Eliminating Eating Disorders...IS Possible!

Patrick Kennedy on CNN -mental health parity

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:05:00 +0000

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/08/26/intv.patrick.kennedy.cnn?iref=videosearch

My hero, Patrick Kennedy, speaking about his father's appearance at the DNC... I love how impassioned he is when he speaks...and how he manages to mention Mental Health Parity every place he goes. He is so wonderful.
The people of the State of Rhode Island are so lucky to have him as their Rep. ...and the EDC is so lucky to have him on our side. Thanks, Congressman. peace, K.

Parity Passes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:31:00 +0000

Hello everyone ---I am so excited to share this news with you ---Parity passes!!! (overriding a veto by President Bush, nonetheless)

EDC News Alert: Medicare Bill with Mental Health Parity Becomes Law! HR.6331, The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, passed last week after Congress had enough votes to override president Bush’s veto.

The Senate voted to override the President 70-26 and the House vote was 383-41. This
important bill includes a provision to provide for mental health parity for outpatient services in Medicare.

The bill makes long overdue improvements to Medicare by providing improved access to preventive services and parity in coverage for mental health services. It will also help more people with Medicare living below or just above the poverty level ($867 per month for an individual) get help with their drug costs and medical bills.

Also this bill will give doctors a modest pay raise instead of the drastic 10 percent Medicare pay cut that will take effect if Congress does not act. A pay cut could make more doctors reluctant to take on new Medicare patients and make it harder for older adults and people with disabilities to get the care they need. Additionally, HR.6331 will restrict the ability of insurance companies to use hard sell tactics for Medicare private health plans or to market plans without ensuring plan enrollees will have adequate access to doctors, specialists, local hospitals and other providers. It is these provisions—the ones that help people with Medicare and force insurance companies to change their practices—that prompted a veto threat from the Bush administration.

Mental health parity has been a public policy priority for the EDC for years. We are thrilled that our advocacy is paying off and that there will be parity in Medicare. America's senior citizens and those with disabilities should not have to pay more out of pocket for mental health services than for physical health services.

disappointment

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:35:00 +0000

more wisdom from DailyOM

July 4, 2008A Bridge To AcceptanceDealing With Disappointment

Whenever we do something in life with an expectation of how we’d like it to turn out, we risk experiencing disappointment. When things don’t go the way we had envisioned, we may feel a range of emotions from slightly let down to depressed or even angry. We might direct our feelings inward toward ourselves, or outward toward other people or the universe in general. Whether we feel disappointed by ourselves, a friend, or life in general, disappointment is always a tough feeling to experience. Still, it is a natural part of life, and there are many ways of dealing with it when we find ourselves in its presence. As with any feeling, disappointment has come to us for a reason, and we don’t need to fear acknowledging it or feeling it. The more we are able to accept how we are feeling and process it, the sooner we will move into new emotional territory. As we sit down to allow ourselves to feel our disappointment, we might want to write about the experience of being disappointed—the situation that preceded it, what we were hoping would happen, and what did happen. The gift of disappointment is its ability to bring us into alignment with reality so that we don’t get stuck for too long in the realm of how things might have been. As we consider other disappointments in our life and how we have moved past them, we may even see that in some cases what happened was actually better in the long run than what we had wanted to happen. Disappointment often leaves us feeling deflated with its message that things don’t always turn out the way we want. The beauty of disappointment, though, is that it provides us a bridge to its other side where the acceptance of reality, wisdom, and the energy to begin again can be found.

in the right mind...

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:00:00 +0000

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html

I highly encourage you to watch this video ...'til the VERY end :)

Thanks to my dear friend Eva for sending it my way! ~ Peace and good health, Kathleen

mindful eating

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:33:00 +0000

my friend Abby sent me a link to this article...check it out :)

http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/2022

the skinny on Spanx and the like...

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:34:00 +0000

Joe Kelly of DadsandDaughters (http://www.dadsanddaughters.org/) brought this article to my attention today...
(my thoughts follow the article)

Macy's Bikini Breakthrough: Undies With Anti-Cellulite Cream
by Sarah Mahoney, Tuesday, Jun 24, 2008 5:00 AM ET

In a launch sure to get the attention of the 85% of women who struggle with cellulite, Macy's is introducing a novel product: Skineez Skincarewear, a combination of cosmetics and textiles. The new line of women's body shapers is embedded with microcapsules that "continuously moisturize and smooth the skin while helping to reduce the appearance of cellulite."

Available exclusively at Macy's and macys.com, the new line of body shaper products also comes with a bottle of Skintex skincare spray, to replenish the fabric after every six to 10 trips through the wash. The line includes both a Thigh Slimmer and Waist Slimmer in nude and black that sell for $68 each; replacement bottles of Skintex cost $20.

Skineez are made by Clothes for a Cause, a women's apparel company that raises funds for such initiatives as mammograms for women in need. "Women will be able to give their body a slimmer, more contoured look, while helping to smooth the appearance of cellulite and moisturize their skin, all at the same time and with one garment," the company says. (The company also markets the Heroes Collection, which raises funds for children's causes; the Pink Ribbon Collection, which raises funds for breast health and education, and the Red Dress Collection, which raises funds for heart health.)

"Smart" fabrics are becoming increasingly common, and a growing number of apparel companies are injecting clothes with something extra, from sunscreen to fragrance to antimicrobial agents. But the anti-cellulite angle is sure to generate attention, especially in the middle of bathing suit season.

Skineez fall into a category that fashion mavens refers to as shapewear--lingerie that smush women into shape, led by such brand names as Spanx and Maidenform's Flexees. NPD Group, a market research company based in Port Washington, N.Y., reports that in the period from April 2006 to April 2008, sales of shapewear have soared, with unit sales climbing 21.9% and dollar sales jumping 36.1%. For the most recent 12-month period, sales have reached $718 million.

MY THOUGHTS:

This past year at a Christmas party I had a young woman ask me if I was wearing "Spanx". My response, "NO, why would I wear something that changes my shape, let alone makes it hard for people to breathe?!" She thought that since I was wearing a "form-fitting" (her words) dress that I would have them on ---she was wearing them under her dress. I told her that my clothes fit "MY" form, not what Spanx thinks my form ought to be and that I feel truly sorry for anyone who thinks they "need" to be reshaped by a modernized (sic) corset. (I'm a great deal of fun at parties) (fyi: There are also nylons, made by Hanes, that have "cellulite-reducing" creams built in. My response: boycott nylons altogether, though I do take a pair with me when I speak --along with cellulite creams and diet pills, etc...to show some examples.

The article really disgusted me with this line: "Lingerie that smush women into shape" ----Where is the self-esteem of our gender and world when women believe they are designed to be "smushed" into a shape other than their own natural shape? Reading that line, my body cringed as I imagined the loss of control and the disempowerment women inflict on themselves when buying these products. What a messed up way to embody the privilege of being a woman in our culture. (Of course I also have great empathy for the people who do buy into these products, as I know I spent a LARGE portion of my savings on the very same things when I was in my ED.)
Perhaps most poignantly I read the article that Joe sent along and thought: I do not think the women in say, Darfur, would see this as the "breakthrough" that Macy's does. And I'm quite sure they would use the $718 million dollars in a much more sane way.

Thank God for each of you who works to make our world a healthier and more sane place to be a woman. ~ Peace, Kathleen

doing your best

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:55:00 +0000

sharing this from DailyOM

June 10, 2008
Personal Satisfaction
Doing Our Best

We often come into contact with the idea that our best isn’t good enough, as if this were actually possible. If you examine this notion, you will begin to see that it doesn’t make much sense. Your best is always good enough, because it comes from you, and you are always good enough. You may not be able to deliver someone else’s idea of the best, but the good news is that’s not your burden. You only need to fulfill your own potential, and as long as you remain true to that calling, and always do your best to fulfill your purpose, you don’t need to expect anything more from yourself.

It’s easy to get tangled up with the idea of trying to be the best—the best parent, the best employee, the best child, or best friend. If we try to be the best, we run the risk of short-circuiting our originality because we are striving to fit into someone else’s vision of success. In addition, if everyone is striving for the same outcome, we lose out on creativity, diversity, and visionary alternatives to the way things are done.

On another note, there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve, but examining where this feeling comes from is important because wanting to be better than others is our ego coming into play. Letting go of the tendency to hold ourselves up to other people’s standards, and letting go of the belief that we need to compete and win, doesn’t mean we don’t believe in doing the best job we can.

We always strive to do our best, because when we do we create a life free of regret, knowing we have performed to the best of our ability. This allows us to feel great personal satisfaction in all of our efforts, regardless of how others perceive the outcome.

Using Your Voice to make a difference

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:08:00 +0000

Margaret Mead's best known quote goes something like this, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
...and these Rabbis prove it! (see link below)
I encourage you to believe in Your voice --and stand up for what is noble and right.
Peace, ~Kathleen

Rabbis reject bawdy billboardsMay 30: New York rabbis object to fashion billboards near an orthodox neighborhood.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24896385#24896385

URGENT action alert!!

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:20:00 +0000

(republished from Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law email/action alert)

Negotiations on Parity Near Conclusion

The following urgent action alert comes from the Health Policy Committee of theMental Health Liaison Group, co-chaired by Laurel Stine of the Bazelon Centerand Peter Newbould of the American Psychological Association

Targets: All Members of the House of Representatives and Senate.Action: Use the toll-free Parity Hotline, 1-866-parity4 (1-866-727-4894), tocall your U.S. Representative and Senators. (The Parity Hotline reaches theCapitol switchboard, which can connect callers to their members of Congress).

Message: "I am calling to ask that the Representative/Senator urge theLeadership to help conclude negotiations on a mental health parity bill thatcan pass in both houses and become law this year. Relief from health benefitdiscrimination against mental and substance use disorders must wait no longer.

"Background: With suicide claiming some 30,000 lives each year in this country,health-benefit barriers still block millions of Americans from getting neededmental health and substance-use treatment. Given the critical need forCongress to lift those discriminatory barriers and a limited number oflegislative days to do so, there is profound urgency to forging a compromise onmental health parity legislation that will not only yield strong protectionsbut can pass both chambers. We applaud initial steps to reach that compromise,and call on Senate and House leaders to move quickly to ensure enactment of astrong mental health parity law this year. We have been pushing hard since 2001 to enact full mental health parity, andvictory is finally within reach.

Following the Senate's historic passage of S. 558 by unanimous consent in September and House passage of H.R. 1424 on March5, informal negotiations commenced.

Parity supporters across America should contact their Representative and Senators NOW to urge support for successfullyconcluding this process. Senate and House leaders should continue to worktogether to reconcile differences between the versions and produce a bill that can pass in both chambers.

Failure to pass a parity bill in 2008 would further delay relief for millionsof American families who now face discrimination. It would also place the issue directly in the path of a health care policy tornado in 2009 -- healthcare reform - with no assurance that our issue would receive the attention itneeds.

The Legislation: Both S. 558 and H.R. 1424 expand the Mental Health Parity Actof 1996 by prohibiting group health plans from imposing treatment or financiallimitations on mental health benefits that are different from those applied tomedical/surgical services. The legislation applies only to group health plansalready providing mental health benefits and exempts plans sponsored by smallbusinesses of 50 and under employees.

Resources: Fact sheets on parity and rosters of organizations supporting theHouse and Senate bills may be found at http://www.mhlg.org/page18.html

Good Thoughts on life transitions

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:43:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

I just read this short note from DailyOM and thought it might be an inspiration worthy of sharing.

May you be well today.

Peace,

Kathleen

May 20, 2008
Temporarily Out Of Balance: Going Through A Phase

We are all almost always in the process of learning something new, developing an underused ability or talent, or toning down an overused one. Some of us are involved in learning how to speak up for ourselves, while others are learning how to be more considerate.

In the process of becoming, we are always developing and fine tuning one or the other of our many qualities, and it is a natural part of this process that things tend to get out of balance. This may be upsetting to us, or the people around us, but we can trust that it’s a normal part of the work of self-development.

For example, we may go through a phase of needing to learn how to say no, as part of learning to set boundaries and take care of ourselves. During this time, we might say no to just about everything, as a way of practicing and exploring this ability. Like a child who learns a new word, we want to try out this new avenue of expression and empowerment as much as we can because it is new and exciting for us and we want to explore it fully. In this way, we are mastering a new skill, and eventually, as we integrate it into our overall identity, it will resume its position as one part of our balanced life.

In this process, we are overcompensating for a quality that was suppressed in our life, and the swinging of the pendulum from under-use to overuse serves to bring that quality into balance. Understanding what’s happening is a useful tool that helps us to be patient with the process.

In the end, the pendulum settles comfortably in the center, restoring balance inside and out.

FREED website and Blog! We're up and running!

noreply@blogger.com (The F.R.E.E.D. Foundation) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:13:00 +0000

Hi everyone!

Thanks so much to Louis for helping us with the FREED website!! We are very, very grateful!!

To all, this is where my blog will be happening...and I'm looking forward to sharing with you all what FREED has been up to in the course of last year. It has been busy, eventful, sorrowful, joyful, and as always, filled with gratitude to all those we meet along the way in this journey to Eliminate Eating Disorders.

Among the new "look" of our site, you will find new features that we were previously unable to provide. I'll be updating my blog on a regular basis, as well as issuing advice on the "Assistance" page to help insurance issues, treatment funding, fund-raiser ideas, as well as how to contact your Senators and Representatives if necessary.

In addition, the F.R.E.E.D. store will be up and full of products very soon!

Right now, you can make a donation via Paypal, or simply buy a "Polly Bracelet" to show your support!

I leave for presentations in Chicago tomorrow, so I need to end this here and get a few more things done before hitting the road... ~ Then I head off to Florida for the solitude of a writer's retreat graciously donated for me to finish a book I'm writing on "finding complete recovery".

While I'm there I hope to have time to reflect and share here in my blog about last year's speaking tour, Lobby Day, and unfortunately, the deaths of a couple friends as a result of their eating disorders.

Until then --I encourage you to be well in your mind, soul, and especially to your body! ~ Peace, Kathleen