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Compared with people without
disabilities, people with disabilities are more likely to:
All of these put you at higher
risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and other diseases.
Even though having a disability
sometimes makes it harder to get and stay healthy, it is still important to
eat right, stay physically active, and take care of your emotional needs.
This section will give you tips on how to do all three.
Eating Right
Adopting a healthy eating plan
can help you feel better, control your weight, and help prevent illnesses
such as heart disease that can cause further disability.
A healthy eating plan includes:
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Fruits and vegetables
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Grains (at least half of your
grains should be whole grains, such as whole wheat, whole oats, brown
rice, wild rice, whole rye, buckwheat, and bulgur)
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Fat-free or low-fat versions of
milk, cheese, yogurt, and other milk products
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Fish, skinless poultry, lean
meats, dry beans, eggs, and nuts
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Polyunsaturated and
monounsaturated fats (found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils)
Also, you should limit the amount
of foods you eat that contain:
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Saturated fat (found in foods
such as fatty cuts of meat, whole milk, cheese made from whole milk, ice
cream, sherbet, frozen yogurt, butter, lard, cakes, cookies, doughnuts,
sausage, regular mayonnaise, coconut, palm oil)
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Trans fat (found mainly in
processed foods such as cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, stick or hard
margarine, potato chips, corn chips)
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Cholesterol (found in foods
such as liver, chicken and turkey giblets, pork, sausage, whole milk,
cheese made from whole milk, ice cream, sherbet, frozen yogurt)
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Sodium (found in salt and
baking soda)
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Added sugars (such as corn
syrup, corn sweetener, fructose, glucose, sucrose, dextrose, lactose,
maltose, honey, molasses, raw sugar, malt syrup, caramel, and fruit juice
concentrates)
Also, all women who are able to
get pregnant should take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily before
getting pregnant and during the first three months of pregnancy. This will
lower the risk of certain birth defects, including
spina bifida. The easiest way to get enough folic acid is to take a
multivitamin that contains 400 mcg of folic acid each day. You also can eat
foods high in folic acid, such as:
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green leafy vegetables
(spinach, turnip greens, collard greens)
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fruits (oranges, cantaloupe,
honeydew melon, avocado)
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juices (orange, pineapple,
tomato)
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beans and peas
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nuts and peanut butter
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breakfast cereals or grain
products fortified with folic acid
Physical Activity
Being physically active is an
important part of a healthy lifestyle for all women, including women with
disabilities. If you have a disability, getting regular physical activity
can help you stay independent by preventing illnesses such as heart disease
that can make it more difficult to take care of yourself. Being physically
active also can help you to tone the muscles you use less often because of
your disability. For instance, if you're in a wheelchair, you probably have
strong arms from pushing yourself around. But it's also important to
exercise your other muscles, including your leg muscles. Being active also
can improve your mood and help you feel better about yourself.
To be healthy, all adults should be physically active for at least 30
minutes a day on 5 or more days each week. If you have not been active for a
long time, you may need to start slowly and then work your way up as you
become more fit. For instance, if you do not feel up to being active for 30
minutes, try being active for 10 minutes. Then increase your activity time
by 5 minutes each week until you reach 30 minutes a day.
The first step is to see your doctor. She or he can help you develop a
physical activity plan that's right for you.
Here are some more tips for getting physically fit:
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If you do not have 30 minutes
in one stretch to set aside for physical activities, try being active in
three 10-minute periods throughout the day.
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Contact your local parks
department and find out if they offer recreation programs for people with
disabilities. You can also ask if the parks have special accommodations
for people with disabilities. For instance, do they have hiking trails
that are paved so that people in wheelchairs can use them?
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Set physical activity goals
that you can reach.
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Track what you do.
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Reward yourself when you meet
your goals.
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Seek support from your friends
and family members. Ask them to join you in your activities.
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Don't give up. If you miss a
day, don't quit. Just start again.
Mental Health
Emotional health is an important
part of overall health for women with disabilities, just as it is for all
women. Between family life and work life, today's woman can feel pulled in
many directions. Living with a disability can make coping with everyday life
even harder.
To help you cope, it often helps
to have someone outside the home to talk to. You may want to attend a
support group for people with disabilities, volunteer with a local
organization, or just go out and have fun with friends.
Substance Abuse and Disability
Many people with disabilities abuse alcohol and drugs. In fact, the rates of
substance abuse among people with disabilities are about two to four times
greater than that of the general population. Some reasons people with
disabilities might abuse alcohol or drugs are:
Alcohol and drug abuse can be
very harmful to a woman's health and well-being. Women who abuse these
substances are at higher risk for:
Alcohol and drugs also can cause
dangerous interactions with prescription drugs a woman might be using.
Substance abuse also is a major reason that most adults with disabilities
are unemployed.
If you have a substance abuse
problem, be sure to talk to your doctor and get into a treatment program.
Many substance abuse treatment programs can accommodate people with
disabilities.
Caregiver Support
Did you know that more than 44
million Americans are providing unpaid care for an adult with an illness or
disability? Sixty-one percent of these caregivers are women.
If you provide care for someone with an illness or disability, you might
have found caregiving to be rewarding at times. But it also can take a toll
on you. You probably give up some of your free time to care for your loved
one, leaving you with little time for yourself. Making time to take care of
yourself is important for your own health and ensures that you will be able
to care for your loved one. Here are some tips to help you reduce your
stress and take better care of yourself:
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Find out about caregiving
resources in your community, such as meal delivery, transportation, and
day-care centers.
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Ask for and accept help.
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Say "no" to requests that are
draining, such as hosting holiday meals.
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Make to-do lists and decide
which items you need to take care of first.
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Follow a regular, daily
routine.
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Don't feel guilty that you are
not a "perfect" caregiver. Just as there is no "perfect parent," there is
no such thing as a "perfect caregiver." You're doing the best you can.
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Stay in touch with friends and
family. Social activities can help you stay connected and may reduce
stress.
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Join a support group for
caregivers in your situation (like caring for a person with spinal cord
injury). Many support groups can be found in the community or on the
Internet.
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Try to find time to be
physically active on most days of the week, eat healthy foods, and get
enough sleep.
-
See your doctor for routine
checkups. Talk to her or him about any symptoms of depression or sickness
you may be having.
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Make time each week to do
something that you want to do, such as going to a movie.
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Take one day at a time.
Keep in mind, taking better care
of yourself will help you feel better and make you a better caregiver for
your loved one. |
