Within the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has done much to eliminate the barriers and discrimination people with disabilities have faced for so long. Yet, about three quarters of adults with disabilities are unemployed–even though most would prefer to be working. And, internet access for people with disabilities is about half of what it is for those without disabilities.

Below is a list of bloggers who have donated space on their blogs to support this effort. Some good reads, check it out:

Pregnant with Disabilities: Depression from Giving Birth With Confidence
There’s a lot of press about postpartum depression. I mean, who hasn’t heard of Brooke Shields squaring off against Tom Cruise over it? I was prepared for postpartum depression. I’d struggled with depression before, mostly in my 20’s, but some in my 30’s, and knew that put me at a higher risk. Read more>>

Ryan Remembered from Miss Dazey Notes: Arthritis is a Journey
Death: May 18, 2006
The earth was blessed with the birth of Jacqueline Ryan Capps on July 4, 1988. Ryan lived her life with a passion for loving and helping others until she was welcomed by the angels into her heavenly home at 2 a.m. May 18, 2006. Read More>>

Extraordinary retail opportunities for people with a disability from www.megtblog.com.au
A year ago Cosmos Inc. approached MEGT to develop training programs tailored to the learning needs of people with intellectual disabilities.  MEGT Institute secured funding from Skills Tasmania to tailor training delivery and resources for Certificate II in Retail.  The pilot, ‘Skills Potential Project,’ commenced in November 2009 with 5 students. Read More>>

EmPOWERment from Cruisin’ with Cricket: The Journey of Becky and Her Guide Dog, Cricket
When I reflect on the Americans with Disabilities Act, I think of the word Empowerment. Today I walked into the grocery store with my guide dog – sounds simple but there was a time when I was forced to leave.  I will not forget the feelings associated with that experience. Read More>>

Of pity stare and polite acknowledgement from Eyes on Both Sides
As part of my second year medical course, I had to do this assignment called the Patient Study project where I was assigned, along with a study partner, to Mr S who was wheelchair bound for the last 15 years. Some of you who whave been reading the blog will know how much I hated working on the assignment (due to the amount of reading I had to do and the long report I had to write) but my encounter with Mr S was certainly something worth treasuring. I wrote this entry about Mr S at the beginning of the project. Read More>>

Please spare us the pity stare from Love That Max
I know why you are giving us that look.

You feel bad for my child: Poor little boy. He is so cute, too bad he has some sort of disability, which is clear to see because he is drooling. He can’t quite use his hands. He walks a little different. Oh, how sad, that poor, poor kid.

You feel bad for me, too: Poor woman, she has a child with special needs. Her life must be so difficult. Read More>>

Free Spirited Carla from Dementia for 2
Carla is my grandson’s mother. We first met on very bad terms. Since my son was determined to be with her, we developed our own relationship. I had to spend a lot of time on my knees to get to that point.

Since Carla is closer in age to me, we eventually developed our own relationship.
I first noticed the way she talks. she always says “I walked, or we walked,etc.” This is unusual because Carla has been in a wheel chair for over 10 years. She was in a car accident when her daughter was still a toddler. Read More>>

There are many more awesome posts, please visit emPOWERing People with Disabilites to read more.

Without this tool in my life, I honestly don’t know what I would do. It’s the first thing that I run to when I’m upset, happy, joyous, overwhelmed or just feel the need to get away.

Now it has come to play an even larger role in my life because its here, at the gym, where I’ve been able to participate in several historic events (although virtually); events that my President, Barack Obama, has put into play. This includes the passage of the health care reform bill, his nomination, acceptance and his inauguration.

So, I look forward to many more amazing events to come in the future, while at the gym.

What is “Being Healthy?

Is it how you feel, how you look, the results of your combined test results from your annual physical? I have know women who could kick my butt in an aerobics class and they were heavy. I just read in Fitness magazine about a lady named Abby Lentz who is 243 pounds and started a yoga class for women her size. She can do a full frontal split. Essence magazine just featured the full-sized comic Mo’Nique on their cover and devoted the majority of the October issue to talking about overweight women and exercising.

Are they healthy? Should I be telling you to just accept your size, no matter what it is and move on? Absolutely not! I have known body builders who look great but their insides were a wreck. I’ve also known skinny “fat” people how had no muscle tone and high bodyfat. They had the slim “look,” but they weren’t healthy at all.

I have come to the conclusion that being healthy means that you are the sum of your parts. That means that your vital statistics, such as your blood pressure, blood sugar and body fat are in acceptable ranges. Granted these ranges are standards that are set by agencies and institutions, we have to start somewhere.

How Healthy are You?

Take a look at yourself right now and ask yourself how healthy you are, really? Do you eat regularly, meaning one meal every 3-4 hours? Do you perform regular exercises including cardio, strength and flexibility moves for at least 30 minutes, 4-5 times per week? Do you practice positive lifestyle habits such as making time for yourself, distressing and adhering to regular medical checkups? Do you know your cholesterol level? When is the last time you had your blood pressure checked? What is your blood sugar level? How much do you weight? What is your body fat percentage? Do you even know what these indicators are and how they affect your overall health?

The answers to these questions are the sum of your parts. Being proactive about your health and fitness is the only way to manage your wellness. It’s when you allow these simple steps to get out of control that you become unhealthy.

I see it all the time, you don’t got to the doctor, you don’t listen to that little voice that tells you something is wrong and you just ignore the fact that your pants or dress size goes up just a little higher each year.

Wake up! You just can’t ignore the signs and signals and think that they will just go away, you have to do something. You must take action, because you are the only one that can make a difference in your life. Once you know what your true stats are, you won’t have to ask the question of “can you be healthy and fat?”, you will instinctively know the answer.

Find out how fit you are right now by taking this fitness quiz.