"Health Fashion" Police

It is the day after the Emmy Awards, so most of us have fashion on the brain and are eagerly awaiting E! Fashion Police. As a result, I thought it was very timely to discuss "Health Fashion". The idea came to me this weekend in two ways. First, as I saw new fashion merchandise (modeled by celebs like Jordin Sparks and The Jonas Brothers) in the form of "TXTING KILLS" thumb bands to reduce texting while driving. Next, I read a fabulous new article in the September 2010 issue of Health Promotion Practice called, "Undressing Health Fashion: An Examination of Health-Cause Clothing and Accessories".

The article provides a great overview of the history of health fashion, including its beginnings in 1953 with the first Medic Alert bracelet. It then proceeds to discuss the use of colorful ribbons to support causes (e.g., AIDS, deployed troops, etc) over the past 30 years. However, the authors really highlight the Lance Armstrong/Nike release of the yellow Livestrong wristband in 2004 as the event that created an explosion of Health Fashion and Cause Marketing.
Health Fashion is sorted into one of three categories:
1. Wearables: Worn by the consumer (e.g., Nike Livestrong wristband)
2. Usables: Items that are directly consumed or that utilize health fashion symbols in manufacturing/packaging/marketing (e.g., United States Postal Service breast cancer stamps)
3. Displayables: Items that are displayed in homes/offices/cars which use health fashion symbols (e.g., Swarovki pink ribbon holiday ornaments)

The article also does a nice job giving an overview of how this merchandise becomes a hot trend. It introduces the reader to Everett Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations theory and how innovators and early adopters (often well known/respected in the community) can disseminate messages or material throughout their community/society, etc. Many of you may be familiar with this theory after reading Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point".

However, the key question on this blog (and happily in the article as well) is: "Are these initiatives effective?" In order to make that call we have to define what we mean by "effective". The article points out that many campaigns (e.g., Go Red for Women) define their goals as raising awareness. Therefore, if they survey women pre and post campaign and they report an increase in knowledge of facts such as "heart disease is the number one killer of women"...then they can say that the campaign was effective. However, if they had defined their goals in terms of behavior change (e.g., more women will visit their doctor for yearly blood pressure checks), it would be unclear if their goals were achieved.

Another way "success" or "effectiveness" has been defined for health fashion has been focused on the revenue generated by the sale of these items. If the Livestrong wrist bands or Avon's "Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer" lipstick line raise significant funds for their charities, then we can consider them successful....right?

Here are some questions regarding effectiveness raised by the article...with my own two cents (okay- more like five cents) thrown in:
1. Are we achieving saturation point with the marketing of health fashion? Does anyone even know what color wrist band supports what cause?
2. How will increasingly knowledgeable consumers affect the sale of these items? It is much easier to find out what percentage of your donation/purchase is actually going to the charity vs. to the corporation.
3. How have social networking sites like twitter/facebook affected the adoption/dissemination of health fashion and cause marketing? Support for a cause can be almost instant and celebrities can quickly call on their twitter followers, which in some cases number over one million. Are consumers being as thoughtful/careful when it is so easy just to click their support?

What are your questions?

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Choosing The Acne Free In 3 Days Product

Skin problems happen to be one of the dreaded diseases by almost everybody simply because it destroys one's appearance and a lot of people are really conscious about how they look. In this modern world wherein many folks are trying to look great through the help of science, it's like having such skin problems is a major no-no. What's worse is that there are more than dozens of skin diseases that can ruin your life. Perhaps one of the most common is acne.

If you have been suffering from acne problems, you may already have tried several acne treatment methods and products just to get that fixed. However, many have complained that they can't seem to find that particular product or treatment that will give the permanent solution they need. Why don't you try the Acne Free In 3 Days e-book? This product developed by Chris Gibson is said to be the most holistic acne treatment method there is in the market today.

If you are wondering why and how it is considered as a holistic product, it's because it can cure those acne problems of yours inside and out. Some treatments and products for acne only involve topical solutions. The Acne Free In 3 Days product provide cure beyond that because it helps you remove acne-causing toxins from your body. The e-book even recommends a list of food that you should not eat for they can cause growth and development of acne in your skin.

Another way that that this effective acne treatment method cures you from the inside is by helping you control your hormonal imbalances. Lack of or excess supply of hormones can contribute to the existence and spread of the acne disease. This is why those other products and methods only provide temporary relief. The cure they offer is limited to the skin's surface alone. What you need is a holistic approach, a cure inside and out.

If you are still skeptical in trying out the Acne Free In 3 Days product, you should read reviews about it to learn whether it's worth trying out. In fact, you should make it a habit to check out acne treatment reviews before buying any acne treatment product. It pays to be wise and vigilant, you know.

For only 39 dollars and 95 cents, you can have the chance to be acne-free in just three days. If this doesn't happen, you can have your full money back as long as you send a request within 60 days after date of purchase. If that's not holistic and effective enough for you, then what is?

If you want an acne treatment method that's safe, holistic and effective, then there's one product you should go for. The Acne Free In 3 Days e-book by Chris Gibson is what you need.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Teen Moms and Teachable Moments

For one terrible minute on Monday night, my remote control found itself on ABC Family's "The Secret Life of the American Teenager". The show is completely unrealistic in showing 15 year olds pregnant and parenting with the maturity and vocabulary of people in their 30's. However, my remote control has recently become stuck on a reality show of the same topic on MTV called "Teen Mom". Now this is quite a leap of faith for me, as I pretty much gave up on MTV after its early quality reality shows (Season 3 of Real World with Pedro, anyone?) turned nasty and staged and scandalous. But according to a recent NPR story, I am not the only one thinking that this new show has some value and "reality". The Kaiser Foundation has funded reproduction of the series so that it can be distributed to schools, non-profits, and social service organizations that are working to reduce teen pregnancy.

The educators mentioned above believe that "Teen Mom" helps create and capitalize on a teachable moment. This is defined as "a moment of educational opportunity...a time at which a person, especially a child, is likely to be particularly disposed to learn something or particularly responsive to being taught or made aware of something". One reason to buy into this theory is based on the idea that modeling is important. People learn from watching each other. What high school students see other high school students doing is very important. Therefore, seeing the realistic struggles of the four girls on the show could help them think about potential consequences of teen pregnancy. We see the relationships with their family or the baby's father crumble. We see them working and paying bills in addition to waking up at all hours to a screaming baby. We hear about how one girl lost the father of her baby in a car accident before the child was born...now she is a single mom.

Of course anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows that I need to mention that this show is being used in schools as an educational piece. And of course an educational piece is not a silver bullet because it cannot address all the complex risk factors for teen pregnancy which include things like economic disadvantage and growing up with teen parents yourself. However, I think it is a step in the right direction. It is definitely an improvement in the quality of MTV reality shows. It also shows these girls in a pretty "real" light without being preachy or fear-based. Check it out and let me know what you think.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Effective acne treatments - prescription medicine reviews

When you seek the advice of a dermatologist and effective acne prescription treatments, he or she will usually prescribe you some external tropical treatment or oral tablets depending on your situation. There are many potentially effective acne treatments medicine that are used for acne. This article talks about some of the most popular ones, their effectiveness and possible side affects.

Accutane / Roaccutane -

Roaccutane is one of the most effective acne treatments in treating moderate to severe acne. It works through reducing oil production and somehow stop acne in its tracks. Some people will never have acne again after a course of Roaccutane. It is very effective but has lots of side affects. It makes your lips very dry at the very least, results in pain in your joints, damages your liver and has severe birth defects for pregnant women. Think twice before deciding to get Roaccutane and you will have to be on pills to use the drug.

Antibiotic (many different ones) -

There are some antibiotic drugs that dermatologist will prescribe for you when you have moderate to severe acne. It is somewhat effective at first because it works by killing bacteria thus reducing inflammation and pimples. However, bacteria will acquire resistance to these antibiotic overtime. Antibiotic will become less effective for your acne eventually. Personally, I don't believe in taking antibiotic for your acne problems. Its effectiveness decreases the more you take them. And I think it should be for something like an bacterial infection that has to be treated by antibiotic.

Panoxyl 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Gel -

Benzoyl peroxide gel is one of the most effective acne treatments out there with little side affects compared to all other kinds of prescription drugs. 10% Benzoyl peroxide needs a prescription while the lower percentages can be bought over the counter. Also, 10% Benzoyl peroxide will irritate your skin more than the lower percentages. In most cases, you will have to get your skin use to it by slowly working your way up. For me, Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% is good enough. But many people with moderate to severe acne choose to use 5% to 10% Benzoyl peroxide gel. Unlike antibiotics, bacteria never develop resistance to it and acne seems to go away in a very short time. However, the cons are dryness, irritation and redness. Some people are more sensitive than others. I definitely think it's one of the most effective acne treatments out there.

Birth control pills -

This is the only effective way at controlling hormonal acne that flares up once a month during your menstrual cycle. Although it can give you flawless skin with smaller pores and smoother surface, it can also have some unwanted side affects as well. Once you stop the medicine, some people experience a severe breakouts with lots of spots on the face all of sudden. Approach with caution if you decide to go down this route. Also, will not work if your acne is not hormonal based.

Spironolactone -

I am not personally familiar with this drug, but it seems like it works well for a lot of acne sufferers. Many reviews on acne.org is very positive for this prescription drug. Although there are lots of "weird" side affects associated with it. But when your acne is so bad that the pimples actually hurt on a daily basis definitely needs to explore all the options. If many other effective acne treatments failed you (including Roaccutane), this drug could be on your list to try next.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The NFL is making pretty posters- but what are they doing to change the CULTURE of playing with head injuries?

Hot off the presses! Check out the new poster produced by the NFL which now hangs in every locker room in the National Football League. This poster represents a new effort within the sport to educate and protect its players from head injuries. However, I would argue that these strategies (and the others that I will outline) will not do anything to help the problem until a culture shift begins on the player level.
I was inspired to write this blog post after reading an editorial by Michael Wilbon in the Washington Post (thanks to my husband for making me a PTI fan). Mr. Wilbon compares these posters to the Surgeon General's warning that appears on each cigarette package. I completely agree- and they will be just as ineffective. Straight education and "fear-based" messages are not capable of changing behavior.

My first concern is regarding the layout and content of the poster itself. In any good health communication piece, you want the target audience to quickly and easily understand what you are trying to say and what you hope they will do after viewing the piece (i.e., what is the "call to action?"). The NFL poster fails in multiple areas:

1. It is not quick: It took me almost 5 minutes to read it thoroughly.
2. There are too many goals/calls to action (at least three by my count): 1- Education about the facts and symptoms of concussions; 2- How/why to refer yourself; 3- How/why to refer a teammate.
3. It uses some "fear-based" messages (e.g., head injuries can cause early onset dementia).

I highly doubt that this poster was tested with the target population (NFL players)- which is always the best way to produce effective health communication materials. Perhaps the players would have pointed out the obvious oversight that the photographs on the poster are not NFL players (but instead children and those playing other sports).

The posters are being rolled out in conjunction with other prevention strategies. For example, there have been policy changes (either under consideration or already active) regarding how quickly a player can come back after a concussion, how much contact/hitting can take place in practice, etc. They are also reviewing new data regarding the safety of different types of helmets and supporting a coaches committee dedicated to the discussion of player safety.

But what about the players themselves? Are they ready to sit out games? Will they support their teammates sitting out games? From many stories heard from the fields and locker rooms- players have not yet bought into this "new system". For example:

Last November (2009), Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers sustained yet another concussion. It was ultimately decided (by his physicians) that he could not play in a key game versus the Baltimore Ravens. The result- he did not receive support from his teammates. Hines Ward told the media that support in the locker room was "50-50" regarding if Ben should play. He talks about how other players have played (and would have played) through a concussion. He also discussed how they would lie to physicians in order to be cleared for play.

So while it is great to have committees and make posters, until the players are on board and feel supported by their teammates to put their health first (without consequence or retribution), these other measures will not truly be effective. A culture change must come first- and it must start with the players.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Weird, But Effective Solutions For Acne Facial Scars

Hey there, Chances are if you are reading this article either you or someone you know is suffering with acne facial scars. We have come along way over the years and luckily people with acne scars can have a permanent solution without going through expensive surgical procedures. At the end of this article, I've included a useful link to a website that I discovered with more answers, so make sure to click on the links below.

Before we jump into some non-surgical solutions, let me ask a question. How much do you think microdermabrasion costs? Not those home remedy kits (which don't work) or a trip to the local salon, I mean microdermabrasion for acne scars done by a qualified doctor. You can expect to pay somewhere around $750 a treatment. I know it costs money to be beautiful, but come on! There are less expensive and less painful solutions for treating acne scar.

Below are 3 very simple and inexpensive solutions for acne facial scars (one is even free):

>> Skin Camouflage or Cover-up: Camouflage foundation can improve the appearance of your skin very quickly. Look for products that are non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic and, most importantly, make sure it has your tones.

>> Rub ice cubes on your face for about 10-15 minutes. It's cold and will tighten your pores.

>> Apply cucumber juice to your face, then wash it off after 10 - 15 minutes to tighten up your pores. This may sound odd, but cucumbers are very good for your skin.

Acne facial scars can have very serious effects on a person's confidence, self-image and emotional state. But follow one or all of the solutions mentioned above and you should notice some relief.

Dan Buckner did some research to help his brother find a cure for his acne facial scars. He found a fast and effective way for treating acne scar.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad