Malaria Initiative SucceedingWritten by Dottie Duncan
Africa Malaria Day, April 25, is a reminder that Malaria is one deadliest diseases in world -- killing more than one million people per year, mostly poor women and young children in tropical countries. Because of this urgent need, in 2002, Freedom from Hunger, with help from drug company GlaxoSmithKline, launched an anti-malaria pilot program in six West African countries. This Malaria Initiative educates women in poor rural areas about malaria; brings them access to subsidized, insecticide treated bednets; and provides linkages to local health services for treatment. Education, provided in form of role-play, story and song, is key because it teaches women who have never been to school how to prevent malaria, when and how to treat it, and even how to organize community safeguards. Overcoming Cost Barriers Many women whose families are threatened by malaria cannot afford insecticide–treated mosquito nets. So Freedom from Hunger has convinced manufacturers and distributors to provide nets at a substantially reduced cost (about $4 per net). Freedom from Hunger also arranged for local sources of appropriate and reliable anti-malarial drugs to be provided at reasonable prices to individuals when disease strikes. Because Freedom from Hunger’s Malaria Initiative is layered onto a self-financing microcredit program, women gain sustainable access to credit to build home-based business, earning money to buy nets and pay for health services.
| | Winning the Stress GameWritten by Andrea Putting N.D
Winning The Stress GameStress is a big factor in today’s world. The way we deal with it is as individual as we are. We need a certain amount of stress to function, but when it reaches extremes and we can no longer deal with it, it becomes a problem. Not dealing with our stress levels can lead to many symptoms and diseases. These can range from things such as headaches and indigestion and lead to many more serious illnesses if initial warning signs are ignored. Stress places greater demands on body’s nutritional status than normal. Often when we find ourselves in these situations, planning and preparing meals takes a great dive in priority. However, this is when good nutrition is most important. Choosing healthy snacks such as fruit over junkie and fast foods is a start. It is important to drink plenty of water and replace tea and coffee with other more gentle alternatives such as herbal teas. Try to make eating meals as relaxing as possible. Turn off TV, put on some relaxing music and enjoy your food and your family. Supplements of nutrients are very important at these times. A good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement is a vital part of stress management. There are many herb remedies that are of great value when dealing with stress. The appropriate herbs for you will depend on your individual circumstances. Ginseng has become a popular stress management herb in recent times, as it enhances ability to handle life. In many situations, people under stress need help relaxing at night, to enable them to get vital sleep needed. There are many relaxing herbs that can be of assistance here. A cup of herbal tea before bed can be relaxing, teas such as chamomile or Evening bliss are enjoyable.
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