Barb's Daily Dose

Top 11 Sites for Women's Health

A recent study found that most Americans get their health information from Health Sites and fewer from social media. Ok, that's not so surprising, but over 50% get their information from Both.  People are looking for the credible information from sites like WebMD, but they're also using Social Media and blogs to learn about people's personal experiences.

"Good Bands"!

Our Featured Guest Today is Mary Beth Miller, CEO of Goodbands.org

Are you stressed, suffering from an illness, or looking to feel better about yourself? I’ve found that many so-called solutions can be temporary, costly or ineffective. However, there’s one solution that is accessible to everyone.  No appointment is necessary.  There are no risks of nausea, internal bleeding, or any other awful side effects. Interested?

The answer is:  Simple acts of kindness. The prescription:  Start small. 

Try to complete one each day. Smile at someone.  Hold a door open for a stranger.  Ask how someone is and really listen to their answer.

Social Media & Serious Illness

If you have a friend with a serious illness, you're probably familiar with a social media site:  like CaringBridge.org that keeps loved ones informed.  This is a way to post information, photos and regular updates so that the family is spared from having to repeat the same information over and over, which can be emotionally draining.  It also helps everyone feel included.  Visitors to the sites can also post well wishes and stories.

Bullying

It's back to school time, and you know what that means?  Getting up early again, making lunches, back into a routine and the anxiety that is natural with any new school year.  Will I like my teacher(s)? Will the other kids be nice?  Can I do the work?  Will it be hard?  Boring? Overwhelming with homework? Will there be bullies?

Cyber Bullying

Now that it's almost back to school time, I'll start posting on a some parenting issues.  Here's one that I just ran across on Cyber Bullying and what parents can do.  I'm passing along the link in case you're interested:

12 Things Nurses Should Know About the Chronically Ill Patient (Part II)

Our Featured Guest Writer Today is: 

Lisa Copen, Founder of Rest Minisitries

Here are 12 Tips Chronically Ill Patients Would Like to Give Nurses:

1. When you ask "Are you taking any medications?" and I hand you two pages with them listed, please don't look shocked or as if I am an addict.

2. When you take a moment to ask me about how I am doing emotionally, not just physically, I feel like you really do care. In some ways this makes me more comfortable and even forthcoming about the physical symptoms when the doctor asks me questions later.

12 Things Nurses Should Know About the Chronically Ill Patient (Part 1)

Our Featured Guest Writer Today is: 

Lisa Copen, Founder of Rest Minisitries

The profession of medicine could not operate without nurses. It's not a secret to anyone who has ever been to a doctor's appointment or had a hospital stay that the nurses define our experience and even recovery process perhaps more than any other medical professional we encounter. We may be having a routine procedure, setting up a regular appointment, or having a serious conversation with the doctor; but the presence of a nurse may shape how well the patient deals with the situation and psychologically handles the outcome.

For most of us with a chronic illness, it is not a challenge to remember a nurse who hardly acknowledged our presence, one who kept forgetting to bring our medication when we were in the hospital, or just the nurse who overly enjoys her role as the gatekeeper to the doctor.

Rest Ministries

Our Featured Guest Today is:  Lisa Copen,

Founder of Rest Ministries

Rest Ministries, www.restministries.org , was founded by Lisa Copen in 1997 and has grown to reach thousands online through various program, daily devotionals, social networks and more.

They also have over 300 HopeKeepers groups in churches around the world and HopeKeepers Magazine.

In 2002 they began National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week, www.invisibleillness.com , which ran Sept 14-20 2009 this year, featuring a 5-day free virtual conference with 20 live, and archived, seminars online.

For articles, encouragement, the weekly newsletter and more visit the web site www.restministries.org . Lisa also recently began Illness Twitters ww.illnesstwitters.ning.com to connect anyone who Twitters about health, ilness, or medical issues.