Thursday, December 16, 2010

Reflection: Weeks 13-14 & Overall Course


I really liked when we went to the Goodwill and learn about how the company operates. I think it was really cool that they help people with disabilities and let them work there. It was also really interesting to hear how much they recycle and what kind of different things they recycle. It was pretty neat to walk around and see how they sort all the different kinds of product.
The online learning activity was good and a fun way to learn about different material. There was a lot of new information for me when I was doing the different activities.

I definitely feel like I learned a lot on this class. I think the documentaries taught me the most, especially the video called Tapped. It is really sad how much plastic there is in the ocean, and even sadder how the water manufacturers are taking our water and selling it back to us with higher prices. It was a really interesting video and after seeing it I haven’t bought any plastic bottles. Another thing that was really interesting and made me change some of my habits was when we did the Ecological footprint. I couldn’t believe that it would take 5 planets to support my lifestyle. I have started to take the bus to school or drive more with my roommates. I really enjoyed making the SMART goal and truly changed some of my habits. I am now drinking more water and only using my reusable water bottle. I also use my reusable bags whenever I go shopping so I don’t have to get plastic ones.
I think it was fun to make the junk project and see what kind of different things my classmates did.
This is my junk project, money bank.
 

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

Air Quality Crossword Puzzle

I think this was a really fun learning activity. There were four websites that pertain to air quality issues both locally and nationally and I needed to read the articles to find the answers to the crossword puzzle. It was fun and I also learned a number of new things about our air quality.

Uncovering the Facts about Cancer

1. First visit the WebMD webpage related to cancer and find 3 facts about cancer that interest you or that you never knew. 
- I didn’t know that there are more than 100 types of cancer and that breast cancer in men is not uncommon. Also, I didn’t know that coffee is used to prevent gastrointestinal cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer.
2. Next, visit the American Cancer Society Cancer causes webpage and read about the different known causes of cancer. Be able to list 3. 
- Tobacco, diet and physical activity, sun and UV exposure.
3. Once you feel you know what the causes/ risk factors are for cancer, go to this webpage from Preventcancer.org and read about things you can do to reduce your risk for cancer. 
4. Report 3 common causes of cancer and describe 3 of the ways you think you could best protect YOURSELF against cancer. If you already meet all the criteria, discuss changes you think are the most helpful in general
- Smoking can cause lung cancer. I have never smoked and I am trying to get my friend to stop smoking.
- Get screened. I need to make sure that I get screened using tests such as the Pap test and a mammogram.
- Wear sunscreen. Skin cancer is the most common and most preventable types of cancer. I usually use sunscreen, but there are times that I don’t think I need it. I really need to make sure that I use it more often.

By doing this learning activity I learned a lot about different cancers and what the risk factors are for cancer. I also learned what I can do to protect myself against cancer.

Health Insurance for All

I needed to watch a video and visit two different websites and play a game to learn about health insurance. After that I needed to share one or two things I learned from this activity.
By watching the video, I now understand better how health insurance works and after visiting the websites and reading about health insurance I understand how important it is to have health insurance in the U.S.

Emergency Contraception 101
After reading 10 Common Myths, Misunderstandings, and big Ol’ Lies About Emergency Contraception, please list 3 myths and why they are false.

1. The morning after pill is the same as abortion.
EC is called contraception because it is birth control: it can prevent pregnancy. That is what it is designed to do and all it is designed to do.

2. It's difficult to get.
In most areas of the western world, it's not difficult to get and in most of the world as a whole at this point, some form of EC can be obtained. In the United States, those over 17 can get it without a prescription.

3. It's hazardous to my health.
Less so than regular combination pill use, which is safe for users following the instructions and who do not have health conditions of lifestyle habits which make BCPs risky to use.

Next, do some research and find & list 3 places you could go to obtain emergency contraception in Duluth, MN.

1. Planned Parenthood
2. Women’s Health Center
3. SMDC Health System

I think this was a really good learning activity and I learned new things about emergency contraception. I think the 10 common myths were a really good way to learn about emergency contraception.

Smoking Fact Find

Instructions:
1) Review the links below.
2) Find 5 things that you didn't know before watching the video or things that really effected you.
3) Post the 5 things you learned. Can you think of any personal reasons why you have chosen not to smoke too? For example, parents would be disappointed, dont want to smell bad, ect. Please provide one reason why you have chosen not to smoke or have quit because of (if you feel comfortable sharing).

1. Annually, smoking costs Minnesota nearly $3 billion in health care costs.
2. Tobacco use leads to over 5,500 deaths in Minnesota a year.
3. Children of smokers are almost twice as likely to smoke as children of nonsmokers.
4. Smoking causes coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S.
5. China has more than 350 million smokers — 50 million more cigarette buyers than the entire population of the United States.

There are a number of reasons why I chose not to smoke. The main reason is because I want to stay healthy. Besides that, I absolutely cannot stand the smell of cigarettes. Whether it be after someone puffs a cigarette or how they smell afterwards, it’s all horrible. I thought this was an interesting learning activity and I learned some new information about smoking. This is definitely something I am going to show my friend who smokes to help encourage her to quit.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Advocacy Project: Childhood Obesity


Purpose
I would like to present this topic to you all because it is a major topic in our society. The epidemic of obesity within young adults and children has increased in the United States. We hear about it all the time, but it seems that people are not taking enough action to change it.

Background/Reasoning/Evidence/Resources
Obesity and overweight has increased in children and adolescents over the past decade. In the years from 2003 to 2004, over 12.5 million kids from the ages of 2-19 years old were overweight. http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/obesity.htm
Children at greatest risk are the ones who have both parents that are obese. Obesity varies by race/ethnicity. For example, white children are less likely to be overweight or obese than Black, Latino, or Native American children. In 1998, 21.5 percent of Black children and 21.8 percent of Latino children were overweight, while 12.3 percent of White children were. 
Obesity can cause many health related problems such as increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, breathing problems, trouble sleeping, as well as emotional problems.
Overweight children tend to have poorer social skills than normal-weight children have and this may cause overweight children to socially withdraw. Also, obesity has a negative effect on a child’s learning.
The school system has made some positive steps to reduce obesity among children. School curriculum’s include health and fitness classes, and schools have reduced the amount of junk food that is available as part of the lunch programs.  

Instructions
Click on Childhood obesity quiz below and it will transfer you to the website.
Then click on Start Quiz.
After you are done with the quiz record your score and report back about what you learned.