Showing posts with label Self-Awareness. Show all posts

Understanding How Genes Can Impact Your Kidney Health

Be APOL1 Aware and Understand How Genes Impact Kidney Health

(Family Features) Senior year of high school is a time for big changes for most people, but for Emani McConnell-Brent, she did not expect it would include changes to her health. After being rushed to the emergency room with severe stomach pain, McConnell-Brent learned the problem was her kidneys and she was diagnosed with a kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

After her diagnosis, McConnell-Brent struggled to get the right medicines to treat her disease. She was encouraged to undergo a genetic test and discovered her FSGS was the result of APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD), a rapidly progressive genetic kidney disease that can cause kidney failure. The diagnosis brought McConnell-Brent some relief, both physically and emotionally.

“Knowing it’s genetic and knowing I’m taking care of myself makes a big difference in my mental state,” said McConnell-Brent, now 21 and an ambassador for the American Kidney Fund.

Everyone has two copies of the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene – one from each parent – but Black Americans of West and Central African ancestry are more likely to have changes (variants or mutations) in their APOL1 gene that cause AMKD. This genetic form of kidney disease can develop even at a young age, in otherwise healthy people, and can advance faster than other kidney diseases.

An estimated 13% of Black Americans have the two APOL1 gene variants that are associated with AMKD. Those who have variants in both copies of the APOL1 gene have a 1 in 5 chance of developing kidney disease.

“A lot of people don’t even know about how prevalent the APOL1 gene is in the African American community,” McConnell-Brent said.

Early diagnosis of AMKD can keep your kidneys working longer, delaying the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant.

If you have kidney damage, symptoms may not occur until your kidneys are close to failing. As kidney damage worsens, one or more of these symptoms may occur:

Protein in urine
Swelling in legs or weight gain
Feeling weak or tired
High blood pressure

The only way to get an official diagnosis for AMKD is through a genetic test. You can find more information about the risks and benefits of genetic testing online.

“If you got genetic testing, you would have the facts of what your genes are telling you,” McConnell-Brent said. “Your genes are telling you a story of what did happen, is happening and could happen.”

This AMKD Awareness Day, on April 29, become APOL1 Aware by learning how your genes impact your kidney health and help build awareness in your community by visiting KidneyFund.org/APOL1Aware.

SOURCE:

American Kidney Fund

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Inspiration + Aspiration

Most of us deal with everyday questions about how we stay motivated or how we stay on track, how to be excited about what we're doing, how to stay grounded and balanced.

Do you face these same issues? Good, I'm glad it's not just me!

I've been playing with inspiration and aspiration. Followed by perspiration...... Why?

Each of these words have the Latin verb for “to breathe” at their roots. We breathe in inspiration, breathe out our aspirations, and breathe through the hard work that brings us perspiration.

When we’re plagued with self-doubt or a lack of motivation, we can breathe in the inspiration of others. Seek out the passion that other people have for their work, the compassion they bring for other people, the goodness in their hearts that inspires them to do their work. We don’t have to copy what they’re doing but instead be inspired by their spirit, drive, and determination.

When we feel this inspiration, we can then look inward and find what it is that we’re called to do. And why: It’s important to build our own inner strength, drive, passion, and determination to be able to refocus, reset and reevaluate our own personal struggles.

Take a good intention, and infuse it with the newly inspired spirit you have. And then breathe it out into the world as your aspiration for today. What do you aspire to create? How do you aspire to help others? How will you continue to create balance within your life?

And then finally, put in the work to make these aspirations happen. Remember every day is a process and you may encounter challenges along the way. At the end of the day, the best inspiration and aspirations are nothing but hot air without perspiration.

#PenandPaper #WritingTherapy

Major Love,

Kysha Ann

Clear Distractions and Finding Balance

When it comes to the minimalism of doing, distractions are the biggest obstacle.

We must first identify what’s most important to us, what we’re passionate about, what we want to spend our time on. And then we must focus on those things first.

But the distractions. They get in the way of this focusing, no?

Without distractions, you’ll be able to focus. You’ll find peace. You’ll find time for doing what you love. Note 2 Self: Our expectations of others often cause our own struggles and frustrations.

Here’s how:

Cut back your social networking to network (or two at the most) – including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, forums, etc. These are hugely distracting when trying to reset yourself.
Cut back on your social networking “friends”. Stick to your actual friends and colleagues. Networking with thousands of people you don’t know is superficial and distracting..
Do less email. Start by sending less. Check email less often. Use the phone or face-to-face conversations when possible.
Shut down the Internet to work. Disconnect, and work without distractions.
Separate consuming from creating. Reading and networking and emailing are different from actually creating. Do them at separate times.
Set a limited reading time. If you read a lot on the web, or RSS feeds, set limits and do it at specified times.
Shut off notifications.
Clear away icons on your desktop. File them all in one folder, and use an app launcher.
Clear your actual desk.
Use music to block out your surroundings.
Get away from the computer, spend time with actual people.
Shut off the smart phone. Seriously.
Focus on the most important tasks first, before you get distracted.
Set limits on your work hours. If your time is limited, you’ll find ways to make the most of that limited time.
Go for a walk, do yoga or meditation
Declutter your life
Get rid of toxic people

Small is beautiful. Aim for smaller when it makes sense, and enjoy the wonder that ensues.

minimalist

[ min-uh-muh-list ]

SEE SYNONYMS FOR minimalist ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who favors a moderate approach to the achievement of a set of goals or who holds minimal expectations for the success of a program.

Dimensions of Personal Empowerment

The following ‘dimensions of personal empowerment’ are based on the belief that the greater the range of coping responses an individual develops, the greater their chance of coping effectively with diverse life situations.

These dimensions are:

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness involves understanding our individual character and how we are likely to respond to situations.

This enables us to build on our positive qualities and be aware of any negative traits which may reduce our effectiveness. Self-aware people make conscious decisions to enhance their lives whenever possible, learning from past experiences.

Values

Values are opinions or beliefs that are important to us but of which we are not always aware.

They can be any kind of belief or perceived obligation, anything we prefer and for any reason. The reasons we may prefer one thing over another, or choose one course of action over another, may not always be obvious or known; there may be no apparent reason for our values. Nevertheless our values are important to us as individuals. In order to be self-aware it is necessary to be aware of our values, to critically examine them and to accept that our values may be different from those of others.

Skills

An individual's skills are the main resource which enables them to achieve their desired goals.

Skills can be gained through experience, practice, education and training. It is only by developing such skills that individual values can be translated into action.

Information

Knowledge or information is necessary in the development of self-awareness and skills.

Knowing where to find appropriate information is in itself an essential skill. Without information, the choices open to people are limited, both in their personal and working lives. The internet has provided an easy way for everybody to access huge amounts of information very quickly and easily. The problem is then centered around the quality of the information found, and the skill set is concerned with finding accurate and reliable information.

Goals

Setting goals is a means by which an individual can take charge of their life.

The process of setting a goal involves people thinking about their values and the direction that they would like their lives to follow. Choices are made through reflection followed by action. Goals should always be both specific and realistic. Setting personal goals gives us a sense of direction in life, this direction is essential to personal empowerment.

Note 2 Self:
Trust can be broken very quickly and may never be restored to its former level. Think about the points above and try to build and maintain trusting relationships in both your personal and professional life.

Reference: