Monday, July 1, 2024

Co-creating Healthier Communities: An Integrative Approach

July presents a unique blend of learning opportunities and community engagement. Initiatives of a 50 jumping jacks contest or performing kind acts may foster a sense of camaraderie and personal achievement. Engaging in outdoor activities connects us with nature, while setting SMART goals with healthy eating may lead to healthy lifestyle changes. Evaluating my wellness tracker may help maintain focus on these goals. Webinars with Twitter/X discussions offer platforms for sharing insights on acceptance and resilience, especially relevant during the festive occasion of July 4th. These experiences, when shared with family and peers with email may support communal bonds. Moreover, integrating music with email communications into community spaces may enhance the sense of belonging and collective joy during the summer season.


Health is a state of integrative physical, mental, and social well-being. This definition with the World Health Organization underscores the multifaceted nature of health and encompasses a variety of factors including lifestyle, environment, and community support. In recognition of  #MinorityMentalHealthAwarenessMonth, I learn the importance of #communityhealth, especially among minority populations who often face significant disparities in access to healthcare services.


#Communityhealth has been magnified in recent years, particularly in light of the global pandemic and its impact on mental health. The co-creation of #communityhealth initiatives is a powerful approach to learning awareness and making efforts to solve these challenges with encouraging collaboration between individuals, communities, healthcare providers, and organizations to develop solutions culturally sensitive, accessible, and sustainable. Resources such as the MHE-Co-Creation-Toolkit and interactive physical health check tools are valuable assets in this endeavor, providing guidance and practical steps for communities to empower themselves and improve overall well-being.


One of the key aspects of co-creating healthier communities is the emphasis on preventative measures and education. For instance, the "Summer Slide" phenomenon with concerns for losses in learning, physical activity, nutrition, and sleep, may be mitigated with setting summer health goals for families. Encouraging physical activity, healthy eating, and emotional well-being [information available at Public Health Media Library (cdc.gov)] are important components of an integrative approach to health.


Co-creating healthier communities requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders with building resilience, promoting inclusivity, and promoting health equity. As we observe #MinorityMentalHealthAwarenessMonth, let us commit to empowering communities, supporting mental health, and creating a future where health is accessible and equitable for all.


Creating and Tracking SMART Goals: A Step-by-Step Guide


Setting goals is a fundamental component to long-term success. The logic is if you know where you want to go, understanding how to get there becomes much easier. 


**Specific**: The goal needs to be clear and specific to focus your efforts and feel motivated to achieve. Ask yourself: What do I want to accomplish? Why is this goal important? Who is involved? Where is the learning opportunity located? How are resources or limits involved?


**Measurable**: Measurable goals are a way to track your progress and stay motivated. Evaluating progress helps you to stay focused, meet your time frame, and feel the excitement of getting closer to achieving your goal.


**Achievable**: Your goal also needs to be realistic and attainable to be successful. In other words, it needs to stretch your abilities and remain possible. Ask yourself: How may I accomplish this goal? How realistic is the goal, based on other constraints, such as financial factors?


**Relevant**: This step is about ensuring your goal matters to you, and also aligns with other relevant goals. We all need support and assistance in achieving our goals and retain control over them with taking responsibility for achieving your own goal.


**Time-bound**: Every goal needs a timeframe to focus on and to work toward. This part of the SMART goal criteria helps to prevent everyday tasks from taking priority over your longer-term goals.


Here is one way to apply the SMART criteria to goal setting:


1. **Write down your goals**: Articulate wants to achieve using the SMART framework. Be as clear and detailed as possible.


2. **Create a plan of action**: Outline the steps to take needed to achieve your goals. This could include smaller sub-goals or tasks that are necessary to achieve the larger goal.


3. **Set milestones**: Break your main goal into smaller, more manageable validated goals. These checkpoints may help you stay on track and measure your progress.


4. **Monitor your progress**: Regularly evaluate your goals and progress. This could be done weekly, monthly, or quarterly, depending on the nature of your goal.


5. **Adjust as necessary**: Be flexible with your goals. If you find that your goals are too ambitious or too easy, adjust them accordingly.


6. **Celebrate your successes**: Take the time to celebrate when you achieve a milestone or reach your goal. This will help keep you motivated for future goals.


Remember, goal setting is an ongoing activity. Build in reminders to keep yourself on track and make regular time available to review your goals. The action plan you set for yourself along the way may change significantly. Ensure the relevance of your goals by tweaking them regularly to reflect growth in your knowledge and experience.


Achieving Heart Health with 30-Minute Paced Walks: A Path to Lower Heart Rate


The journey to a healthier heart may begin with putting on your walking shoes and stepping out the door. Walking is one of the most accessible forms of exercise and is also effective for improving cardiovascular health. For those looking to enhance their heart health, incorporating 30-minute paced walks into their daily routine is one component to a #HealthySummer.


The benefits of a daily walk are well-documented. Research has shown that engaging in a brisk 30-minute walk may lead to a decrease in resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduced levels of LDL cholesterol, often referred to as "bad" cholesterol. These improvements contribute to a stronger, more efficient heart, reducing the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions.


But how does one ensure they are walking at a pace that will yield these benefits? To track progress and ensure you are walking at a pace with benefits for your heart, I have learned how to measure and monitor my heart rate during exercise. Regular walking can improve blood circulation, aid in weight management, and enhance overall well-being. This integrative approach to health helps to focus on the physical aspect and mental health benefits, such as stress reduction and improved mood. 


30-minute paced walks are a simple yet powerful exercise for achieving heart health. With engaging in this activity, you may work towards lowering your heart rate and strengthening your heart muscle and experience the benefits of walking for a healthier heart with the support of healthy eating, hydration and full rest and reaching out to create social connections to support #communityhealth with evaluation of whole health and healing PTSD symptoms with available resources with tracking positive thank you's and safe healthy learnings with Student Family Community Agenda Lesson plan.


81 with pulse rate before exercise, 81/81/74 after 3 30 minutes paced walks, 78/85/82/82 with Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps on Google Play, 80/85/75/76 with Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play. 7/1/2024

73 with pulse rate before exercise, 73/68 after 2 30 minutes paced walk,76/75/80 with  Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps on Google Play, 62/74/70 with Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play. 7/3/2024 


Resources

Thriving Together: Empowering Healthier Communities: Search results for co-create (thrivingtogethercommunityhealth.blogspot.com)

Radiant Intersection of Summer Solstice and Learning

As the Northern Hemisphere welcomes the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, we also step into the summer season, a period astrolog...

Popular Posts