For many, the recession is literally a killer. People are having difficulty meeting basic needs such as housing, food and medical care. It is easy to get discouraged and sit in front of the television and eat carbohydrates. Unfortunately, that will compound the problem. I see many patients who are discouraged and become sicker and deteriorate because of poor eating habits, smoking and lack of exercise.

If you are suffering as a result of the above, it is time to take action and become accountable for your own health. It doesn’t cost much in fact it could save you a lot of money. You need to get out and start moving. Avoid the junk food and quit smoking. If you have trouble finding or paying for medical care, you might want to avoid getting sick. The odds of being able to take control of your own health and your destiny increase when you eat a healthy diet, exercise, and adopt healthy behaviors. When you are fit, you are able to think more clearly and you have the energy to look at your options for improving your lot in life.

If the recession is getting you down and your health and wellbeing is suffering, it is time to take your life back. You can do it by taking it one step at a time.

When I was growing up, my grandmother had a huge, heavy handbag. The reason I know this is because I was the designated shlepper of that handbag. Since that time, handbags have become purses and have gone through many size changes. We have seen the tiny purses; the medium purses, the backpack purses and we are now all lugging around the huge, heavy purses or handbags (which are really shoulder bags!) again. The more things change, the more things stay the same.

Designers are combining purses with computer bags, which can weigh up to ten pounds. As a result, doctors have been diagnosing women with shoulder strain because they are schlepping these bags. This can cause permanent shoulder damage and chronic pain. If women can keep their posture aligned while carrying their heavy bags, they have fewer problems. Those that do have shoulder pain may find relief with the use of anti-inflammatory medication, massage and physical therapy.

If you are a busy woman who keeps her closet, computer, and spare shoes in her purse, the best way to prevent this problem is to change things up. Keep your purse light and change the weight and size of the purse frequently. Be sensible and prevent “shlepper shoulder” today!

We hear a lot about the dangers of social media. Texting and driving are a deadly mix. The Internet is keeping many people from exercising and engaging in face-to-face social interactions. There is no question that there is a down side to all this new technology. However, there is an up side.

A recent study done in England has found that texting smokers with motivational messages increased their chance of quitting by 10%. Even when they were given non-motivational messages their chance of quitting went up 5%.

Heart failure patients who email their weights and blood pressures for case management have an improved quality of life. Cognitive behavioral therapy for depression may be done via the Internet with good results. There are still many other studies that show that Internet interventions may be helpful to patients with chronic pain, headaches and irritable bowel syndrome.

When it comes to help on the street, there is an excellent phone application that is free, and offers aid on how to perform CPR as well as handle common emergencies. It is called S.O.S. and is sponsored by the American Red Cross and Sharecare.com. It is available at:

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sharecare.sos&feature=search_result

There are many programs available to guide people in healthy eating, weight loss and exercise to avoid the need for CPR and stay fit.

If we can utilize social media for good health and the health of others while avoiding the things that cause it to harm our health we can all benefit and thrive.