Talkin' Bout A Revolution...Jamie Oliver is much louder than a whisper!

So I just finished watching the premiere episode of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution". It is a new show on ABC that chronicles the journey of English chef Jamie Oliver as he tries to change the eating habits of residents in Huntington, West Virginia. Huntington was recently crowned the most unhealthy city in America.
It is obvious that Jamie has good intentions. He has left his family for several months to work on this project. He is especially concerned about the quality of food being served in the Huntington schools. However, my reaction to the first episode was "No, no, no! Stop what you're doing and talk to these people first!"

The most important part of any public health intervention is getting to know the community you are working with. The worst thing you can do is come in as an "outsider" and start barking orders. Some questions you should ask before getting started are: How does this community operate? Who makes the decisions? What are some of the barriers to serving fresh food in schools? What are the USDA guidelines? (which Jamie knows nothing about) Who are the individuals you want/need to get on board with your idea? How do the parents feel about their children's eating habits? How can you get their buy-in? What would be a realistic timeline for assessment/buy-in before trying to implement change?

Jamie went about this all backwards (which may very well have been to increase drama for a TV show, but it is still a great example of "what not to do"). His first day in town he was told he was viewed as an "outsider" by the trusted radio host...and still proceeded to go into the elementary school and lecture the chefs on how disgusting the food is (after only observing them for one day). And he's surprised he's getting push back on his efforts?! The only small victory he has is creating a partnership with "Pastor Steve" at the local Baptist church. Steve is a trusted leader in the community and knows the families and their challenges very well.

Too bad Jamie did not look to better models of this kind of community effort. Shape Up Somerville (Somerville, MA) began as a community based research study at Tufts University targeting 1^st through 3^rd graders in the Somerville Public Schools. Today there is Coordinator working on active and healthy living programs supported by the Health Department and a Taskforce that is a collaboration of over 11 initiatives and 25 stakeholders involved in working on various interventions across the city. Program components include a focus on the school lunch program, local restaurants, walk ability and safe routes to school, etc. (I'll give a shout out here to one of my public health heroes- Julia Bloom- who helped Tufts bring this model to more rural communities across the country!)

Shape Up Somerville represents a strong program that began with a strong base. The original program engaged key stakeholders and did not try to change the community without first finding out how it worked. The community and parent outreach were an obvious key to success...where that aspect is basically forgotten in the "Food Revolution". Jamie just seems like one man on a mission to change. At the end of the episode Jamie is visibly upset and says "they don't know why I'm here". Yeah- that's because you're an outsider lecturing them on how they should raise their kids!

I'll probably watch the second episode where he actually starts to engage the community...how about you?

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Get Rid of Your Acne Fast Without Expensive Pills, Chemicals, Or Face Washes - 3 Steps to Clear Skin

Right now, there are millions of people who suffer form acne and feel hopeless because they don't know how to get rid of it. Inside this brief article are three tips that will clear your face extremely quickly if you use them all together.

Step #1-Stop thinking that something external that you put on your face is going to work

Pores are inside your body and they let out fluids and oils that are within you. No matter how much face wash or gel you put on your face, there is going to be a constant problem coming out of you if you don't solve it. You have to change your body chemistry form the inside out. Stop buying washes and special soaps; they are not going to do a single thing for you, they are high priced garbage. Change your mind-set and look within yourself to alter your face.

Step #2 -Drink large amounts of water and do not touch any soda

You hear this, but you don't know how serious it is that you keep this in mind at all times. Remember you must change the chemistry of the inside of your body, and you can't do this without having plenty of clean water enter your body at all times. Milk is fine, but do not touch carbonated drinks with syrups in them, they will make your face break out constantly.

Step #3- Start making drastic changes to your diet-Things you haven't heard before

The biggest secret in the acne industry is that it has everything to do with every piece of food you put in your mouth and nothing to do with what you put on your face. The people who make millions of dollars of off acne suffering all sell pills, creams, and washes. They want you to buy these things for as long as possible so they can make as much money as possible. They don't want to solve your problem fast. The answer lies in your food. Take a look at everything are eating start experimenting with a whole new diet and your face will clear.

www.killthisacne.info has many great tips about what you should be eating to start clearing your acne up within the week or sooner. This actually works.

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Technology: Building Social Connections or Breaking Them Down?

Last week, a friend at work told me that she had given up watching TV for Lent. She said "every time I give up TV, my quality of life goes up". I thought of her immediately today as I read this new article in TIME, "Logged on, checked out...of relationships?" The article discusses a study (published in the March issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine) which studied adolescents during two periods of time (1988 and 2004). The adolescents who spent more time watching TV or playing video games were more likely to report lower quality relationships compared with those who logged less screen time.
I find this fascinating because I have followed the debate among colleagues and friends regarding the increase in the use of technology and its impact on social connections. For example, kids that may be "outcasts" at school may find friends online. They may have hundreds of Facebook "friends". They may find lots of kids with similar interests by joining "groups" online. However, one has to ask, are Facebook friends "real"? I personally have 355 friends on Facebook, but would only consider about 10 of those people close friends in my day to day life. Is it worth it to focus your time and attention to online activities (as noted above) to the detriment of your "real life" relationships with friends and family?
In looking at how social connectedness can be a protective factor for things like suicide, the question has also come up: "Is it the quantity or quality of relationships that really count?" In research on college students, studies like Healthy Minds are beginning to indicate that it is the quality that counts. However, unlike my previous posts where it has been easy for me to take one side or the other...I'm torn about this issue. The authors of the above study were as well...they note that there is an obvious correlation between online activities and relationship quality, but the causal link is not clear.
Therefore, I believe it is probably some happy balance that is best. Facebook friends and groups are not all superficial and time wasters. People can connect (or in many cases, "reconnect") with friends and colleagues with shared histories or interests. I've seen Friends post a concerning or unsafe status and 20 people jump in with words of encouragement or offers of help...which is wonderful. On the flip side, it helps to turn the computer or TV off and enjoy the world around us...strengthen those connections with those we live with, eat dinner away from the TV, etc. And of course on that note, I'll log off. LOST starts at 9pm ;)

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Sesame Street's "Talk, Listen, Connect": A Strong Public Health Program for Military Families

Both academic and popular news sources have been reporting on the health problems experienced by active duty military and veterans (e.g., Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Recently we have also begun to see research looking at the health problems experienced by spouses and children within military families. This January USA Today story highlights two such research studies:

(1) The first study (published in the New England Journal of Medicine) concluded that wives of soldiers sent to war suffered significantly higher rates of mental health issues than those whose husbands stayed home.

For example, wives of soldiers deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan between one and 11 months had an 18% higher rate of depression than those whose husbands did not go to war. When soldiers were deployed 11 months or longer, their wives had a 24% higher rate of depression.

(2) The second study (by the RAND Organization) found that children of deployed parents suffer more emotional issues, particularly if separations are long or the parent at home is troubled.

Based on this data, public health experts can see a clear need to develop interventions not just focused on active duty military and veterans, but also for their families. Therefore, I was happy to see that Sesame Workshop (the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street) has created a program called "Talk, Listen, Connect", which addresses priority issues for this population. I reviewed three brief videos and accompanying literature on this project and was very impressed:

• The "channel" being chosen to reach parents and children is an existing one. Families are already familiar with (and trusting of) Sesame Street, so they are not asking families to bring an unfamiliar resource into their homes. E.g., Elmo is the character used most frequently in these videos, and he is beloved by children. They are used to learning from Elmo.
  
• The videos used various methods for providing information, so it can be appropriate for learners of multiple levels/backgrounds. E.g., Pictures, songs, modeling of conversations between Elmo and his Dad, celebrity cameos (Queen Latifah stars in the third video).
• The creators obviously did research into relevant issues for military families (e.g., the videos address preparing for deployment, adjusting to homecoming, and coping with changes). The third video even shows a child coping with a Dad who came back with TBI- an injury unfortunately too common with these wars.
• The Sesame Workshop is even going beyond education to address real barriers to families staying connected. I was thrilled to see them examining challenges in the environment! They have created Sesame Street Family Connections. It is a little like having a Facebook Family Page. It is a a child-centered online space where both children and adults can interact and stay connected over long distances when everyday communication can otherwise be difficult. Family and friends can post pictures and videos, share messages and artwork, etc. This strategy is attempting to increase connections and family support (and decrease isolation)...which can help reduce associated negative health effects (e.g., depression).
• A plan for outcome evaluation exists! So often, this is left out of public health education planning. Although research about the effects of Talk, Listen, Connect on families experiencing multiple deployments and injuries is forthcoming (as the projects moves through several phases of roll-out). A summary study for the first phase of the project, which dealt with a parent’s first deployment, revealed that the materials helped military parents and children feel better during deployment, and helped them to be prepared emotionally for the deployment process. It also showed that Talk, Listen, Connect is helping parents by giving them the language and tools they need to engage in a dialogue with their children.

Although the details of a formal evaluation still need to be reviewed, I feel optimistic about this program for military families. They have incorporated the latest research (e.g., populations to target, risk/protective factors for adverse health effects, effective communication channels) into the program design. Go Elmo!

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Adolescent Acne - Causes, Effects, Prevention, and Treatment

Some people consider acne as a symptom of youthfulness, and since adolescent age proceeds youth, they think it is a fertile period for its growth. It has been noted that almost 100% of adolescents between the ages of 12 to 20 experience acne lesions in various forms at one time or another. They generally appear as whiteheads, blackheads or pimples on their faces.

Main cause- Increased hormonal activity

The reason for adolescent acne is that the hormone levels become high during this period. The heightened hormone levels trigger the generation of sebum, an oily substance, in the sebaceous glands. Since the sebaceous glands are attached to the hair follicles, the increased production of sebum blocks them with dead cells resulting in the appearance of acne lesions.

Generally acne starts appearing between the ages of 10-13 and continues to occur for 5 -10 years. It begins to vanish at the age of 20+ and completely disappears by the age of 25. In some severe cases, it may last up to age of 30 or even beyond. Severe acne is known as nodular or cystic acne.

Psychological impact of acne on adolescents

Since adolescent children, especially girls, are overly conscious of their beauty, the appearance of acne lesions causes them deep emotional pain. They feel embarrassed and lose their self-esteem and develop inferiority complex. This takes a toll of their emotional health and studies.

A large majority of them avoid going to school. Others stop socializing with their girl and boyfriends. There are still others who become lonely and introvert. They contract psychological problems.

Prevention-Hygiene

Most adolescent children between the ages of 12-14 lack the knowledge of basic hygiene. There are others who overdrive their cleanliness by washing the face several times a day. It should be noted that acne is not caused by grime and dirt. As already mentioned, it generally results when excessive secretion of sebum blocks the hair follicles.

Wash your face twice daily with a non-medicated soap. Excessive washing, rubbing and medication may overdry the skin leading to a rebound in the secretion of sebum.Also, do not use abrasive sponges or clothes as they may cause invisible abrasions and allow bacteria to enter and cause infection.

Treatment

In a majority of cases, acne can be treated at home when it is still mild. The best course is to gently wash the acne affected area and apply over- the- counter medications such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

You may also use certain moisturizers specially created for acne prone skin. They will help it to maintain the right balance of moisture. They contain ingredients that act as sun screen.

Be careful to read the label. It should mention the words: "for acne-prone skin". It will ensure that the product does not contain any harmful ingredient for acne.

Most acne lesions become worse when they are picked, pressed or scratched. They are likely to be infected and inflamed with your nails. So, resist the temptation of meddling with them.

This elementary treatment and precautions are likely to cure acne in about 6-8 weeks. Check with your dermatologist, if it refuses to disappear after this period.

Click Here! to get more information on your acne problem.

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All about Teenage Acne

Basics of Teenage Acne

Once you hit puberty, your body will start to mature and the physical changes come at a price. Here is what I mean; most girls / boys will get pimples around this time. There are lots of hormones in your body and your skin tends to get oilier. With more sebum production, it will clog pores, attract bacteria, get inflamed and different types of acne develop under the skin.

Most teenage acne tends to be on the forehead, t-zone and nose. These places get very oily around puberty which is the perfect opportunity for acne to develop. Some people will get small whiteheads whereas others get big inflamed red pimple. The good thing about teenage acne is that it will mostly disappear before you hit twenty.

Teenage acne treatment methods

Most teenage acne tends to be not very severe (whiteheads, a few papules and pustules). Thus it is relatively easy to deal with. Most will respond to over-the-counter treatments such as acne face wash. The face wash will unclog pores, get rid of dirt / sebum trapped inside the skin and prevent acne from forming. There might be some acne that develops even with an effective face wash. In that case, some over-the-counter Benzoyl Peroxide cream is good for making pimples disappear faster.

Because of the nature of teenage acne, it is good for you to seek effective oil / sebum control. Fortunately, a lot of acne products on the market are created for teenage acne treatments. Neutrogena is a very good and cheap skin care brand to use for teenage acne.

There are bigger pimples that are inflamed and take a longer time to heal for teenage pimples. Depending on the severity and amount of acne that you are getting, it might need prescription medicine that only a dermatologist can get for you. Fortunately, teenage acne will not stick around for a long time.

What’s not teenage acne?

A lot of people confuse their acne with teenage acne. If you have acne on the cheeks, lower cheeks, chin and lower part of your face, it is adult acne not teenage acne. Because of the location on the face, adult acne tends to scar easier than teenage ones. When you are in your mid twenties, acne on your face is definitely adult acne. Adult acne has so many possible causes and is very hard to completely get rid of it if you don’t know what’s causing them. I will describe some possible causes and treatments for adult acne in future posts. Some woman gets 1 or more acne during the week prior to their period, these are hormonal acne that will not go away with teenage acne skin care products.

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