Learning Journal 5 Trudy Christman

What I have learned from Module 5 Chapters 7 and 16:

1. Discussion Forums:
After reading about osteoporosis, I discovered that it is one of the medical problems I wish to avoid at all costs because of the destructive symptoms.

According to Google Health, https://health.google.com/health/ref/Osteoporosis: “Osteoporosis is the thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time…there are no symptoms in the early stages of the disease.” However, symptoms that occur late in the disease are:
Bone pain or tenderness
Fractures with little or no trauma
Loss of height (as much as 6 inches) over time
Low back pain due to fractures of the spinal bones
Neck pain due to fractures of the spinal bones
Stooped posture or kyphosis, also called a "dowager's hump"

And

After reading about cross training, I realized that as long as I do not repetitively strain or overuse my muscles, it is a great way to condition different sets of muscles.

On website: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/Cross_Training.htm, I discovered, "Cross training is a great way to condition different muscle groups, develop a new set of skills, and reduce boredom that creeps in after months of the same exercise routines. Cross training also allows you the ability to vary the stress placed on specific muscles or even your cardiovascular system. After months of the same movements your body becomes extremely efficient performing those movements, and while that is great for competition, it limits the amount of overall fitness you possess and reduces the actual conditioning you get while training; rather than continuing to improve, you simply maintain a certain level of fitness. Cross training is also necessary to reduce the risk of injury from repetitive strain or overuse."

And

I was surprised to learn that the Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Step Program can be used to address many addictions.

On the http://www.addictionrecoveryguide.org/: “Twelve-step Programs have long been an important part of the recovery process and the basis for many recovery programs. Developed over 65 years ago by a small group of alcoholics, the AA program provides simple tools for living based on a set of spiritual principles and a reliance on the fellowship of men and women who share their experience and offer their support as part of a lifelong process of recovery. This approach has since been adapted for the treatment of many other addictions, and now includes other self-supporting fellowships such as CA and NA.”

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) (alcoholics-anonymous.org) states that it practices: “A twelve-step program for people in recovery from alcohol abuse.”

Some drug addicts prefer AA to NA or CA. Narcotics Anonymous World Services (NA) (na.org). The twelve-step recovery program from addiction to drugs is based on the Alcoholics Anonymous model.
And

At the Federal level, website: http://www.saasnet.org/drupal-6.6/?q=node/43 displays The Federal Drug and Alcohol Policy Recommendations Memorandum which outlines recommended reforms to drug and alcohol policies and recommended funding.

Readings:
From our text book reading I learned the six Components of Physical Activity:
1. Motivation: the willingness to focus energy on movement
2. Cardio-respiratory fitness: the body’s ability to obtain and utilize fuel and oxygen efficiently during sustained, effortful physical activity
3. Body strength: the ability to lift or move an object.
4. Endurance: the ability to move an object without becoming quickly fatigued
5. Flexibility: the ability to move a joint
6. Body composition: the body’s relative amounts of water, bone, fat, and tissue.

Of the six components, I was most interested in the sixth: Body composition and, in particular, bone density. Because from a health perspective - a bone density of about 4% of total body weight is best. Low bone density, such as in osteoporosis, increases the risk of falls and bone fractures. In order to achieve healthy bone density: regular weight-bearing exercise should be practiced; consumption of adequate amounts of calcium and phosphate is important, and little or no consumption of phosphate-containing sodium is a must. Also, bone density is generally determined when young (big surprise to me). And, this is the reasoning behind encouraging young people to exercise, consume dairy foods, and not to consume sodas.


I also learned that cross-training is defined as "incorporating more than one activity into a regular activity plan - walking four days a week and doing strength training or cycling two days a week (and resting one). When overdone, I can be risky - all things in moderation is good.

Regarding addition, the text reconfirmed what I already knew: addiction is a progressive, chronic condition that is characterized by compulsion, loss of control, has adverse consequences, and distorts normal thinking. Additionally, drug abuse and addiction problems are most likely to occur in adults between the ages of 18 and 44.

Online lessons:
Healthy Weight & Physical Activity Lecture: 10 Health Mistakes That Even Smart People Occasionally Make. Of those 10 health mistakes, I was most interested in:
They don't drink enough water on a daily basis. I was surprised to learn that beer and diet soda don't count as liquids because they act as diuretics.
They don't get enough sleep. I was surprised to learn that a lack of sleep can heightened mortality rate can play into lack of sleep.
They don't eat breakfast. Research shows that learning, decision making, and memory can be impaired when you restrict your food intake. This is an eye-opener for me.

7 Effective Fat Loss Strategies When Dining Out - this list confirmed what I am already doing.
1. Develop a plan in advance.
2. Eat a small, healthy snack before dining out.
3. Load up on vegetables.
4. Include a lean protein source. 5. Make simple, healthier changes to the meals you enjoy.
6. Drink plenty of water and eat slowly.
7. Listen to your body

2. Comment on participation:
At this point in the semester, I am very happy with my discussion grades. I put a great deal of effort in this component and I have learned quite a bit from the questions and answers. Regarding my quiz grades, I would like to improve to at least a grade of “A”. As I mentioned in my last blog, I believe that I should take the quiz within 2 days of completion of the text readings.

On the other hand, I am very disappointed in my Learning Journal grades. I plan to achieve a better grade by applying my attention to direction. In particular, reading the Learning Journal directions for each module and learning to submit an active link.

3. Vocabulary:
- Relative perceived exertion: awareness of one’s response to exercise. This phrase helps me look for the sensations of effort and muscular force, breathing rate, and body and skin temperature. I learned that this is can mean over exertion and a time to stop exercising.

- Target heart rate: the heart rate during strenuous exercise associated with inducing the training effect - beneficial physiological changes as a result of aerobic exercise. When aerobic training is carried out over a period of time, changes to the heart, lungs and muscles will occur.

- Pharamacogenetics: tailoring drugs to a particular individual to match her or his biology. The helped me to understand the medications my brother was taking for cancer.

- Lifestyle drugs: drugs prescribed for condition that arise from certain living habits or from the natural process of aging. This has helped me understand what my daughter is communicating to me when she talks about my grandson’s medications for Aspberger’s disease.