Trusted Information for Healthy Pregnancies
ACOG Focuses on Smoking Cessation in Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Nov 10th
In the November issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has issued recommendations to providers regarding efforts to support smoking cessation in pregnant and postpartum women. The article states that while about half of women smokers stop smoking during pregnancy, about 13% of women in the United States continue [...]
Don’t miss our upcoming webinar: Continuing Health Activism with Chronic Pain!
Nov 9th
Many of our health communities focus on the topic of chronic pain. And no matter what your condition specifically is, if your community members experience chronic pain and all of the challenges that come along with being in pain – it’s a uniquely taxing and integral topic that Health Activists must tackle. When your community begins to get into the depths of pain discussions – how do you pull them out and lift them up while still addressing the importance and relevancy of that pain? It’s not easy. Furthermore, as a Health Activist in pain, how do you find the energy to keep blogging, answering others’ questions, tweeting, or learning when that pain is physically occupying your body and your mind?
These are some tough questions that many Health Activists face on a daily basis. In fact, subject of chronic pain's impact on health communities is so important, we at WEGO Health have decided to host a webinar about it. Our webinar is called “Continuing Health Activism with Chronic Pain” and it will delve into this very challenging subject by bringing together the experiences and smart minds of three amazing Health Activist leaders that work daily to manage the pain and keep their community’s spirits high. Our Health Activists that will be featured on this panel-style webinar are Julia from Reasonably Well Julia, Kelly from RA Warrior, and Amy K from Unavitabella and the Mental Health Social Media Chat (#MHSM). These ladies are seasoned Health Activists who not only write about chronic pain but also live with chronic pain themselves.
These are some tough questions that many Health Activists face on a daily basis. In fact, subject of chronic pain's impact on health communities is so important, we at WEGO Health have decided to host a webinar about it. Our webinar is called “Continuing Health Activism with Chronic Pain” and it will delve into this very challenging subject by bringing together the experiences and smart minds of three amazing Health Activist leaders that work daily to manage the pain and keep their community’s spirits high. Our Health Activists that will be featured on this panel-style webinar are Julia from Reasonably Well Julia, Kelly from RA Warrior, and Amy K from Unavitabella and the Mental Health Social Media Chat (#MHSM). These ladies are seasoned Health Activists who not only write about chronic pain but also live with chronic pain themselves.
Our webinar will be held on November 22nd online at 8pm EST. All you need to do is RSVP on our Event Page and look out for a confirmation email with details and a link to the live webinar event. After hearing what these three awesome ladies have to share about their personal experiences with Chronic Pain and Health Activism, there will be an exclusive Q&A portion where they will answer your questions. If you have a particular question in mind, feel free to leave it in the discussion here or send it to us during the webinar in the chat function. Also be sure to follow along with on Twitter with #WEGOwebinar. Hope you’ll join us!
New Health Activist Blog Carnival: 3 Things You’re Thankful for in Your Health Activism!
Nov 8th
In the spirit of the oncoming holiday season, November's Blog Carnival topic is simple and reflective.
Take a minute and think; what tools, communities, strategies, or fellow Health Activists have impacted your Health Activism? Now's the chance to say "thank you" and, in the process, promote those great things for other Health Activists in our community to see! Once you have your 3 things, write them down in a blog post! You can choose to write it in a thank you note style, a Top 3 List, or follow the prompt "I am thankful for...in my Health Activism."
Just a reminder, here's how you submit your entry to the Health Activist Blog Carnival:
1. Let others know that your post is for the Health Activist Blog Carnival by including the following text at the end of your post: "This post is my November entry in the Health Activist Blog Carnival. If you're interested in participating too, you can read all about here: http://blog.wegohealth.com/2010/11/new-health-activist-blog-carnival-3.html
2. Leave a comment with a link to your entry on this Health Bloggers Discussion - be sure to come back often to check out the latest entries from your fellow Health Activists!
At the end of the month, as many of us will be giving thanks with our families and friends - we'll feature a few of our favorite submissions here on the blog. We hope everyone will submit a post this month and celebrate all the great elements that help us be Health Activists!
What are 3 things you are thankful for in your Health Activism?
Take a minute and think; what tools, communities, strategies, or fellow Health Activists have impacted your Health Activism? Now's the chance to say "thank you" and, in the process, promote those great things for other Health Activists in our community to see! Once you have your 3 things, write them down in a blog post! You can choose to write it in a thank you note style, a Top 3 List, or follow the prompt "I am thankful for...in my Health Activism."
Just a reminder, here's how you submit your entry to the Health Activist Blog Carnival:
1. Let others know that your post is for the Health Activist Blog Carnival by including the following text at the end of your post: "This post is my November entry in the Health Activist Blog Carnival. If you're interested in participating too, you can read all about here: http://blog.wegohealth.com/2010/11/new-health-activist-blog-carnival-3.html
2. Leave a comment with a link to your entry on this Health Bloggers Discussion - be sure to come back often to check out the latest entries from your fellow Health Activists!
At the end of the month, as many of us will be giving thanks with our families and friends - we'll feature a few of our favorite submissions here on the blog. We hope everyone will submit a post this month and celebrate all the great elements that help us be Health Activists!
Antidepressants and Weight Gain
Nov 4th
Many individuals have the experience of weight gain while receiving treatment with an antidepressant, and often wonder if selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are associated with weight gain. This is an excellent, complex, and clinically important question. Depression, anxiety, appetite, and weight: There is a relationship between appetite and depression, with changes in appetite representing [...]
Health Activist Blog Carnival – October Wrap Up & Winners!
Nov 3rd
October’s blog carnival had a unique twist, giving everyone a chance to shine on camera in our Health Activist Vlog Contest! We received so many inspiring videos. Folks uploaded videos to icyou.com sharing what inspires them to be a Health Activist, told us their social media/internet success stories, and discussed how video has benefitted their online health communities. We at WEGO Health and icyou were blown away by your stories! It was incredible to be able to see firsthand the inspiration and passion you offer to your communities every day.
In addition to being featured here, this month’s vloggers were also automatically entered to be one of 4 winners to receive a new iPod Touch or FlipCam from WEGO Health and icyou!
So here they are, four fantastic videos you MUST watch and the winners of our Health Activist Vlog Contest!
--In her video Why I’m a Health Activist for Infertility, Keiko Zoll offers a touching, yet informative glimpse into what it means to fight the stigma of infertility and how she finds the strength to be an activist.
--Ginger Viera is a Type 1 diabetes Health Activist (and competitive power lifter!) giving others the inspiration to complete their goals despite living with illness. Her vlog, Persistence & Determination! Health Activist for Diabetes serves as awesome motivation for overcoming the obstacles of your health condition.
--Saskia from SummerSad shares her story of moving from a user of support networks to someone who leads her own. Her video is a great call to action for anyone wondering how to take their impact to the next level by becoming a Health Activist in, Give Health Activism a Try!
--In her vlog, Power of Community: Health Activism in Action MS Activist Lisa Emrich describes her confidence in the power of the patient community for providing information, resources, and support that you just can’t get in the doctor’s office.
Congratulations to Keiko, Ginger, Saskia, and Lisa! Your vlogs are great examples of how Health Activists can utilize video to impact their communities! Thanks for sharing with us!
And thanks to everyone who participated! Be sure to check out all of the other fantastic vlogs posted in the October Blog Carnival for more inspiring stories about the power of Health Activism in communities like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Sickle Cell, and women’s health. If you didn’t get a chance to create a video about being a Health Activist, social media success, or the use of video in your community – you can still add a link to the discussion. Although the contest is closed, we would love to see your vlogs!
MGH Psychiatry Academy Event Announcement
Nov 2nd
Mood Disturbance and Associated Symptoms Across the Reproductive Lifecycle of Women Saturday, November 20, 2010 9:15 am to 3:15 pm The precise relationship between psychiatric symptoms and female reproductive function remains to be clarified. Investigators continue to examine questions related to premenstrual symptoms of worsening of mood and anxiety, affective instability during pregnancy, as well [...]
Voices to Industry: Socialpalooza Event Recap
Oct 29th
This past Tuesday, I got to attend a WEGO Health event Socialpalooza where Health Activists and members of the healthcare industry convened to discuss the importance (and growing potential!) of social media.
During the morning portion of Socialpalooza, economist and social media guru Jane Sarasohn-Kahn gave a presentation to industry members about the importance of social media. Her talk highlighted the lifestyle shifts occurring in our culture today and where social media fits in. As someone who has felt this shift in my own life, it was fascinating to hear Jane’s take.
Key points:
-- “Health is the new green” – health is something everyone cares about and it’s going to be the catalyst for the next big shift in peoples’ everyday living. It’s on our minds and envelopes a concept that far surpasses how we used to live.
-- We live DIY lives – and we want our healthcare to follow suit. Life moves fast, we want to have all the materials we can in order to do-it-ourselves. This means lots of options, clear accessibility, and that we expect to be treated as intelligent consumers.
-- We each have a Health Ecology. More than just our doctors and medications; we factor-in so much when we think of our “health” including our finances, our family, our mental health, our exercise, the food we eat, and even our jobs. Healthcare companies need to consider our whole health when dealing with us (and expand their focus beyond just what pills or devices we need)!
(source: THINK-Health, adapted from Institute for the Future)
Next up was the Health Activist panel – where our “Voices to Industry” program comes into play. Boston-area Health Activists Karen Graffeo, Kerri Sparling, Rosalind Joffe, and Alicia Staley came together to speak directly the industry members about their experiences. Now, I have the pleasure of knowing these women’s stories already – but it was truly inspiring to hear them out loud, standing their ground when telling pharma and healthcare industry members what their health communities truly need.
A key thought going into the panel was, “it’s not the media, it’s the social” that makes social media so important to all of us who partake.
What all the Health Activist panelists agreed upon was that healthcare companies need to be transparent and honest – say who you are and what you’re trying to do. Patients want to know all the facts and, if all the facts can’t be shared due to regulations by the FDA – share what those particular restrictions are. Patients and Health Activists in particular can tell when someone masquerades as a fellow patient!
The Health Activists challenged pharma to actively regain the trust that many people have lost in them. Be authentic, learn the authentic voice of your audience and speak to them respectfully and as though they are informed.
Recapping their experience talking directly to industry, you should check out the posts by the Health Activists themselves! They were both entertaining and inspiring. I was honored to be in the room with such smart, savvy patient experts!
Read:
During the morning portion of Socialpalooza, economist and social media guru Jane Sarasohn-Kahn gave a presentation to industry members about the importance of social media. Her talk highlighted the lifestyle shifts occurring in our culture today and where social media fits in. As someone who has felt this shift in my own life, it was fascinating to hear Jane’s take.
Key points:
-- “Health is the new green” – health is something everyone cares about and it’s going to be the catalyst for the next big shift in peoples’ everyday living. It’s on our minds and envelopes a concept that far surpasses how we used to live.
-- We live DIY lives – and we want our healthcare to follow suit. Life moves fast, we want to have all the materials we can in order to do-it-ourselves. This means lots of options, clear accessibility, and that we expect to be treated as intelligent consumers.
-- We each have a Health Ecology. More than just our doctors and medications; we factor-in so much when we think of our “health” including our finances, our family, our mental health, our exercise, the food we eat, and even our jobs. Healthcare companies need to consider our whole health when dealing with us (and expand their focus beyond just what pills or devices we need)!
(source: THINK-Health, adapted from Institute for the Future)
Next up was the Health Activist panel – where our “Voices to Industry” program comes into play. Boston-area Health Activists Karen Graffeo, Kerri Sparling, Rosalind Joffe, and Alicia Staley came together to speak directly the industry members about their experiences. Now, I have the pleasure of knowing these women’s stories already – but it was truly inspiring to hear them out loud, standing their ground when telling pharma and healthcare industry members what their health communities truly need.
A key thought going into the panel was, “it’s not the media, it’s the social” that makes social media so important to all of us who partake.
What all the Health Activist panelists agreed upon was that healthcare companies need to be transparent and honest – say who you are and what you’re trying to do. Patients want to know all the facts and, if all the facts can’t be shared due to regulations by the FDA – share what those particular restrictions are. Patients and Health Activists in particular can tell when someone masquerades as a fellow patient!
The Health Activists challenged pharma to actively regain the trust that many people have lost in them. Be authentic, learn the authentic voice of your audience and speak to them respectfully and as though they are informed.
Recapping their experience talking directly to industry, you should check out the posts by the Health Activists themselves! They were both entertaining and inspiring. I was honored to be in the room with such smart, savvy patient experts!
Read:
This is just another way WEGO Health brings the voices of Health Activists to the forefront of health conversation. We’re always trying to find new, exciting ways to have you and your communities highlighted and heard. Read more about our Voices to Industry program here. We’ve gotten such awesome responses from industry and Health Activists alike – we can’t wait until our next in-person event!- Karen’s "Opening up Communications…"
- Kerri’s "The Big, Bad Wolf”
- Jane’s "It’s not the media, it’s the social – reflections on health activism online”
Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SRI) Use Associated with Reduced Intention to Breastfeed
Oct 26th
Given the potential health benefits of breastfeeding on both mother and baby, the U.S. Public Health Service for Healthy People 2010 set a goal to have 75% of mothers breastfeed in the early postpartum period and 50% of mothers to continue breastfeeding to 6 months by the year 2010 (US Dept of Health and Human [...]
Health Activist Vlog Contest: Update!
Oct 21st
With a little over a week left in our first-ever Health Activist Vlog Contest, we wanted to give you a quick update on some of the fantastic video content we've been seeing from our Health Activists. Check out these great Health Activist videos and take a moment to create your own!
- Noah Ohlsen, fitness blogger at The Pursuit of Fitness, used our contest as a stepping stone into vlogging and shared some of the great ways that video can help illustrate fitness strategies in his video: FFVV (First Fitness Video Vlog)!
- Elder Care and Aging Health Activist Anthony Cirillo, who blogs at Who Moved My Dentures?, shares his personal story in his vlog: Why I'm a Health Activist
- Video entrant Glenda Bateman, posted by Make Women Matter - a campaign to improve the lives of women and put an end to preventable deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth, shares a personal story of Health Activism
- Ade, Sickle Cell Health Activist and founder of sikcell.ning.com, shares his personal Health Activist journey and some moving member stories in his vlog entry: Why I am a Health Activist for Sickle Cell
- Paul Winter, ME/CFS Health Activist and long term vlogger, uses his video: Why I am A Activist for ME/CFS Sufferers to share his own story and the benefits of using video
- In Persistence & Determination!, Diabetes Health Activist and Health and Chronic Illness Specialist Ginger Vieira tells us why Health Activism is so important and why each of us should be our own advocate
- Dani Z, vlogger at Dani Z World and Mental Illness Health Activist, shares the impact of video on her Health Activism and in breaking the stigma associated with Mental Illness in her video: Raising MI Awareness Through Video
We think these vlog entries are all an awesome testament to the power of video in Health Activism and we hope you found them to be as inspiring as we did! Be sure to record and share your own Health Activist video before our contest ends on October 31st!
WEGO Health Benefit: Voice to Industry
Oct 19th
As some of you already know, one of WEGO Health's most popular offline activities for Health Activists is what we call the "Voice to Industry" - opportunities for you to tell health companies about being a Health Activist and share how you think companies can provide real value to your community (vs. hard selling!). Through this, Health Activists get the chance to tell it like it is in an interactive conversation-style discussion with both industry leaders and other Health Activists.
Here at WEGO Health, we think this type of activity is extremely rewarding for everyone involved and we're thrilled to say that we're not the only ones who think so! Check out these great Health Activist posts about their recent "Voice to Industry" opportunities:
- Migraine Health Activist Megan Oltman shares her experience speaking on a Health Activist panel with us in her post: Speaking to Pharma Marketers
- Megan's co-panelist, Diabetes Health Activist, Allison Blass, also wrote about the panel from her perspective in her blogpost: Health Activism
- Cancer Health Activist Casey Quinlan rounds us out with a post on her Health Activist panel: Social Media Engagement & Big Pharma: Key Conversations
Special thanks to Megan, Allison, and Casey for joining us for those recent Health Activist panels and for their kind words!
Our "Voice to Industry" programs are just one of the ways WEGO Health works to bring the voice of Health Activists to the forefront of health conversation. We're always working on new ways to get your thoughts heard! So stay-tuned and continue to join in the conversation in our online community and share your favorite resources, ideas, and information!