Caregivers of Those With Special Needs

Caregiving is an important responsibility that can only be replaced by self-care.  When there is a member of a family with special needs, it takes another family member to provide that self-care care through care-giving.

A care-giver will improve the quality of life and replace self-care by taking responsibility for the loved-one.

A caregiver will be faced with his own responsibility to self-care plus that of the family member with special needs.

For the caregiver there may be many challenges along the way. It is vital that the caregiver keeps a balance in his/her life to maintain health throughout.

Here are some tips from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) on how caregivers can help themselves and the loved one be safe and healthy throughout. The following topics are covered:

• Keeping informed
• Getting support
• Be an advocate
• Be empowering
• Keep balance in the family
• Take care of yourself

Click to read each in detail.

Planning a Healthy Christmas Holiday & New Year?

Christmas is a time for giving gifts, celebrations, parties, food, drinks and booze.

The new year is a time for resolutions. Many resolutions are made, but many are quickly and easily broken. Some reasons for failed resolutions are:

• Resolution not realistic
• Resolution not a priority

Many resolutions are centered around lifestyle changes, self improvement and healthier living. A popular one is ' to lose weight.'

This year at the health boot camp attendees can learn healthy habits as they celebrate the holiday season.  They can set realistic resolutions based on needs.

The camp is online at the webiste without a trip and unnecessary costs. Attendees have an opportunity to preview to prepare.

Attendees will follow the instructions given, they will incorporate them into their daily routine, making changes as necessary.The instructions are for reducing or eliminating health risk factors that contribute to unhealthy lifestyles.

Without leaving home and office they get to identify barriers to healthy lifestyle, barriers to successful New Year resolutions.

Public Health- AN Online Version

When you think of public health the first thing that comes to mind may be health in your local community.
There is a online educational program offering a similar type of health education, only its online and global.
The program uses tutorials to educate and deliver health awareness, the awareness that is usuallly possible through public health services.
The tutorials are on how to eliminate avoidable health risk factors. Reducing them is not only realistic but achievable.

Whats In Volved?

1-Tutorials on Health Risk factors.

2-Workbooks- Contain examples of health scenarios that require the student to put a thinking cap on and apply them to real situations.

3-Assignments-consist of practice scenarios, questions and answers.

4-Links to reference-provide text material to enhance knowledge base.

5-Research reports-provide evidence-based data that can be used to make informed health decisions.

The program also uses a directoty style list of resources to deliver home care tools.

You can follow or fan this program on Facebook.

Your Diet And Smoking Top Risk Factors For Cancer

There is another boost for reducing health risk factors to manage health,this time in cancer prevention.
The two health risk factors in particular are:

1-Smoking
2-Unhealthy eating
They are the top two modifiable health risk factors.

According to a report:
-450,000 fewer Amricans would die each year from smoking if people quitted.
-25% of cancer can be traced to dietary
-Colorful vegetables and fruit would prevent lung cancer
-Vegetable protein over animal protein lowers the risk of cancer
-Plant protein like soy has cancer prevention benefits.

Here is more about this recent report.

These two health risk factors are also used in a patient health education program to teach self care at home.

Why Give Gifts Of Health?

Outcomes Of Giving Gifts Of Health:

• When you give a gift of health you may be providing financial help at a time of health needs.


• Since ill health can accompany financial difficulties. you are helping in more than one ways.


• You will be showing support and not abandonment when lifestyle changes are necessary.


• You can be a valuable source if information to that person.
• You have a happier, healthier family or friend

Giving Gifts For Health & Wellbeing

We may not be able to give a gift of life, but we can all give gifts of health instead of another.

Text messaging & Email effective with Quitters

There is good news for smokers planning to quit. Researchers analysed data from 4 trials in the UK, New Zealand and Norway.

The interventions were:

1. Text messages with advice and encouragement sent regularly to smokers' mobile phone


2. Text messages to the phone in conjunction with email

They found that mobile phone intervention appeared to increase the prevelance of self reported smoking abstinence at 4 weeks after cessation.

They also found an increase in long term self reported quitting with the Internet and text messsages. Data was taken from the same trials. More studies are planned on the long term effects of mobile phones.

If you know of someone who must quit or who is planning to quit give them a gift of one of these text messaging

The Physically Challenged

Health care continues at home after medical intervention or hospitalization.
Life also continues at home for many years after.
The quality of life, though can improve after intervention
If lifestyle is affected and change is necessary an unexpected financial need can add to the fear and anxiety. By giving gifts of health to someone who is physically challenged, you can be supporting them in many ways.
Instead of giving a gift of no health value. Give the physically challenged a gift to improve their health status, a gift to maintain optimum health while in their own environment.
A gift that can speed up recovery or help financially.
This blog is about giving for this purpose.

Giving Gifts At Times Of Need

We give gifts throughout the year and for many occasions. Gifts for:Get well, sympathy, birthdays, retirements, graduations, christmas, weddings, family days and more. This list can go on.
Have you considered giving a gift of health instead of another?
If you or someone you know have an interest in being healthy, giving and receiving gifts of health can be a source of support and encouragement. A gift of health carefully chosen can be of financial help at a time of need.
You can ask for one of these instead of another. To encourage this type of support we have made this blog possible.