDe — The 10 Essentials for Relieving Stress

Also check out WebMD’s Letting Go of Stess.

Everyone feels stressed these days. But do you really know what that means? Do you understand what daily stress does to your body, mind and spirit? Over the next four weeks, you’ll learn to identify exactly what causes you stress. Equally important, you’ll find out how to manage your stress and become more relaxed.

From About.com — Money, Stress, and Happiness

If you stress about money, you’re not alone: a significant amount of Americans are deeply in debt, living beyond their means, don’t have a clear plan to solve their financial problems, and stress about it quite a bit. The fear, stress and conflict associated with money issues can also impact your personal happiness. The following resources can help you to create a plan for yourself to get out of debt, if necessary, make your money go further, and plan for your future. Once you have a plan, you should feel significantly less stressed about money. When money is less of an issue, rather than being enslaved by it, you can use it to do the things that make you truly happy.

Also See:

Your 6 Biggest Money Problems, Solved.

Are you stressing over money? Is it making you sick? Is there something special you do that helps reduce your stress?

Successful Healthy Living - How I’ve change my life through motivation, dieting, and yoga.

Successful Healthy Living - Posted by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)

How I’ve change my life through motivation, dieting, and yoga.

Well, not really. It sounds like a good plan though. The truth is…I have no motivation, I haven’t been able to stick to a diet in years, and yoga is just another four letter word to me. When if comes to healthy living…I’m slowly but surely becoming the poster child (middle-aged woman) for unhealthy living.

So, I started this post thinking I might find some motivation to stop eating so much ice-cream and cookies. And then I came across this…

Big Fat Deal - Diet Motivation!

We all know there are people who bitch at their fat spouses for gaining weight, and gym owners who berate and shame fat people. And don’t forget random people on the street who yell things and throw garbage at the overweight and obese. In case that just isn’t motivating enough for you, we now have the talking “diet tile” that you put on the floor in front of the fridge.

Humiliation every time I take a step toward the refrigerator? Not exactly what I had in mind.

I do like the idea of changing my goal from losing weight, to living healthy to 100.

Diet Pulpit - Changing My Goal

I am changing my goal officially (see near top of right side bar under photo) from a goal of healthy weight of 140 lbs to a long term goal of Living Healthy to 100 and beyond.

Who wants to join me in setting their goal for a Fabulous, Awesome, Tenacious and Healthy life (a.k.a. F.A.T. Attitude) instead of worrying over numbers on the scale?

It’s an excellent idea. But, who am I kidding? I couldn’t even make it to 30 being healthy, and now (don’t tell anybody) I’m even older than that. I know…It’s hard to believe.

As I continued to surf the BlogHer Health and Wellness blogroll, I came across this post on yoga…

Sister Skinny - What’s Up With Yoga?

So, anyone want to convince me yoga is the perfect thing for me right now? Want to tell me why you love it? Or have you (like me) had some not-so-fantastic experiences with the whole thing? I’m curious about the general yoga consensus among our readers…(see 40 comments on yoga)

And then, I remembered reading this interesting post…

Frances Ellen Speaks - Hatha Yoga Or A Pedicure?

I got it into my head that I should try yoga. Pretty much, the only things I know about yoga are, it’s a form of relaxation, it helps with flexibility, it’s good for one’s balance and it doesn’t require me to bounce around too much.

I had one problem with the yoga class; it’s held at my local hospital for the 55+ gang on Tuesday evenings and, as it happened, I had an appointment to get a pedicure last Tuesday. Pretty much, what I know about pedicures is it’s a form of relaxation, your feet and legs receive a massage and it, too, requires no bouncing.

Hmm. What to choose, what to choose…

What would you choose? A pedicure is sounding pretty good to me right now. I guess I’m not doing so great in the “motivation” area. And, isn’t that the only way I’ll ever be successful in my quest for health living? I know. I know. Maybe I’ll start being motivated on Monday.

For even more on yoga…

Yoga Chickie

Yoga Gumbo

What I really want to know is…

Can I do yoga while sitting on the couch with my lap-top? It sure would be nice if I could lose weight doing that too.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
CatherineBlogs, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election Blog

$10 Will Help Cambodian Youngster Mon Channy Get An Education and Live a Better Life!

Mon Chany is in the middle

This is a post from Beth’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media

The America’s Giving Challenge will be over in another ten days. Thanks to the generosity of everyone here, we are still in the running to win the $50,000K. If we win, we can help many children like Mon Channy have a better life. And all for a donation of $10 and asking your friends to do the same.

Mon Chany’s Story

Frequently, children in very poor families work in order to bolster the family’s income, and this prevents them from attending school. For Mon Channy,10, The Sharing Foundation’s Khmer Literacy School has provided huge opportunity. Mon Channy is the only child of his widowed mom, who supports herself and her child through her work on the TSF farm. Channy, who is very small, probably due to early malnutrition, is proud to be going to school as his mother never did (see photo). He looks forward to advancing to the village school. His teacher, Ying So Ry, says Channy is a very attentive, hard working student, and she sees a bright future for him.


Both Bora and Nhuong, young people from Cambodia, who are donors to Sharing Foundation, know this story all too well:

As Bora says, “I don’t know what I can do as a single Cambodian citizen to help next generation of my country. But I know for sure that all of our contributions will make different. Our $10 donation can help one child to go to school for the whole month. vuthbora.blogspot.com/2008/01/new-year-welcoming-donation…

Nhuong says,”I understand how difficult it is to obtain an education when you have no money and more importantly when food and clothing are scarce. For most children in Cambodia this is a story that is all too common. Most children are illiterate and work on the family farm. As the country industrializes and leaves behind the agrarian lifestyle, these children grow up to be migrant workers with nowhere to go. Unlike those children, I was lucky enough to come to America and receive an education. This is why this cause is important to me. theasianeconomist.com/?p=6

Global Giving is offering additional incentives to heat up the competition - over the next five days, the organizations that get the most donations in a single 24 hour period will receive an additional $250, plus the largest donation will be matched. So, if you haven’t contributed yet, this would be an excellent time to donate $10!

• Donate $10 or more to the Sharing Foundation through Global Giving Fundraiser set up by Blogger Michele Martin of the Bamboo project!
• If we are four of the top causes to get the most unique donors, we’ll win $50,000 for the Sharing Foundation as part of America’s Giving Challenge. With $10 you can help improve the lives of over 1,500 children in one of the world’s poorest countries.

Four Health Tips To A Longer Life

Four Tips To A Long Life — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)

I was surfing the health and wellness news trying to decide what to post on tonight, and I came across this Reuters article… Four Health Changes Can Prolong Life 14 Years. Who wouldn’t want to prolong their life by 14 years?

So, would you make a “resolution” to make four lifestyle changes, if it would increase your life by 14 years? Better than a New Years Resolution, this would be a “Life Resolution”.

What are the four changes to a longer life?

1) Stop Smoking

2) Eat Five Servings of Fruits and Vegetables a Day

3) Exercise

4) Limit Alcohol Consumption

The lifestyle change with the biggest benefit was giving up smoking, which led to an 80 percent improvement in health, the study found. This was followed by eating fruits and vegetables. Moderate drinking and keeping active brought the same benefits…

Well, that seems pretty simple. While we’re on the subject, why not surf around for some other ways to live longer?

Reducing Stress is a good place to start…

There are few things that cause you more stress and worry than your weight. If you gained a few pounds over the holidays, don’t panic…..yet. According to an article (reprinted below) about a study published last November, people who are a little overweight actually live longer.

Could you live longer if you walked faster? Apparently so…

New research following 500 older people for nearly a decade found quicker walkers were less likely to die. Nine years after initial gait speed was measured, 77 percent of slow walkers had died, compared to only 50 percent of medium speed and 27 percent of fast walkers.

Here are Ten Tips For Aging Consciously and Successfully…

As our population ages, our society is finally recognizing that old age is a gift. Despite some of the negative images in the media, it really is possible to embrace our elderhood as a creative and spiritual journey.

People who have aged successfully share common characteristics.

There is no question that most of our lifestyle choices are what will determine whether we age in good physical and mental health or fall prey to sickness and disability. Although it may be a cliché, moderation is the key in everything. By practicing moderation and following these ten tips, you too can be a “long-liver” and, more importantly, enjoy your elder hood in the process.

See the Ten Tips For Aging Consciously and Successfully

If those ten tips weren’t good enough for you, here are ten more — 10 Tips on How to Live Longer and Happier

Well, there you have it.

No excuses for not living longer now.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at CatherineBlogs.com and The Political Voices of Women

Top 10 Hot Topics From BlogHer Health and Wellness

Top 10 Hot Topics From BlogHer Health and Wellness - by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at CatherineBlogs.com)

It’s the last day of 2007, and I thought I would do this post on some of the hot topics from BlogHer Health and Wellness. So, in no particular order, here is what I think are the top ten. — read the full post at BlogHer.

And, my New Years wish for you…and the world.

Care2 Launches An Election Blog - Bush Vetoes SCHIP Again

 

Hi everyone. I want to take this opportunity to tell you that I am helping to launch a new blog by Care2. It’s called the Care2 Election Blog, and I will be the primary blogger. I hope you’ll stop by and check it out. THIS IS A LINK TO MY FIRST POST. Todays post is on…Another veto by Bush for SCHIP.

I’ll be here at the Care2 Election Blog each day with posts on the latest election news, political commentary and, of course, will address campaign issues that are especially important to the Care2 community, with an emphasis on non-profits. Since this is Care2’s first blog, I hope to get as much feedback from the members of the community as possible…and I look forward to hearing all of your comments and suggestions (so please…don’t be shy). — read my full first post here

If you are not already familiar with Care2, you should go over and check them out. It’s a site that makes it easy to take action on issues that are important to you.

Body Image, Dieting, and Your New Year’s Resolution

Body Image, Dieting, and Your New Year’s Resolution — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)

For many of us, in the next few weeks we will be thinking about one thing, and one thing only. Dieting. The holiday parties will be over, and it will be time to make that inevitable New Year’s Resolution, many of us will resolve to lose weight.

But why? Why will we be so consumed with dieting and losing weight?

Don’t get me wrong, some of us really do need to lose some weight (me included). And we read study after study showing the health risks associated with being overweight. But, let’s get “real” here for a minute…When we say “diet”, we usually mean that we want to get back into our “skinny jeans”. We don’t like how we look, or we think others are judging us for how we look. Yes, we have a poor body image.

Is there not a woman among us who has not struggled with this issue at some point or another? It seems that loving, much less even liking our bodies raises issues. We postpone that love by saying, “I’ll love my body when…” When I lose ten pounds, when I get the face-lift, when I start working out, when the kids are older. But someday never comes, and many of us live in perpetual disregard of our earthly body temples. — read full post

We think that if we can just get down to [enter magic number here] then we will be happy. And the “happy” part is a vicious circle. When we feel we look bad, it makes us sad (even depressed)…Then we run right on over to our “feel good” foods (usually also the fattening foods)…And the cycle continues.

This is from Karly…

I started First Ourselvesafter awakening from years of depression, body bashing, and Mommy martrydom. I saw how my quest for the perfect body, my inability to care for myself, and my self-abuse (I was an expert at beating myself up) kept me stuck: it kept me from being the wife, mother, friend—woman—I wanted to be. I couldn’t share my light, or my gifts with others—I was snuffing them out. Learning to deeply and completely love and accept myself has allowed me to share my light, and speak to my truest passions. My ambition is to help other women do the same.

We know all about how our body images are being manipulated by the media, we know we have unrealistic ideas of what beautiful is…But, we will also still jump down the rabbit hole on January 2nd.

Now, this post isn’t going to try to convince you not to do that. Because in all honesty, I’m jumping right down that dieting rabbit hole with you. I’m just going to ask you to consider a few things first.

So what would it look like to be beautiful today? That’s a hard question for most girls and women. The quick response would usually entail taller, thinner, blonder, straighter teeth, wider eyes, smaller nose, or a myriad of other physical features.

What if you looked in a mirror and saw the words “this is what beautiful looks like” right above your reflection? — read full post here

This is from Big Fat Deal…

Big Fat Deal was born: a blog to help navigate those murky waters of body image, size, healthiness, hottyness, and Star Jones. In the comments here, we try to define who we are: a body positivity blog that is inclusive to people losing weight and people happy to be whatever weight they happen to be.

With her two collaborators, anne and Weetabix, mo pie tries to keep tabs on issues of weight in the media, pop culture, and society. Big Fat Deal is, first and foremost, a community. The thoughtful people who read, comment, and send in tips keep this site going. Here’s a place for you to introduce yourself, if you’d care to. And here is our Flickr photo group–you’re beautiful, you know. Please add your picture. We hope you like it here, you gorgeous thing, you.

More from Karly at First Ourselves…

What is body ease? Body ease is being comfortable with your body; being comfortable with your body as it ages or changes. Body ease is being relaxed about your body or your “imperfections.” It’s letting go of your nitpicking, the ways you fuss or pick at your body to be “better.” Body ease is being comfortable with other women’s bodies; letting other women be beautiful, too. Body ease is separating your self-worth from your appearance, so that when you have a pimple, a cold sore, an extra 20 pounds, a double chin, or wrinkles, that you can accept them, even if you don’t like them. Body ease is caring for, feeding, and exercising your body without neuroticism. Body ease is treating yourself with kindness, compassion, and levity.

So, what’s wrong with treating ourselves with kindness? Absolutely NOTHING, and there is no reason why you can’t make this part of your New Year’s Resolution.

Can you be at ease with your body, and still resolve to lose weight? Sure you can. Just make a resolution to replace some of the junk you’ve been eating with healthy foods, make a resolution to put yourself on the path to healthy living. After-all, healthy living is the kindest thing you can do for yourself.

How many times has “losing weight” been you New Year’s Resolution? What will be your New Year’s Resolution this year? How’s you body image these days? Do you want to lose weight to look better, or feel healthier?
A few other links…

As We Are

Healthier Outcomes

What NOT To Do When You Want To Lose Weight

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at CatherineBlogs.com and The Political Voices of Women

Laura’s Twenty Five Days To Make A Difference

A ten year old girl named Laura has started a blog for the purpose of making a difference, it’s called “Twenty Five Days To Make a Difference“.

Sometimes it takes a child to show adults the way, here are some of her wonderful ideas for making a difference.

You can read more about Laura’s project here.

*I also just came across a beautiful post by Jen Lemen in support of this young girl and her Twenty Five Days To Make a Difference.

Top Ten Health & Wellness Gifts: For The Body, Mind, and Soul.

MY TOP TEN PICKS FOR THE BEST HEALTH AND WELLNESS GIFTS FOR THE BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT

Originally posted at BlogHer, under Health & Wellness, and BlogHer Holiday Guide.

SEE MY TOP TEN PICKS FOR THE BEST HEALTH AND WELLNESS GIFTS FOR THE BODY, MIND, AND SOUL.