Anatomy and Physiology Essay Example for Free

Anatomy and Physiology Essay Activity 1: Tissue Types 1-1: List the four types of tissue found in the human body and give an example of each. 1. Epithelial example: Skin 2. Connective example: Tendons 3. Muscle example: Muscles of heart 4. Nervous example: Brain Activity 2: Epithelial tissue 2-1: What are the characteristics of epithelial tissue? Polarity, Specialized contacts, Supported of connective tissue, Avascular but innervated, Regeneration 2-2: What is the function of epithelial tissue? protection, absorption, filtration, secretion, excretion, sensory reception 2-3: Where is epithelial tissue found? Outer layer of skin, lines the open cavities of the cardiovascular, digestive, and respiratory system, also covers the walls and organs of the closed ventral body cavity 2-4: This is a cross section of the esophagus. Number 1 represents the lumen of the esophagus. Identify the tissue types indicated by 2 and 3. 2. Stratified squamous epithel 3. Dense irregular connective tissue 2-5: Below is a picture of intestinal villi. Identify the tissue type at 1 and the cell type at 3. 1. Simple columnar epithelium 3. Goblet cells 2-6: Below is a photo of the trachea. Identify the cell modifications at 1, and the tissue types at 2 and 3. 1. cillia 2. Pseudostratified epithelial layer 3. Pseudostratified columnar epithelium 2-7: Identify the tissue type at 1 below: Simple columnar epithelium 2-8: The picture below shows kidney tubules. Identify the tissue type at 1 and 3: 1. Outer wall composed of simple cuboidal epithelium 3. Nucleus of a simple cuboidal epithelial cell 2-9: The picture below shows a cross-section of a lung. The areas labeled 2 are alveoli, the air sacs of the lungs. What type tissue is 1? Simple squamous epithelium 2-10: Identify the tissue or cell types or component below. 1. (tissue type) Epithelium 2. (tissue type) Lamina Propia 3. Cillia 4. Mucin in globlet cell 5. Cilliated cells of pseudostratified epithelium Activity 3: Connective tissue 3-1: What are the characteristics of connective tissue? Common origin, Degrees of vascularity, Extracelluar matrix 3-2: What are the functions of connective tissue? binding and support, protection, insulation, transportation of substances within the body 3-3: Where would you find connective tissue? everywhere in the body, mostly in the primary tissue 3-4: The slide below is a section of the small intestine. In this tissue, the collagen fibers are interwoven and irregularly arranged (i.e. they run in more than one direction), which provides great structural strength. The tissue is well suited for areas where tension is exerted from many different directions, such as the dermis of the skin, submucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and fibrous capsules of organs and joints. It also forms fascia, the tough, white material that surrounds muscles. What classification of connective tissue is the area marked by 1? Dense irregular 3-5: The tissue below is a loose connective tissue comprised of a semi-fluid ground substance containing several kinds of loosely-arranged fibers and cells. This is the most widespread type of connective tissue. It is found in every microscopic section of the body, fastening down the skin, membranes, vessels and nerves as well as binding muscles and other parts  together. There are two types of fibers, the most numerous of which are thicker, lightly-staining collagenous fibers that crisscross the matrix in a random fashion. Thinner, more darkly stained elastic fibers composed of the protein elastin can also be seen. The principal type of cells seen are lightly-staining fibroblasts that secrete the matrix materials. Identify: 1. Fibroblast nuclei 2. Collagen Fiber 3. Elastic Fibers 3-6: This slide shows a section of a tendon with regularly arranged closely packed collagen fibers running in the same direction. This results in a flexible tissue with great resistance to pulling forces. With its enormous tensile strength, this tissue forms cord like tendons, which join muscles to bones, sheet-like aponeuroses, which attach muscles to muscles or muscles to bones, and ligaments, which bind bones together at joints. What classification of connective tissue is this? Dense regular The nuclei of the cells that secrete the collagen fibers are indicated by the number 1. What type cells are these? Collagen Fibers 3-7: The cells of the connective tissue pictured below in a cross section from the trachea are specialized for fat storage and do not form ground substance or fibers. On prepared slides, this type tissue appears somewhat like a fish net with white spaces connected together in a network. The cytoplasm and nucleus have been pushed to one side by a single, large, fat-filled vacuole that occupies the center of the cell. Identify: 1. Cell membrane 2. Cell nucleus 3. Fat Vacuoles 3-8: The slide below shows a section of the trachea (windpipe). Rings of hyaline cartilage embedded within the walls of the trachea provide support and help to maintain an open airway. Hyaline cartilage is the most common form of cartilage in the body, making up part of the nose, connecting ribs to the sternum and covering the articulating surfaces of bones. When sectioned and stained, the matrix of hyaline cartilage takes on a light purple color. Cartilage-forming cells called chondroblasts produce this matrix, which consists of an amorphous ground substance heavily invested with collagen fibers. Chondrocytes (mature cartilage cells) can be seen singly or in groups within spaces in the matrix called lacunae. The surface of all cartilage (except for articular cartilage) is covered by a membrane of connective tissue fibers called the perichondrium. Although the perichondrium is well-vascularized, cartilage tissue proper is avascular, which means that oxygen and nutrients have to diffu se from blood vessels in the perichondrium to the chondrocytes within the cartilage proper. Identify: 1. Cartilage matrix 2. Chondrocytes 3. Perichondrium 4. Adipose cells (Hint for 4: see previous slide) 3-9: This image shows a dried section of compact bone. Like cartilage, bone cells (osteocytes) occupy spaces (lacunae) found within the dense matrix. A major difference, however, is that the matrix is calcified in bone, which endows bone with the property of hardness and the ability to resist compressive forces. This calcified matrix is deposited in layers called lamellae (singular = lamella) approximately 3-7 microns thick. The most common unit of structure in compact bone is the Haversian system or osteon. In each Haversian system, the lamellae are arranged concentrically around a central Haversian canal which houses nerves and blood vessels (unlike cartilage, bone is well supplied with blood vessels). The lacunae that house  mature osteocytes in living bone appear as tapered, black spaces arranged around the concentric lamellae. Slender, branching tubules called canaliculi (little canals) radiate out from the lacunae to form an extensive network of passageways that connect the b one cells to each other and to the blood supply in the Haversian canal. Identify: 1. Lacunae 2. Haversian canal 3. Lamellae 3-10: What type connective tissue is pictured below? Blood 3-11: What is the matrix of this connective tissue? plasma, no fibers 3-12: What are the living cells of this connective tissue? Erythocytes, Leukocytes, Platelets 3-13: What is the function of this connective tissue? Carry O2, CO2, nutrients, wastes, and other substances 3-14: Identify: 1. platelets 2. neutrophils 3. lymphocytes 4. erthocytes 5. monocytes Activity 4: Muscle tissue 4-1: What are the characteristics of muscle tissue? Conductivity, Contractility, Extensibility, Elasticity The image below shows a longitudinal view of a type of muscle. Note the multiple nuclei that lie at the periphery of the muscle fibers as well as the striations (thin lines) formed by the arrangement of the thick and thin  myofilaments. It is the arrangement of these myofilaments that results in the A bands, I bands and Z lines that run perpendicular to the long axis of the myofibrils. 4-2: What type muscle tissue is this? Skeletal 4-3: Is this type muscle voluntary or involuntary? Voluntary 4-4: What is its function? locomotion, manipulation of the enviroment, facial expression, voluntary control 4-5: Identify: 1. Muscle cell nuclei 2. Muscle fiber Although the muscle below is striated, the striations are not so readily apparent as in the muscle above. These muscle cells are short, branched and interconnected. Each cell usually contains one centrally located nucleus. These muscle cells are joined end-to-end at specialized junctional zones called intercalated discs [pointed to by the blue arrows]. These discs allow force to be transmitted from one cell to another. Additionally, they contain gap junctions that allow an action potential in one cell to pass directly to an adjoining cell through these electrical synapses. 4-6: What type muscle tissue is this? Cardiac 4-7: Is it voluntary, or involuntary? involuntary 4-8: Where is it found? in the walls of the heart 4-9: This slide shows a longitudinal section of muscle that has been teased apart to reveal the individual muscle cells. Note the spindle shaped muscle fibers, each of which has a single, elongated nucleus. This type muscle is the simplest of the three types of muscle tissue. It is found where slow, sustained contractions are needed such as in the digestive tract, uterus and other internal organs. Involuntary in nature, its actions are under control of the autonomic nervous system. What type muscle is this? Smooth 4-10: The picture below is a close-up view of a single cell from above. Identify 1: Nuclei 4-11: This slide shows a cross section of the duodenum (a portion of the small intestine). Note that there are two relatively thick layers of smooth muscle cells that run perpendicular to one another, an outer (thinner) longitudinal layer and an inner (much thicker) circular layer of smooth muscle. Peristaltic contractions of these two opposing layers of muscle keep food moving through the gut. 1. Submucosal connective tissue 2. Circular smooth muscle layer 3. Longitudinal smooth muscle layer Activity 5: Nervous tissue 5-1: Name the functional cell of nervous tissue. Neurons 5-2: The slide below shows a magnified view of a multipolar neuron from the spinal cord. Note the cell body with its prominent nucleus and nucleolus and the origin of cell processes called axons and dendrites. The numerous small, darkly stained dots are the nuclei of glial cells, primarily astrocytes.

Q-syte Connector on Prevention of Thrombophlebitis

Q-syte Connector on Prevention of Thrombophlebitis CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION â€Å"To do what nobody else will do, a way that nobody else can do, inspite of all we go through; is to be a nurse.† Rawsi Williams.RN. The first principle to enunciate in a hospital is â€Å"do the sick no harm† (Florence Nightingale, 1859). Curing is a part of doctors and caring is in nurses’ domain. The intravenous (IV) cannulation is a very common procedure which is performed by nurses to save the lives of the patients. Though IV therapy saves the life if it is not handled well it will result in many complications. Carson.D. et al, stated in 2012 that the history of IV therapy was trailed during the Middle Ages. The first experiments using IV therapy were carried out in the 17th century using quills and animals bladder. In 1831-1832, Dr. Thomas Latta pioneered the use of the IV saline infusion for the cholera epidemic. It was then established as a routine medical practice during World War II. By the 1990s, it was estimated that 85% of hospitalized patients in the US received IV therapy.A nursing survey in 1990 found that 75% of a nurses hospital time was spent providing IV therapy related services. The most frequent complication of peripheral intravenous (PIV) infusion is phlebitis, which may occur at rates as high as 50%,or even 75% for patients with infectious diseases; however, the incidence rate of urgent catheter insertion is approximately 20%. Although the incidence of IV infusion-related infections is difficult to determine, studies have shown that between 5% and 25% of peripheral cathet ers are colonized by skin organisms at the time of removal.(Aston 1990). Ortega, et.al, (2008) observed that the ability to obtain PIV access is an essential skill for all nurses. Although this technique is considered as a simple invasive procedure, mastering the skill requires experience and is of substantial significance in life-saving intervention. According to Waitt ,C. and Waitt, P., approximately 80% of patients are receiving IV therapy during their hospitalisation. The IV therapy is commonly used to correct fluid and electrolyte imbalance, for medication administration, for blood transfusion, etc. When comparing with other routes, the IV route is faster for fluid resuscitation and medication administration. In 2003, Macklin found that IV therapy has some common complications like phlebitis, infiltration, hematoma, extravasations, embolism, catheter related blood stream infections, etc. Drug induced thrombophlebitis is 25% to 70% comparatively higher in clinical setting for patients who are receiving IV therapy. Luer Access Split Septum (LASS) eliminates the internal complexities of mechanical valves, and with them the places that may harbour microorganisms. Studies found that patients are on average three times more likely to develop a Catheter Related Blood Stream Infection (CRBSI) with the use of mechanical valves vs. a split-septum needless access system. NEED FOR THE STUDY PIV cannulation is a very common invasive procedure performed by nurses throughout their duty schedule. The IV cannulation procedure is simple but it requires a lot of skills. If the cannulised site is disturbed or not maintained properly it may result in many other complications which increase the number of days in hospital as well as the cost of treatment. The intravenous catheter related infections (CRI) come under the quality indicators of a hospital. As nurses we should therefore follow our ethics and improve the quality of our nursing care by implementing evidence based innovative principles. In 2001, Reineck observed that maintenance of IV cannula patency is important to reduce the patient discomforts like visible scaring and CRI. Black et al., in 1997, found that blood clots may form in the IV line as a result of kinked IV tubing, very slow infusion rate, solution administration, etc. The CDC recommends according to 2011 guidelines, that when needleless systems are used, a split septum valve may be preferred over some mechanical valves due to an increased risk of infection with the latter ones. Recently, updated guidelines from the CDC provide a critical new evidence based intervention of Q-Syte which helps to overcome the challenges of CRBSI. When compared to the other connectors, the Q-Syte or the mechanical valve split–septum devices have 64% to 70% lower CRBSI rates. Salgado, D.C., et al , conducted a study to determine whether needleless mechanical valve device have any influence on catheter related blood stream infection among patients with a central venous catheter . He found that there was a marked decrease in the incidence of CRBSI . The investigator during her clinical experience observed that many patients who received intermittent IV drug therapy suffered from thrombophlebitis, being thus the primary cause of infection. Some studies as well as the CDC recommend to use of luer lock access along with the IV cannula. This motivated the researcher to study and to found more alternatives for preventing thrombophlebitis. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Effectiveness of Q-Syte Connector on Prevention of thrombophlebitis , IV Line Patency and Ease of Administration of Medication Among the Patients with Peripheral IV Cannula in KMCH, Coimbatore. OBJECTIVES The objectives of the study are to: assess the magnitude of occurrence of thrombophlebitis and IV line patency among patients with a Q-Syte connector; compare the occurrence of thrombophlebitis and IV line patency among patients with a Q-Syte connector and those who do not have a Q-Syte connector; compare the ease of administration of medication for patients connected with Q-Syte and those without Q-Syte connector; associate the occurrence of thrombophlebitis and peripheral line occlusion with demographic variables. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION Q- SYTE: A Luer Access Split Septum device connector which can be connected to the peripheral IV line. PATENCY: An absence of blockage in PIV line as observed by the flow of fluid without resistance. THROMBOPHLEBITIS: An inflammation of blood vessel due to blood clot. HYPOTHESIS H1 There is a significant difference in the occurance of thrombophlebitis between the patients with Q-Syte and those who are without Q-Syte in preventing of thrombophlebitis. H2 There is a significant difference in maintaining the IV line patency between the patients with Q-Syte and patients without Q-Syte. H3- There is a significant difference in easing the administration of medication between the patients with Q-Syte and patients without Q-Syte . ASSUMPTION Occlusion of a PIV line may result in the development of thrombophlebitis. Q-Syte prevents the occlusion of PIV line by preventing air entry and backflow. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The conceptual framework of this study was based on the modified Kolcaba comfort model. This theory was developed by Katharine Kolcaba in1990 and modified again by her in 2010. HEALTH CARE NEEDS Health care needs are those identified by the patient or its family in a particular practice setting. In the present study, the health care needs were the prevention from thrombophlebitis and the maintenance of IV line patency among the patients receiving IV drugs. HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOUR When patients and families are accustomed to the actions of the health care personnel (i.e. nurses), they can involve better in the health seeking behaviour which can be internal or external. In the present study, health seeking behaviours were internal when about the prevention of thrombophlebitis and external behaviour when about the functional outcome. INTERVENING VARIABLES Intervening variables are those which are not likely to change and over which the providers have a very little control such as prognosis, financial situations, the extent of social support, etc. In the present study, the intervening variables were prognosis and the extent of the social support system around the patient. COMFORT INTERVENTION Comfort is an immediate desirable outcome of nursing care. Nurses traditionally provide comfort to patients and their families through interventions that can be called comfort measures. The intentional comforting nursing actions strengthen the patients and their family. In the present study, the comfort measure was the setting of Q-Syte connector along with the IV cannula in the experimental group and not in the control group. ENHANCED COMFORT Enhanced comfort is an immediate desirable outcome of nursing care. In the present study, the enhanced comfort was the relief from thrombophlebitis by maintaining the IV patency. INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY Institutional integrity is defined as the values, the financial stability and the wholeness of health care organisations at local, regional, state and national levels. In the present study, the institutional integrity was the financial stability and the wholeness of the health care organisation. 7. BEST PRACTICE Best practices are the protocols and the procedures developed by an institution after collecting evidence on specific applications on the patient. In the present study, the best practice was the setting of Q-Syte connectors along with IV cannula for patients receiving such injections. 1

The Woman Warrior Essay -- Warrior

The Woman Warrior      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior discusses her and her mother Brave Orchid's relationship. On the surface, the two of them seem very different however when one looks below the surface they are very similar. An example of how they superficially seem different is the incident at the drug store when Kingston is mortified at what her mother makes her do. Yet, the ways that they act towards others and themselves exemplifies their similarities at a deeper level. Kingston gains many things from her mother and becomes who she is because of Brave Orchid, "Rather than denying or suppressing the deeply embedded ambivalence her mother arouses in her, Kingston unrelentingly evokes the powerful presence of her mother, arduously and often painfully exploring her difficulties in identifying with and yet separating from her" (Quinby, 136). Throughout Maxine Hong Kingston's autobiography Kingston disapproves of numerous of her mother's qualities however begins to behave in the same manner.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most apparent ways that young Kingston and Brave Orchid are similar is the way they insist that people do as they say. Brave Orchid sends for her sister Moon Orchid to come to America from China. When she arrives, Brave Orchid tells Moon Orchid that she must go and face her husband even though Moon Orchid does not want to, "How dare he marry somebody else when he has you? How can you sit there so calmly? He would've let you stay in China forever. I had to send for your daughter, and I had to send for you" (Kingston, 125). Brave Orchid does not allow Moon Orchid to leave without confronting her husband and makes her see that this all is for her well being. When Kingston enc... ...o their past and culture, which was before a huge issue between them. They are aware of their certain differences and know that they can only go to show how comparable they are in other areas, "Kingston eventually sees the similarities between herself and her mother" (Ling, 179).    Works Cited Cheung, King-Kok. Articulate Silences. Ithaca: Cornell University Press,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1993.   Ho, Wendy. In Her Mother's House: The Politics of Asian American Mother-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Daughter Writing. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press, 1999. Huntley, E.D. Maxine Hong Kingston: A Critical Companion. Westport,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Greenwood Press, 2001. Kingston, Maxine Hong. The Woman Warrior. New York: Random House,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1976. Ling, Amy, Lee Quinby, etal. Critical Essays on Maxine Hong Kingston. New   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   York: G.K. Hall and Company, 1998.

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT :: Essays Papers

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT All Quiet on the Western Front, written by Erich Maria Remarque is a first hand experience account of the war. The horror of the war and Remarque's own terrifying experiences and memories would certainly have effected what he wrote. All Quiet on the Western Front was published in March 1929, London. The late publication of the novel may have been due to the grief and trauma that Remarque experienced in the war. All Quite on the Western Front was written for the millions of men who fought for their countries. Remarque's intent, is to recount the pain and misery that the soldiers experienced during the war and to acknowledge their remarkable courage. Remarque does not mention any specific country or nationality in his book, in order for all soldiers to be identified as a whole, they all had the same goals and experienced the same fears, regardless of their nationality. â€Å" A generation of men†¦ who were destroyed by war† Remarque's comment would have been prompted by his own experiences of war and how he, like all soldiers were a generation destroyed by patriarchy, they fought for the love of their country. â€Å"Even though they have escaped its shells, (they) were destroyed by war.† Remarque means that they may have escaped the battle physically, but emotionally they are unable to escape the horror and the lasting effects of the brutality of war. Paul and Kat were two characters in the novel that represented the typical 20th century soldier. They dealt with malnourished and dealt with disease and death everyday, like most soldiers they had to come to terms with life at war and in the trenches. The soldiers changed a great deal, each day they had to become stronger and stronger as the war became more brutal. Comrade companionship is the one thing that kept the soldiers from falling completely apart. They strongly relied on one another to help them when injured, mentally and physically. They helped eachother by cooperating and sharing food. The soldier’s minds were re-adjusted due to the war and they knew that fate was in their own hands and the hands of their comrades. Paul felt truly at home on the front. He was seen as somewhat of a hero. He had a very difficult time readjusting when he was injured and sent home.

Hades vs. Demons :: Ancient Greece Greek History

Hades vs. Demons Greek Mythology and Religion Mythology is the study and explanation of myth of a particular culture. Myth, is a cultural phenomenon that can have many different point of views. Mythology and religion in the past still influence today. It is difficult to imagine that ancient myth and history has had a tremendous impact not only in today's culture but also in lifestyle and religious beliefs. To some extend, people rather believe that there is no consequence in your sins in the afterlife. Mythic stories, for example, show how the world began, how humans and animals were created, and how certain manners, and specific human activities originated. Ancient Greek religion has been the main stream of investigation and research from classic times to the modern day. In Greek mythology, Hades, also known as Pluto, is the god and ruler of the underworld, which is the kingdom of the dead. He is an egotistic god, who is greatly concerned with expanding his society. Often Hades is severely cautious and selective on permitting any of his people to leave. It's unquestionable that even the commander of the underworld had fallen in love with Persephone. Although the relationship between Hades and Persephone appears to have established badly, their union was peaceful. For most, life in the underworld was not enjoyable. It's more like a tormented and miserable dream, full of shadows, without sunlight or hope, a joyless place where the dead slowly fade into nonexistence. It's a realm not only for the sinners but also for the saints. When we speak of demons we immediatelymagine of a red evil spirit with an extended pointy tail. But many of us ask ourselves, Demons? Where and how did demons come about? The word demon is derived from the Greek daimon, which in ancient times signified various kinds of spirits or semi-gods, which particularly weren't evil. The term "demons" was not always understood to have the absolutely negative indication that it does today. Our current use of the term "Demon" is a malignant spirit, which usually from the New Testament. However there is still great indecision as to whether or not demons are considered to be distinct and separate from the devil and his fallen angels. It is mentioned in the New Testament, chapter 5, verse 12, by Josepheus a method of exorcism which is prescribed by Solomon. "Prevailed or succeeded greatly among them down to the present time" .

Childhood Obesity In America Essay

More and more American children are becoming overweight or obese. Years ago an elementary classroom may have one kid who was overweight but today that has drastically changed. We have a whole new generation of kids who are consuming much more â€Å"junk food† and eating fast food 3 or 4 nights a week and they are not as active as kids used to be. These kids are consuming things like Monster energy drinks, Starbucks coffee, Mountain Dew, chips, candy bars and more on a daily basis. Many of them are coach potatoes, video gamers, social networkers, texters, etc. We need to get this new generation of children to become more active. They also need to be educated on how to be aware of what they are eating and teach them to eat the so called â€Å"junk food† in moderation and incorporate more nutritious foods in his or her diet as well as maintain an active lifestyle. Childhood obesity is on the rise due to the many changes in our society and we need to do something to prevent it before it gets out of hand. Keywords: obesity, children, overweight Childhood Obesity in America Childhood obesity is becoming a problem across the globe and has been declared an epidemic in America. Children are consuming more calories than ever and many are not as active as earlier generations. For the first time in the history of this country, young people are less healthy and less prepared to take their places in society than were their parents. Diabetes is on the rise, American kids are getting sicker, becoming sadder and getting fatter. (W. Sears, M.D., M. Sears, R.N., J. Sears, M.D., R. Sears, M.D., 2006) Many of you probably remember running around the neighborhood when you were younger playing things like tag, hide and seek, capture the flag and many other outdoor games. Then you would get called in to eat, only to go right back out to play until it was time to come in for the  night. Now days you are more likely to find children indoors in front of the television, on the computer, texting a friend or playing a video game, not to mention they may be eating an unhealthy snack, such as a cookie or a bag of chips. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12.5 million children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 are obese. Obesity is a good indicator of unhealthy lifestyles, characterized by over-eating and lack of physical activity. Who is responsible for this you might ask. Is it the parents, the schools, fast food restaurants, technology, a down economy or even the food industry? We cannot single out and put the blame on any one of these. However, each one can be a contributing factor and the combination of them certainly could be part of the cause. Let’s take a look at how each of them impacts our children’s health. Let’s start with the parents. As I stated earlier, years ago children were outside playing much of the day. However, now parents are not letting the children out to play until they are much older because they worry about their safety. Part of the reason for this is that the world has changed. Ever hear the phrase â€Å"It takes a village†? Well years ago neighbors looked out for each other and their children. Now everyone minds their own business and keeps to him or herself. Even the cars going through the residential neighborhoods do not seem to be as cautious about watching for children. Maybe this has to do with the fact that children are not as often outside playing as they used to be. Families seem to be so much busier today than in the past. Most families are living on two incomes instead of one, which means there is not a stay at home parent making home cooked meals everyday. Not to mention families are having less and less meals together at the table. Instead parents are tired and are relying on quicker meals like frozen pizza’s, banquet chicken, corndogs, fries, hotdogs, macaroni and cheese, microwaveable meals, and even fast food. Many families are a single parent household and may be on a tight budget and may be purchasing the cheaper convenience foods that are typically less nutritious and have more additives and preservatives. Parents are not intentionally trying to make their children fat and/or sick. Most are trying to do the best they can and don’t realize the long-term effects of all the processed foods, especially combined with a less active lifestyle. What about the school’s role in all this? Kids spend a big part of their day at school and some eat breakfast and lunch at school. As a Licensed Family Child Care Provider, each year I have to take nutrition training through the USDA food program. After taking it one year and learning about high fat foods that are commonly served to children, I was looking at my son’s monthly lunch menu for the elementary school and noticed they were serving too many of these high fat foods in one week at lunch. In the same week the kids would be served chicken nuggets, pizza, and a breaded chicken sandwich. These foods are not bad if eaten on occasion and in moderation. However, what I learned in the nutrition training was that we should limit the amount of high fat foods served in one week. My daughter, who attends the high school, told me that everyday if the students don’t like the main option for lunch they could go and get a hamburger or hotdog with french fries as an alternative choice. Middle schools, junior highs, and high schools often have an a la carte line or snack bar at lunch, which consists of ice cream, cookies, juice, and other foods that are not very nutritious for a lunch. Some schools even have soda machines and snack machines. There have even been some schools that are cutting their physical education and sports programs. Technology plays a big role in the children not being as active as they used to be. There are no longer just Saturday morning cartoons. Now with channels like the Disney Channel and Cartoon Network kids can watch cartoons twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Today our children spend many hours on media devices, such as cell phones, Ipads, Kindles, and hand held video games as well as the television, computer, or other game systems such as Xbox. Many kids today would rather be inside on the computer or playing video games than out with a friend or being active. This morning I was at the doctor’s office to have my cholesterol checked. In the waiting room at my clinic they now have a TV up on the wall that is always playing something educational about staying healthy. Today as I was  watching it they were talking about how people who sit more than three hours at a time shave time off of their life. They said after three hours of sitting you should get up and move around for a while before sitting back down. According to this program we have enzymes in our body that help break down fat. However, when we are sedentary or sitting these enzymes are not able to break down the fat in our body. If that is true than these children who are spending hours on the computer, watching TV or playing video games are not burning as much fat as they could be if they took a break every now and then and got up and moved around for a bit before sitting back down. Another contributing factor to childhood obesity is the food industry. Why the food industry? I’ll tell you why. The food industry is packing more and more preservatives, dyes, fat, sodium, sugar and other stuff into our food to make it last longer and taste better, but what are these added ingredients doing to our children? They are literally turning our children into sugar and carb addicts. Products such as chips, cookies, candy and other junk food are being targeted towards our children. Watch a cartoon with your child sometime and pay attention to how many of these commercials you will see. You will be amazed. Something many of you might not think of is the down economy as another contributing factor. Many families are struggling and have had to make plenty of cutbacks on their spending. Yes, that sometimes includes cutbacks on food. It can get expensive feeding a family of four for a week. It is actually cheaper sometimes to buy processed foods and junk food than it is to buy natural and healthy foods. For example, it is much cheaper to buy a box of Little Debbie snacks than it is to buy a small bag of apples or carrots. During my own families rough financial times we discovered that feeding a family of four from McDonald’s $1 menu was not only more convenient but cheaper than cooking many meals as well. If everyone got 2 to 3 items it was less than $15 for the whole family. However, in the long run eating lots of the unhealthy foods and snacks is going to cost you more in healthcare and prescription medications from the consequences of eating an abundance of these foods. â€Å"A family with an obese child spends 30% more in health costs and 77% more in medication costs.† (Parekh, 2012, Prevention is Better than Cure, para 1). Also obesity in childhood often follows into adulthood, which further supports the importance of preventing childhood obesity. (Wang, 2011) Fast food is another big factor for some people. I am not saying you should never eat it at all but some families are eating the stuff three or more times in one week. When I was a kid I was lucky if I got fast food once every six months and that was a treat. McDonald’s seems to have taken the blunt for the fast food industry when it comes to the consequences of eating it too often. They have tried to make some changes like getting rid of the supersize portions and adding apple wedges as an alternative to fries in their kid’s Happy Meal. There even is a documentary that was made about the negative impact McDonalds and the rest of the fast food industry are having on society. The main character, Morgan Spurlock in the movie did a one-month experiment. He ate three full meals a day at McDonald’s, only ordered a super size meal when asked, and never ate food from any other source. By the end of Morgan Spurlock’s month long McDonald’s binge, he had become depressed and exhausted, he was experiencing dramatic mood swings, and his sex life had greatly diminished. He gained 25 pounds, his body fat percentage increased from 11% to 18%, his liver was showing notable signs of damage, and his total cholesterol increased from 168 to 225. However, because of Spurlock’s unrealistic extent of excess calorie consumption, the only thing that this really proves is that overeating is unhealthy. (2009) If eaten on occasion and in moderation as well as eating the right portion size it is not going to harm you and that movie can be misleading. However, it does show what can happen to those who eat it on a daily basis. Parents should limit their child’s meals at fast food restaurants and think of another quick healthy alternative for those other days they may be in a time crunch. Now that I’ve talked about some of the contributing factors of childhood obesity, let’s discuss the effects it has on our children’s health. Children are ending up with health problems such as, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even type 2 diabetes. This form of diabetes was previously referred to as â€Å"adult onset† diabetes because it used to be more  typical for adults over the age of 40 to get this type. (Schraffenberger, L.A., 2012) Some of these overweight kids are also dealing with being teased by other kids and being called fat. This is leading to more kids being treated for depression. If these kids, some as young as elementary age, are having these kinds of health problems, what does that mean for their health as adults? So what changes have been made to fix this problem of childhood obesity in America? There have been some laws that have gone into effect. One such law has affected me as a childcare provider. The law went into effect in October of 2010 and states that all children over the age of 2 must be served low fat 1 percent milk or fat free skim milk. This law also applies to the schools. The schools have always had minimum calorie guidelines but now there is a maximum calorie guideline the school has to follow as well. This went into effect in July of 2012. Some schools are making changes like taking their soda and snack machines out or having them shut off during lunchtime. Some have even put in new machines with healthier options. Our first lady, Michele Obama has been actively involved in trying to prevent childhood obesity and has even visited some schools that have changed their menus to implement healthier options. Another big advocate in preventing childhood obesity is Rachael Ray. She has started the yum-o organization, which is a non-profit organization. According to the yum-o website, the yum-o organization â€Å"empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking.† Wang (2011) explains that the U.S. obesity epidemic can have many serious health and financial consequences if it cannot be controlled, and likely minority and low-income groups are hit harder. Childhood obesity is currently higher than it ever has been and we can do something to prevent it. Parents can help by limiting their child’s screen time, eating more nutritious home cooked meals at the table (not in front of the television) and encouraging their children to be active. For families with busy schedules the parents can take time on the weekends to plan meals ahead of time for the upcoming week. They do not have to be elaborate and can even consist of soup, sandwich fruit and milk. (American Academy of Pediatrics)  The schools can limit the â€Å"junk food† they offer in vending machines and the a la carte line or replace it with healthier options and offer more nutritious meals with the appropriate amount of calories. They can also stop cutting their physical education programs, as keeping children active is very important in preventing obesity as well. Families who are struggling financially can buy fruits and veggies that are on sale or in season and make meals that are cheap yet healthy. Also we should have more restrictions on the food industry, such as maybe a warning label for parents on foods that are way too high in sugar, fat, or sodium. If we all work together to make as many of these changes as we can our kids will be much happier and healthier. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Obesity rates among all children in the united states. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html Hassink, S. (Ed). (2006). A parent’s guide to childhood obesity. United States: American Academy of Pediatrics Parekh, N., (July 13, 2012). Childhood obesity prevention tips. Prevention is better than cure. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/6-7-2004-55178.asp Ray, R., (2012). Rachael ray’s yum-o cook feed fund. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.yum-o.org/ Schraffenberger, L.A., (2012). Basic ICD-10-CM/PCS and ICD-9-CM Coding, Chapter 6, Page 123 Sears, W., Sears, M., Sears, J., Sears, R., (2006) The healthiest kid in the neighborhood. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company Wang, Y., (2011). Disparities in pediatric obesity in the united states. Retrieved October 21, 2012, from advances.nutrition.org/content/2/1/23.full.pdf+html

Letter of Advice

Letter of Advice COM200: Interpersonal Communication Instructor Sara Marcus January 9, 2012 Dear William and Linda, Let me start by saying congratulations on your recent nuptials. The two of you are off to an excellent start in wanting advice on how to efficaciously communicate with one another. In taking an interpersonal communication class, I have learned several concepts that I would like to share with you throughout this letter. Communication is important in developing and maintaining a relationship.A healthy communication style is vital to longer lasting relationships. The article â€Å"Can We Talk† is about the role of communication in a marriage. Nara Schoenberg gave great insight to giving advice to many that are able to read it that are in a marriage. This article highlighted how with good communication skills a marriage will be able to sustain itself for a lifetime. The results of good effective communication habits will build a strong and long lasting relationship.I n reading this article Schoenberg says that communication means that you're sharing and really getting to know one another and happy marriages exhibits â€Å"self-disclosure,† or sharing your private feelings, fears, doubts and perceptions with your partner. These statements are what make this article so relatable to its readers. We communicate in different ways but finding a compatible form of communication is key to any relationship. Being able to communicate clearly and effective requires a certain level of confidence.The text book Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communications explains that the basic principle of interpersonal communication deals with concept of â€Å"who are you†. Feeling sure and comfortable of your communicating skills will ensure good communication within the relationship. Your self-concept is how you look at yourself. It is a mental image that you have of yourself and it can relate to your mental strength or status in life. One 's self-concept affects one's perception, attitude and behavior, which can be demonstrated during the process of interpersonal communication.Aspects of one's life influence their self-concept, which not only affect how people perceive them but how they perceive themselves. In the process of communication, self-knowledge and the way one feel about oneself is revealed to others, and affects how others react to them. Consequently, the perceptions one believes others have of them affect how they receive their communication, which influences their response. In relationships you have to be cognizant of how the opposite sex perceives things.Men hear things differently than women. I relate this to my childhood when my parents would argue and my mother would say to my father: â€Å"You hear what you want to hear†. This is evident in the study that was referenced in the article Close Relationships Sometimes Mask Poor Communication†. In the study, researchers asked 24 married coup les to take part in an experiment in which two sets of couples sat in chairs and tried to figure out the meaning of phrases whose meaning isn't entirely clear.The example used was a wife who says to her husband, ‘it's getting hot in here,' as a hint for her husband to turn up the air conditioning a notch, may be surprised when he interprets her statement as a coy, amorous advance instead (Healthday, 2011). One way to avoid this mistake is not to be rushed and preoccupied. Stop and make sure you understand the perspective the other is trying to relay especially since the two of you are married. In being aware of the opposite sex, you have to be aware of how you say things as well.The tone of your voice can displace the message you are trying to send. The text suggests that work to shut judgments about the speaker's appearance, tone of voice, or other such factors out of your mind when you are speaking with someone, and focus on the words and the meaning rather than on the perso n delivering the message. If you are unsure of a person’s meaning, it is not taboo to ask what is meant. This is a technique that I use in my own marriage. Before a disagreement takes place, I will say to my husband: I said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ now what did you hear? This clears up what my intended message was and helps me to modify my tone or body language that my spouse may have found offensive. This was a hard lesson learned because I was the one that said things without considering how it sounds to my husband. That was not how I wanted to portray myself and not get into unnecessary arguments. Linda you also have to keep in mind that you become very animated when you talk. Although William knows this about you, it could become offensive in the heat of the moment. Dr.Terry Orbuch refers to this kind of body language as a determining factor in the early years of marriage. In her book, Marital Instability, she surveyed 199 African American couples and 174 White couples who we re just married and found that body language can cause significant damage in a relationship if it is read the wrong way. William should be mindful of his always present smile. In a majority of cases a great smile is a good thing. However, in times of turmoil a smile can be mistaken to mean that you are not taking the situation seriously.An excellent way to avoid conflict is to develop good listening habits. We have, at some point, exhibited poor listening skills. Bad listening habits include: Lack of interest in the subject, focus on the person, not on the content, interrupting, focus on the detail, missing the big picture, body language that signals disinterest, letting emotions block the meaning, and daydreaming. All these things can put any relationship in a downward spin. These habits could lead to misunderstandings and arguments. There are ways to avoid this. One way is to give your mate your full attention.Attend to what they are saying not just with your ears but with your en tire body. Make sure you are facing each other during the conversation. Having the right attitude contributes to your desire to want to know what the other is saying. The next thing is having patience and understanding. Sometimes you might have a difficult time getting your point clearly across. If your spouse attempts to help you say what is needed don’t get upset. This could be a good thing because they understand your point. This is always a way of showing support for them.Even if you do not agree with what they are saying, make sure respect what they have to say. Good listening skills also include knowing how to manage your reactions to what is being said. Before you respond, take a moment to think about what was said and how it makes you feel. Your response should reflect how you feel but should not sound like emotional tirade. A vital key to successful communication is having the ability to understand emotions and being able to express those emotions (Sole, 2011). This is often referred to as emotional intelligence.Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself and others. Emotional intelligence includes making good judgments about when to deal with emotions and keep them at bay. Kathy Sole feels that emotional intelligence also directly corresponds to emotional health—the higher your EI, the more emotionally healthy you are. Ones emotional health keeps you in tuned with your feelings while being exposed to the feelings of others. This is beneficial in a marital relationship because you don’t forget about you when dealing with your spouse’s feelings.The communication skills of any couple are established early on and can improve or become worse. In a marriage, communication skill should always improve and a step towards improvement is self-disclosure. Self-disclosure is the act of sharing aspects of your personal self with other people. This act allows you find commonalities with each other as well as dislikes. Being able to open up to others is essential to developing a deeper connection Self-disclosure and communication skills overall are important components of any healthy relationship.Self-disclosure lays the foundation for the type of relationship you will have with one another. Also it plays an important role in validating self-worth and identity. While self-disclosure have many benefits the amount of disclosure depends on what will be gained and how much are you losing to your partner. Being on the receiving end of disclosure requires a level of culpability and perhaps forgiveness. William and Linda again I want to congratulate you on your recent engagement. You two have a lifetime of perfecting your communication skills ahead of you.Using the concepts that I have mentioned in this letter will make it easier for you. Thank you for the honor of asking for my advice and wish you many years of happiness. Love, Tasha References Anonymous,. Close Rela tionships Sometimes Mask Poor Communication. (2011,  January). U. S. News ; World Report,1. Retrieved January 9, 2012, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:  2270370591). NARA SCHOENBERG. (2011,  February  6). Can we talk? Researcher talks about the role of communication in marriages. Houston Chronicle,p. 7.Retrieved January 9, 2012, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID:  2260839481). Sole, K. (2011). Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication. San Diego: Bridgepoint Education. Orbuch, T. (2007). Interpersonal Relationships, in The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, G. Ritzer (Ed. ), (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing), 2390-2393. Veroff, J. , ; Orbuch, T. L. (2009). Studying Marital Relationships. In an edited volume called Research Methodologies in  African American Communities, Edited by J. Jackson ; C. Howard (Eds. ), Sage Publications. Letter of Advice Letter of Advice COM200: Interpersonal Communication Instructor Sara Marcus January 9, 2012 Dear William and Linda, Let me start by saying congratulations on your recent nuptials. The two of you are off to an excellent start in wanting advice on how to efficaciously communicate with one another. In taking an interpersonal communication class, I have learned several concepts that I would like to share with you throughout this letter. Communication is important in developing and maintaining a relationship.A healthy communication style is vital to longer lasting relationships. The article â€Å"Can We Talk† is about the role of communication in a marriage. Nara Schoenberg gave great insight to giving advice to many that are able to read it that are in a marriage. This article highlighted how with good communication skills a marriage will be able to sustain itself for a lifetime. The results of good effective communication habits will build a strong and long lasting relationship.I n reading this article Schoenberg says that communication means that you're sharing and really getting to know one another and happy marriages exhibits â€Å"self-disclosure,† or sharing your private feelings, fears, doubts and perceptions with your partner. These statements are what make this article so relatable to its readers. We communicate in different ways but finding a compatible form of communication is key to any relationship. Being able to communicate clearly and effective requires a certain level of confidence.The text book Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communications explains that the basic principle of interpersonal communication deals with concept of â€Å"who are you†. Feeling sure and comfortable of your communicating skills will ensure good communication within the relationship. Your self-concept is how you look at yourself. It is a mental image that you have of yourself and it can relate to your mental strength or status in life. One 's self-concept affects one's perception, attitude and behavior, which can be demonstrated during the process of interpersonal communication.Aspects of one's life influence their self-concept, which not only affect how people perceive them but how they perceive themselves. In the process of communication, self-knowledge and the way one feel about oneself is revealed to others, and affects how others react to them. Consequently, the perceptions one believes others have of them affect how they receive their communication, which influences their response. In relationships you have to be cognizant of how the opposite sex perceives things.Men hear things differently than women. I relate this to my childhood when my parents would argue and my mother would say to my father: â€Å"You hear what you want to hear†. This is evident in the study that was referenced in the article Close Relationships Sometimes Mask Poor Communication†. In the study, researchers asked 24 married coup les to take part in an experiment in which two sets of couples sat in chairs and tried to figure out the meaning of phrases whose meaning isn't entirely clear.The example used was a wife who says to her husband, ‘it's getting hot in here,' as a hint for her husband to turn up the air conditioning a notch, may be surprised when he interprets her statement as a coy, amorous advance instead (Healthday, 2011). One way to avoid this mistake is not to be rushed and preoccupied. Stop and make sure you understand the perspective the other is trying to relay especially since the two of you are married. In being aware of the opposite sex, you have to be aware of how you say things as well.The tone of your voice can displace the message you are trying to send. The text suggests that work to shut judgments about the speaker's appearance, tone of voice, or other such factors out of your mind when you are speaking with someone, and focus on the words and the meaning rather than on the perso n delivering the message. If you are unsure of a person’s meaning, it is not taboo to ask what is meant. This is a technique that I use in my own marriage. Before a disagreement takes place, I will say to my husband: I said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ now what did you hear? This clears up what my intended message was and helps me to modify my tone or body language that my spouse may have found offensive. This was a hard lesson learned because I was the one that said things without considering how it sounds to my husband. That was not how I wanted to portray myself and not get into unnecessary arguments. Linda you also have to keep in mind that you become very animated when you talk. Although William knows this about you, it could become offensive in the heat of the moment. Dr.Terry Orbuch refers to this kind of body language as a determining factor in the early years of marriage. In her book, Marital Instability, she surveyed 199 African American couples and 174 White couples who we re just married and found that body language can cause significant damage in a relationship if it is read the wrong way. William should be mindful of his always present smile. In a majority of cases a great smile is a good thing. However, in times of turmoil a smile can be mistaken to mean that you are not taking the situation seriously.An excellent way to avoid conflict is to develop good listening habits. We have, at some point, exhibited poor listening skills. Bad listening habits include: Lack of interest in the subject, focus on the person, not on the content, interrupting, focus on the detail, missing the big picture, body language that signals disinterest, letting emotions block the meaning, and daydreaming. All these things can put any relationship in a downward spin. These habits could lead to misunderstandings and arguments. There are ways to avoid this. One way is to give your mate your full attention.Attend to what they are saying not just with your ears but with your en tire body. Make sure you are facing each other during the conversation. Having the right attitude contributes to your desire to want to know what the other is saying. The next thing is having patience and understanding. Sometimes you might have a difficult time getting your point clearly across. If your spouse attempts to help you say what is needed don’t get upset. This could be a good thing because they understand your point. This is always a way of showing support for them.Even if you do not agree with what they are saying, make sure respect what they have to say. Good listening skills also include knowing how to manage your reactions to what is being said. Before you respond, take a moment to think about what was said and how it makes you feel. Your response should reflect how you feel but should not sound like emotional tirade. A vital key to successful communication is having the ability to understand emotions and being able to express those emotions (Sole, 2011). This is often referred to as emotional intelligence.Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself and others. Emotional intelligence includes making good judgments about when to deal with emotions and keep them at bay. Kathy Sole feels that emotional intelligence also directly corresponds to emotional health—the higher your EI, the more emotionally healthy you are. Ones emotional health keeps you in tuned with your feelings while being exposed to the feelings of others. This is beneficial in a marital relationship because you don’t forget about you when dealing with your spouse’s feelings.The communication skills of any couple are established early on and can improve or become worse. In a marriage, communication skill should always improve and a step towards improvement is self-disclosure. Self-disclosure is the act of sharing aspects of your personal self with other people. This act allows you find commonalities with each other as well as dislikes. Being able to open up to others is essential to developing a deeper connection Self-disclosure and communication skills overall are important components of any healthy relationship.Self-disclosure lays the foundation for the type of relationship you will have with one another. Also it plays an important role in validating self-worth and identity. While self-disclosure have many benefits the amount of disclosure depends on what will be gained and how much are you losing to your partner. Being on the receiving end of disclosure requires a level of culpability and perhaps forgiveness. William and Linda again I want to congratulate you on your recent engagement. You two have a lifetime of perfecting your communication skills ahead of you.Using the concepts that I have mentioned in this letter will make it easier for you. Thank you for the honor of asking for my advice and wish you many years of happiness. Love, Tasha References Anonymous,. Close Rela tionships Sometimes Mask Poor Communication. (2011,  January). U. S. News ; World Report,1. Retrieved January 9, 2012, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:  2270370591). NARA SCHOENBERG. (2011,  February  6). Can we talk? Researcher talks about the role of communication in marriages. Houston Chronicle,p. 7.Retrieved January 9, 2012, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID:  2260839481). Sole, K. (2011). Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication. San Diego: Bridgepoint Education. Orbuch, T. (2007). Interpersonal Relationships, in The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, G. Ritzer (Ed. ), (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing), 2390-2393. Veroff, J. , ; Orbuch, T. L. (2009). Studying Marital Relationships. In an edited volume called Research Methodologies in  African American Communities, Edited by J. Jackson ; C. Howard (Eds. ), Sage Publications.