Heroes in Our World

Who would you consider to be your hero? Is it a celebrity? A family member? A fictional character? Superman?

CNN is bringing out the Heroes of 2009 to show the world what ordinary people can do in our world and society to help those around them. Reading the stories of these remarkable people shows how anyone can make a difference.

Brad Blauser works in Iraq helping disabled children. He provides Iraqi children and their families with pediatric wheelchairs. Blauser states that “Disabled children – they’re really the forgotten ones in this war.”

Roy Foster, a veteran, works with the sheriff’s homeless unit in Palm Beach, Florida. At the Stand Down House, approximately 900 veterans have found shelter and a safe place to recover.

Doc Hendley is a bartender whose organization, Wine to Water, provides clean water and sanitation systems to people all over the world in developing countries. Funds are raised at wine tasting events.

Andrea Ivory volunteers with the Florida Breast Health Initiative, or FBHI, to educate women about breast cancer and breast health. They have provided more than 500 mammograms to eligible women.

Betty Makoni, founder of the Girl Child Network, has helped rescue at least 35,000 girls from abuse. She has helped those young girls find a new community where they can speak out and share their stories.

Jorge Munoz in Jackson Heights, New York feeds home-cooked meals to many homeless men and women 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Hot food, coffee and hot chocolate make a world of difference for the people who need just one meal for now.

In the Philippines, Efren Penaflorida, uses his pushcart classroom in order to provide an alternative to gang membership. Children and teens are able to learn and find another way through his Dynamic Teen Company.

Budi Soehardi and his wife have founded the West Timor orphanage in Indonesia where they watch over 47 children. They are able to care for the children who don’t have mothers or are abandoned in the very poor areas of the country.

In New Orleans, Derrick Tabb offers free tutoring, instruments and music education to more than 100 students through his program, The Roots of Music. He is able to keep them away from the drug dealers and gangs that are in the area.

Jordan Thomas who lost his legs in a boating accident has founded the Jordan Thomas Foundation. He has raised more than $400,000 in order to pay for life-changing prosthetics for children in need.

All of these people have made such a huge impact on their world and the people around them. I only hope that I can work as hard as they have and make my own difference. What would you do?

Divorce Causes Health Problems

While researching an article for this week’s blog, I came across a video from CNN.com that explains how divorce can take a toll on a person’s health. I was somewhat intrigued because I never thought that a problem like divorce, which isn’t necessarily physical, would cause such harsh problems physically. The video follows two individuals who have gone through divorce, and are trying to take care of themselves in order to prevent the problems that could occur later in their lives.

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, young people who are marrying for the first time will face a 40-50% chance of divorce in their lifetime. Other statistics show that the divorce rate is increasing partially because more couples live together prior to marriage. Estimates are around 60% or more. Money and children were the top two topics that married couples argue about (Stanley & Markman).

A sociologist, Linda Waite, from the video talks about how these effects can show up later in life, showing up twenty, thirty, or even forty years later. Many of the diseases or physical ailments are caused by the amount of stress that couples go through when dealing with the process of divorce. After the divorce takes place, individuals stop taking care of themselves they way they had before. Their health would be a major concern in this case when they aren’t taking care of their bodies. With all of these things going on, some of the future problems involve heart disease or even cancer.

There are some ways that individuals can use to take care of themselves after divorce in order to avoid or prevent these serious complications.

• Eat well
• Stay connected with friends
• Exercise
• Get enough sleep
• Regular health check-ups

Another topic after divorce involves finding love again. Waite discusses how important it is that people allow themselves to find love again after they have been separated. Both individuals that were followed through the video have found love in new relationships.

New, Fun Ways to Exercise Helps Obese Children

Obesity, especially in young people seems to be on the rise. According to CNN.com, more than 17 percent of young people between 12 and 19 years old were estimated to be obese through a study during 2003-2006. That number jumped from the low 5 percent that occurred in the late 1970s. Several factors play into the increase of obese adolescents and teens. A high intake of junk food along with little exercise, and very sedentary activities such as sitting in front of a television or computer only aid in the chances weight gain and health problems.

In this article, Charles D’Angelo and Staci Lambert-Westcott shared their stories of obesity. Charles was quite overweight when he was a teenager. He avoided any kind of interaction with other kids because he was scared of being made fun of. When he was 17 years old, Charles decided to get in shape and lose some weight. He decided to plan healthy meals along with weightlifting and gym workouts. Now at 23 years old, he sports a muscular body that is 160 pounds less than before. In the article, Charles states “I was just scared to death of being tested or compared. I don’t think we should measure people based on how many push-ups can you do, how many sit-ups can you do.” To help kids who are obese, Charles is a fitness trainer and works to come up with fun workouts for kids so that they will want to exercise. Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution are just a couple of the fun ways that kids can get out and exercise while having fun. Through exercise and fun, he hopes to help kids become healthier and boost their self-esteem levels as well.

Staci Lambert-Westcott began to exercise when she needed to manage her diabetes. After getting married and having children, Staci decided to take charge. She was able to gain confidence and felt comfortable exercising in public. She was even able to own a gym and provide fun options for women who wanted to work-out. According to the article, Staci explains “The classes were extremely popular because they were fun, and mom and daughter could come together. While mom was working out, daughter was working with a coach in the back.”

These new helpful, fun ways of exercising can help anyone with any type of skill and endurance levels. Exercising is extremely important, and keeping a healthy lifestyle is critical for anyone.

Do you think that the obesity statistics for children will rise? Could new, fun video games involving fitness show a new way for them to exercise?

Internet Addiction in Adolescents

Did you know that between 1.4 percent and 17.9 percent of adolescents are addicted to the internet? Higher percentages were found in Eastern nations than in Western nations. These statistics were published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. In today’s society, adolescents and teenagers seem to use the internet as a way to have another life outside of school, work, or being with their families. According to the article on CNN.com, the internet is a type of therapy. In a study of seventh-grade students in Taiwan, 10.8 percent developed an internet addiction. A definition of internet addiction varies but descriptions usually include spending a lot of time on the internet, an inability to cut back on internet usage, being preoccupied with online activities, and withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, boredom, or irritability.

Internet addiction has been found to occur more often in adolescents with ADHD, depression, or have hostile tendencies. Michael Gilbert of the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication says that the findings from the study in Taiwan make perfect sense. “The study’s indication that children who are hyperactive or diagnosed ADHD are finding an outlet on the Web makes such perfect sense” (MacMillian, 2009). Children with ADHD need the constant stimulation that fast-paced games and interactive social networks provide. Kids with depression or anxiety can make up a new identity online and talk to kids with the same problems.

It is possible for internet addiction to become a chronic childhood disease in America as well as other countries. This is why parents, doctors, and teachers can help in certain areas of children’s lives. Families should make the internet a healthy part of their home life. It doesn’t have to be a secret to the rest of the family. If the computer is placed in an open space in the home, it won’t need to be a secret for adolescents.

Do you think that it is possible for internet addiction to become a serious illness for children? Teenagers? Adults? Would other social problems or adolescent disorders cause these kids to have a higher risk of developing an internet addiction?

MacMillian, A. (2009, October 5). Internet addiction linked to ADHD, depression in teens. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from CNNhealth.com: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/05/depression.adhd.internet.addiction/index.html