Instructions:
Please read Chapter 13 before posting on the Discussion Board.
1. Choose from one of the following topics below and write 250 words fully answering the questions posed.
2. Respond to one other students post of another topic and write 100 words minimum.
Topic 1
Does someone in your family have any major risk factors for cardiovascular disease that can be changed, such as smoking or physical inactivity? If so, practice how you might talk to the person about altering his or her behavior to reduce risk. Be prepared for some resistance; you may have to have more than one conversation about your concern. You might begin by saying, for instance, “Dad, I’m worried about what smoking might be doing to your heart. Can we talk about that for a minute?”Topic 2
An angry, hostile approach to life can increase your exposure to the stress response and can put you at risk for heart disease. Do your verbal and nonverbal communication patterns indicate underlying anger? For example, are you easily irritated by others? Do you fidget or tap your fingers while others are talking? Do you jump to conclusions or finish their sentences for them? Do you often interrupt? If you do, you might have a problem with anger and hostility.Topic 3
Expressing chronic anger can put you at risk for heart disease, but suppressing and internalizing anger and resentment can also be dangerous. If someone is inconsiderate, rude, manipulative, or abusive toward you, you have the right to demand respect and fair treatment. Practice being assertivedefined as the ability to communicate your thoughts and feelings with confidence and skillwithout being aggressive. Be specific about the behavior that bothers you, say how you feel about it, and specify how you would like it to change. For example: “I’m very upset that you forgot to tell me my brother called. This is the third time people have asked me why I haven’t returned their calls. I feel as if you don’t consider my calls important. In the future, can you please write it down when someone calls me and leave the message here by the phone?” Remember that suffering in silence is not good for your health or your relationship.
Topic 4
Fear and embarrassment can sometimes prevent people from getting an early diagnosis of cancer, and this is especially true for colorectal cancer. If you have a family history of colorectal polyps or cancer, talk to your health care provider about what screening tests you should be having. For example, “My mother had colon cancer and I’m wondering if I should be screened earlier than usual.” If you have a symptom that you’re worried about–such as abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, or a change in bowel habits–bring it to your physician’s attention right away. (Such symptoms can indicate conditions other than cancer, but if it is cancer, early detection can make an enormous difference in your prognosis.) Don’t wait for your physician to ask; be assertive. Direct and open communication with your health care provider is a key to continued good health.Topic 5
The media often portray beautiful people with a “healthy tan.” Yet research studies as well as everyday experience confirm that the sun irreparably damages the skin and causes skin cancer. Both sunlight and tanning salons are human carcinogens. What messages are the media communicating with their images of tanned skin? Are you influenced by these messages? Can you look at the messages critically and counter them with scientific information and common sense?Topic 6
What can you say when a friend tells you he or she has cancer? Sometimes it’s best to say little and just listen empathetically. Empathic listening involves attending to and confirming the feelings of the speaker. Empathic responses include supporting (acknowledging feelings and offering encouragement), probing (seeking more information), and understanding (checking perceptions and paraphrasing). Not-so-empathic listening puts the listener in a superior position, diminishes the speaker, and shuts down communication. Such responses include evaluating (judging), advising (suggesting solutions), and interpreting (trying to address the underlying meaning of the situation). A good place to begin is simply, “I’m glad you told me. What can I do to help you?”
Submission Requirements:Submit your original discussion. 250 words minimum.
Respond to at least ONE OTHER discussion topic from one of your peers. 100 words minimum.
Subject Line of your post should indicate which Topic was chosen.
Proper English and staying on topic is required.
