Importance of Health and Media Literacy

Although research suggests that children's eating habits are formed even before they enter the classroom - children as young as two may already have dietary preferences based on their parents' food choices - health education can play a vital role in helping establish lifelong healthy patterns early.

Research shows that health education has a positive impact on health behaviors as well as academic achievement, and that the most effective means of improving health literacy is ensuring that health education is included in curriculum at all levels of education.

U.S. schools educate 54 million students daily, and can provide not only an outlet to promote healthy behaviors for children and adolescents, but a place for them to engage in these behaviors, including eating healthy and participating in physical activity.

The U.S. is in great need of an improvement in health literacy. In a 2007 UNICEF study, our country ranked last out of 21 industrialized countries in overall child health and safety. Approximately one in five of our high school students are smokers, 80 percent of students do not eat the recommended five servings of vegetables and fruits per day, and more than 830,000 adolescents become pregnant each year. Approximately two thirds of the American population is estimated to be overweight or obese.

Furthermore, our understandings of health and health-related behaviors are often highly influenced by the media and media images - which can lead to inaccurate assumptions and negative health behaviors and attitudes.

The importance of media literacy as applies to health education

Self-esteem patterns also develop in early childhood, although they fluctuate as kids gain new experiences and perceptions. Because media messages can influence unhealthy behaviors, especially in adolescents, a comprehensive health education program must include not only health knowledge, but media literacy as it relates to psychological and physical health behaviors as well.

"To a large degree, our images of how to be comes from the media. They are [a] crucial shaper of the young lives we are striving to direct," writes resource teacher Neil Andersen, editor of Mediacy, the Association for Media Literacy newsletter.

Media awareness, Andersen explains, can help teach students techniques to counter marketing programs that prey on their insecurities to promote negative behavior, can explode stereotypes and misconceptions, can facilitate positive attitudes and can help students learn how to absorb and question media-conveyed information.

Because our perceptions of ourselves and others develop early, and because we live in such a media-inundated world, it is important that we address the conflicts inherent in media values versus our own values with our children and adolescents first, in a factual, positive, and coherent way.

A comprehensive (age-appropriate) health program would therefore teach about these various issues at different stages of development. Pre-adolescence and adolescence are especially pertinent stages in an individual's growth for discovering themselves and their place in the world, and it is during this vital time that media literacy is absolutely key to an influential and positive health program. Issues must be addressed that affect positive health behavior and attitudes, especially in teen girls, including:

• Digital manipulation of the body in advertisement - Almost all of what we see in media has been altered or digitally manipulated to some extent.

• Objectification of the body in media - Since the 1960s, sexualized images of men in the media have increased 55 percent, while sexualized images of women increased 89 percent, according to a University of Buffalo study. There are also 10 times more hypersexualized images of women than men and 11 times more non-sexualized images of men than of women.

• Average women versus models - Models today are 23 percent skinnier than the average woman, versus 9 percent skinnier in the 80s.

We live in a pop-culture that not only promotes a hyper-skinny-is-best attitude, but also discourages average or healthy body ideals and individuals from feeling good about simply pursuing healthy dietary choices - they feel they must resort instead to drastic (and quick) weight loss measures that put unhealthy stress on the body.

For example, a study released in 2006 by the University of Minnesota showed that 20 percent of females had used diet pills by the time they were 20 years old. The researchers also found that 62.7 percent of teenage females used "unhealthy weight control behaviors," including the use of diet pills, laxatives, vomiting or skipping meals. The rates for teenage boys were half that of girls.

"These numbers are startling, and they tell us we need to do a better job of helping our daughters feel better about themselves and avoid unhealthy weight control behaviors," concluded Professor Dianne Neumark-Sztainer. Over the five-year period that the study was conducted, moreover, researchers found that high school-aged females' use of diet pills nearly doubled from 7.5 percent to 14.2 percent.

What teaching health and media literacy can do

When a colleague asked Doctor Caren Cooper, a Research Associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, what the opposite of media was, she paused only briefly before answering, "Reality, of course."

"We each need logic tools to realize that all media is a representation of reality - if we don't bring this realization into our consciousness, we are apt to forget and let our own reality become distorted: fostering a culture of over-consumption, eating disorders, sexual violence, and climate change deniers," she explained.

Teaching health education comprehensively in today's rapidly changing world is important for fostering skills that students will carry with them for the rest of their lives, including:

• Developing positive body affirmations - Accepting their bodies, accepting other's bodies, and showing respect for one another. A good exercise would be to have them write down good things about each other - without the words beautiful, or descriptions of size, as well as what they love about themselves - both physical and character traits.

• Understanding the importance of eating right - And that it's not about "dieting." Perhaps the biggest misconception is that as long as a person loses weight, it doesn't matter what they eat. But it does, and being thin and being healthy are not the same thing. What you eat affects which diseases you may develop, regardless of your size, and diets that may help you lose weight (especially quickly) can be very harmful to your health over time.

• Understanding the importance of exercise - People who eat right but don't exercise, for example, may technically be at a healthy weight, but their fitness level doesn't match. This means that they may carry too much visceral (internal) fat and not enough muscle.

"Given the growing concern about obesity, it is important to let young people know that dieting and disordered eating behaviors can be counterproductive to weight management," said researcher Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, a professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. "Young people concerned about their weight should be provided support for healthful eating and physical activity behaviors that can be implemented on a long-term basis, and should be steered away from the use of unhealthy weight control practices."

We must also teach them:

• How to reduce stress by engaging in activities and other outlets.

• The importance of sleep.

• The importance of vitamins.

• The importance of not always being "plugged in" - The natural environment has great health benefits, and too much technology may even be hazardous to our health.

"We're surrounded by media images for such a large portion of our daily lives, it's almost impossible to escape from it," explained IFN representative Collete during an interview with EduCoup. "We get the majority of our information today through media, be it music, TV, the internet, advertising or magazines, so it really is incredibly important for us as a society to think about the messages we receive from the media critically."

Decoding the overload of overbearing messages, then, is pertinent to the health of our minds and bodies, and teaching these skills early will help kids to practice and maintain life-lengthening and positive behaviors for the rest of their lives.

360 Education Solutions is an advocate in the search for quality online degree programs and professional development for teachers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janel_N_Spencer

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How Ginger Can Improve Your Health

Ginger is not only a delicious way to spice up your dinners, but it has been used for centuries as a natural medicine to treat ailments ranging from migraine headaches to menstrual cramps. Ginger is native to Southeast Asia, but these days it is grown and harvested in Fuji, South America, Jamaica, Indonesia and Australia. There are several different varieties available, and the flesh of ginger can be white, yellow or red depending on the variety.

Ginger has long been used to treat nausea and flatulence by naturopathic doctors and it is now becoming more widely used for its ability to treat motion sickness. It has even been confirmed by one scientific study to be more effective at preventing and treating motion sickness than the medication Dramamine. Ginger reduces all symptoms of motion sickness including the dizziness, vomiting and cold sweating. Ginger is also effective at treating morning sickness and a 2005 study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology medical journal reported that ginger effectively treats nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

One benefit that I have been aware of for quite some time is ginger's anti-inflammatory properties. The endurance community has long been a proponent of using ginger to help athletes reduce both inflammation and the pain associated with it due to running and cycling. Some massage therapist use ginger oil to help relieve pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.

Several university studies have linked ginger to potentially protecting consumers against and in treating certain types of cancers including ovarian and colorectal cancer. With colorectal cancer, a compound found in ginger called gingerols has been shown to inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer cells. A study conducted by the University of Michigan reports that ginger can induce the death of ovarian cancer cells.

Another area of health that ginger seems to have a positive impact on is the immune system. Ginger works to open the sinuses due to its spicy favor and pungent aroma, as well as promoting healthy sweating, which can be especially beneficial for cold and flu sufferers. Ginger can also assist in relieving some of the discomfort associated with stomach flu symptoms and due to its pain reducing properties, ginger can help with the aches and pains that typically accompany this illness.

There are both fresh and powdered forms of ginger available. While you can gain the benefits of ginger through both types, eating it in its fresh and whole form is most beneficial. Fresh ginger is widely available in the produce section of most grocery stores. Simply peel the brown skin and slice, dice or chop up the flesh of the ginger root and add it to your next meal for a yummy and healthy way to up your health!

Christopher Weaver BS, MA, CFT lives and works in Asheville, NC. Learning to live a wellness based lifestyle is a key component to finding health and happiness. My goal as a Certified Fitness Trainer, yoga instructor, social worker and health educator is to share my own personal health journey, including accomplishment and mishaps along the way. Christopher is the author of Simply Wellness: Learning to Live a Wellness based Lifestlye One Day at a Time available on Amazon.com. For more writings and information visit my website at http://www.issacertifiedtrainer.com/christopherweaver and my health blog at http://www.punkrockwellness.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_C_Weaver

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Health Benefits of Activated Carbon Air Filters - They Can Do More Than You Think

There has been a lot of discussion lately regarding whether activated carbon (charcoal) air filters really do provide any measurable health benefits. Well, the answer according to research is definitely 'yes', but for the sake of our health, we'd better take their word for it and err on the side of caution. Why? The type of indoor air pollutants that activated carbon removes are of the chemical, gas, and odor nature, and it's those types of pollutants that can cause a range of problems, both in the short term and over time-problems such as allergies, asthma, COPD, heart disease, cancer and more.

Ever wonder how some illnesses or just 'looking older' just seems to 'suddenly' appear, out of nowhere? Truth is, research shows that most illnesses, bodily dysfunction, even aging don't just 'show up' one day. They are the result of a buildup of pollution in the body, and over time, this pollution gets in the way of normal cell function. And when cells don't function properly, they change, lose their shape, and often die. And if the air we breathe on a daily basis isn't being cleaned of the chemical and vapor-based pollutants found in most homes and offices with a quality air purifier with activated carbon (charcoal) filters, that means our bodies are absorbing those pollutants that cause our cells to change and die off prematurely. And that means, at some point, after enough cells have mutated or started working improperly, we're going to have health problems.

The good news is that most of these health problems can be prevented by properly cleaning up or indoor air, specifically by using activated carbon or charcoal air filters. Why indoor air? Well, since we breathe about 3000 gallons of air per day and it's been proven that most homes & offices have polluted air--if we use a quality air purifier with an activated carbon filter to absorb the toxins, our bodies won't have to absorb them. Does that mean that we might feel better, look younger, have fewer allergies, asthma and other health problems? Recent research says 'yes'!

And if you have an air purifier or filtration system in your room, home, or office, it's very important to buy the replacement carbon air filters for the units on a regular basis. That's because as carbon or charcoal absorbs pollutants, eventually the carbon becomes 'saturated', meaning that it has lost its 'stickiness' and can't absorb any more, which means it will now allow the chemical and gas polluted air to pass directly through-and get blown out into the air even more than it would if you didn't have an air cleaner! Most people don't realize this, but not changing a carbon air filter can actually increase allergies, asthma, and can speed the development of serious health problems, again, simply because polluted air is being circulated more.

Bottom line? For the sake of your health, disease prevention, even premature aging prevention, our recommendations are 1) if you don't have a quality air purifier or carbon air filtration system in your home, room, office or anywhere you spend time indoors, definitely get one or as many as required to thoroughly clean the air, and make sure it has a good amount of activated carbon (Blueair, Austin Air or Aller Air brands are the best), and 2) if you DO have an air purifier with a quality carbon air filter, be certain to buy the replacement filters on time, or sooner to prevent polluted air from being blown around. Carbon air filters are very powerful for preventing illness and safeguarding the health of your family-but only if replaced regularly and used properly. Also, be sure that your air purifier has enough carbon in the filter to handle the square footage of your indoor area for at least a year.

Cheap carbon air filters typically don't have enough carbon to handle much square footage. And if there's too little carbon, it will get used up quickly and can cause you to have to replace the filters too often, which can be a hassle, and costly. And that also means, if you need more than one air purifier with carbon filters to handle the square footage of your home, room or office, definitely get what you need the first time as you'll get cleaner air, and it will save you money in the long run. And this is even more critical for industrial or commercial air filtration situations: make sure to get an air cleaner with the output capacity and enough carbon to handle the situation properly-your health, your employees' health, and preventing OSHA fines could depend on it.

Rex Murphy is an avid health enthusiast and expert in the field of air purification, and has a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University.

Rex is also the owner of Air Purifiers and Cleaners.com, an online resource / store for health information and tips, and great deals on quality air purifiers, humidifiers, air purifier filters and more. Visit us today: http://www.airpurifiersandcleaners.com/carbon-air-filters

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rex_Murphy

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Avocado - A True Health Food, Especially for the Liver

We love to find foods that are inherently healthy, especially when they are also a delicious addition to your meals. Also, we are always on the lookout for liver-healthy foods, because as we know so much of our health, and our ability to keep our weight in check depends on a well-functioning liver. Foods such as turmeric and other herbs and spices, as we have pointed out on our website, provide liver health, and in this article we would like to point out the benefits of another: avocado.

So for those who have yet started to use the avocado in their diet plan, let's introduce this wonderful food. Most people think of it as a vegetable, but it grows on trees and reproduces by its seeds, which makes it technically a fruit. It has been grown and cultivated for centuries in Mexico, Central and South America, but in the last two hundred years fifty years it has been introduced to other parts of the world. The product is now grown in the Mediterranean area, Africa and the Far East, as well as Southern California.

Here's how the avocado can help the liver:

• Vitamins C. Avocados are abundant in this vitamin, which function as antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. These are required for the growth and repair of cells, and are vital repairing liver cells so this necessary organ can continue doing its job.

• Production of glutathione. People who have chronic liver disease usually are found to have low levels of glutathione. Named the mother of all antioxidants, the good news is that our body can produce this necessary master detoxifier, the bad news it can be depleted by bad diet, among other things. Avocados help the body produce glutathione.

• Healthy fats. There are good fats and bad fats, and avocados are definitely in the "good fat" category. People who are afflicted with fatty liver disease have a cholesterol profile of LDLs, or bad cholesterol. Raising your HDLs or good cholesterol can improve this cholesterol profile, and your liver health.
The delicious avocado provides more health benefits than just what it does for our liver. It helps our immune system, helps the cardiovascular system (due to its healthy cholesterol), and is great for eye health. Avocado has both lutein and zeaxanthin, which are carotenoids that protect the eyes from age-related issues.

An average-sized avocado has about 250-300 calories, so as healthy as they are you don't want to overdo them. Many people eat them in guacamole, which is great, but I top off every salad with avocado slices.

Another idea is to cut them in half, scoop out the center and fill them with some shrimp or crabmeat, topped off with a little cocktail sauce. There are many ideas on the internet to use avocado. They can be cubed, sliced, whipped or smashed, are great alone or offer a perfect complement to many foods.

Avocado is a food that is being used in many regional diets, including the Mediterranean. We now know it to be a real liver-friendly food. Rich Carroll is a writer and health enthusiast living in Chicago.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rich_Carroll

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Health Benefits of Using a Gourmet Finishing Salt in Your Food

For many years, researchers have published negative aspects of salt, but they usually fail to leave one very important thing. We need salt in our diet. Just as nutrients are taken out of foods when they are processed and put into a box, same thing happens when salt is recycled. Trace elements, salts, and what makes it an integral part of our nutritional essence is removed and put us in the form of table salt.

Sea salt, like the banana or apple can be found untouched the produce section of your grocer, has been left in its natural state. Although salt is sodium chloride, two chemicals that are really dangerous to the human body, sea salt is still pure elements of potassium, magnesium and calcium.

Over the past decade or so immigrant cultures have brought us their dishes, and as we have been exposed to these new recipes in our tastes have changed. We are in contact with foods and flavors we are not accustomed to, and we have come to take over this new kitchen. Flavored salts are made of sea salt and mined salt and flavorings and colorants are added to the brine mixture before crystallization takes place. And when we want pure natural taste of sea salt synthesis was developed, which combines sea salt with natural flavorings. These salts are considered gourmet salt.

There have been many studies that have concluded that the lack of salt in your diet can be harmful causing kidney disease and even heart attacks. 1995 an eight-year study in New York in patients with high blood pressure found that those who were put on a low salt diets had more than four times as many heart attacks, which are usually sodium intake.

Here's what we know for sure:

Salt is essential to regulate blood pressure. They key is to find the right proportions to make sure that your salt intake is pure. Gourmet sea salt is one of the purest forms of salt you can find.

Salt is necessary in order to maintain a balanced blood sugar levels. Many researchers begin to investigate salt effects on diabetes. Table salt does not do the trick. It does not help to regulate your blood sugar levels due to lack of 99% of the nutrients of pure sea salt has.

Salt is necessary for proper metabolism. This is important to the entire process, from helping your body to absorb nutrients to help clean up their waste cells.

Our body requires salt for optimal performance. When we have enough salt, not table salt, which is a lack of vital nutrients, but the truth of gourmet sea salt in our diet, we can operate as nature intended. Our health improves all the way down to the cellular level. Our blood sugar residues, our metabolism is functioning optimally, both of which are necessary for weight loss, and our overall health can improve. Replacing salt with gourmet sea salt will go a long way toward improving overall health.

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