May is National Stroke Awareness Month

Tip of the Week 1 – Know Stroke Symptoms

Many people don’t know that if you can recognize the symptoms of a stroke you can save not only your life, but maybe the life of someone else. Being able to recognize symptoms and to understand that they signal an emergency, you are able to seek medical attention quickly. Treatment exists to minimize the effects of stroke; however it must be given within 3 hours of the first symptom. It is easy for people to recognize stroke symptoms by learning to think

F.A.S.T.

F=Face Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A=Arms Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S=Speech Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred?

T=Time If you observe any of these signs, then it’s time to call 9-1-1.

Tip of the Week 2 – Control Blood Pressure to Prevent Stroke

Did you know…High blood pressure is the number one cause of stroke? Yet, nearly 60 million Americans have high blood pressure, and almost a third do not know they have it!

• Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year – more often if you have a history of high blood pressure, have had a heart attack are diabetic or are overweight.

• Know your family medical history, if high blood pressure runs in your family it’s important that you ask your doctor about how to control your blood pressure.

• If you have high blood pressure it's important to follow the recommendations of your doctor, which may include changes in diet, regular exercise and the use of medication.

Tip of the Week 3 – Manage Cholesterol to Prevent Stroke

Next time you think about burgers and fries, think about this…There are many things – including foods high in saturated fat – that can cause arteries to become blocked through the gradual build-up of cholesterol, called plaque.

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy fat (lipid) that is made by the body. It is found in the bloodstream and in all of your body’s cells. Your body needs cholesterol to form cell membranes, some hormones and vitamin D.

Cholesterol is also found in some foods, such as eggs, meats and dairy products. Cholesterol or plaque build-up in the arteries can block normal blood flow to the brain and cause a stroke.

High cholesterol may also increase your risk for stroke by raising your risk for heart disease, a stroke risk factor. There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

• It’s important to understand your numbers because they are key measurements of your stroke risk.

• For most people the combined HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) should fall below 200.

• Maintain a healthy cholesterol level by eating a diet low in saturated fat and incorporating exercise into your routine.

• Ask your doctor how you can improve any numbers that are not in normal range.

Have a test for cholesterol and high blood pressure - these tests are simple and will let you know if you need to make some changes in your lifestyle and diet.

Today is Bloggers Unite - World-Aids-Day

The origin of AIDS and HIV has puzzled scientists ever since the illness first came to light in the early 1980s. For almost thirty years it has been the subject of fierce debate and the cause of countless disagreements, with everything from a promiscuous flight attendant to a suspect vaccine program being blamed. So what is the truth? Just where did AIDS come from?

The first recognized cases of AIDS occurred in the USA in the early 1980’s. A number of men in New York and California suddenly began to develop rare opportunistic infections and cancers that seemed stubbornly resistant to any treatment. At this time, AIDS did not yet have a name, but it quickly became obvious that all the men were suffering from a common syndrome.

The dominant feature of this first period was silence, for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was unknown and transmission was not yet understood. By 1980, HIV had spread to at least five continents (North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Australia). During this period of silence, the spread was unchecked by awareness or any preventive action and approximately 100,000-300,000 persons may have been infected.

In June 1981 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) published a report about the occurrence, without identifiable cause, of rare lung infection Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in five men in Los Angeles. This report is sometimes referred to as the "beginning" of AIDS, but it might be more accurate to describe it as the beginning of the general awareness of AIDS in the USA

Because there was so little known about the transmission of what seemed to be a new disease, there was concern about contagion, and whether the disease could by passed on by people who had no apparent signs or symptoms.

In 1982 we had a family friend who was diagnosed with AIDS. At that time it was a very new disease and no one knew what it was or how you got it, however, it was rumored was that it was a definite death sentence.

Norman was an entertainer, a dancer who also belonged to a local singing group. He was gentle and kind and a lifelong friend to several people. When he was diagnosed he was told that he was going to die and his mother opted to take him to her home. At that time it was an enormous secret if a person had AIDS because no one knew if it was an airborne disease or not. We, his friends, had several discussions about just how supportive we could be without putting ourselves, and our families at risk.

Norman’s birthday was approaching and one of our group, Bernard, insisted that we should give Norman a surprise birthday party. We wanted to go to visit him but we were still cautious. We tried to find out everything that had been printed about the illness. Well we discovered that it was not airborne and that we could not get AIDS from being in Norman’s presence. Bernard purchased a beautiful birthday cake and we purchased paper plates and napkins along with plastic forks and spoons. We knocked on his mother’s door and enthusiastically announced our arrival by singing “Happy Birthday To You”. He was so frail and weak but he managed a giant smile and we spent the afternoon with him. The men who were members of his singing group serenaded him with songs and even did a few dance steps. It is still a ‘happy memory’ day.

The acronym AIDS was suggested at a July meeting in Washington, D.C., AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) was first properly defined by the CDC in September 1982, and they published their first set of recommended precautions for health-care workers and allied professionals designed to prevent AIDS transmission.

Still very little was known about transmission and public anxiety continued to grow.

In 1983 it was reported that the cause of AIDS was unknown, but it seemed most likely to be caused by an agent transmitted by intimate sexual contact, through contaminated needles, or, less commonly, by inoculation of infectious blood or blood products. No evidence suggested transmission of AIDS by airborne spread.

In October, the first European World Health Organization (WHO) meeting was held in Denmark. At the meeting it was reported that there had been 2,803 AIDS cases in the USA. By the end of the year the number of AIDS cases in the USA had risen to 3,064 and of these 1,292 had died. Our friend Norman was included in the list of persons who died in 1983.

Our friendship with Norman led me to become an advocate for people living with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)/AIDS. I started a support group for teenage children whose parents had died from, or were currently living with, AIDS. These young people could not talk about it to their school friends and were stigmatized by society. The peer group gave them an opportunity to talk it over with some other young people.

The story I related to you happened 29 years ago and I am sorry to say that there is still an enormous stigma that is born by people who are infected or affected with HIV/AIDS. The statistics today are heavy and many people remain ignorant of the disease.

The death toll since the epidemic began in the early 1980s has reached 22 million, including at least 4.3 million children. More than 36 million people worldwide are now living with HIV/AIDS and every month an additional 440,000 people become infected. Approximately 95% of AIDS cases are in the developing world.

HIV/AIDS rivals poverty and war as a threat to the lives of millions of children in the developing world. There are many worthy organizations worldwide that are working towards a cure. I recommend that you to look them up online and see if you can help in some way.

I urge you to learn more about this disease and at the very least, give a person living with HIV/AIDS a smile and a hug. Yes, human contact is important to let a person know that you care.

I have lived in different countries around the world where I learned that education and medications for HIV/AIDS are not available to everyone for a variety of reasons.

This year, on World AIDS Day is is important to support universal access and human rights. Access for all to learn about prevention, treatment, care, and support is key to conquering HIV/AIDS, and is a fundamental human right.

Wont you give it some thought and then make a decision about how you can help in some small way? Please!

peacesojourner

Did you know that today is World Toilet Day?

Did you know that today is World Toilet Day?

I am guessing that most of you reading this have lived your entire lives with access to indoor plumbing and a working toilet.

I am also aware that some of my readers may still not have running water or a flushable toilet in their home. While many of us take for granted that we will always have daily access to a bathroom there are millions of people in many developing countries who are denied this basic need every day.

You're probably wondering: Do we really need a National Toilet Day? The answer is yes. It is a day set aside to try to bring awareness to people around the world.

A group called ‘Water For People’ supports long-lasting solutions that empower communities to solve their own sanitation problems. They have asked bloggers to talk about this topic today so I am glad to do so.

Even thought at first glance World Toilet Day may seem frivolous there are activists in Washington D.C and around the world who use this day to call for increased access to basic bathrooms for everyone.

A toilet is actually a luxury in many areas of the world. Lack of toilets can spell trouble in the form of contaminated water and the spread of diseases such as cholera. Our friends in Haiti lived this experience this past year - 1,180 have died so far. The huge humanitarian operation in Haiti appears to be losing the battle against the latest catastrophe occurring in the poor Caribbean nation. 20,000 people have been treated in hospitals for the diarrheal disease, which can kill in hours through dehydration if not treated quickly.

It is estimated that 2.5 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean toilets and make do by using plastic bags or hustling off into the bushes.

Educate yourself about the lack of sanitation in the world. The facts are staggering - it is the world's biggest cause of infection. Safe disposal of children's feces leads to a reduction of nearly 40% in childhood diarrhea.

What percentage of the world uses toilet paper? The answer is: 30% –alternatives for the other 70% include hands, water, sand, small rocks, mud, leaves, rope, seaweed and corn husks.

So, when you sit down on your throne today, keep in mind that this is a day to remember that not everyone has the same ability to do what you’re doing. Not having a toilet would be like camping outdoors in the woods your whole life, don’t you think?

When I lived in El Salvador I met people in the rural communities who did not have electricity, running water or indoor plumbing. They dug out an open pit in the ground to dispose of fecal waste and when it was almost full they would cover it in with soil and then dug out another. In one community that I spent time in, some Dutch volunteer workers had built each family a raised commode (with a door) outside of the home which was built up high on cement cinder blocks. One had to go up several steps to use the commode and the waste would fall into a chemical filled site below. The villagers laughed and said that they now had royal thrones.

I once attended a gathering in the village where the local pastor conducted a religious service of thanking God for the gift of access to running water. Every villager was in attendance to give thanks to God and to witness the blessing of the water. The same volunteers from Holland had dug for water and it was finally being channeled into a pipe and one faucet. This single outdoor faucet was for the entire village to share. Before the installation of this faucet the villagers had to travel long distances to collect water and carry it in containers, balanced on their heads, back to their homes.

I also witnessed similar conditions in rural India, especially in the Dalit (formerly known as the Untouchables) community.

So there you have it - World Toilet Day is a day marked to make us aware that over 2.6 billion people in other countries across the globe do not have basic sanitation, causing widespread diseases and deaths every day.

Some may pooh-pooh the whole idea – yes, I said it :-) but really, why not stand up so that others can sit down this World Toilet Day!

******

1 out of 5 children die of diarrheal disease, which means the mother in this photo can expect to bury at least one of her children before their 5th birthday.

*****

To learn more about this go to - http://www.worldtoiletday.com

UNICEF is also committed to improving toilet and sanitation conditions worldwide.

Why not volunteer to help with labor or a financial donation? Check them out.

peacesojourner

Hengistbury Head, Dorset, England

Hengistbury Head, Dorset

A longtime favorite place for our family to go walking is Hengistbury Head that is a scenic and historic headland jutting into the English Channel between Bournemouth and Christchurch in the English county of Dorset. 
 At the end is a spit, which creates the narrow entrance to Christchurch Harbor.

Hengistbury Head has many different habitats, a wide variety of wildlife and rare plant species. It is also a site of significant archaeological importance. For many years it has been a site of scientific interest and a major tourist attraction.

Each year it attracts visitors from all over the world. There is a carpet of golden heather or gorse. The bracken is a really beautiful, low, densely branched shrubs with spiny leaves and fragrant yellow blossoms.

The known history goes back thousands of years. The region was originally named Hynesbury Head. However during the Iron Age it was renamed Hengistbury Head after the Jutish king Hengest. The first truly urban settlement in Britain seems to have been at Hengistbury Head. This site had been inhabited intermittently for over one hundred thousand years, with visits made initially by occasional nomads. 

Just look at these gorgeous blooms on the gorse bushes. As we walk they can be seen near and far.  Hengistbury Head was Britain's first town, both in terms of its early date, and also in terms of the town's growth being due to the channel opening up and creating the island that we now call Britain. 

Here is my sister's dog, Pebbles, who discovered this six foot long branch and just would not put it down. She wanted us to throw it for her so that she could play 'fetch it'. The branch was quite heavy to throw and I was incredulous that she was running around with it in her mouth as if it were a bone. When we were ready to go home she eventually was very reluctant about leaving her new treasure behind.

As we stroll in this beautiful area it is hard to realize that Hengistbury Head reached its peak as a town when occupied by Celtic people from around 700BC. Around this time the sea had advanced, creating a headland. 

This area was also a manufacturing center, since the rocks in the area were rich in iron, which marked a crucial milestone in the economic history of Britain.

The Head remains a beautiful wilderness that is being rapidly lost to the sea. Since its days as a great port half the area has been lost to erosion. 

A visit here is all about appreciating the natural beauty of the landscape and reflecting on the passing of a once bustling centre of activity. 

View of the Isle of Wight from Hengistbury Head

For those who enjoy history there are several storyboards indicating that it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The history of the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age is recorded. They tell about the wildlife on Hengistbury Head, including Galloway Cattle, the wood mouse, the skylark and the meadow pipit, but they also tell us about how people lived and hunted on Hengisbury Head and Warren Point between 12,500 years ago and 4,000 years ago during the Stone Age, which is really fascinating. 

Medieval era:

The area was not substantially reoccupied until Alfred the Great decided to rebuild the harbor as a defense against raiders. He built the town that later became Christchurch, on the north side of the harbor.

A walk at Hengistbury Head always conjures up childhood memories for me. Running and  flying kites here.  One of the things that I enjoy when I return home to England is that there is so much documented history. At this location  there is evidence of intermittent human habitation stretching back over 100,000 years.

Now that is really something to think about :-)

Photos by peacesojourner

Can We Talk? - re: Robot Teachers

Can we talk?.....................

It has finally happened. A proposal to replace teachers has come along.

According to the news ‘In Tokyo, Japan a robot has been made. But the developer says it's not about to replace human instructors.

Her name is Saya and she can express six basic emotions — surprise, fear, disgust, anger, happiness, and sadness — because her rubber skin is being pulled from the back with motors and wiring around the eyes and the mouth. In a demonstration, the robot's mouth popped open, her eyes widened and eyebrows arched to appear surprised

According to the news article the children were amused when she called out their names. Still, she is remote-controlled by a human watching the interaction through cameras.

The idea in Japan and other nations are hopeful that robotics will provide a solution for their growing labor shortage problem as populations age. But scientists express concern about using a machine to take care of children and say more research in human-robot interaction is needed before overly relying on robots.

"The robot has no intelligence. She has no ability to learn. She has no identity," and is just a tool." says one professor. (Duh!)

That made-to-order robot will cost about 5 million yen ($51,000).

It has been said that everyone remembers their first grade teacher. Well, I'm guessing that would be especially true if your first grade teacher was a robot. Saya the robot teacher is not able to administer lessons or give individual attention to students. It may be cost effective but is this the wave of the future?

After reading the article I thought about my teachers and my days in school.
I tried to remember the names and faces of the teachers and discovered something that was quite unexpected. I could only clearly remember one of my teachers. The memories of the others are a blur. Mr. Leno, my 6th form teacher, at Pinner County School, is certainly the one who is indelibly sketched in my mind and has my grateful respect.

He was tall and slender and this was accentuated by the way he dressed. He was the only teacher that I ever had who wore his professors black gown and mortarboard to every class. He also addressed every student as Miss or Mr. and expected us all to do the same. Thus teaching us to be polite and respect him and each other.

He had a creative way of teaching mathematics and his lessons remain with me today. He would assign each student a problem in geometry and when it was our turn we would have stand and look at the problem that was written on the chalkboard. We then had to solve the problem by saying each move out loud whilst staring at a blank board. I can remember protesting and saying that I just was not able to do it. He was relentless and insisted that I could. I can still remember feeling as if the cobwebs in my brain were moving out of the way, and it actually felt painful to make my brain work so hard. But guess what? All of the students finally managed to solve the math problems in our heads without writing down a single number and I can still do this today. Sometimes when people observe me adding up triple digit numbers in my head they are surprised. Mr. Leno taught me how to do it.

Another lesson we learned was not so pleasant but never forgotten. I remember (with shame) that we had a substitute teacher one day. She was young, obviously nervous and we were probably her first class. She had a mop of bright red, curly hair. Young children seem to have radar for identifying the vulnerable and collectively we decided to give her a hard time. When she attempted to teach us, all of the students started mumbling ‘blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah” and we refused to let her get her message out. She eventually ran out of the class crying. Leaving us all stunned and wondering what to do now that we were without a teacher in front of us.

The following day Mr. Leno stormed into the classroom and slammed the door shut behind him. His black gown was blowing in the breeze and he was furious.
He shouted out “Scum of the earth!” and in his rage, proceeded to tell us how ashamed he was of us and how disrespectful we had been to the substitute teacher. It was a scene that I have never forgotten and I will eternally feel ashamed of our collective behavior on that day. Trust me, it never happened again!

Now I ask you, to think back to your memories of your teachers. Was it a lesson in life skills, a compliment, a warm smile or hug? How could one ever have such memories from a robot teacher? A robot cannot be that kind of inspirational role model.

Also, the robot teacher has to have someone behind the scenes viewing the class in order to press the buttons to change her facial expressions (shades of Big Brother here). What is the point if she has to have the Wizard behind the curtain who is operating her?

*****

A grateful thanks to those who were my teachers and also, to my friends who are educators. You each bring a unique quality to teaching and you love what you do. Thank you. You deserve to be recognized as being compassionate human beings and, I am sure, you hope that one day at least one student will say, “Yes, I remember that teacher very well………”

*****

Can we talk? Here is my personal opinion - No, no, no! No to robots!