Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4: Weekly Update

My SMART goal is I will only eat 3 servings (serving= 3 oz) of hormone-free, grass-fed meat, per week. I did a good job at achieving my SMART goal.

My successes were once again being able to find hormone-free meat, eating out less, having more of a variety of foods, and influencing others. Since I started to look over the meat I eat I do not feel as bad when I do eat it. By having more meat in my meals it has added variety because I was getting bored with, my usual veggie sandwich. Over Thanksgiving break I talked to my family about what we have been learning and my SMART goal. My mom and sister were very interested in what I had to say. My sister is already a bit of a "freak" about her meat so I think it is safe to say I have her on "my side". :) It was also a great experience being able to see first hand a farm that raises animals the natural way. Shepard's Homestead raises grass-fed cattle and hormone-free chickens.

My challenges have still been when I do go out to eat or when I go home. Going out to eat has not been as big of a challenge since I cut back on that but with the holidays approaching I have been going home a lot. When I go home, meat is definitely one of the items on the menu for every meal. When I asked my dad if the deli meat was hormone-free he gave me the funniest look. Looks like I still have some rubbing off to do on some of my family members.

I feel I am doing very good on being consistent with my SMART goal. A couple of times I have slipped up but I got right back on track. I am happy with the outcome so far. I learned this past week that with accurate information you can really make an impact on others' lives. I took everything we have learned from Environmental Health and told it to my family in a nutshell. We ended up having about a 30 minute conversation about how some animals are butchered and how unethical it is (We didn't have this chat at the most ideal time either...after stuffing ourselves with Turkey).

I think for next week I am going to change my goal to: I will eat 4 servings (serving= 3 oz.) of hormone-free meat, per week. Since I have started to eat more meat I realized how many of my meals before were blah. I plan to keep up with this goal while influencing others to do the same.


"Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain."

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

For my Photo Essay I decided to visit a sixty acre farm called Sheperd's Homestead located in Oulu, Wisconsin. It is owned by Larry and Margie Falter, my friend Emily's parents. I chose to visit their farm for many reasons. One day I was talking to my friend Emily about this assignment because I wanted to do something I would enjoy. She ended up telling me about her family farm and it really caught my attention. They raise their own animals and eat what their animals produce. I asked her if there were any days she had free to make the 60 mile drive to visit. We chose this past Saturday to make the drive. It was awesome meeting with her family and seeing all of the different things they do to make ends meet. Some of the things they do on the farm are:

• Raise grass-fed beef cattle (Hay and grain during the Winter)
• Raise chickens ( 2 separate types)- Eat the eggs and meat they produce
• Harvest a garden during summer months-sell produce to people in the community (There are 2 gardens)
• Use products produced on farm (grind grain to make flour, drink milk from dairy cows)
• Have sheep-eat meat; sell wool (Biggest seller on the farm for the meat)
• Make homemade applesauce/cider, spaghetti sauce, yogurt, bread, salsa, pickles
• Excess products get canned during winter months; eat fresh during summer months

Farm Fresh Eggs

Ground Beef from their farm

Fresh Bread made from the grain produced in the field

Homemade Yogurt and Strawberry Jam

Milk from the neighbor's dairy cow and container used to hold the milk

Layer Hens in their coop

Beef Cows eating their hay

Sheep in the hay bed

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3: Weekly Update

My SMART goal is, I will only eat 3 servings (serving= 3 oz) of hormone-free, grass-fed meat, per week. I did a great job at achieving my goal this past week. I am actually very happy with myself.

During this week I bought Hormel 100% Natural Turkey, Ham, and Roast Beef. This meat also has no added hormones, MSG, and is gluten-free. It surprised me because like most people, you think the "better" choice is going to be much more expensive when in reality it is not. For one package of meat it was only $3.98! This is even cheaper than some of your other choices of deli meat. My success at the store gave me a boost of confidence that I can do this. Some disadvantages I experienced were once again with the food I receive from a restaurant. How do I know where it came from? One strategy I used to overcome this was simple, do not go out to eat. When I do not go out to eat I do not have to worry about where my meat was processed and I save money. My other alternative to when I go out to eat is to do a meatless meal.

I experienced great feelings this week about my goal. It feels good to actually stick to something and be able to share your experience with others. I am now trying to pass the information I am learning about animal products to family and friends so they too can follow in my footsteps. At times I do get discouraged when I am out to eat because I think restaurants should have to state where they get their meat products from. This could even work to their advantage by giving them more customers who appreciate their honesty and ways of buying foods.

I learned this week that buying locally, buying organic, or buying hormone-free foods is a lot easier and cheaper than most people think. Like they say do not listen to everything you hear. Find out for youself! Now when I talk to people I am able to tell them the truth that these foods are reasonably priced and so much better for you!

I plan to stick to this same goal for next week, considering 3 servings of meat is plenty for me. Next week I am thinking about trying maybe steak or chicken because I have yet to do that and I am curious to see if the taste is different. Wish me luck!

"Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain."

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Share & Voice: SHIP meeting

Northeastern Minnesota Ship Regional Leadership Team Meeting:

On Friday, November 19th I had the opportunity to attend the Minnesota Statewide Health Improvement Plan meeting. It was actually very interesting and fun. I got the chance to listen to current plans being implemented right now, meet some very fun and important people, and was offered a volunteering job with Elissa Hansen, the NE MN SHIP Regional Coordinator. Some of the current programs we discussed were:

• Breastfeeding Intervention
• NE MN SHIP Update
• Worksite Wellness Invention
• Tobacco addiction

After discussing Worksite Wellness it really got me thinking that this is something I am really interested in. Fit City Duluth showed a PowerPoint presentation that had a lot of information on it and how to get involved. It makes me excited that I may have found something else I am really interested in. If you have any questions regarding SHIP or Fit City Duluth the websites are listed above.

*FYI: They also mentioned how we should let people know there is a Health Survey going on right now. According to the handout we received, "Starting in November, over 5,000 individuals in a nine-county area will be asked to respond to a telephone survey". It is very important to answer this call because it will only benefit your health. So tell around to answer this phone call it is NOT a telemarketer! Thanks :)

Image Source: http://www.health.state.mn.us/healthreform/ship/about/index.html

Share & Voice: Test Your Knowledge

Test Your GMO Knowledge

While browsing some of my favorite television shows websites I came across this GMO quiz. I found this quiz on the TLC website. This quiz has some of the same information we have talked about in class and watched in the movies. I am embarrassed to admit I only got 3 out of 10 right! :S.....not very good. Some of the questions are shocking. I would tell you which ones but I do not want to give away any answers. Let me know what you guys think of the quiz and how you did! Good Luck!

Picture Source: By Marvel (Based upon a NASA image, see [1].) [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Introduction:

Healthy People 2010 want to: Increase the proportion of family planning agencies that offer emergency contraception (9.5)

Thomas wants to pass bill H.R. 5561 Emergency Contraception Education Act of 2010

I decided to focus on emergency contraception use. I think everyone needs to be aware of the options that are out there for them. Receiving education will give them the knowledge to make the best decisions for themselves.

Who is affected by the issue?

Many people and places will be affected by emergency contraceptive use. People and places that could potentially be affected would be sexually active people, places involved in family planning like Planned Parenthood, hospitals, and clinics. Most sexually active people will be affected by emergency contraceptive use. Whether you are the girl or women who could become pregnant or the boy or man who could become a father you are equally affected. This also effects organizations like Planned Parenthood or hospitals/clinics because they need to be just as educated about contraceptive use so they can give reliable information.

Who is affected most?

The people who are affected most by emergency contraceptive use and education would be the women who have the option of taking it. There are too many unwanted pregnancies in the United States. Women should have the choice to have a baby or prevent it. Emergency contraceptive education and resources would give girls or women the option of having a baby when they are ready. Just because education is given does not mean they have to use this product it would be just for their information.

Who loses and what do they lose?

Women who have an unplanned pregnancy and the father of the baby would lose a lot. Depending on their age, they would lose different things. Teenage parents would lose their life. Most teenage parents struggle for years because of all the items babies need. Many do not finish high school, they break up, experience high levels of stress, or lose friends or family. Older women may not have the resources to support a child either. Many loses come with unplanned pregnancies because of exactly what I just said....they are unplanned.

Who gains and what do they gain?

Women who use emergency contraceptives and do not get pregnant gain from this. They were able to receive education on the use of this pill and then find the resources to get it. Most hopefully knew the benefits and consequences before using the pill. Men also gain from contraceptive use. Even though they are not the ones using this they should be aware of what it is and that it is out there. Men and women who are not prepared to be parents should know where to go and how to use it so there are less pregnancies.

What are the consequences of the issue?

For Individuals:
Unplanned pregnancies will keep rising if people do not have the education on emergency contraceptives or resources to get them. Instead of preventing the process of implantation more women will have abortions or give their children up for adoption. (Do not get me wrong adoption is a great thing but it can be a very long process for kids to get adopted so most end up in a foster home for period of time.) Having a baby is also very expense. The cost for new parents usually causes a lot of stress and hardship for them.

For the families:
Depending on the age of the females the families could experience some consequences. Parents or guardians may not approve of emergency contraceptives. If they received proper education on the benefits of its use they may feel better about letting their kids use it. Also, if teenagers end up getting pregnant many times the parents are the ones that bare some of the responsibilities for the child because their kids are unable to raise it.

For Society:
In our society we have many unplanned pregnancies. We all bare the cost for this with our tax dollars. Instead of having unplanned, unwanted kids we should put more time and effort towards education and resources to preventing them. All family planning agencies should be able to administer emergency contraceptives as long as the people receiving this are given some education beforehand. Also, our foster-care homes are suffering. There are starting to become too full or do not have enough money or other resources to sustain the kids they have now.

What is the economic impact of the issue?

The cost of educating those about emergency contraceptive use does not even compare to the cost of unplanned pregnancies. The cost of having a baby, giving it up for adoption, or having an abortion are more expensive to the family or society than giving out information on taking a pill that cost between 30 and 50 dollars that will prevent a pregnancy. Most of the time the pill does not cost you anything as long as you have insurance. Society ends up footing out a lot of money for children because when they are put into foster homes or on assistance programs part of our tax dollars go to supporting them. Our society would benefit from having less people on assistance programs or children in foster homes because then we would have more money to put towards health insurance or other programs that benefit people.

What is the social impact of this issue?

Some social impacts that could result because of this issue could be the thought that more people will be sexually active because there is a pill that will prevent pregnancy. Hopefully with the proper education people will know this should not be used as a permanent form of birth control. Another issue could be whether parents will let their kids use this. Women may also be afraid to use it because of what people may think of them.

What are the barriers?

Barriers to this issue are getting people to support this and finding the money to support it. Parents may oppose the use of this because it could give the impression it is okay to have sex because there is a way to avoid pregnancy. Also pro-choice people are viewing this as a form of abortion so they do not support it. Some people are under the impression that because this pill is readily available more kids will want to have sex because there are ways to avoid pregnancy.

To overcome these issues we need to educate. We need to show people that this pill does not terminate a baby or cause harm to ones' body. Emergency contraceptives prevent the process of implantation so no baby is actually made. Receiving education and having the resources to get more information should help people feel better about making the decision to using contraceptives or not.

What are the resources?

The main resource we have is education. Communities need to be informed on how emergency contraceptives work. By going through a community meeting, getting hand outs, or talking to public health nurses people will be able to get the proper education on how to use these. People will then be able to address any concerns or questions they have and get reliable answers. This resource could be tapped by going through clinics, hospitals, or agencies like Planned Parenthood who could receive grant money from the government.

What is the history of this issue?

I found an article from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) stating that they are stepping up efforts to get emergency contraception to women. This article was released on May 8th, 2006. From personal experience within the last few years the amount of information regarding emergency contraceptives has increased from the use of hand-outs, posters, and discussion with health professionals.

Allies and Opponents

People that would support this would be most people in the health field (doctors, nurses, health educators). If unplanned pregnancies can be avoided without harming the person or aborting a baby this would be the method of choice.

People who would oppose this would be some doctors or nurses and pro-choice activists. Some doctors or nurses would oppose this because there has not been any studies that go back long enough to see if there are any long-term effects. There has also been the controversy about hormones in birth control increasing breast cancer in women. Pro-choice activists are also arguing that using emergency contraceptives is just like abortion, when in reality it is not the same at all. To create a common ground between allies and opponents I think all women should have to talk to a nurse or doctor or go to a meeting to receive information about emergency contraceptives so they are fully aware of what they are taking.

Recommendations:

I think policy holders should vote yes for this bill because it is a safe way to lower the number of unwanted, unplanned pregnancies. Emergency contraceptives provide a second chance for those who happen to have an accident.

Resources:

Planned Parenthood, American Association for Health Education (AAHE), Women's Rights, Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP), American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG), THOMAS

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2: Weekly Update

My SMART goal is I will only eat 3 servings (serving= 3 oz) of hormone-free, grass-fed meat, per week. In achieving my goal this week I did okay.

The strategies that helped me be successful were to look online at ways to find this kind of meat and to study the packages of meat, looking for hormones or other additives listed in the ingredients. Some challenges I faced are actually finding a good selection in the grocery store of these kind of meats. I think I would have better luck going through a local farmer but because I am not from this area it would be harder for me to do this. Also, when I go to a restaurant they do not usually list how they get their meat. The only restaurant I have went to recently that states their meat is hormone-free and their animals are grass fed is Chipotle. I know I could easily ask how they get their meat but many times I have young servers who mostly likely will not know the answer to this.

The feelings I experienced were confusion, nervousness, embarrassment, and excitement. I felt confused because many times it was not specifically listed on the front of the meat. Before when I have bought hormone-free meat there was a big orange sticker that said this on the front. Also, I felt nervous and embarrassed because I did not know how to ask the butcher or waiter where the meat came from. I know it is silly to feel embarrassed about an issue like this but when you have a table full of people or a line behind you at the local deli the last thing you want is to hold up the line or get a crazy look because they may have never been asked a question like this before.

I learned this week that my goal is a little more difficult than I thought it would be. For this week I plan to do a little more research on my favorite restaurants to see if their websites list where they obtain their meat. I also plan to ask my roommates, who work at a local restaurant, if they know where they get their meat from. I came to the realization that I should not be scared or nervous to ask a simple question like this especially from butchers in a deli because this is their job to know which meat is what and where they get it from. For right now I am going to keep my goal the way it is and see how this week goes.


"Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain."

Picture Source: This image was originally posted to Flickr by jminor. It was reviewed on 09:48, 16 June 2007 (UTC) by theFlickreviewR robot and confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-sa-2.0.