Here are 4 diet tips we all need reminded of from time to time.
Diet Tip 1: Never eat standing up.
Mom was right. Sit down and eat your food! Never eat standing up. One of the easiest ways to sabotage your diet is to 'eat without thinking'. Fix yourself a plate. Sit down and eat properly. You'll be less likely to just pop food into your mouth without paying attention.
Diet Tip 2: Fluids
Drinking plain water is always top choice on a diet. You can also drink flavored water instead of soda. Soda is nothing but empty calories. No nutrients, lots of sugar. Instead, grab a bottle of water flavored with a spritz of fruit.
Drink water. Even the FDA recommends at least 8 full 8 ounce glasses of water a day to keep your body working right.
When you're dieting, you should drink even more. It's not just that full feeling - water helps your body digest foods properly, cleans out your system and hydrates you. Many people are a little dehydrated part of the time.
Diet Tip 3: Skip High Fat Foods and Snacks
Skip the fatty snacks fried in hydrogenated oil like potato chips and french fries. These kind of snacks contribute fat and calories and not much else. Foods like this are a no no on a diet.
Instead, grab a handful of dried fruit or a cup of yogurt for the same amount of calories and a lot more nutritional benefit. You want to upgrade your diet in general.
Diet Tip 4: Yes, You Need Exercise
Can't afford a gym membership? Make an agreement with friends or family to exercise together. Make a date at least three times a week to play volleyball, take a walk or spend half an hour doing something active. You will draw closer to your friends and family, while burning off excess weight. Pretty soon every one will notice your weight loss.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Exercise During Pregnancy
One of the best things you can do for yourself and your unborn child during pregnancy is exercise. There are numerous studies that show that women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to have easy labor and deliveries and faster recoveries.
Before you start any exercise program during pregnancy it is essential that you consult with your healthcare provider. For some women it may be more dangerous than beneficial to exercise during pregnancy.
Once you get the go ahead from your doctor, you can embark on an exercise program that is suitable to your stage in pregnancy.
Here are just a few of the benefits associated with exercise during pregnancy:
- Exercise helps combat fatigue.
- Exercise helps minimize back pain because it helps strengthen back muscles.
- Exercise can help promote a smaller amount of fat gain during pregnancy.
- Exercise provides an exceptional form of stress relief.
- Women who exercising during pregnancy are less likely to experience difficult labors.
- Women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster and recover more quickly after delivery.
There are some forms of activity that are better than others during pregnancy. Certain exercises can help promote physical fitness and are less likely to result in injury. Among the best exercises for pregnant moms include:
- Walking
- Swimming
- Stretching
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Dancing
- Stationary Cycling
- Low Impact Prenatal Aerobics
Before you start any exercise program during pregnancy it is essential that you consult with your healthcare provider. For some women it may be more dangerous than beneficial to exercise during pregnancy.
Once you get the go ahead from your doctor, you can embark on an exercise program that is suitable to your stage in pregnancy.
Here are just a few of the benefits associated with exercise during pregnancy:
- Exercise helps combat fatigue.
- Exercise helps minimize back pain because it helps strengthen back muscles.
- Exercise can help promote a smaller amount of fat gain during pregnancy.
- Exercise provides an exceptional form of stress relief.
- Women who exercising during pregnancy are less likely to experience difficult labors.
- Women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster and recover more quickly after delivery.
There are some forms of activity that are better than others during pregnancy. Certain exercises can help promote physical fitness and are less likely to result in injury. Among the best exercises for pregnant moms include:
- Walking
- Swimming
- Stretching
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Dancing
- Stationary Cycling
- Low Impact Prenatal Aerobics
5 Heart Healthy Exercises You Can Do During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of celebration, love, and unwanted but necessary weight gain. However, being pregnant doesn’t mean that your health and figure has to suffer permanent damage. You can gain weight in a healthy fashion while doing some very easy and safe heart healthy pregnancy exercise routines.
One of the simplest and most effective pregnancy exercises you can do is walking. Not only is walking one of the best cardiovascular exercises, it is also one of the safest pregnancy exercises you can engage in. Walking is one of the few pregnancy exercises that you can do for the complete duration of your pregnancy.
Another extremely beneficial heart healthy pregnancy exercise is swimming. Countless doctors and pregnant women have attested to the wonderful benefits of swimming during pregnancy. A weekly pregnancy exercise routine of swimming gives both the arms and legs a great workout while promoting cardiovascular health. Because of the nature of being subdued in water, swimming will also remind expectant mothers what it felt like before the pounds were added on. This is definitely a welcome change every now and then.
The third pregnancy exercise routine you can start doing to keep your body healthy is enrolling in an aerobics class. Many fitness centers and community centers offer low impact aerobics classes for pregnant women. One of the nicer benefits of this pregnancy exercise is that it is done in the company of other pregnant women under the watchful eye of a professional aerobics instructor. This means you are going to get a safe workout catered to the special needs of pregnancy.
Weight training is also a very beneficial pregnancy routine to keep your body healthy. Although you must only use very light weights when engaging in this pregnancy exercise, weight training is an excellent way of toning your body and increasing muscular strength.
The last heart healthy pregnancy exercise you can do to stay fit is Pilates/yoga. Both of these body conditioning exercises promote stretching and flexibility within the muscles. Yoga is also a nice accompaniment to walking. By doing a combination of these pregnancy exercises, you can have a healthy balanced cardiovascular routine.
Being pregnant doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice exercise and health. By walking, swimming, doing aerobics, weight training, and engaging in a Pilates/yoga routine, you can have a healthy and fit pregnancy.
One of the simplest and most effective pregnancy exercises you can do is walking. Not only is walking one of the best cardiovascular exercises, it is also one of the safest pregnancy exercises you can engage in. Walking is one of the few pregnancy exercises that you can do for the complete duration of your pregnancy.
Another extremely beneficial heart healthy pregnancy exercise is swimming. Countless doctors and pregnant women have attested to the wonderful benefits of swimming during pregnancy. A weekly pregnancy exercise routine of swimming gives both the arms and legs a great workout while promoting cardiovascular health. Because of the nature of being subdued in water, swimming will also remind expectant mothers what it felt like before the pounds were added on. This is definitely a welcome change every now and then.
The third pregnancy exercise routine you can start doing to keep your body healthy is enrolling in an aerobics class. Many fitness centers and community centers offer low impact aerobics classes for pregnant women. One of the nicer benefits of this pregnancy exercise is that it is done in the company of other pregnant women under the watchful eye of a professional aerobics instructor. This means you are going to get a safe workout catered to the special needs of pregnancy.
Weight training is also a very beneficial pregnancy routine to keep your body healthy. Although you must only use very light weights when engaging in this pregnancy exercise, weight training is an excellent way of toning your body and increasing muscular strength.
The last heart healthy pregnancy exercise you can do to stay fit is Pilates/yoga. Both of these body conditioning exercises promote stretching and flexibility within the muscles. Yoga is also a nice accompaniment to walking. By doing a combination of these pregnancy exercises, you can have a healthy balanced cardiovascular routine.
Being pregnant doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice exercise and health. By walking, swimming, doing aerobics, weight training, and engaging in a Pilates/yoga routine, you can have a healthy and fit pregnancy.
Weight Loss – The Importance of Low Body Fat
When you hear a doctor or a personal trainer say, “Your body fat is too high, or you are borderline obese, what do you think? Does it matter to you? Does it motivate you to lose weight? Or are the numbers on the scale more important to you?
Most people will always have a love – hate relationship with the scale in their bathroom. However, with the dramatic increase in diabetes and obesity cases in America the importance of keeping your overall body fat down becomes the most important issue to ones health.
What does it mean to be obese? This means that thirty percent or more of your overall body weight is fat. When this occurs, your body has already begun to shut down in many areas. Things that are affected by high levels of body fat are; blood pressure, cholesterol, bone density, energy levels, immune systems and on and on. This is the direct reason for the increase in heart disease, diabetes, and strokes in America.
What is happening behind the scenes is this; muscle burns more calories than fat. If you have less muscle then you are going to burn less fat in day. In addition, aging promotes a decrease in muscle mass naturally. The goal is to slow that natural process down. How do you do that? I call this, “Having synergy in your workout and eating plan.”
Having synergy in your workout plan is accomplished by incorporating all areas of fitness into your weekly activities. The four main areas are; good eating habits, heart exercising (cardiovascular), strength training (weights) and flexibility training (stretching). When all four areas are working well, you can not help but lower your body fat.
When you lower your body fat levels your; blood pressure, stress and cholesterol levels will lower and your strength confidence and stamina will naturally increase.
Are the numbers on the scale important? To your brain and ego maybe, but in the greater health of things, not as much as lowering your body fat levels.
Most people will always have a love – hate relationship with the scale in their bathroom. However, with the dramatic increase in diabetes and obesity cases in America the importance of keeping your overall body fat down becomes the most important issue to ones health.
What does it mean to be obese? This means that thirty percent or more of your overall body weight is fat. When this occurs, your body has already begun to shut down in many areas. Things that are affected by high levels of body fat are; blood pressure, cholesterol, bone density, energy levels, immune systems and on and on. This is the direct reason for the increase in heart disease, diabetes, and strokes in America.
What is happening behind the scenes is this; muscle burns more calories than fat. If you have less muscle then you are going to burn less fat in day. In addition, aging promotes a decrease in muscle mass naturally. The goal is to slow that natural process down. How do you do that? I call this, “Having synergy in your workout and eating plan.”
Having synergy in your workout plan is accomplished by incorporating all areas of fitness into your weekly activities. The four main areas are; good eating habits, heart exercising (cardiovascular), strength training (weights) and flexibility training (stretching). When all four areas are working well, you can not help but lower your body fat.
When you lower your body fat levels your; blood pressure, stress and cholesterol levels will lower and your strength confidence and stamina will naturally increase.
Are the numbers on the scale important? To your brain and ego maybe, but in the greater health of things, not as much as lowering your body fat levels.
Two Substances That May Reduce the Risk Of Cancer
Food helps us by supplying many vital micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Your genetic composition can make you susceptible to some types of cancer. Your way of eating plays a major role in increasing or reducing the risk of cancer.
Phytochemicals are non-nutritive substances found in plants. They protect us against diseases when they are in our body. Isoflavones and Lycopene are phytochemicals.
Isoflavones decrease the risk of breast cancer for premenopausal women, while Lycopene decreases the prostate cancer risk in middle aged men.
Soya is a great source of Isoflavones like genisteinm and daidzein. Although isoflavones are weak estrogens, the established hypothesis has been that isoflavones exert antiestrogenic effects when placed in a high-estrogen environment (pre-menopausal women) and estrogenic effects when in a low-estrogen environment, (post-menopausal women).
Daidzein was found to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in many studies.
Genistein:
- Reduces the protective mechanisms of cancer cells.
- Acts as an antioxidant.
- Inhibits several enzymes in cellular signaling pathways.
- Increases levels of transforming growth factor-beta' that inhibits the growth of tumor cells.
- Inhibits the growth of wide range of both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent cancer cells.
Decreased rates of breast, uterus and prostate cancers are associated with Soya consumption because of its antiestrogenic action.
Lycopenes:
Tomatoes, watermelon and other orange-to-red colored vegetables and fruits like
paprika, rose-hips etc. contain abundant lycopenes. A better level of Lycopene is
produced from tomatoes when they cooked with olive or canola oil.
Lycopenes are natural carotenoids that act as antioxidants. They also block the conversion of food mutagens found in fried, cooked meats and fish in the form of heterocyclic amines.
Lycopenes are good inhibitors of cell proliferation and lower the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol thus minimizing the heart disease risk.
Lycopenes reduce the risk for stomach, breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer. Both raw and cooked tomatoes have same amount of cancer fighting power. Lycopenes stimulate the enzymes that block the carcinogenic damage to the cell.
Phytochemicals are non-nutritive substances found in plants. They protect us against diseases when they are in our body. Isoflavones and Lycopene are phytochemicals.
Isoflavones decrease the risk of breast cancer for premenopausal women, while Lycopene decreases the prostate cancer risk in middle aged men.
Soya is a great source of Isoflavones like genisteinm and daidzein. Although isoflavones are weak estrogens, the established hypothesis has been that isoflavones exert antiestrogenic effects when placed in a high-estrogen environment (pre-menopausal women) and estrogenic effects when in a low-estrogen environment, (post-menopausal women).
Daidzein was found to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in many studies.
Genistein:
- Reduces the protective mechanisms of cancer cells.
- Acts as an antioxidant.
- Inhibits several enzymes in cellular signaling pathways.
- Increases levels of transforming growth factor-beta' that inhibits the growth of tumor cells.
- Inhibits the growth of wide range of both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent cancer cells.
Decreased rates of breast, uterus and prostate cancers are associated with Soya consumption because of its antiestrogenic action.
Lycopenes:
Tomatoes, watermelon and other orange-to-red colored vegetables and fruits like
paprika, rose-hips etc. contain abundant lycopenes. A better level of Lycopene is
produced from tomatoes when they cooked with olive or canola oil.
Lycopenes are natural carotenoids that act as antioxidants. They also block the conversion of food mutagens found in fried, cooked meats and fish in the form of heterocyclic amines.
Lycopenes are good inhibitors of cell proliferation and lower the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol thus minimizing the heart disease risk.
Lycopenes reduce the risk for stomach, breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer. Both raw and cooked tomatoes have same amount of cancer fighting power. Lycopenes stimulate the enzymes that block the carcinogenic damage to the cell.
Fats and carbohydrates – their place in your healthy diet
Lately it would seem that fats and carbohydrates have both gotten a bad rap. First it was fat that was the culprit in all dietary ills, and low fat diets were all the rage. Then the two switched places, with carbohydrates being the bad guys and fat reigning supreme.
As with most extremes, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. There is no such thing as a bad food, only bad dietary choices. While some foods are naturally better for you than others, there is no reason that all foods cannot be enjoyed in moderation. After all, the most successful diet is not one that you can follow for a day, a week or even a year. On the contrary, the only successful diet and nutrition program is one that you will be able to follow for a lifetime.
Both fats and carbohydrates play an important role in nutrition, and both are important to a healthy diet. It would be impossible and unwise to eliminate all fat from the diet, since fat is important for the production of energy, and for carrying valuable fat soluble vitamins like vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K, throughout the body. In addition, fat plays a vital role in regulating various bodily functions.
Even though some fat is essential to a healthy body, too much fat can be harmful. Excessive levels of dietary fats have been implicated in heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol levels and even some cancers. Most nutritionists recommend limiting daily fat intake to less than 20% of calories, although taking that level lower than 10% is not recommended.
Of course not all fats are created equal, and some fats are more harmful than others. Saturated fats and trans fats are generally understood to be more harmful in the diet than polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These lighter fats, like canola oil and olive oil, should form the basis of cooking a healthier diet.
Keeping saturated fats and trans fats to a minimum is important to a healthy diet. Trans fats, which are solid at room temperature, are most often found in highly processed foods like cookies, cakes and other baked goods. In addition, trans fats are often found in fried foods and in salty snacks like potato chips. While these foods are fine in moderation, it is best to avoid large quantities of such snacks.
One additional word here about good fats – yes there are such things, and one of the most powerful of these are the so called omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are most often found in fish, and they have shown great promise in preventing and even reversing heart disease and high cholesterol levels.
When limiting your daily intake of fat and cholesterol, it is good to have an understanding of nutritional labels. These government mandated labels can be a huge help to those who take the time to read and understand them. Not only do nutritional labels provide valuable information on calories, fat content and sodium, but they provide valuable information about the most important vitamins and minerals as well.
Like fats, carbohydrates are found in a variety of different foods, some healthier than other. For instance, both Twinkies and whole wheat bread are sources of carbohydrates, but while one can form the basis of a healthy diet, the other is best used as an occasional snack.
In addition to cereals and breads, carbohydrates are also present in fruits and vegetables and in milk and other dairy products. Carbohydrates and fats are both important to a healthy, varied diet.
As with many products, less is often more when it comes to choosing foods rich in carbohydrates. For instance, less refined whole grain bread is generally more nutritious than white bread which has gone through a greater amount of refining. That is because the refining process tends to reduce nutrient content over time.
Of course, there are some elements in the diet that should be limited. Two of these elements are sugar and salt. Most Americans consume too much salt and sugar, and this has led to epidemics of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other ills. Limiting sugar and salt, while choosing good fats and unrefined carbohydrates, is a great way to maximize the nutritional value of the foods you eat.
As with most extremes, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. There is no such thing as a bad food, only bad dietary choices. While some foods are naturally better for you than others, there is no reason that all foods cannot be enjoyed in moderation. After all, the most successful diet is not one that you can follow for a day, a week or even a year. On the contrary, the only successful diet and nutrition program is one that you will be able to follow for a lifetime.
Both fats and carbohydrates play an important role in nutrition, and both are important to a healthy diet. It would be impossible and unwise to eliminate all fat from the diet, since fat is important for the production of energy, and for carrying valuable fat soluble vitamins like vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K, throughout the body. In addition, fat plays a vital role in regulating various bodily functions.
Even though some fat is essential to a healthy body, too much fat can be harmful. Excessive levels of dietary fats have been implicated in heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol levels and even some cancers. Most nutritionists recommend limiting daily fat intake to less than 20% of calories, although taking that level lower than 10% is not recommended.
Of course not all fats are created equal, and some fats are more harmful than others. Saturated fats and trans fats are generally understood to be more harmful in the diet than polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These lighter fats, like canola oil and olive oil, should form the basis of cooking a healthier diet.
Keeping saturated fats and trans fats to a minimum is important to a healthy diet. Trans fats, which are solid at room temperature, are most often found in highly processed foods like cookies, cakes and other baked goods. In addition, trans fats are often found in fried foods and in salty snacks like potato chips. While these foods are fine in moderation, it is best to avoid large quantities of such snacks.
One additional word here about good fats – yes there are such things, and one of the most powerful of these are the so called omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are most often found in fish, and they have shown great promise in preventing and even reversing heart disease and high cholesterol levels.
When limiting your daily intake of fat and cholesterol, it is good to have an understanding of nutritional labels. These government mandated labels can be a huge help to those who take the time to read and understand them. Not only do nutritional labels provide valuable information on calories, fat content and sodium, but they provide valuable information about the most important vitamins and minerals as well.
Like fats, carbohydrates are found in a variety of different foods, some healthier than other. For instance, both Twinkies and whole wheat bread are sources of carbohydrates, but while one can form the basis of a healthy diet, the other is best used as an occasional snack.
In addition to cereals and breads, carbohydrates are also present in fruits and vegetables and in milk and other dairy products. Carbohydrates and fats are both important to a healthy, varied diet.
As with many products, less is often more when it comes to choosing foods rich in carbohydrates. For instance, less refined whole grain bread is generally more nutritious than white bread which has gone through a greater amount of refining. That is because the refining process tends to reduce nutrient content over time.
Of course, there are some elements in the diet that should be limited. Two of these elements are sugar and salt. Most Americans consume too much salt and sugar, and this has led to epidemics of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other ills. Limiting sugar and salt, while choosing good fats and unrefined carbohydrates, is a great way to maximize the nutritional value of the foods you eat.
Are You Sometimes Confused by Written Medical Instructions?
Now, imagine what it would be like if you were sick, scared and
had only third grade reading skills. Your doctor tells you, "You've
got to follow these instructions exactly, or you could die."
About 200 recent studies have shown the reading difficulty of
most health related materials FAR exceeds the average reading
abilities of the American adult. One of the biggest silent health
problems today is the gap between health materials and reading
skills.
In the United States, the average reading level is eighth grade.
In 1992, the Educational Testing Service determined that half
U.S. adults read at between first and eight grade level. That is
about 148 million people. It gets worse. One quarter of Americans
read BELOW FOURTH GRADE level, meaning 74 million people would
struggle with even the simplest, most well written health
materials.
Does it matter? Do you remember the anthrax scare, when someone
was putting deadly white powder into our mail system?
During that terrorist scare, the U.S. post office mailed millions
of post cards to Americans. The post cards told people how to
protect themselves from the deadly infection. They gave
instructions on how to handle and report suspicious mail. These
post cards were written at between ninth and eleventh grade
reading level.
More than half the people who got that mailing could not read it
well enough to protect themselves and others. Does it matter? Do
148 million people matter? Will it matter the next time the
terrorists strike?
Do you remember the mailing the Surgeon General sent out
explaining how to avoid contracting HIV? He made every effort to
see that it was written in clear, simple language. He got
criticism for just how plain talking it was in places. A later
evaluation of that document showed that it was written at between
seventh and ninth grade level. Half the people receiving it read
at a level BELOW what was required to read it. No wonder the
infection keeps spreading.
Think about it. For millions of people, the problem is not just
the tiny print on prescription bottles. The problem is the words
themselves. What does "take on an empty stomach" mean exactly?
When should you "take four times a day"? Perhaps your doctor
explained to you at the office. Do you remember what the doctor
said a week later?
Have you ever read the instructions for testing and assessing
blood sugar levels? Have you ever tried to fill out a Medicare
form? Do you struggle with letters from your health insurance
provider?
Only 45% of asthmatics with literacy problems knew that they
should stay away from things they are allergic to even if they
WERE taking asthma medication. 89% of the people reading at high
school level were clear about the same information. It's not a
matter of intelligence. It's a matter of a missing skill which
well-educated health providers presume is present in their
readers when they sit down to write.
There are two parts to the problem: the writer and the reader.
Recently, the public health community has begun efforts to raise
awareness. They are alerting the medical providers to the impact
of health literacy issues. Some fledgling efforts are underway to
provide clearer, simpler materials for the public. People are
finding alternatives to reading for presenting the same
information.
There is a long way to go. Sign up now with your local literacy
program as a volunteer.
Drop in on your elderly neighbor and help her learn to read the
specialized health material so critical in her life. (You may
want to ask her about her life first, to save embarrassment when
you learn you're talking to a retired English teacher). Start
with all those ridiculously obscure materials her doctor sent
home with her about glaucoma. You can go on to that Medicare form
she needs to send in tomorrow.
Do you want to know what eighth grade reading level is? You just
read 700 words of it. 74 million Americans reading at below
fourth grade level could have found it too hard for them to
understand.
The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.
had only third grade reading skills. Your doctor tells you, "You've
got to follow these instructions exactly, or you could die."
About 200 recent studies have shown the reading difficulty of
most health related materials FAR exceeds the average reading
abilities of the American adult. One of the biggest silent health
problems today is the gap between health materials and reading
skills.
In the United States, the average reading level is eighth grade.
In 1992, the Educational Testing Service determined that half
U.S. adults read at between first and eight grade level. That is
about 148 million people. It gets worse. One quarter of Americans
read BELOW FOURTH GRADE level, meaning 74 million people would
struggle with even the simplest, most well written health
materials.
Does it matter? Do you remember the anthrax scare, when someone
was putting deadly white powder into our mail system?
During that terrorist scare, the U.S. post office mailed millions
of post cards to Americans. The post cards told people how to
protect themselves from the deadly infection. They gave
instructions on how to handle and report suspicious mail. These
post cards were written at between ninth and eleventh grade
reading level.
More than half the people who got that mailing could not read it
well enough to protect themselves and others. Does it matter? Do
148 million people matter? Will it matter the next time the
terrorists strike?
Do you remember the mailing the Surgeon General sent out
explaining how to avoid contracting HIV? He made every effort to
see that it was written in clear, simple language. He got
criticism for just how plain talking it was in places. A later
evaluation of that document showed that it was written at between
seventh and ninth grade level. Half the people receiving it read
at a level BELOW what was required to read it. No wonder the
infection keeps spreading.
Think about it. For millions of people, the problem is not just
the tiny print on prescription bottles. The problem is the words
themselves. What does "take on an empty stomach" mean exactly?
When should you "take four times a day"? Perhaps your doctor
explained to you at the office. Do you remember what the doctor
said a week later?
Have you ever read the instructions for testing and assessing
blood sugar levels? Have you ever tried to fill out a Medicare
form? Do you struggle with letters from your health insurance
provider?
Only 45% of asthmatics with literacy problems knew that they
should stay away from things they are allergic to even if they
WERE taking asthma medication. 89% of the people reading at high
school level were clear about the same information. It's not a
matter of intelligence. It's a matter of a missing skill which
well-educated health providers presume is present in their
readers when they sit down to write.
There are two parts to the problem: the writer and the reader.
Recently, the public health community has begun efforts to raise
awareness. They are alerting the medical providers to the impact
of health literacy issues. Some fledgling efforts are underway to
provide clearer, simpler materials for the public. People are
finding alternatives to reading for presenting the same
information.
There is a long way to go. Sign up now with your local literacy
program as a volunteer.
Drop in on your elderly neighbor and help her learn to read the
specialized health material so critical in her life. (You may
want to ask her about her life first, to save embarrassment when
you learn you're talking to a retired English teacher). Start
with all those ridiculously obscure materials her doctor sent
home with her about glaucoma. You can go on to that Medicare form
she needs to send in tomorrow.
Do you want to know what eighth grade reading level is? You just
read 700 words of it. 74 million Americans reading at below
fourth grade level could have found it too hard for them to
understand.
The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
