Family Is a Place Where a Happiness been there

FULFILLING FORGIVENESS IN MARRIAGE!

2009-12-16T20:32:00.000-08:00

God created the marriage relationship to be unique in human experience! We must fulfill the unique demands of forgiveness in marriage.

1. There is no other relationship so demanding yet so potentially rewarding.

2. Marriage requires us to live with another person in the closest union known to mankind.

3. Such intimacy can be intimidating. We are compelled to reveal our true selves, often prompting a fear of rejection.

4. Once we move beyond our fears of transparency, we discover that there is no relationship more wonderful.

5. It is in this divine union we have our greatest opportunities to forgive and love again.

I. WE MUST CHOOSE TO FORGIVE IN MARRIAGE!

1 Love and forgiveness find their greatest test and enjoy their greatest fulfillment in marriage.

Do you remember the story of the repentant prostitute who bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair (Luke 7:36-50)? After she had exhibited such respect and love for the Master, He told a story about two men who owed money to a lender. One owed 500 denarii; the other just 50. Neither had the ability to repay the debt, So the lender graciously canceled both debts. Then Jesus posed the question, “Which man will love the lender more?” The obvious answer was the man who was forgiven more loved more.

2 Forgiveness generates love in its fullest form. When we are forgiven much, we love much. Although Jesus had in mind our loving responses to God’s forgiveness, the principle holds true on the human level as well.

A. WE must Forgive Repeated Offenses! (Matt 18:19-21)

1 In marriage generous forgiveness for repeated offenses generates deep and abiding love.

2 When Jesus mentioned forgiving someone “seventy times seven,” He must have had marriage in mind.

When two people live together certain offenses will be repeated -- count on it! I know you have a ready list of things your mate does that drive you to the edge of sanity (or he or she has a list for you)! You each have certain annoying habit patterns that seem to persist no matter what you say or do! It is important to recognize that forgiving each other’s repeated offenses and praying together for growth and change is essential to the marriage relationship.

B. KEEP Short Accounts With One Another! (Eph. 4:26,27)

1 Each couple ought to have Eph. 4:26 on a plaque in bold letters above their bed: “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” Or a paraphrased version: “Forgive you mate or stay up late!”

2 The message is clear -- don’t go to sleep until you clear up anything that has hurt your relationship during the day.

If we do not practice this -- we give Satan a toe hold in our lives. How can the devil get a foothold in your marriage? Often very subtly! At dinner your husband makes a remark that irks you. You say nothing because the children are there. You put off talking about it until later, and before you know it you are both heading for bed. The next thing you know, your husband makes loving advances. You are still angry about what he said at dinner, but you know he won’t even remember it. He senses your reluctance and it bothers him, but he refuses to say anything. He simply rolls over and falls asleep. Meanwhile your adrenaline flows, fueled by your anger, and keeps you awake. You struggle to get to sleep and find that your anger only grows every time you hear him snore.

The next day you both wake up feeling a bit empty. You are not really sure why? Your unresolved anger has become a foothold for the great destroyer of families. Every time you fail to deal with offenses, you allow Satan to get a firmer grip. The better his grip, the easier it is for him to push you apart. That is why the Bible commands us to forgive promptly -- especially before the day ends. We must keep short accounts or pay an incredible price for our stubbornness. Forgive daily.

C. WE MUST STRIVE for Marital Oneness!

1 Marriage is unlike any other relationship. Only in marriage can two persons be forged into a physical, emotional and spiritual oneness.

2 Lack of forgiveness strains and interrupts this oneness at every level.

3 You turn away from each other in bed, or one of you stomps away to sleep on the couch. Or one or the other stomps out of the house, or goes through doors, slamming them.

4 Unforgiveness disrupts emotional unity; you stop talking with each other.

5 Worse of all, unforgiveness severs your spiritual oneness. You stop reading and praying together, or you continue to have devotions as hypocrites, pretending everything is okay between you -- when you know that it isn’t!

If there is unforgiveness in your marriage you might as well forget worshiping together. Jesus warned us not to bring a gift to the altar if there is something between us and a love one (Matt. 5:23-24). Paul instructs us to examine ourselves before celebrating the Lord’s table (I Cor. 11:27-29). This self- examination includes our horizontal relationships especially the relationship of marriage. If your marriage is in disorder, your capacity to develop spiritually is in danger.
What does I Peter 3:1-6 tell us, what does I Peter 3:7 tell us?

6 A husband is to understand the way God made his wife, treat her considerately because she shares in the gracious gift of eternal life and is a fellow heir of the things of God.

7 What happens if he fails to do this? His prayers will be hindered. If a husband does not treat his wife properly, he may not be praying at all or his prayers will be turned away from the throne of heaven.

8 Oneness in marriage depends on each partner seeking and extending forgiveness to the other -- continually restoring their unique relationship.

9 The act of forgiveness is a wonderful way to experience the grace of God while extending to each other what God has graciously extended to you.

II. LEARNING TO LOVE AGAIN is also REQUIRED in a GOOD MARRIAGE!

Consider:
When you were 1st married your emotions ran high. There was nothing more exhilarating than you wedding day, and it was capped off by a wonderful honeymoon. Romance, passion, and celebration escorted you as you paraded into the marriage covenant. You were sure nothing could come between you and your spouse because you both were so deeply in love. but once you settled in, your emotions changed. Romance was occasionally overcome by anger, rage and passion by pain.

So what do we need to do?
1. Guard our hearts as we forgive others and pursue emotional healing.

2. Guard our hearts, because our expectations for marriage make us so vulnerable.

3. We expected the romance to continue at a fever pitch -- but it hasn’t
we expected the passion to always be there -- but it comes and goes.

4. If we fail to forgive and love again in marriage, we will find our relationship becoming emotionally bankrupt, emotionally dead.

5. Marriages can survive a great deal of external stress, but few marriages survive emotional death. Forgiveness, reconciliation and striving after oneness are essential to maintaining a healthy emotional relationship.

III. CONFRONT Each Other Gently and Lovingly.

1. Marriage demands an accountability relationship before God and man.

2. The willingness to confront each other can be our first line of defense agasint moving away from God.

The husband who sees his wife ignoring spiritual disciplines is the one who needs to encourage her to change. The wife who sees her husband exasperating the children and/or neglecting leading the family spiritually is the one who needs to take him aside and warn him, gently.

3. You must confront each other sensitively and with the right attitudes
(Psa 51:17; 34:18; James 4:6-10)

4. You must speak when a wrong needs to be addressed -- Heb. 3:9-13

5. If you truly love your mate, don’t remain silent when he or she lives a pattern that is self-destructive or harmful to you, to your family, or the cause of Christ.

IV. RECONCILIATION IS REQUIRED!

> Forgiveness is required in all our relationships -- but confrontation and reconciliation are dependent on the circumstances and the Holy Spirit’s leading.

> Marriage is the exception. The God-ordained oneness of the marriage relationship requires that husbands and wives not only forgive each other’s offenses but also follow thru with the steps necessary to assure reconciliation!

In many relationships there may be a gap between forgiveness and reconciliation. There are natural intervals of separation built into most relationships. These are cushions of time affording us the opportunity to bring our emotions under control and spend extended time absorbing the truth of God’s Word before we consider making a move toward reconciliation.

1. In Marriage there are different requirements! Marriage involves living together continually. I Cor. 7:1-5 instructs us to live together and share physical oneness together on a regular basis to avoid temptation, only refraining from togetherness for short periods of time and then only for fasting and prayer!

2. Marriage is not a casual relationship -- we must do everything we can to be a peace with each other (I Pet 3:11) and cultivate a relationship that reflects the kind of loving, unbreakable union that exists between Christ and His church. (Eph. 5:30-32)

3. In marriage, reconciliation means being continually committed to closeness, oneness and divine partnership. There may be times when you want some personal space to deal with extremely intense conflicts, between you -- but then only long enough to settled the issue -- God commands married couples to be reconciled to one another. -- Do whatever it takes to make your relationship what God wants it to be.
Follow HIS truth -- NOT YOUR EMOTIONS!

V. TEACH and MODEL FORGIVENESS BEFORE YOUR CHILDREN!

1. If your marriage has been blessed with children -- you realize the kind of world in which they are growing up.

2. Hostilities abound and your kids will experience significant relational hurts in the years ahead.

3. One of the best gifts you can give your children is the forgiving spirit you exemplify and teach.

4. You have many opportunities, daily, to encourage forgiveness.

5. Use sibling rivalry to help your children learn what it means not to keep a record of wrongs done.

6. Require that they ask for and extend forgiveness.

7. They may do so through clenched teeth, but at least they will know what they should do in conflict situations.

Conclusions:
• Applying these truths in the midst of your children’s skirmishes is essential, but its impact is nominal compared to your model of forgiveness as a couple.

• Your children need to see that you love each other enough to always forgive.

• As you forgive each other, you provide your children much-needed security.

• Your willingness to forgive your mate will always be a great stabilizer to your home.

• The marriage relationship is unique and so is the application of forgiveness, confrontation and reconciliation within marriage.

• Forgiveness will be tested to the limits between husband and wife.

• Confrontation will need to be approached with the utmost of care.

• And reconciliation must be sought and achieved in the fullest measure.

• Are you willing to give it a try? Go ahead! Do what the BIBLE says!

This article had already recommended by Dr. Edward Watke

YOUR MARRIAGE CAN MAKE IT!

2009-08-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

“Ten Rules For A Successful Marriage!”
- by Dr. Edward Watke Jr. -

This message is for husbands and wives who want their marriage to succeed. It is also for those who are remarried and are finding it is necessary to work as hard, or harder, the second time. This message is also for the singles who hope to establish a good Christian home someday in the future. This message is for honest marriage partners only. It is not for those who are looking for a way out of their marriage or who are wanting a way to simple exist in a bad arrangement.

I know of no strong marriages that have not been tested, severely. Husbands and wives who experience suffering, pain, misunderstanding and temptation -- can, together rise above it all and enjoy a marriage that is both beautiful, enduring and rewarding. How each partner reacts to crises is the key.

It’s very true that fewer marriages are making it in these troubled times. The divorce rate is scary -- and it strikes closer to us each day. It is said there are nearly as many divorcing among those who call themselves Christians as those who are outside the church and outside of any profession. It’s almost like a raging flood out of control, sweeping away foundations that have stood for years. Even marriages that have lasted for thirty or forty years are breaking up.

Most of the books on how to improve your marriage are nothing but pulp. At times, I think some of the writers simply dream up their untested, juvenile instructions on how to achieve marital bliss. Often the suggestions are psychological jargon without any substance and surely for those who love the Word of God their ideas are far from truth.

It’s not that I don’t want help from the “experts” to improve my marriage; it is just that few marriage counselors are practical or scriptural. For me, their methods are unworkable at best, and actually damaging at the worse. Instead, if one would ask those who have been married for many years how they made it -- one would receive many good principles from the anvil of marriage life. So, in this message I am giving practical suggestions that come from those who have enjoyed and long and successful marriage. Some of these points have been learned in my own marriage of nearly 50 years as my wife and I struggled to achieve a lasting love.

Here, for your prayerful consideration are TEN WAYS TO HELP MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE WORK!

1. Even in your most heated arguments -- never use the word divorce!

A lovely young wife, whose divorce was to be finalized within the week, confessed, “I wish now that I had never used the word divorce. We have been married nearly five years, but we argued so often. things go pretty bad, and one day I blurted it out -- I think we ought to get a divorce. We were both shocked at first. We had never even thought of divorce before that moment. But after the shock wore off, I realized the seed for divorce had been planted. It was easier to say the next time. Within weeks, that is all we talked about. The seed grew monstrous roots that finally strangled our marriage.”

Others who have said the same thing. Their counsel would be to never use the word divorce. There is something fatal in the very use of the word. Don’t plant the seed -- it grows wild and fast. One couple came home from their honeymoon. They both were in the field of education and had prepared their nice library. The young groom called his bride into their library and getting down their dictionaries he said, “Let’s cut out of our dictionaries the words divorce and separation, for we will never speak these words, nor will be ever enter into such action, they are never a viable solution.”
I agree! The Bible says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Proverbs 18:21)

2. Do not think that intense disagreement means there is trouble in your marriage!

Be honest when you disagree. Express your thoughts and even your hurts. Let your feelings show but do it kindly. And God help you if you don’t. (Eph. 5:1,2) People who keep things bottled up inside are candidates for all kinds of illnesses. But most married people who have intense disagreements think they are some how becoming allergic to one another. They think to themselves, “Oh boy, here we go again. It is a hopeless situation. We must have lost our love and respect for each other.” You are only human and as two people with different backgrounds, different viewpoints, etc., you are bound to disagree at times. From marriage until we depart from this life we will disagree at times. It is more damaging when one is a controller and must have everything his way, or no way. Mark it down you will have conflicts and disagreements because we have a sin nature as well. (Gal. 5:16-18; 5:22-23; Rom. 7:18)

Learn to get the problems out quickly. (Eph. 4:26-27) Don’t ever think of quitting on your marriage because you are still weak in the area of communication. People who keep looking for a perfect relationship with “no more fighting,” are heading for real disappointment. Grow up, be mature, consider that difficulties are also stepping stones for growth personally. Put away childishness are any response that is not adult, but child-like. It is so easy to revert back to childish ways of getting back at our spouse. This is sinful, wrong, and damaging to both partners.

Most important of all-- never drop the “bomb” when you argue or disagree. Every husband or wife knows exactly what to say to push their spouse’s button. You know how to get the other person’s goat. Don’t say the things that hurt for you only lose ground and make it more difficult to come to agreement and unity. Laugh at how ridiculous you both are. Learn to admit -- “our marriage is still good, we simple have a failure to communicate.” Laughter is good for the spirit and will help to clear the air -- by laughing at yourselves you will clear the tension and set the stage to work at the problems.

The Word of God tells us the best advice of all -- “It is an honor for a man to cease from strife; but every fool will be meddling.” (Proverbs 20:3)

3. Never make your mate the butt of jokes -- privately or publicly.

Maybe this is the saddest thing I have witness among couples -- the telling of jokes with barbs in them. Humor then becomes a means of getting back at a spouse, a way of lifting up self and tearing down the other person. Comedic partners who poke fun at their mates think it is “good natured joking.” It is not! It is degrading and dangerous. Making jokes about the stupid things your husband or wife did at home is another way of putting him or her down before others. Behind most of these jokes is a spirit of anger and malice. (Eph. 4:31-32) It is a way of “not letting them forget their mistakes.” It is a way of bringing up the mistakes again so that everybody will know about the failure. Some men are so unsure of themselves, think so poorly of their own lives that they use this means to feel better about their own life -- how juvenile!

Behind all the laughter can be terrible hurt. Being the butt of a joke can be like getting slapped in the face. How often have you heard a husband blurt out to everybody standing nearby, “Hey, did you hear what my wife did? it was the craziest thing you’ve every heard.” Then he proceeds to tell every embarrassing detail. Or she will yoke, “My husband is a dirty old man -- all he thinks about it sex.” But it’s no joke. Husbands and wife who respect one another do not resort to such foolishness. Joke about things -- but not unclean or demeaning things! Humor -- yes, but the right kind.

4. Practice complimenting each other -- sincerely, and often!

How tragic that some husbands and wives believe they have been called by God to keep their mate humble. they are constantly pricking the balloon so that he or she will not get a big head. Either one may feel it is their right to remind the other of every fault.

One middle-age wife said, “Someone has to keep my husband humble. He gets too big for his britches. I know just how to straighten him out.” How sad! One day that husband will walk out on her, and seek another woman who will encourage him, respect and build him up. Men especially have such a need to be encouraged and their egos unruffled. God commands a wife to reverence her husband which means to adore, to esteem highly, to appreciate and to brag on. (Eph. 5:33) It is not a sin to build each other up -- with sincere compliments. (Eph. 4:29) One of the commands of Scripture is that we ought to edify the other and not say those things that tear down. Praise will go a long way toward building oneness and joy in the marriage.

Anyone who can stand before a sacred altar and make vows for life, surely ought to see enough good in that partner to talk about. A divorced woman was heard to say, “My husband’s been gone now for over three years. I wish he would come back. The loneliness is unbearable. There are a million things I forgot to tell him. If I had only let him know how good he really was, in so many ways. What a fool I was -- I could never learn to compliment him; I was always on his back, pointing out all his mistakes. I see how some husbands and wives treat each other so coldly, and I want to scream at them -- wake up, before it is too late -- quit your sarcasm and encourage each other.”

Wives tend to become as beautiful as the compliments their husbands pay them. They become radiant when told how attractive they are. And husbands will do almost anything to live up to the compliments and encouragement of a proud wife.

The Bible says, “A word fitly spoken is like applies of gold in pictures of silver.” (Proverbs. 25:11)

5. Never smother each other -- set your love free!

It has been said, “If it’s really love, set it free -- and it will always return. If not, it wasn’t love from the start.” There is a great measure of truth in that.

A loving husband of 45 years confessed the secret of his enduring marriage to his wife. “I believe it is my privilege and duty to create an atmosphere in my home in which my wife can reach her full potential. She, in turn, helps me reach mine.”

With his encouragement, she was active in the church; she did volunteer work in the hospital; and she had her own hideaway where she indulged in painting. He said she was a better wife to him because she was free to use her talents, and be herself for this brought much happiness to both of them. She was not being smothered by a husband who was interested in nothing but his own goals, or who felt insecure because she had gifts that he did not have.

Jealousy is a form of bondage -- it is the most smothering human passion known to mankind. Husbands and wives who fear the loss of a partner’s love try to over- compensate by holding on too tightly. It becomes a iron grip. A wife who thinks to herself, “I won’t let him out of my sight,” is actually expressing her fear of losing him.
The husband who will not allow his wife plenty of room for growth and expression will one day resent the boredom and narrowness forced on her. And to him she becomes a bore as well.

The most fulfilling of all marriages are those in which both husbands and wives commit their love to God’s keeping, and who truly set each other free to grow and mature. If God cannot keep you together, charm and sex will never do it. Without freedom, there can be no growth. Not freedom to flirt or fool around -- but freedom to take on new challenges and set new goals.

Truth freedom is based on trust, and trust comes from feeling secure in each other’s love. And divine love flowing by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5) sets a couple free to minister to one another. Part of that ministry is to encourage one another in abilities and talents used for God’s glory. Read and meditate upon I Peter 3:8-11.

God says, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, and to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”
(Isaiah 58:6)

6. Learn how to say, “I’m sorry... I was wrong... please forgive me.” -- and mean it!

“Love Story” was a movie whose theme was “Love is never having to say I”m sorry.”
That is a lie from the pit of hell. There can be forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration without admitting sin, admitting wrong and making amends for it.

An irate husband boasted, “I walked out on my wife last night. She is always right, and I’m always wrong. But not this time. I’m not going to let her walk all over me again. I know I’m right on this matter. I’m always the one who has to give in first. Well -- this time I’m staying away until she crawls on her hands and knees and admits she is dead wrong.”
How sad, for this decision will doubtless be death to their marriage.

Along with learning to quickly say “I’m sorry,” husbands and wives must learn how to say “I forgive.” Jesus warned that the forgiveness of our Heavenly Father depends on our forgiving those who trespass or sin against us. (Matthew 18:

Has you husband or wife cheated on you? Have you been wounded by adultery? Did you accidentally discover their secret affair? Was there true repentance? Are you trying hard to forgive and forget? Maybe it was something less severe, but you find it hard to forgive. Do you realize the lack of forgiveness brings emotional divorce to a marriage? Do you realize your lack of forgiving brings coldness, bitterness, and defeat in your own life?

You may never forget - but you must learn to forgive. As long as you live, you may be haunted by the images of your husband or wife in the arms of someone else. You may always hurt and grieve over it. But if he or she has shown evidence of godly sorrow -- and every effort is being made to make it up to you -- you must forgive. More than that, you must stop, once and for all, bringing up the past. Multiplied thousands of marriages have survived infidelity, but only because godly sorrow for sin was followed by Christlike forgiveness. If you keep dragging up all the old, ugly past -- the marriage will be in jeopardy.

You may want to study some other things we have on the web site about forgiveness, restoration, brokenness and keys to a great marriage.

The Bible says, “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression....” (Proverbs 19:11)

7. Never shut each other out -- be open at all times!

It is very important to have an open spirit. The opposite is to have a closed spirit that often comes from anger, bitterness, and resentments held in the heart.
Never “clam up or walk out” when things get shaky. One of the most aggravating actions irritating marriages today is the silent treatment. A young wife asked a counselor to “talk some sense into her husband.” He was about six feet and four inches tall and weighed over two hundred pounds. “All he does,” she said, “Is close up on me when we disagree. He won’t fight back. He just walks out the door, leaving me to steam in my own juices. When he cools down, he comes home. But he is like ice until I make up with him. He can go for days without saying a word. I hate it. I’d rather he yell or scream or even hit me. But no more silent treatment -- I can’t take it anymore.”

It is deadly wrong to say to your husband or wife, “Just leave me alone. I don’t want to talk. I am going through a rough place -- let me work it out by myself. I just don’t want to be around anybody right now.” That is not only stupid -- it is a genuine put-down. What is marriage all about anyway -- if it is not about sharing and helping one another through every crisis and problem?

I have heard all the excuses: “It’s that time of the month.” “I’m going through the change of life.” “I’m not feeling well.” “I have had a bad day.” “My nerves are bad.” But none of these excuses give you the moral right to shut out someone who loves you. Did you not marry in order to have a companion? Keep the door to your heart always open to accept help in your time of need. Don’t do those things or build those habits that produce emotional divorce. It is terrible to live under the same roof and to be emotionally separated.

God says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls...” (Proverbs 25:28)

8. Make a conscious effort to keep the joy flowing!

Joy makes a big difference. God commands us to have joy. Consider these portions:
John 15:11; I John 1:4; Nehemiah 8:10; Philippians 4:4.

If the joy of the Lord is our strength, (Prov. 8;10) then strong marriages should abound with joy. When marriage loses its joy, it become weak and vulnerable. Show me a happy home, and I will show you a joyful couple at the helm. God commands the husband to rejoice with the wife of his youth.
“
Husbands and wives who no longer laugh and play together, no longer love each other. There is a joyful childishness about true love. I’ve come to the conclusion our marriages are suffering from to many sober, too serious husbands and sad wives.

Sure, there are problems. There is sickness, unexpected difficulties, financial problems, misunderstanding, pain, losses, hurts, and even death. But life goes on -- and it is shame that so many couples never enjoy life. They keep hoping they will someday be happy and contented -- when all the bills are paid, when the kids are grown, when difficulties seem to lessen and/ or when they retire. But life passes by so quickly, and all they have to show for it are the wrinkles and lines on worried, unhappy faces.

Is this for you? Is this what you want life to be like? No amount of perfume, facials, or anything else you do for the physical will take the place of a happy contented heart. The future is now and God is on the throne and He has everything under control. (See Romans 8:32; 8:28; Philippians 2:13) Thank God for a partner who loves you. Plan to enjoy every minute of life. I’m going to keep the joy flowing. There is a time for weeping, but also a time for rejoicing. The good outweighs the bad, especially for those who know the Lord. So look up and live!

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22)

9. Never turn to a third party in time of trouble!

There is always someone eager to console a hurting husband or wife. And when there is no one to talk to at home, many go seeking a friend elsewhere -- “just someone to talk to.” That is where almost all adultery begins.

Church choirs can be hot beds of adultery -- if the director is not a discerning man of God. Husbands and wives sit at home, while their troubled mate gravitate to a sympathetic friend in that choir. It also happens on the job and in the office. Where ever people are working close together it so easy for the hurting person to find some soul mate in time of trouble. It is especially bad with so many hurting people looking for help and consolation. Many a counselor has allowed himself or herself to be trapped by sympathy for a hurting person. Secret affairs often begin innocently enough -- just talking about mutual hurts. Then follows the “leaning process.” All too often, it ends in transference of affection and then it can easily lead into adultery.

Never, never, no, never tell your marriage troubles to a third party. Not even to the closest friends of your own sex. You are setting yourself up for your own wrong attitudes. You can expect your friend to agree with you and even encourage you to take a position against your own spouse. They may be the first to squeal your troubles to the world. And, they are in a position to hurt you when you need them the most. Ask them to pray with you without knowing any details. They can become a support without knowing any facts, or your feelings.

Lean only on Jesus! He never tells - except the Father! It’s true, there are so few to talk to about your problems. But husbands and wives ought to be true friends, and as such they should be able to talk about anything. Good communication in the confines of marriage is “two people being able to talk about anything without anger, but in love and giving support in the process.” Spouses ought to be able to lean on one another. Leaning in any other direction leads to a fall.

The Bible says, “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel.” (Proverbs 20:17)

10. Consult Christ and the Word of God about every detail of your marriage!

Adam and Eve brought deceit into their marriage and then compounded their rebellion by hiding from God’s presence. God never hides -- only man does. But God was vitally involved with that first marriage between the first man and woman. And He is just as concerned about every Christian marriage today. God planned marriage to be a wonderful companionship and it is a divine covenant. (see Malachi 2:11-16)

No marriage can make it today if one or both partners are hiding from God. Show me a marriage without a partner that is close to Jesus, and I’ll show you a marriage that has little chance for survival. At least one of the partners must be in a daily consultation with the Lord. There must be a hot line to the throne room. It works best when both husband and wife have a vital prayer life together as well as in secret. It is imperative that they know how to walk together in a prayer life and use the closet of prayer for help and direction. A praying wife can often save her marriage -- as can a praying husband. Wonderful is the home where they build a godly life together.

Love is not enough to keep a marriage strong - only God’s power can do that. That power is at work, right now, healing and keeping marriages. Divorce is the result of one or both partners losing their faith. But where Jesus is King -- the marriage can make it. Very few ever divorce who read the Word of God and pray together daily.

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy...” (Jude 24)

This article had already recommended by Dr. Edward Watke Jr

2009-06-01T19:33:00.001-07:00

Scientific Facts on Diet and Nutrition Prevention of Chronic Diseases

To what extent does diet play a role in chronic diseases?

How are diets changing?

How are chronic diseases linked to diet and nutrition?

Are certain dietary intakes recommended to prevent chronic diseases?

Excess weight gain and obesity

Diabetes

Cardiovascular diseases

Cancer

Dental diseases

Osteoporosis

Conclusion

Other views and links

The answers to these questions are GreenFacts faithful summaries of the World Health Organization report

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1. To what extent does diet play a role in chronic diseases?

Chronic diseases occur
across the world

Chronic diseases are long-term diseases that are not contagious and largely preventable. They are the most common cause of death in the world and present a great burden for society, particularly diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease , cancer, dental disease, and osteoporosis. Making improvements in terms of diet and physical activity can help reduce the risk of these chronic diseases.

More...

Hunger and malnutrition are the most devastating problems facing the world’s poorest nations, often leading to physical or mental disability, or even death. Simultaneously, because of rapid changes in the diets and lifestyles among certain population groups, many of these countries have seen an increase in chronic diseases, such as obesity and heart disease.

Therefore, safe and adequate food supplies are needed in order to combat both nutritional deficiencies and chronic diseases.

More...

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2. How are diets changing?

Demand for animal products
like meat has increased

In what is known as the "nutritional transition", traditional plant-based diets including foods such as cereals and potatoes are increasingly being replaced by diets that are richer in added sugars and animal fats. This transition, combined with a general trend towards a more sedentary lifestyle, is an underlying factor in the risk of developing chronic diseases.

More...

The average food consumption (in terms of calories) appears to have increased steadily in countries around the world, particularly in developing countries, though not in sub-Saharan Africa.

More...

The average fat content of the diet is also increasing throughout the world, and it is especially high in parts of North America and Europe. An increasingly large portion of this fat comes from animal products and vegetable oils.

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Factors such as rising incomes and population growth have raised the demand for animal products like meat, dairy products, and eggs. These products provide high-value protein and many essential nutrients, but excessive consumption can lead to excessive intakes of fat.

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Fisheries are an important source of animal protein, employment and revenue in many countries. The average amount of fish and fishery products consumed per person has nearly doubled since 1957. The future availability of this food source will depend on the sustainable use of marine fish stocks, many of which are already being fully exploited.

More...

A diet high in fruits and vegetable is recommended for good health, yet, although average consumption has increased, only a small minority of the world’s population eats an adequate amount.

More...

In the future, the average food consumption (in calories) in developing countries is expected to increase. Diets previously based on cereal, roots and tubers will increasingly be replaced by diets that are rich in meat, dairy-products and oil. The consumption of fishery products will be more and more limited by environmental factors.

More...

In conclusion, changes in diets are needed to cope with the burgeoning epidemic of chronic diseases. The entire process, from food production to consumption, should be considered when determining the relationship between diet and the risk of developing chronic diseases.

More...

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3. How are chronic diseases linked to diet and nutrition?

Adopting habits in childhood
© Micro Application

Diet, as well as other factors such as physical activity and tobacco use, can affect health throughout life.

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Growth delays in the womb and in early infancy can increase the risk of diet-related chronic diseases in later life. Breastfeeding may lower the risk of later developing obesity. In contrast, breast-milk substitutes (formula) may increase the risk of developing several chronic diseases.

During childhood and adolescence, adopting habits such as unhealthy diets and low-levels of exercise increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and obesity.

Most chronic diseases are expressed in adulthood. Therefore, it is a critical time for reducing risk factors such as tobacco use, excess weight gain and obesity, physical inactivity, cholesterol, high blood pressure and alcohol consumption.

The main burden of chronic diseases is observed in people older than 60.

As the risk of developing chronic disease can be reduced at any age, people of all ages are encouraged to eat healthily, maintain their weight, and exercise.

More...

Individual risk factors can combine over time to create a greater overall risk of developing chronic disease. Unhealthy diets, and habits such as excessive television viewing that results in low levels of exercise, increase the risk of disease in early adulthood.

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Certain individuals are more susceptible to developing chronic disease because of genetic factors.

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A lifestyle combining physical activity, food variety, and social interaction is the most conducive to good health. Many cases of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancers could likely be avoided if steps are taken throughout life to reduce risk factors.

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4. Are certain dietary intakes recommended to prevent chronic diseases?

At least 400g of fruits & vegetables per day
© Micro Application

No specific dietary intakes are recommended for the prevention of chronic diseases. There is, however, a "safe range" of dietary intakes that is considered to be consistent with the maintenance of health of a population.

More...

Scientific evidence can be classified as convincing, probable, possible, or insufficient depending on the number and type of studies carried out and the consistency of the results.

More...

A balanced diet can help prevent chronic diseases. The Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation proposes guidelines for the contribution of different food groups towards a typical balanced diet.

Table 6: Ranges of population nutrient intake goals

Total fat intake should represent 15 to 30% of total dietary energy intake.

Intake of free sugars, such as those found in soft drinks and many processed foods, should amount to less than 10% of total energy intake (Comment).

An intake of at least 400g of fruits and vegetables per day is recommended. Combined with a consumption of wholegrain cereals this intake is likely to provide an adequate amount of fibre.

The WHO also makes recommendations about body weight – in terms of Body Mass Index (BMI) – and physical activity.

More...

In order to maintain a good level of cardiovascular health, at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) every day is recommended for people of all ages.

Engaging in a higher level of physical activity for a longer period of time (60 minutes) can provide even greater health benefits, particularly in terms of preventing of obesity.

When determining an appropriate level of physical activity, potential benefits and risks should be considered on an individual basis.

More...

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5. Excess weight gain and obesity

Weight gain
© Micro Application

Excess weight gain and obesity are increasingly affecting adults, adolescents and children throughout the world.

Weight gain can result from a change in diet or level of physical activity and can lead to obesity and other chronic diseases.

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Certain types of foods and eating habits such as snacking, binge-eating, and eating out can contribute to excessive weight gain and obesity. A moderate to high level of regular physical activity is important in preventing unhealthy weight gain and moderate to high fitness entails health benefits (independently of body weight). A healthy weight may reduce the risk of disease and premature death.

More...

Many factors have been shown to protect against obesity:

Regular physical exercise

High dietary fibre intake

Home and school environments that promote healthy food and activity choices

Having beenbreastfed

Some factors that may increase the risk have also been identified:

Sedentary lifestyles, particularly sedentary occupations and inactive recreational activities such as watching television

Large portion sizes

High intake of drinks containing added sugars

More...

Obesity may be prevented by encouraging healthy habits early in life. Individuals can reduce the overall risk of obesity by maintaining a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) and controlling waist measurements. Engaging in a moderate to high level of regular physical activity (for instance walking for one hour per day), and limiting consumption of foods and drinks that contain high amounts of fats and sugars can also decrease the risk of becoming overweight or obese.

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6. Diabetes

Insulin regulates blood sugar levels
© Micro Application

Diabetes is a disease that is linked to the hormone insulin which regulates levels of sugar in the blood.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body fails to produce insulin.

Type 2 diabetes, which is much more common, occurs when the body fails to respond to insulin in a normal way.

Diabetes can lead to serious complications including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, and strokes. In the case of type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes are important in preventing and managing the disease.

The number of cases of diabetes is currently estimated to be around 150 million worldwide, but that number is expected to double by 2025.

More...

Inactive lifestyles and excessive weight gain increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, especially when excess fat is stored in the abdomen.

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Excess fat in the abdomen can contribute to the development of insulin resistance, a condition that underlies most cases of type 2 diabetes. Children of mothers who are affected by diabetes during pregnancy are also at high risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes early in life. Consumption of saturated fats may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

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Efforts to prevent excessive weight gain and cardiovascular disease can also reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Measures include maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in at least one hour of moderate physical activity (for instance walking) in the course of the day most days of the week, consuming sufficient fibre from fruits, vegetables and wholegrain cereals, and limiting consumption of saturated fats.

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7. Cardiovascular diseases

Stethoscope
© Micro Application

Ongoing lifestyle changes are contributing to the increase in the global burden of cardiovascular diseases. Currently, one third of all the deaths in the world are estimated to be due to diseases which affect the heart and blood vessels.

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Risk factors such as poor nutrition, insufficient physical activity, and tobacco use tend to accumulate over time, increasing the overall risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

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Certain dietary fats, especially those that are commonly found in dairy products, meat and hardened oils (such as certain margarines) have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Other dietary fats, such as those found in soybean and sunflower oils, can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fish oil (which is found in fatty fish) is also beneficial.

A high intake of salt can increase blood pressure and the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease, whereas eating a diet high in fiber and wholegrain cereals can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

More...

A high intake of fruits, vegetables, and fish can contribute to good cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of developing certain cardiovascular diseases. Alcohol consumption should be limited in view of cardiovascular and other health risks.

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To prevent cardiovascular disease, intake of fat from dairy products, meat and certain cooking fats should be limited. Eating 400 to 500g of fruits and vegetables everyday and fish once or twice per week is recommended. Restricting salt intake to less than 5 g per day and exercising for at least 30 minutes a day are also beneficial to cardiovascular health.

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8. Cancer

As the population is aging, cancer is becoming a growing problem and a major cause of death. Apart from tobacco smoke, which is the most common proven cause of developing cancer, other identified and unidentified factors also play a role. More...

Dietary factors are estimated to account for nearly a third of cancers in industrialized countries, making diet second only to tobacco as a theoretically preventable cause of cancer. The risk of developing cancer can increase due to factors such as obesity, high consumption of alcohol or preserved meat, and lack of physical activity.

More...

Stomach cancer and liver cancer occur more frequently in certain developing regions. Excessive alcohol consumption is the main dietary risk factor for liver cancer and high intake of salty, preserved foods can increase the risk of stomach cancer. However, certain infections are also known to play a role.

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Aspects linked with the Western diet and obesity may be contributing to an increased risk of developing cancer, such as colorectal cancer, cancer of the pancreas, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. These types of cancers are more common in developed countries.

More...

The risk of developing certain types of cancer may be reduced for instance by maintaining a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI), engaging in one hour of physical activity per day (for instance fast walking), limiting consumption of alcohol and salt, consuming sufficient fruits and vegetables and not eating foods when they are at a very high temperature.

More...

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9. Dental diseases

Diet is a a factor in dental health
© Micro Application

Dental diseases, such as tooth decay and gum disease, are a costly burden to health care services. Although caries have become less frequent over the past 30 years, as people are living longer the number of people developing dental diseases is likely to increase. This is a particular concern in countries where sugar consumption is increasing and where fluoride exposure may be inadequate.

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Diet is an important factor in the risk of developing dental diseases. The development of caries requires the presence of both sugars (from the diet) and bacteria. The tooth surface can also be attacked by acids from some foods and drinks.

More...

Sugar consumption is the most significant factor for dental caries. Studies found a strong link between the amount and frequency of sugar consumption and the development of caries.

More...

Adequate exposure to fluoride is the most effective preventive measure against dental caries, but sugar consumption needs to be limited as well in order to further reduce the risk. Eating certain foods, such as cheese, may stimulate salivary flow which can protect against the development of dental caries. Breastfed babies tend to have less dental caries in early childhood than babies fed on formula milk.

More...

The main diet-related recommendations for reducing the risk of dental diseases are:
limiting the amount and frequency of consumption of free sugars, assuring adequate exposure to fluoride, and avoiding certain nutrient deficiencies.

More...

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10. Osteoporosis

The risk of osteoporosis increases with age
© Micro Application

Osteoporosis is a disease affecting millions of people around the world that leads to bone fragility and a consequent increase in risk of bone fracture. The risk of osteoporosis increases with age and can lead to illness, disability, and even premature death.

The risk of fractures of the hip and vertebrae increases exponentially with age. In countries where fractures are frequent, women are affected more often than men. Overall, approximately 1.66 million hip fractures occur each year, and that number is expected to rise in the future.

More...

Calcium and vitamin D deficiencies increase the risk of osteoporosis in older people. Other dietary factors and physical activity may reduce the risk, whereas low body weight and high alcohol consumption increase the risk.

More...

The risk of osteoporosis in older people may be reduced through a diet providing more calcium and vitamin D. However, such preventive measures should focus on population groups that are at a high risk of suffering from osteoporotic fractures. Other prudent measures include increasing sunlight exposure (a source of Vitamin D), increasing physical activity, eating more fruit and vegetables, and consuming less alcohol and salt.

More...

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11. Conclusion

Chronic diseases are widespread diseases that present a great burden for society as they are the most common cause of death in the world. They include:

obesity (see 5.)

diabetes (see 6.)

cardiovascular disease (see 7.)

cancer (see 8.)

dental diseases (see 9.)

osteoporosis (see 10.)

Chronic diseases are largely preventable through a healthy lifestyle involving a balanced diet and regular physical activity.

The Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation provides guidelines for an average balanced diet (at the population level):

total fat intake should represent 15 to 30% of total dietary energy intake.

free sugars, such as those found in soft drinks and many processed foods, should account for less than 10% of total energy intake (Comment).

at least 400g of fruits and vegetables per day should be part of the diet. (see 4.)

In general, a lifestyle combining physical activity with food variety and social interaction is the best way to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases.

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12. Other views and links

This study is based on a report of a Joint WHO/FAO Expert consultation entitled "Diet, Nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases", a leading scientific report produced in 2003 by a large international panel of scientists.

It is considered by most scientists as a consensus document and other recent scientific assessments reach similar conclusions, though some people and organizations put forward different views.

GreenFacts other views & factual links page on Diet and Nutrition

© GreenFacts 2006. All rigths reserved.This text is a faithful summary of the
leading scientific consensus report produced in 2003 by the WHO (World Health Organization):

"Diet, Nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases"

Learn more...

2009-06-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

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2009-05-28T00:40:00.002-07:00

Scientific Facts on AIDS status & challenges of the epidemic

What progress has been made since 2001 in the fight against AIDS?

What are the worldwide trends in HIV/AIDS epidemic?

How has HIV prevention and treatment evolved since 2001?

Are human rights and vulnerable populations sufficiently protected?

What has been done in terms of funding and research?

What strategic recommendations have been made to halt the spread of AIDS?

What should be done to improve prevention and access to treatment?

Conclusion on progress made in the fight against AIDS

The answers to these questions are GreenFacts faithful summaries of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS report

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1. What progress has been made since 2001 in the fight against AIDS?

In 2001, leaders of 189 nations recognized that AIDS was one of the most urgent issues of national and international development, and they agreed to a set of global targets to halt and begin to reverse the epidemic by 2015.

These targets focus on funding, prevention, and access to treatment for the general population and specific population groups. More...

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2. What are the worldwide trends in HIV/AIDS epidemic?

A global view of HIV infection

At the end of 2005, about 38.6 million people were living with HIV worldwide. That year, 4.1 million became newly infected and 2.8 million died because of AIDS, so the overall number of people living with HIV has continued to rise. Today, about one adult in a hundred is living with HIV, but the extent of the epidemic varies greatly across countries and regions. More...

Latest figures as of 21 November 2006

The following world regions are heavily affected by the HIV epidemic.

Sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly one adult in 16 is living with HIV, is by far the most affected region, though the situation varies from country to country. In most Southern African countries, the share of people living with HIV has reached exceptionally high levels (up to one adult in three), though it seems to be levelling off everywhere except in South Africa

The Caribbean is the second-most affected region in the world. Nearly one adult in 62 is living with HIV, and AIDS is the leading cause of death among adults.

In certain countries of these two regions, however, changes in behaviour have reduced the share of people living with HIV. More...

In each of the following world regions, on average, less than one adult in 100 is living with HIV.

In Eastern Europe and central Asia, HIV/AIDS is still spreading, especially in Ukraine and the Russian Federation, and the number of people living with HIV has increased twenty-fold in less than a decade.

In Latin America, most infected people are living in large countries such as Brazil. However, smaller countries such as Belize and Honduras have a larger share of people living with AIDS among their adult population.

Overall, in North America, Western and Central Europe, AIDS deaths in 2005 were comparatively few as a consequence of widespread access to antiretroviral therapy. In the United States of America and in some countries of Europe, the epidemic seems to be increasing again among men who have sex with men.

In Asia, the share of HIV-infected people is decreasing in Cambodia, Thailand, and in parts of India, but is increasing in countries such as China, Indonesia, Viet Nam, and Papua New Guinea.

Across Oceania, HIV infection levels are low but persistent.

In the Middle East and North Africa, the proportion of adults infected with HIV is very low, except in Sudan, but seems to be growing in several countries, including Algeria, Iran, Libya and Morocco. More...

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3. How has HIV prevention and treatment evolved since 2001?

HIV positive man and antiretroviral medicines, Cambodia
Credit: UNAIDS/O. O'Hanlon

Overall, governments are now combating AIDS much more actively. Indeed, there is more coordination between countries and most now have a national plan to deal with AIDS, though systems to implement these plans are still inconsistent. More...

In some countries, there is now much better access to HIV prevention services, such as HIV counseling and testing, prevention education for young people, provision of condoms to those who are sexually active, treatment of other sexually transmitted diseases and programmes to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination. Still, such services only reach a small minority of those in need, and not enough young people and other vulnerable population groups. Programmes aimed at changing risky sexual behaviour have shown some success but progress is still needed in several areas. More...

A combination of antiretroviral treatments is effective in preventing or delaying AIDS-related illness and death. However, such lifelong therapies are complex and expensive to deliver. In recent years there has been a worldwide revolution in improving access to treatment, including in low-and middle-income countries. As a result of increased commitment, five times more people had access to antiretroviral therapy in 2005 than in 2001. Nonetheless, access to treatment is still insufficient as antiretroviral drugs only reach one in five of those who need them worldwide. The expansion of treatment access is hindered by the treatment costs and distance to treatment centres.

To improve access to treatment, countries need to train more medical staff, avoid drug shortages, combine HIV care with care for other health problems, reduce HIV stigma and discrimination and make sure that more people use HIV counselling and testing services. More...

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4. Are human rights and vulnerable populations sufficiently protected?

A commercial sex worker in Cambodia
Credit: UNAIDS/S. Noorani

Although many countries now have laws and regulations to promote human rights and to protect people living with HIV from discrimination; efforts to fight AIDS are still insufficiently based on human rights. In many cases the laws are not fully enforced, often because there is no money set aside for it. Moreover, some countries have laws that make it more difficult for certain vulnerable populations, such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, prisoners, and refugees to get access to prevention services and treatment. More...

In recent years, more money has been available for HIV prevention. However, many countries focus prevention programmes on the general public rather than on vulnerable population groups, which would be more cost-effective and more likely to have an impact on the epidemic. Further attention should be given to preventing children from dropping out of school and to offering prevention services to injecting drug users, sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people affected by wars and disasters. More...

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5. What has been done in terms of funding and research?

AIDS funding 1996-2005

Though the money available to fight AIDS has increased significantly since 2001, it is still insufficient. Furthermore, it is expected that in the years ahead, the needs will increase more rapidly than the money raised. To plan the long-term fight against AIDS, funding needs to be managed in a better way so that countries can plan ahead knowing how much money they will receive each year, and systems must be in place to check that the promised money is actually given. More...

In recent years, research for preventive vaccines and microbicides has increased. Within a few years funding nearly doubled for research into the development of preventive vaccines and more than doubled for research into the development of microbicides that kill microbes in the vagina and prevent virus transmission by sexual route. Human trials are under way on the effectiveness of microbicides and other methods in preventing HIV, and ethical questions need to be taken into account in the conduct of such trials. More...

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6. What strategic recommendations have been made to halt the spread of AIDS?

HIV positive mother and child, Ukraine
Credit: UNAIDS/WHO/V

AIDS is exceptional and the response to AIDS must be equally exceptional. The considerable efforts made since 2001 are insufficient and uneven, and national long term plans are needed.

UNAIDS makes a series of recommendations for slowing and halting the spread of AIDS. More...

Commitment and leadership must be sustained and increased. Governments and heads of state need to be active and outspoken about their commitment to implement strategies that involve multiple sectors, including civil society and the private sector.

More...

Financing must be sustained and increased and the money should be used as efficiently as possible to reach the people in need. International financing mechanisms should ensure that money for AIDS will be available in the future for an even stronger response to the epidemic.

More...

AIDS-related stigma and discrimination must be aggressively addressed. Governments and all sectors of society should support measures to empower and protect women, to remove discrimination against vulnerable population groups, and to help all children stay in school.

More...

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7. What should be done to improve prevention and access to treatment?

Community Self Help programme, Kenya
Credit: UNAIDS/G. Pirozzi

To get as close as possible to the goal of offering treatment to all those who need it by 2010, a series of key areas require commitment and action. More...

HIV prevention should be strengthened and continuously emphasized to prevent millions of new infections each year. Access to clear, factual HIV prevention information and to HIV testing should be a right. HIV prevention services and education should particularly target young people, HIV-infected pregnant women and vulnerable groups, including sex workers, injecting drug users, men who have sex with men, and prisoners. More...

Access to HIV treatment needs to continue growing rapidly. This involves broadening access to HIV testing, building more treatment sites, increasing access to drugs that prevent HIV-related infections, reducing HIV stigma and discrimination, recruiting more medical staff, and keeping a constant and reliable supply of drugs. More...

Human resources and systems should be strengthened because the shortage of skilled workers in many developing countries is a major obstacle in the fight against AIDS. Therefore, efforts must be made to recruit and train health-care workers, encourage them to stay and work in their own countries, support the provision of HIV-related services by locals where needed, and integrate AIDS services into other primary health care programmes. More...

Prevention and treatment products such as condoms and antiretroviral drugs should be made more available and affordable, for instance by removing taxes, laws, or regulations that might hinder access to these products, allowing medicines into the market as soon as they are approved by the WHO, ensuring that children in need receive suitable drugs, and addressing the issues of pharmaceutical patents. More...

Substantially more money should be invested in research and development, especially by the private sector, in order to develop a preventive vaccine, microbicides, and new drugs, including those created specifically for children with HIV. In addition, greater cooperation between governments, civil society, and the private sector is needed. More...

Efforts should be made to counter the social impact of AIDS focusing first on people who are infected and their families and on children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS. They should be given treatment, access to therapy, and other forms of assistance. More...

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8. Conclusion on progress made in the fight against AIDS

In 2001, leaders of 189 nations recognized that AIDS is among the greatest development crises in human history and they agreed to a set of targets to halt and begin to reverse the epidemic by 2015.

Since 2001 important progress has been made in the fight against AIDS. Political commitment, coordination among partners, and money available for HIV/AIDS prevention and care have all increased significantly; access to treatment, testing and counselling has greatly improved globally; and blood for use in transfusions is now routinely screened for HIV in most countries.

However, progress is very uneven across the world and many more efforts are still needed in the fight against HIV. For instance, most people at high risk of HIV infection have no access to prevention services, a large number of babies are born with HIV, and huge numbers of children orphaned or made vulnerable by the epidemic have no proper care and support. In addition, there are other barriers to the effective fight against AIDS; for instance, stigma, discrimination and denial about issues such as sexuality and drug use.

The objective of halting and beginning to reverse the epidemic by 2015 is achievable, but success will require unprecedented long-term efforts and strong leadership at every level of society. More...

© GreenFacts 2006. All rigths reserved.This text is a faithful summary of the
leading scientific consensus report produced in 2006 by the UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS):

"Report on the global AIDS epidemic"

Learn more...

Alcohol Issues

2009-05-28T00:37:00.001-07:00

AlcoholIssues.co.uk:

Issues relating to alcohol seem to hit the headlines almost daily. Perhaps most worryingly of all, it is often suggested that there simply isn't enough understanding of the effects and dangers of alcohol among those that drink it.

At Alcohol Issues, we publish exclusive pieces in order to provide vital information to those wishing to know more about the short and long-term effects of alcohol. Our articles are not merely limited to discussing the effects of alcohol on the body. We also have features looking at the relationship between alcohol and society, and the indirect effects that widespread alcohol use and abuse is having in Britain.

Equally, if you are concerned that you might have an alcohol dependency problem, or you know someone who might be an alcoholic and wish to help, this is the site for you. We have compiled the best and most practical advice to help you, or someone you care about, combat their difficulty with this ever-popular, powerful drug.

At Alcohol Issues, we also recognise that, when taken in moderation by responsible adults, alcohol can compliment social occasions, and has a role to play in a civilised society. Our task is to evaluate the numerous pros and cons of alcohol, and give you everything you need to make well-informed decisions about drinking.

Winning Over Worry

2009-05-15T00:06:00.001-07:00

Printable version

It's Monday morning. The weekend is over. The alarm clock blares out its hideous jangle and suddenly you are snapped into the world of reality. First comes the struggle to get out of bed, then the rush to get to school or work, and then comes the stress of trying to juggle all of one's seemingly endless responsibilities.
Is this how your week starts? And aren't these pressures mild compared to the ones you face as the day and week wear on?

We live in a world of ever-increasing stress and worry with school, work, family, financial and social pressures. Not many people are free from worry of some kind.
Worry or anxiety is a major problem of contemporary society. In excessive amounts it can take years off your life.

Some people like to think that things don't bother them. "No problem," they say as they put on a brave front and reach for the aspirin or alcohol bottle to deaden their fears.

However, it isn't possible to deaden inner anxiety. It will reveal itself in many ways.

For instance, George withdraws when he is upset, hurt, or uptight. Susan talks endlessly to cover her anxiety. Bill chain smokes to avoid facing his. Harry attacks when he feels threatened. Jack dominates and Joy procrastinates. Dennis is a constant complainer. Joan is a compulsive eater, Fred a compulsive drinker, Tom a compulsive worker, and Frank a compulsive gambler—all because of unresolved worry and anxiety.

Anxiety may also express itself in a physical way. Stuttering, abdominal pains, high blood pressure, a twitch, allergies, ulcers, nervous stomach, tension headaches—all have been named by doctors as symptoms of anxiety and worry. Yes, sooner or later anxiety will win out. When one fails to talk out his worries, he will act them out in one way or another.

A relaxed attitude lengthens a man's life.

Long ago the Bible pointed out that "a relaxed attitude lengthens a man's life."1 Jesus himself said, "Don't worry about things—food, drink and clothes ... don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time."2 And the Apostle Paul wrote, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus."3

However, it's one thing to know about God's peace and another to experience it. It begins with being able to see and admit your real fears, by facing and resolving them, and by learning to give them over to God—and not take them back.
The causes behind worry can be many and varied. The following are some of the major ones with some helpful tips for winning over them.

First: If anxiety is situational—that is, caused by adverse circumstances or too much work, I find it helps to list all my worries on paper. This is half the battle. I then eliminate the least important matters, work on the things I can do something about, and am learning to accept the things I cannot change and stop worrying about them.

Second: If the problem is repressed, pent-up feelings, such as resentment, hurt or anger, those feelings need to be expressed in healthy ways. If you're nursing a grudge, you will need to put things right with the other person concerned and forgive them.4 Some feelings can be talked out with a trusted friend or counselor. Or, if it helps, go for a drive in your car with the windows closed and shout your feelings out, go to the bedroom and cry them out, or write them out as David often did in the Psalms.

One night when I was worried and couldn't sleep, I got up and typed a letter to God sharing all my feelings with him. Within a half-hour I had released my pent-up feelings. I then read them back to God, tore up the page, went back to bed, and fell asleep immediately.

Good, hard physical exercise is also helpful when you're feeling worried or anxious.
Third: If your worry is caused by unmet emotional or spiritual needs, you can remedy this by growing in your relationship to God and other people—both of which are keys to vital, worry-free living. A spiritual growth group or a good twelve-step recovery group can be a big help for this. As you open up to others and to God and feel their love and acceptance, you can slowly change feelings of fear, guilt, anger, inadequacy, anxiety, and worry for feelings of hope, confidence, peace, and love.

Perfect love drives out fear.

"Perfect love drives out fear,"5 writes the Apostle John in the Bible. So we need to ask God not only to help us overcome our fears, but also to fill us with love. The more we love and trust God, the less we fear man and circumstances.

Every day, visualize yourself opening to God and being filled with his love, joy and forgiveness. In 1929, business tycoon J.C. Penny was in the hospital because of his severe anxiety. One night he was sure he was going to die so he wrote farewell letters to his wife and son.

But he survived the night, and hearing singing the next morning in the chapel, felt drawn to go in. A group was singing, "God will take care of you," after which followed Bible reading and prayer.

Penny said, "Suddenly something happened. I can't explain it. It was a miracle. I felt as if I had been instantly lifted out of the darkness of a dungeon into warm brilliant sunlight. I felt as if I had been transported from hell to paradise. I felt the power of God as I had never felt it before.

"I realized then that I alone was responsible for all my troubles. I knew that God with his love was there to help me. From that day to this, my life has been free from worry. The most dramatic and glorious minutes of my life were those I spent in that chapel that morning."6

The cause or causes of our anxiety and worry always lie within ourselves. At best they are triggered by outside circumstances. Only when we admit to and resolve these causes, are we free to fully surrender our worries and anxieties to God and experience his peace.

Whether this peace comes instantly or over a period of time doesn’t matter. The important truth to remember is that God is always there. His love and power are constant and available to all. As we reach out to him through the fog of our worry and damaged emotions, we discover that he is waiting to help us if only we will respond to his love and give him the chance.

1. Proverbs 14:30.
2. Matthew 6:25,34.
3. Philippians 4:6-7.
4. See Matthew 5:23-24.
5. 1 John 4:18.
6. S.I.McMillen, None of These Diseases, (Westwood, N.J.: Fleming Revell Co., 1963), p.98.

This and other articles by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online

ACTS International
Copyright
© 1990 – 2009

2009-05-15T00:06:00.000-07:00

Printable version

It's Monday morning. The weekend is over. The alarm clock blares out its hideous jangle and suddenly you are snapped into the world of reality. First comes the struggle to get out of bed, then the rush to get to school or work, and then comes the stress of trying to juggle all of one's seemingly endless responsibilities.
Is this how your week starts? And aren't these pressures mild compared to the ones you face as the day and week wear on?

We live in a world of ever-increasing stress and worry with school, work, family, financial and social pressures. Not many people are free from worry of some kind.
Worry or anxiety is a major problem of contemporary society. In excessive amounts it can take years off your life.

Some people like to think that things don't bother them. "No problem," they say as they put on a brave front and reach for the aspirin or alcohol bottle to deaden their fears.

However, it isn't possible to deaden inner anxiety. It will reveal itself in many ways.

For instance, George withdraws when he is upset, hurt, or uptight. Susan talks endlessly to cover her anxiety. Bill chain smokes to avoid facing his. Harry attacks when he feels threatened. Jack dominates and Joy procrastinates. Dennis is a constant complainer. Joan is a compulsive eater, Fred a compulsive drinker, Tom a compulsive worker, and Frank a compulsive gambler—all because of unresolved worry and anxiety.

Anxiety may also express itself in a physical way. Stuttering, abdominal pains, high blood pressure, a twitch, allergies, ulcers, nervous stomach, tension headaches—all have been named by doctors as symptoms of anxiety and worry. Yes, sooner or later anxiety will win out. When one fails to talk out his worries, he will act them out in one way or another.

A relaxed attitude lengthens a man's life.

Long ago the Bible pointed out that "a relaxed attitude lengthens a man's life."1 Jesus himself said, "Don't worry about things—food, drink and clothes ... don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time."2 And the Apostle Paul wrote, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus."3

However, it's one thing to know about God's peace and another to experience it. It begins with being able to see and admit your real fears, by facing and resolving them, and by learning to give them over to God—and not take them back.
The causes behind worry can be many and varied. The following are some of the major ones with some helpful tips for winning over them.

First: If anxiety is situational—that is, caused by adverse circumstances or too much work, I find it helps to list all my worries on paper. This is half the battle. I then eliminate the least important matters, work on the things I can do something about, and am learning to accept the things I cannot change and stop worrying about them.

Second: If the problem is repressed, pent-up feelings, such as resentment, hurt or anger, those feelings need to be expressed in healthy ways. If you're nursing a grudge, you will need to put things right with the other person concerned and forgive them.4 Some feelings can be talked out with a trusted friend or counselor. Or, if it helps, go for a drive in your car with the windows closed and shout your feelings out, go to the bedroom and cry them out, or write them out as David often did in the Psalms.
One night when I was worried and couldn't sleep, I got up and typed a letter to God sharing all my feelings with him. Within a half-hour I had released my pent-up feelings. I then read them back to God, tore up the page, went back to bed, and fell asleep immediately.
Good, hard physical exercise is also helpful when you're feeling worried or anxious.
Third: If your worry is caused by unmet emotional or spiritual needs, you can remedy this by growing in your relationship to God and other people—both of which are keys to vital, worry-free living. A spiritual growth group or a good twelve-step recovery group can be a big help for this. As you open up to others and to God and feel their love and acceptance, you can slowly change feelings of fear, guilt, anger, inadequacy, anxiety, and worry for feelings of hope, confidence, peace, and love.
Perfect love drives out fear.
"Perfect love drives out fear,"5 writes the Apostle John in the Bible. So we need to ask God not only to help us overcome our fears, but also to fill us with love. The more we love and trust God, the less we fear man and circumstances.
Every day, visualize yourself opening to God and being filled with his love, joy and forgiveness. In 1929, business tycoon J.C. Penny was in the hospital because of his severe anxiety. One night he was sure he was going to die so he wrote farewell letters to his wife and son.
But he survived the night, and hearing singing the next morning in the chapel, felt drawn to go in. A group was singing, "God will take care of you," after which followed Bible reading and prayer.
Penny said, "Suddenly something happened. I can't explain it. It was a miracle. I felt as if I had been instantly lifted out of the darkness of a dungeon into warm brilliant sunlight. I felt as if I had been transported from hell to paradise. I felt the power of God as I had never felt it before.
"I realized then that I alone was responsible for all my troubles. I knew that God with his love was there to help me. From that day to this, my life has been free from worry. The most dramatic and glorious minutes of my life were those I spent in that chapel that morning."6
The cause or causes of our anxiety and worry always lie within ourselves. At best they are triggered by outside circumstances. Only when we admit to and resolve these causes, are we free to fully surrender our worries and anxieties to God and experience his peace.
Whether this peace comes instantly or over a period of time doesn’t matter. The important truth to remember is that God is always there. His love and power are constant and available to all. As we reach out to him through the fog of our worry and damaged emotions, we discover that he is waiting to help us if only we will respond to his love and give him the chance.
1. Proverbs 14:30.
2. Matthew 6:25,34.
3. Philippians 4:6-7.
4. See Matthew 5:23-24.
5. 1 John 4:18.
6. S.I.McMillen, None of These Diseases, (Westwood, N.J.: Fleming Revell Co., 1963), p.98.

This and other articles by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online

ACTS International
Copyright
© 1990 – 2009

2009-05-14T01:08:00.000-07:00

Fully Living, Fully Loving

2009-05-14T00:58:00.000-07:00

Printable version

There's an old story about a school teacher who injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable.

On the first day of the term, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in school. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as possible and then busied himself with desk work. When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took the desk stapler and stapled the tie to his chest.

Understandably he had no trouble with discipline that term.
Sometimes it would be nice if life were that simple; that is, if we could wear a plaster cast around our heart so our feelings wouldn't ever get hurt!
Not so. Life isn’t that simple. The problem is that when we put a cast or wall around our hurt feelings, that same cast also blocks out our warm and loving feelings! We turn into zombies. People with shut off emotions live flat-line lives and, instead of being personality-plus, they become more or less personality-minus.

Life without emotions would be like playing a trombone with a stuck slide.
We happen to be feeling beings. Can you imagine what life would be like without emotions? As another has said, it would be like playing a trombone with a stuck slide; that is, deadly dull and boring. The truth is that when our emotions are repressed we are characteristically bored with life.

I’ve led seminars and taught classes on relationships and recovery for many years and the number one complaint I hear from women on both sides of the Pacific is a variation on the theme, “My husband doesn’t understand my feelings and doesn’t share his.” No wonder so many relationships fall apart at the seams. Without being in touch with one’s inner self (his/her emotions) there is no intimacy and no real closeness. Such couples live together alone apart—and their relationship dies a little every day.

Furthermore, when we hide and subsequently bury our feelings, we never bury them dead but very much alive. In so doing, in one way or another they come back to taunt us. What we fail to talk out creatively, we inevitably act out destructively in one way or another. We can act them out by lashing out in anger or hostility at others and those we love the most. We can withdraw and go into silence when we are hurt or angry, which is an equally “dirty way to fight.” We can go into depression, suffer from anxiety attacks, ruin our relationships, set ourselves up to fail, and/or become physically ill. As John Powell put it, “When we bury our emotions, our stomach keeps score.” How true this is.

As I’ve often said, by the time I was five I had learned that "big men" don't cry so I learned early in life to stuff my feelings, and by the time I was thirty-five, I suffered from miserable hay fever, and had bursitis in both shoulders I couldn’t lift my arms above my shoulders without pain. Worse still, while I had plenty of friends, close relationships were non-existent. My marriage of 25 years turned out to be a disaster. Two repressed people living together do not make for a healthy relationship; in fact, they don’t have any kind of meaningful relationship.

Even though professionally I was doing okay, relationally I was at a loss and emotionally I constantly felt empty and had no idea what my problem was. I just knew I needed help. I had grown up with the belief that feelings weren’t important and couldn’t be trusted. In spite of this, I was so frustrated I got down on my knees and asked God to give me some feelings back anyhow. Oh boy, that prayer turned my world upside down and made praying for patience look like a Sunday school picnic. It took considerable pain to break through my cast-like defenses.

My recovery and emotional healing didn't happen overnight, but the good news is that when I learned to break through my defenses and get in touch with my true emotions, and learn how to express them creatively, over time my life changed dramatically. Plus my physical wellbeing also improved dramatically.

Many of our physical ills can be symbolic. For instance, when I stuff my tears where do they go? For me they apparently expressed themselves in miserable hay fever which I suffered from for many years. I say this because when I was able to sob out years of painful hurt, I was healed of hay fever and have never suffered from it since. And when I learned to resolve years of buried hurt and anger, I was healed of the painful bursitis in my shoulders and have never had this pain recur. And when I was able to resolve lots of buried fear caused by painful hurts in the past, my interpersonal relationships improved out of sight.

In fact, I am physically healthier today than I was at half my age, and I am now in a very happy and fulfilling marriage. I feel that I am now well on the way to fully living and fully loving. My professional life happens to be very fulfilling also.
It may not sound refined, but the fact is that the feelings we stuff, stuff up our lives!

So you ask, how did you resolve all your personal issues? I wish I had a simple three step program, but I don’t. I believe in miracles but not magic—miracles take a lot longer. There is no such thing as a quick fix. We take years to become what we are and don’t undo that overnight. However, the following are a few principles to help.

First, we need to recognize that we have a problem—and admit it. Without access to the truth about ourselves we stay in denial and stuck in our life and there is no healing or recovery. So I need to admit, “I have a problem. I need help.”

Second, read good books, listen to CDs and tapes, attend classes, seminars and retreats that deal with personal growth and recovery. Learn all you can but, remember, intellectual knowledge doesn’t produce healing or recovery, it just helps to understand your problem and know how and where to look for help.

Only to the degree that we are known can we ever feel loved.

Third, realize that we get damaged in damaged relationships and get healed in healing relationships. Every one of us—single or married—needs a soul-brother for men or a soul-sister for women. That is, we need someone who won’t judge us, put us down, try to fix us or give us unsolicited advice—someone with whom we feel totally safe so we can be totally open and honest and free to share our deepest emotions negative as well as positive), as well as our joys, sorrows, successes, sins and failures and thus be known for who we truly are—warts and all.

We all need someone who thus knows us fully and loves and accepts us exactly as we are. This is what frees us to change and begin to experience healing in the deepest parts of our personality. Furthermore, only to the degree that we are known can we ever feel loved. Nobody can love a mask and nobody can ever feel loved who hides behind a mask. As long as we stay in hiding, we can never experience healing and grow to become a whole and loving person.

Fourth, if we have deeply repressed emotions we may need, as I did, intense and skilled therapy. We each need to find the type of therapy and a therapist that work for us. What works for me may not work for you and vice-versa. Group therapy can also be very helpful.

Fifth, many of us will need help to learn not only how to get in touch with our feelings, but also how to express them in healthy and creative ways. Learn from the life of Jesus. When he was sad, he wept.1 When he was angry he expressed his feelings. At times he did this verbally and when he found the money changers ripping people off in the temple, he got a whip and drove them out.2 What we need to remember, however, is always to speak and act the truth in love.

Last and most important of all, learn to put God first in your life and seek his guidance and help for every area of your life. And learn how to pray effectively by praying the right prayers.3 Ask God to confront you with the truth about yourself. If you are serious about this, God will show you; but be prepared because it usually takes pain to break through our defenses. For me personally, only when my pain is greater than my fear have I been able to get in touch with my inner pain. Remember as God’s Word says, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”4

If you consistently follow these six principles, you too, will be well on the road to fully living and fully loving.

1. John 11:35. 2. John 2:14-16. 3. See “How to Pray Effectively” at http://tinyurl.com/kb62w

4. Psalm 145:18.

This and other articles by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online

ACTS International
Copyright
© 1990 – 2009

The Highly Effective Family

2009-05-14T00:53:00.000-07:00

Printable version

Steven Covey, highly acclaimed author of the number-one best seller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (which has sold more than ten million copies) in his new book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families,* shows how to apply these proven principles to build a strong, close family.

Habit One: Be Proactive. One of my kids, who is still living at home, had a choice of continued family support should he go on to higher education after graduating from high school or go to work and start supporting himself. He chose the latter but wasn't enthusiastic about the "start supporting yourself" idea. He finally got a part-time job and then quit. I was upset and felt like blasting him because I thought he had been irresponsible.

I started to get mad and realized that this wouldn't help. I decided to be proactive in a positive way rather than reacting in a negative way. I asked him to explain what happened and how he was feeling. When he realized I cared, he wanted to talk things over. I encouraged him by reminding him I had heard several times that he was a good worker. We both agreed that it may have been a good thing he quit because he could now look for a better job.

Habit Two: Put First Things First. As a business or an individual needs to have a mission statement—a clearly defined statement of purpose—to be successful, so does a family. In defining a family mission, it is important to include the children and ask what they want the family to be and achieve. The mission statement needs to be written out and as the children get older and the family more experienced, it can be updated.

The number one destroyer of families is the inability to resolve conflict creatively.

Habit Three: Put First Things First. Because of the pressures of living in today's world, the family needs to prioritize responsibilities. If this isn’t done, chances are that instead of the family making "things" happen, things (usually negative things) will happen to the family. To achieve this goal, Covey's family felt their most important commitment was to set aside one night every week to be together for "planning, problem-solving, teaching and fun.

"Habit Four: Think "Win-Win". According to research conducted over the past twenty years by the University of Colorado, the number one destroyer of families is the inability to resolve conflict creatively.

Many of us feel insecure to some degree and tend to have a need to win in a conflict. We think our viewpoint is the only right one. Our goal is thus "win-lose"—and nobody wins.

We need to learn how to "fight" fair; that is, how to resolve conflict creatively. We need to appreciate that every family member sees things from their perspective. Therefore, when differences of opinion arise, it is helpful to ask the other/s how they see things and then say how you see things. The truth is usually somewhere in the middle. This makes compromise possible and everybody wins.

Habit Five: Seek First to Understand ... Then to Be Understood. A friend shared his experience with me. He said, "On my fairly new job my boss was mad at me because I didn’t do something that was expected but hadn't been specifically told or asked to do. I was told to drop everything and work on this new project right now. At the time I was working on another project with a deadline which meant I had to work extremely late that night to finish this one.

"I felt unjustly mistreated and felt hurt and angry. However, instead of reacting negatively, I learned something about my boss that helped me understand him and the way he operates better. The next morning I asked him that when he wanted something done would he tell me clearly and let me know when he wanted it done. I wanted to be understood too, but understanding him first helped smooth things out. He admitted he has a hard time asking anybody to do anything for him. I now understand him much better which will help our working relationship."

To seek to understand the other person first is essential in any relationship and especially so in the family.

Habit Six: Synergize. Webster defines synergism as "combined action ... greater in total effect than the sum of their [parts]."

Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one.

King Solomon, reputed to be one of the wisest men who ever lived, summed up "synergism" very wisely when he wrote, "Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one, for the results can be much better. If one falls, the other pulls him up; but if a man falls when he is alone, he's in trouble. Also, on a cold night, two under the same blanket gain warmth from each other, but how can one be warm alone? And one standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer; three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."1

Habit Seven: Sharpen the Saw. This "Habit" "will cultivate all of the other six habits and keep them strong and vibrant. How? Simply by using them in renewing activities—especially, family traditions. That's what we mean by 'sharpening the saw.'"

Some of the traditions suggested are regular family dinners, family holidays, serving together in special projects, working together to get things done at home and making these times fun, and worshiping together.

Regarding the latter, it is still true that "The family that prays together stays together." Research has also shown that families who have a genuine spiritual commitment have a much greater chance of being happy than those that don't.
According to Covey, practicing these seven habits "can help you to see and communicate more clearly, and will help you to arrive where you, as a family, want to go."

1. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (TLB).

* The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families, © 1997 Covey Leadership Center, Inc. Published by Golden Books Publishing Company, Inc.

This and other articles by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online

ACTS International
Copyright
© 1990 – 2009

List Good Article About Family

2009-05-11T19:23:00.001-07:00

1. Problematic issues in the early years of marriage: content for premarital education.

2. Studying "working fathers": comparing fathers' and mothers' work-family sonflict, fit, and adaptive strategies in a global high-tech company.

3. Family of origin processes and attitudes of expectant fathers.

4. Family connectedness and sexual risk-taking among urban youth attending alternative high schools.

5. Averting HIV-infected births: integrating family planning services can help achieve goal.

6. Are the outcomes of young adults linked to the family income experienced in childhood?

7. Men's and women's eldercare-based work-family conflict: antecedents and work-related outcomes.

8. Children of alcoholics: implications for professional school counseling.

9. Contrasting national jurisdictional and welfare re

10. The effect of parental work history and public assistance use on the transition to adulthood.

11. Anticipated work-family conflict: effects of gender, self-efficacy, and family background.

12. Family Camps: strengthening family relationships at camp and at home.

13. Cultural conceptualisation of child abuse and responses to it: an aboriginal perspective.

14. Birth order and educational achievement in adolescence and young adulthood.

15. Counseling exceptional individuals and their families: a systems perspective.

16. Bringing international human rights law home: an evaluation of Canada's family law treatment of polygamy *.

17. Stepfather involvement and adolescents' disposition toward having sex.

18. An examination of school counselor involvement in school-family-community partnerships.

19. Budgeting for work--life balance: the ideology and politics of work and family policy in Australia.

20. Family violence in Asian communities, combining research and community development.

21. Use of the resiliency model of family stress, adjustment and adaptation by rehabilitation counselors.

22. Build It or Buy It Your Family Website Can Bring Your Family Together

23. Infant sleep and the quality of family life for first-time parents of three-month-old infants.

34. Early childhood school success: recognizing families as integral partners.

25. Pathways from family religiosity to adolescent sexual activity and contraceptive use.

26. Nonresident fathers' family leisure patterns during parenting time with their children.

27. Effects of same-sex marriage on employee benefits.

28. Not so great expectations: sex and housewives in Hong Kong.

29. Perceptions of sources of sex education and targets of sex communication: sociodemographic and cohort effects.

30. Opportunities for woman-initiated HIV prevention methods among female sex workers in Southern China.

31. Oral sex: varied behaviors and perceptions in a college population.

32. Reportlinker Adds World HIV/AIDS Testing Market Report.

33. Data from ISENTRESS[R], Merck's HIV Integrase Inhibitor, in Patients Whose HIV is Controlled on a Lopinavir/Ritonavir-Based Therapy Presented at the 16th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.

34. Learn about the World HIV/AIDS Testing Market.

35. Meeting the sexual and reproductive health needs of people living with HIV.

36. Tuberculosis transmission attributable to close contacts and HIV status, Malawi.

37. What do women with advanced breast cancer want from their treatment?

38. Chemotherapy: considerations for dental hygienists.

39. Online resources offer information on prostate cancer.

40. Workplace Smoking Ban May Help Smokers Quit; Study results follow Surgeon General report on dangers of second hand smoke.

When Things Go Wrong

2009-04-29T01:03:00.000-07:00

Printable version
You've no doubt heard about the bricklayer who applied for time off work for the following reason: "When I got to the building, I found that the hurricane had knocked off some bricks around the top so I climbed onto the roof and rigged up a beam with a pulley and hoisted a couple of barrels full of bricks to the top of the building.
"Then I went to the bottom, and holding onto the line, I began releasing it. Unfortunately, the barrel of bricks was much heavier
than I was and before I knew what was happening, the barrel started coming down, jerking me up. I decided to hang on since I was too far off the ground by then to jump.
"About halfway up I met the barrel of bricks coming down fast. I received a hard blow on my shoulder. I then continued to the top, banging my head against the beam and getting my fingers pinched and jammed in the pulley.
"When the barrel hit the ground hard, it burst its bottom allowing the bricks to spill out. I was now heavier than the barrel, so I started down again at high speed. Halfway down I met the barrel coming up—fast—and received severe injuries to my chin. When I hit the ground, I landed on the pile of spilled bricks, getting several painful cuts and bruises.
"At this point I must have lost my presence of mind because I let go of my grip on the line. The barrel came down fast, giving me another blow on my head, putting me in the hospital. I respectfully request sick leave."
Everybody has times when things go wrong. But when troubles come, it's not what happens to us, but how we react, that counts. Troubles destroy some people. Others they make. The difference lies in our attitude, being realistic, acceptance, and what we do about resolving our problems.
Attitude is more
important than aptitude.
Attitude. If we respond to our difficulties positively, determined with God's help to overcome, we will. If we react negatively with a defeated attitude, we will be beaten, no matter how brilliant we are.
As Zig Ziglar says in his book, See You at the Top, "Attitude is much more important than aptitude.... Despite the overwhelming evidence which supports the importance of the right mental attitude, our entire educational system from kindergarten through graduate school virtually ignores this vital factor in our life. Ninety percent of our education is directed at acquiring facts with only 10 percent of our education aimed at our feelings—or attitudes.
"These figures are truly incredible when we realize that our thinking brain is only 10 percent as large as our feeling brain. A study by Harvard University revealed that 85 percent of the reasons for success, accomplishments, promotions, etc. were because of our attitudes and only 15 percent because of our technical expertise."
Ziglar also pointed out that William James, the father of American psychology, stated that the most important discovery of our time is that we can alter our lives by altering our attitudes.
Being realistic is also critical in determining the outcome to one's problems.
A doctor friend of mine tells about a family where the mother broke her arm. The husband and son had to force her to the doctor and hold her while the doctor put her badly broken arm in plaster.
"There's nothing wrong with my arm, Doctor. It's perfectly all right," she insisted.
"I see," said the doctor setting the badly broken arm. Several weeks later the woman returned to have the cast removed and the arm was healed.
"There," said the woman, "look at that. I told you there was nothing wrong with my arm!"
This woman was of a certain religious conviction which led her to believe that there was never anything wrong with her. Fortunately, her family was a little more realistic. We also need to be realistic about our problems if we are going to resolve them.
Acceptance. Furthermore, whatever happens to us needs to be accepted. It's no use saying, "If only."
Several years ago a close family member suffered a massive stroke and was left partially paralyzed. Learning to walk, read and write again as much as possible was painstakingly slow and difficult.
We can alter our lives by
altering our attitudes.
Doctors felt that the stroke could have been avoided so it was extremely tempting to say, "If only we would have known."
However, it's useless to say, "If only." Our family couldn't go back and do things differently. We had to accept the reality of what had happened, pick up the pieces, and go on.
"What do you do and how do you cope?" people have asked when things have gone wrong in my life.
First. Express emotions. For one thing, I've learned not to deny my feelings, so when I'm hurting, I cry. God not only gave us laughter to express our joy, but tears to express our hurt and sorrow. Crying has a healing effect. It soothes the soul. Plus, when I'm frustrated, I share my feelings with a friend. Or if I'm angry, I share my feelings with the person I'm angry at or I write them out and throw away the piece of paper.
Second. Give thanks. I constantly make a point of giving thanks to God for the many good things in my life which far outnumber my few problems.
Third. Trust God. I have learned to trust God—not always without doubt or confusion. I don't always understand why bad things happen. However, one thing I do understand, while Satan and his forces of evil want to use my circumstances to try and destroy me, God wants to use them to strengthen me. The choice is mine.
The only times in my life when I have grown have been during difficult times. Who wants to change when everything is going well? Also, if there is any quality to my writing and other work, it has all come out of life's struggles.
While I don't believe in quick fixes or simplistic solutions to life's complex problems, I do know that God teaches us many lessons through difficult and challenging times—if we let him. In spite of outward appearances, I also believe that "in all things God works for the good of those who love [and trust] him"1—even if it is eventually!
Can you accept your difficulties as opportunities to grow and ask God to show you what he wants you to learn through them? If so, your life will be greatly enriched.
1. See Romans 8:28.
This and other articles by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online

ACTS International
Copyright
© 1990 – 2009

The Handy Helpful Handbook: A Parent’s Guide to Drug & Gang Prevention

2009-04-29T01:00:00.001-07:00

Judul : The Handy Helpful Handbook: A Parent’s Guide to Drug & Gang Prevention
Pengarang : www.drugfreeAZ.com
Penerbit : www.drugfreeAZ.com

If your child is using drugs:

Facts First:

• Begin by asking questions and gathering facts. Speak with your child’s friend, teachers, coach, school counselor, or employers. Get specific: how much, how often, and how long have they been using.
• Tray to get a sense of how deeply your child is involved. Do most of the “Signs and Symptoms” fit? Meet with a local drug and alcohol counselor to discuss your situation.
• Agree on a course of action with your spouse or other adult in the household before talking with your child. Consider options you are willing to offer, such as new family rules or a written contract spelling out conditions your child must meet.

Tough Love

• Set aside time for meeting with your child. Discuss what you’ve learned so far, ask more questions, talk about feelings – yours and your child’s. Remember that they’re frightened, too.
• Discuss your new conditions and consequences, which should include a rule on no further drug and alcohol use.
• Consider outside support for your child – and yourself. Self-help groups (such as Alcoholics Anonymous), ministers, and school counselors are helpful, as well as outpatient drug and alcohol centers.

Tips Menghadapi Anak Masuk TK

2009-01-23T18:33:00.001-08:00

Memasukkan anak ke sekolah Taman Kanak-kanak untuk pertama kalinya bukan perkara mudah. Walaupun pernyataan kalimat pembuka tadi bisa jadi bagi sebagian orang akan dianggap sepele karena tidak mengalami persoalan yang disebabkan anaknya yang baru masuk TK begitu gampangnya bergaul dengan teman-teman barunya. Dan tentu saja artikel ini kurang cocok untuk katagori orang tua yang memiliki anak gampang bersosialisasi. Tapi bagaimana jika anak kita begitu susahnya bersosialilasi dengan anak-anak lain yang baru mereka kenal?

Anak saya yang kedua termasuk dalam katagori yang susah bersosialisasi. Pengalaman saya mengantar anak yang susah untuk bersosialisasi tentu saja tidak termasuk mereka yang sudah melalui play group di mana otomatis ia sudah terlatih dari awal. Sedangkan saya memasukkan anak saya langsung ke TK. Ini saya lakukan karena kakaknya begitu mudahnya masuk ke TK tanpa melalui play group.

Pengalaman kakaknya saya jadikan ukuran di mana kakaknya hanya membutuhkan tiga hari saja untuk bisa ditinggal tanpa ditunggu di sekolah. Dan tampaknya anak yang satu dengan yang lainnya walaupun itu saudara sekandung memiliki perbedaan termasuk dalam belajar bersosialisasi di lingkungan yang baru.

Kasus Sang Kakak

Saya akan bercerita mengenai kakaknya terlebih dahulu. Ketika sang kakak pertama kali masuk sekolah, saya dan istri saya menghantar dan menunggunya. Wah, kok seperti dikawal ketat? Sebenarnya kami sepakat bahwa kami menghantar berdua terhadap kakaknya itu untuk menunjukkan kepada anak saya pertama itu kepedulian terhadap sekolah anak saya itu. Saya berusaha untuk mengambil gambar moment-moment pertama anak saya pergi ke sekolah dengan seragam baru dan bahkan semuanya baru.

Pada hari pertama

Sang Kakak, anak saya itu seperti biasa terus memperhatikan kami yang ada di jendela sekolah. Dan bahkan ia menangis minta ditemani dan istri saya berusaha untuk mendekati dan memberitahu bahwa yang sekolah itu Sang Kakak, bukan mama. Begitulah kira-kira pengertian yang disampaikan. Akhinya hari pertama yang hanya diisi perkenalan saja dari pihak sekolah dan murid-murid, dan anak saya berhasil melewati hari pertama tersebut walau dengan tangisan, tetapi tidak separah anak-anak lain yang orang tuanya tidak boleh menjauh dari dirinya.

Waktu itu kami bersyukur dan bangga bahwa walaupun anak saya menangis, tetapi masih bisa diajar untuk ditinggal, walaupun kami hanya bisa di jendela sekolah. Sementara banyak ibu-ibu yang begitu sibuknya merayu, menjelaskan dan bahkan memarahi anak-anak mereka yang ada yang menangis, menjerit, ketakutan, dan maaf (pipis), dan sampai berguling-guling karena tidak mau ditinggal oleh mamanya.

Pada Hari Kedua

Pada hari kedua, saya menyerahkan membimbing anak saya ke sekolah kepada istri saya. Namun, pada malam harinya, kami berusaha untuk berdiskusi dengan Sang Kakak bagaimana seharusnya bersekolah itu. Seperti saya memberitahu bahwa, kalau kita mau sekolah berarti kita harus berani bertemu dengan anak-anak lain. Berusaha berbicara dengan anak-anak lain. Perlu diketahui bahwa anak saya Sang Kakak ini sebenarnya anaknya pendiam dan susah untuk membuka hubungan dengan orang lain. Walaupun ia sudah belajar bersosialisasi di Sekolah Minggu, tapi itupun bukan jaminan anak saya yang satu ini dengan gampang berkenalan dengan anak lain. Makanya dalam diskusi kami di meja makan, kami memberitahu bahwa seharusnya bila di sekolah mau berteman dengan orang lain dan mencari kenalan sebanyak-banyaknya.

Saya tidak tahu prosesnya di sekolah itu, tapi istri saya bercerita di depan anak saya bahwa “Wah, Brian hebat Pa!” Mengapa? Karena Sang Kakak itu rupanya tidak perlu lagi minta ditemani sama sekali di bangkunya. Dan tidak ada tangisan.

Kemudian, tanpa sepengatahuan anak saya, istri saya bilang bahwa Sang Kakak itu memang sulit mengeluarkan kata-kata, sulit berkenalan dengan orang lain, sulit untuk menjawab pertanyaan absen hadir atau tidak. Yang dia bisa hanya diam dan diam.
Bagi saya itu kemajuan yang sangat drastis, walaupun hanya diam saja. Karena kembali melihat anak-anak lain di mana orang tuanya begitu sibuknya mengurus anak mereka yang tidak mau ditinggal, yang menjerit memanggil-manggil mamanya, yang melakukan berbagai keributan karena sulit untuk menghadapi lingkungan yang baru, lingkungan anak-anak TK.

Pada Hari Ketiga

Pada hari yang ketiga, pada malam harinya sebelum hari ketiga, kami kembali berdiskusi. Oh ia, saya yang tidak ikut berusaha untuk mencari informasi sebanyak-banyaknya apa yang dilakukan Sang Kakak ketika bersekolah di hari kedua. Memang anak saya biasanya hanya tersenyum-senyum saja tanpa memberi jawaban. Tetapi saya tidak lupa untuk bertanya kehebatan apa yang sudah dilakukan Sang Kakak pada hari kedua itu. Mamanya bilang, bahwa Sang Kakak sudah tidak menangis. “Tapi, kata mamanya, Kakak hanya belajar untuk berkenalan dengan teman-teman. Dari situ saya berusaha bertanya, siapa nama teman satu bangkunya? Menurutnya dia tidak hapal.
Pada malam itu juga kami memberitahu, bagaimana kalau pada hari ketiga itu hari terakhir Mamanya menunggu di jendela? Dan untuk kemudian pada hari keempat Bibi, pengasuh dari kecil akan menolong mengawasinya. Dan anak saya setuju. Tetapi pada hari ketiga, istri saya bercerita bahwa sepertinya Sang Kakak sudah siap bersekolah sendiri, dan ada satu permintaannya adalah, pada hari keempat, nila Mamanya tidak mengantar lagi, Bibi bisa menunggu di pagar sekolah, bukan lagi di pagar kelas. Kami sangat senang ketika itu. Hal tersebut disampaikan setelah mengikuti hari ketiga yang hampir berjalan dengan baik dan hampir tidak ada persoalan yang berarti.
Kemudian pada hari-hari berikutnya, seperti perjanjian dalam diskusi di meja makan Bibi memang menunggu di pagar sekolah. Dan anak saya menurut cerita Bibi, terkadang dia keluar dan melihat Bibi di pagar sekolah. Setelah itu semuanya berjalan dengan baik.

Tapi sementara Sang Kakak sudah bisa dilepaskan sendiri, banyak dari ibu-ibu anak-anak lain yang masih bergumul, ada yang sampai 15 hari, satu bulan dan bahkan 2 sampai 3 bulan baru anak-anak mereka bisa ditinggal. Ketika itu saya merasa bangga. Dan merasa kasihan dengan Ibu-ibu yang anaknya susah untuk ditinggal. Padahal 3 tahun berikutnya ketika kami harus memasukkan Sang Adik ke TK, mungkin kami yang justru perlu dikasihani oleh para orang tua yang anaknya begitu gampang bersosialisasi dengan lingkungan baru. Mengenai Sang Adik yang begitu sulit bersosialisasi akan diceritakan pada tulisan berikutnya. Tapi yang pasti kesulitan pasti berakhir dan berujung kepada kebanggaan dan kebahagiaan.

2008-07-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

AIDS

2008-07-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

What is AIDS?

It is an infections disease coused by a virus. The disease can harm the stomach, intestines, skin, muscles and the brain. It destroys the body’s ability to fight infecfions with the result that we have no defence against illnst. Medication can help, but there is as yet no known cure. It is possible that many people who have contracted AIDS will die within the next five to ten years. There are no vaccines to prevent AIDS.

How is the infection spread?

By sexual realiton.
By using infected and unsterilised needles.
By transfusion of infected blood.
By transferring from an infected mother to her baby during her pregnancy.

Are there other ways of becoming infected?

There are no known cases of a person becoming infected by touching the body or clothing of a person with AIDS, nor from water, food, toilet seats or kitchennsils. Nor are there any known cases of people becoming infected by bites from insects such as mosquitoes or bugs. Provided that proper precautions are taken, there is no danger to those who care for AIDS sufferers.

What kinds of people are most at risk of getting AIDS?

People who have sexual relations outside marriage. Those who inject themselves using unsterilized needles.

How Can AIDS be avoided?

As sexual relations are the main means by which the AIDS virus is transmitted, it is important to consider again the need for faithfulness in marriage, and the potential problems in sex before marriage. The Bible advocates sexual relations only between husband and wife as the ideal for preserving the sanctity of marriage. The Scripture passages below deal with a way of life based on a good relationship with God. Thereby one will avoid actions and situations which could lead to exposure to the AIDS virus.

Article use from Stop AIDS Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia

2008-06-03T08:29:00.001-07:00

2008-06-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

2008-06-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

2008-06-03T08:16:00.000-07:00

2008-05-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

Conflict Resolution -- for Moments When Your Teen is Driving You Mad

2008-05-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Newton

Conflict, which home is without it? And when it comes to teenagers, boy - do those conflicts really come! So how do you deal with them, how do you make your home more peaceful and happy for all?

I believe we can learn something from restorative justice techniques and ancient healing traditions and I shared with you the mindset shifts you would need to make.

Well this week, I will move on and share with you the shift in communication style.

So I looked the word up in the dictionary to give us a starting point and it states . . .

The activity of conveying information A connection allowing access Allows people to
exchange thoughts by one of several methods

A few key things came up for me here.

Active -- to me active means that we are engaged and fully present, making a decision to communicate.

Connection -- it comes from a centre, a place of heart and its aim is to connect with the other person.

Exchange -- it is two way! Yes, I hate to say it - they need to speak too and you need to listen.
If your child is not communicating with you at all, then I suggest you take a look at my articles on listening.

So if we look at communication as being an active, exchanging connection, then the whole picture changes, doesn't it? Most communication with our children is merely us telling them what to do, has no real connection and is anything but active and purposeful.

If one looks back at conflict resolution and restorative justice, we see there is first a premise we need to take to our communication style.

1. Our aim is to re-connect -- whatever the situation, this is the main aim of any communication.

2. Our aim is not to blame or make the other wrong, it is simply to connect at a very human level.

3. That we accept responsibility for harm we have caused and encourage them to do the same

4.We apologize for harm we may have caused and acknowledge the feelings of others. We also tell other how what they did made us feel in a non-blaming, non-aggressive way.

5.We want to look for beneficial solutions. We do not look for what we want and how to fix, we look for beneficial situations that will work for the family as a whole.

6. We see conflict as a natural occurrence of family life and a positive way for us to grow.
I think that this is the biggest and most freeing - if we accept conflict as normal ( which it is), we neither blame ourselves for not doing a good job, nor go into 'victim mode', feeling like we cannot handle the situation. We do not strive for a conflict free environment; we see conflict as a positive way for us to get more of what we want in our life and grow and learn. Just think how we would feel, less like a victim and more like a hero, if we could take this stance!

So lets look below at the old and new communication paradigms.

Old retributive communication styles

1. We talk about a child breaking the rules and think about punishment. We see it as a challenge to our authority. "You came in late and broke your curfew . . . you are grounded!"

2.We focus on establishing guilt and apportioning blame. "Did you do that to your sister? You should know better. You need to grow up!"

3.We see ourselves in a battle with our teenager/child for power and we believe our job is to impose some kind of unpleasantness to get that person to do what we want. "You never do what I say and help when I ask . . . I am going to stop your allowance!"

4.We focus our attention on the right rules, adherence and process to get our child to conform.
5. We see their taking accountability as a loss or a punishment.

New Restorative communication styles

1. We see the misdemeanor as causing harm, not challenging us as an individual. We focus on the child taking accountability, which is defined as them understanding the impact of their action. "When you come in late I feel as if what we want is not important. How are we going to put this right?"

2.We focus on problem solving. "Ok, we both live in the same house here and we need to get along. How can we do that and make sure we all get what we need?"

3. We focus on dialogue and everyone is involved and gets a say. We focus on reconciliation. "We do not share responsibilities fairly in this house. We need to sit down as a family and discuss how we can make this work for everyone."

4. We place our attention on the relationship. Our desired result is to focus on the relationship, not harm it.

5.We see accountability as a consequence of a choice and work with the child to make different choices.

I imagine that as some of you read this it is not easy to hear, maybe it goes against what you think is right, perhaps your relationship with your teenager is not even in a place where this is possible yet. Whatever is going through your head is fine; most of what I teach is against the norm. However, from working in some of the most challenging situations, I know this stuff works and I know it turns around relationships and very difficult children!

About the AuthorSarah Newton is one of the world’s leading teen coaches. She enjoys a high profile and is one of the only Teen Coaches to have hosted her own eight part TV series ‘My Teen’s a nightmare – I’m Moving Out’. Her first book " Help! My Teenager is an Alien - the everyday situation guide for parents" was launched in March 2007 by Penguin and rarely drops out of the top ten parenting teenager books. Sarah believes that parents can have great relationships with their teenagers and still get all the boring things done and to this end she offers everyday practical advice. To get Free access to Sarah’s "3 easy proven techniques to instantly reduce stress in your home and dramatically improve the relationship with your teen" go to http://www.sarahnewton.com Sarah Newton may be contacted at http://www.sarahnewton.com. Click here to view more articles by Sarah Newton .

Family Is a Place Where a Happiness been there

FULFILLING FORGIVENESS IN MARRIAGE!

YOUR MARRIAGE CAN MAKE IT!

Scientific Facts on Diet and Nutrition Prevention of Chronic Diseases

The answers to these questions are GreenFacts faithful summaries of the World Health Organization report

1. To what extent does diet play a role in chronic diseases?

Chronic diseases occur across the world

Therefore, safe and adequate food supplies are needed in order to combat both nutritional deficiencies and chronic diseases.

2. How are diets changing?

Demand for animal products like meat has increased

The average food consumption (in terms of calories) appears to have increased steadily in countries around the world, particularly in developing countries, though not in sub-Saharan Africa.

The average fat content of the diet is also increasing throughout the world, and it is especially high in parts of North America and Europe. An increasingly large portion of this fat comes from animal products and vegetable oils.

Factors such as rising incomes and population growth have raised the demand for animal products like meat, dairy products, and eggs. These products provide high-value protein and many essential nutrients, but excessive consumption can lead to excessive intakes of fat.

A diet high in fruits and vegetable is recommended for good health, yet, although average consumption has increased, only a small minority of the world’s population eats an adequate amount.

In conclusion, changes in diets are needed to cope with the burgeoning epidemic of chronic diseases. The entire process, from food production to consumption, should be considered when determining the relationship between diet and the risk of developing chronic diseases.

3. How are chronic diseases linked to diet and nutrition?

Adopting habits in childhood © Micro Application

Diet, as well as other factors such as physical activity and tobacco use, can affect health throughout life.

Growth delays in the womb and in early infancy can increase the risk of diet-related chronic diseases in later life. Breastfeeding may lower the risk of later developing obesity. In contrast, breast-milk substitutes (formula) may increase the risk of developing several chronic diseases.

During childhood and adolescence, adopting habits such as unhealthy diets and low-levels of exercise increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and obesity.

Most chronic diseases are expressed in adulthood. Therefore, it is a critical time for reducing risk factors such as tobacco use, excess weight gain and obesity, physical inactivity, cholesterol, high blood pressure and alcohol consumption.

The main burden of chronic diseases is observed in people older than 60.

As the risk of developing chronic disease can be reduced at any age, people of all ages are encouraged to eat healthily, maintain their weight, and exercise.

Individual risk factors can combine over time to create a greater overall risk of developing chronic disease. Unhealthy diets, and habits such as excessive television viewing that results in low levels of exercise, increase the risk of disease in early adulthood.

Certain individuals are more susceptible to developing chronic disease because of genetic factors.

A lifestyle combining physical activity, food variety, and social interaction is the most conducive to good health. Many cases of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancers could likely be avoided if steps are taken throughout life to reduce risk factors.

4. Are certain dietary intakes recommended to prevent chronic diseases?

At least 400g of fruits & vegetables per day © Micro Application

No specific dietary intakes are recommended for the prevention of chronic diseases. There is, however, a "safe range" of dietary intakes that is considered to be consistent with the maintenance of health of a population.

Chronic diseases occur
across the world

Demand for animal products
like meat has increased

Adopting habits in childhood
© Micro Application

At least 400g of fruits & vegetables per day
© Micro Application