Sunday, July 25, 2010

You don't have to look too far to be inspired to change!

Each week on my blog I share a current affair that is intended to inspire you to make a little change in your life and achieve a big result. This week, I was reminded that you don't have to look very far to be inspired!

My mother's birthday was on Friday--she plays golf three times a week, greets visitors at her church, drives friends to the doctor's office, paints original art, and plays the organ. For her birthday, she requested no gifts, but that donations be made out to one of her favorite charities, "His Chaplain for You/Paws for Cause" -- an organization that empowers volunteers to feed the homeless and includes hospital visits by therapy dogs to those very lonely and ill. It made me proud to be her daughter, fortunate to have such an inspirational mother.

On Saturday, my husband and I attended the wedding of a young woman I met on an airplane about three years ago. At the time, she was about to graduate from college. She was struggling to make important decisions about where to live, work, and who to date! We struck up a conversation that continued long after our flight. We met weekly, then regularly after that first conversation--and I became a mentor to her and her friends. Eventually I wrote a fictional book, loosely based on our relationship titled Emails to My Daughters, attempting to describe how today's young generation finds it so difficult to navigate our culture. The wedding was absolutely beautiful--I was honored to be a guest at her lovely wedding.

The weekend culminated with a 5K, 1K and Pet Costume Contest in a large Southern California park with hundreds of families and dogs who came out for to support our friend's non-profit organization, His Chaplain for You/Paws for Cause. In fact, the Orange County Register covered the Gala with its TV celebrity appearances, silent auction, Gala, and more! When all the canine-craziness was over, all the proceeds went to help the homeless and hospitalized. My friend, Roy Gerber, is the founder and a true inspiration! (For more about Paws for Cause and their homeless ministry, view this short YouTube reel.)

If you are like me, you have been inspired by a special friend or family member. Don't let their impact in your life go unnoticed. Let them know what little change they made in your life that has had a big result. Take time today to write them a note of encouragement, give a donation in their name, or better yet, volunteer alongside of them to help the veterans or homeless in your area.

Be encouraged,

Becky

Sunday, July 18, 2010

F as in FAT!

A June 2010 research study titled, "F as in Fat" released startling resuts:

Adult obesity rates increased in 28 states in the past year, and declined only in the District of Columbia (D.C.), according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010, a report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). More than two-thirds of states (38) have adult obesity rates above 25 percent. In 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent.

Equally alarming were the statistics reported for children struggling with obesity and how their parents seem unaware of the epidemic:

84 percent of parents believe their children are at a healthy weight, but research shows nearly one-third of children and teens are obese or overweight. Currently, more than 12 million children and adolescents are considered obese.

What is obesity?

The Center for Disease Control defines obesity as follows: For adults 20 years of age and older, a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy. A person with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and a person with a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.


But obesity can be reversed and more importantly, prevented. Either option begins with little changes. The CDC suggests that families begin by encouraging simple, healthy eating habits such as:

* Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products.
* Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products.
* Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein.
* Serve reasonably-sized portions.
* Encourage your family to drink lots of water.
* Limit sugar-sweetened beverages.
* Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat.


In fact, the CDC is convinced that "small changes every day can lead to a recipe for success!" (Their words, not just mine!)

This week, print this list of healthy eating suggestions and incorporate JUST ONE OF THEM into your lifestyle--the one that is the easiest for you or your family to do.

Just one little change can have big results—weight loss, lower cholesterol, or especially to lower the risk of diabetes or sleep apnea.

Click here for additional information on obesity from the CDC website, as well as how to assess BMI and/or if you or a family member falls into an unhealthy category.

Be encouraged,

Becky

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Is it just celebrities OR is our culture out of control?

By now you’ve seen or read the recent news about actress Lindsay Lohan’s 90-day jail sentence. Those who have not seen the news only need to know that a wonderful young Disney actress, now a 25-year old woman, has been sentenced to jail time and a “stay” in a rehabilitation facility. The judge, who has been attempting to steer her away from drugs and alcohol for a number of months, has no more “second chances” left for Lindsay.

In a July 11, 2010 article, Gloria Goodale, reporter for the Christian Science Monitor challenged readers to delve deeper into this story. Rather than focus on the lifestyles of “out-of-control” celebrities, she proposed that our entire culture is out of control and we have lost our moorings. Interestingly, Goodale opened her article by quoting a Jewish Rabbi, rather than a lawyer or media specialist:

"This is the blind leading the blind," says Rabbi Boteach. "Police can erect a barricade against going over a cliff, but they can't impart values."


Goodale purports what many of us—especially those in the helping professions—have come to believe about today’s culture: “behavior is influenced by like-minded cohorts and less and less by traditional values.”

What are traditional values anyway—does anyone know or adhere to them?

Rabbi Boteach believes there are the “four essential” traditional values that create a meaningful life. They are:

A grounded life (where someone makes you take out the garbage), spiritual values (including the sanctity of marriage), surrounding yourself with friends who tell you the truth—not people who use you or lead you into trouble, and giving yourself to a cause which is higher than yourself.

I've just attended a national conference on marriage. The breakout sessions I chose to sit in on each had to do with teaching the traditional values of marriage to young men and women, boys and girls. I found the current statistics and research on marriage, sex, and the media to converge in such a way as to motivate me EVEN MORE to become outspoken about traditional values that lead to great relationships and meaningful lives for people of all ages.

You owe it to yourself (and those you know and love) to become a part of changing our culture for the better by speaking up. Surely there are young men and women in your life who are desperate for someone to tell them that marriage can last a lifetime, sex is best within a marriage bond, and it is possible to be sober, fun and happy:)!

Each week I ask you to make a little change that can have a big result. What are you waiting for? Become a mentor to newlyweds or teach a class on marriage to young men and women in your community, on a campus near you or at your church. (And if you need a curriculum to get you started, try Wait Training or a good book that talks about the science behind sex and the brain, read Hooked.)

Let's make a difference with our lives right where we're at--rather than complain about celebrities, let's change our culture!

Be encouraged,

Becky

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Underage Drinking on Fourth of July--A National Trend

The first time I got drunk, I was a 15-year old cheerleader and it was the Fourth of July. Some older football players bought beer for my girlfriends and me, and I drank more than anyone else. I drank the next day too, even with a hangover. I should have known that my unusual tolerance and unlimited capacity to drink alcohol, was due to the fact that I was the child of an alcoholic. Instead of being repulsed by the taste or side effects of beer, I proceeded to drink every weekend following the Fourth of July. By the end of football season, I was blacking out or passing out every time I drank. From the time I entered college, until I dropped out after a humiliating incident during one night of binge drinking on campus, I drank every day, eventually adding marijuana and occasional drugs to the substances I used to keep myself from feeling the pain or facing the shame of my obvious-to-everyone-but me addiction.

According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network, Fourth of July is one holiday each year when underage alcohol abuse doubles—as evidenced by emergency room visits across America:

Results from an average day in July 2008 found that there were 502 emergency room visits involving underage alcohol use across the U.S. However, during the 3-day Fourth of July weekend, the number of daily visits jumped to 938 – an increase of 87%.


I’m obviously not surprised by the Fourth of July underage drinking statistics, but I am surprised by how many kids are drinking...and why.

On June 29th, 2010, Newsweek reported that the prevention organization, Partnership for a Drug-Free America recently surveyed underage drinkers, highlighting changing trends. For the first time, the number of girls who drink is on the rise, while the number of boys who drink remains the same. Up 11% from last year, 59% of middle and high school girls are drinking. And the reason they drink is also different. While girls drink to escape or cope with pressure and problems, boys drink…to have fun.

The Center for Marketing Alcohol and Youth, reports that the average age of a student who drinks is now 13-years old while five thousand kids a day under the age of 16 will have their first drink! More importantly, CAMY believes that parents can change these trends just by talking to their kids!

Our research shows that kids who consistently learn about the risks of drugs from their parents are 50% less likely to use drugs and alcohol than those who do not; yet, only 30% of teens report learning a lot from their parents.


As someone who started her binge drinking at the age of 15 on the Fourth of July, I am compelled to challenge all parents and concerned adults to consider talking about these statistics with teenagers. You never how timely your "talk" might be and what little change or big result it can have in a student's life!

The Prevention for Drug-Free America’s comprehensive and interactive website is a great resource for both parents and students, including practical advice for preventing teenage drinking on holiday weekends, such as the Fourth of July, suggesting:

1. Talk with your child about alcohol facts, reasons not to drink, and ways to avoid drinking in difficult situations.
2. Encourage your teen to visit our Check Yourself website for information about drugs and alcohol.
3. Keep tabs on your young teen’s activities, and join other parents in making common policies about teen alcohol use.
4. Develop family rules about teen drinking and establish consequences.
5. Set a good example regarding your own alcohol use and your response to teen drinking.
6. Encourage your child to develop healthy friendships and fun alternatives to drinking.
7. Believe in your own power to help your child avoid alcohol use.

Be encouraged to make a difference,

Becky