|
|
|
Lisa Copen - EzineArticles.com Expert Author
Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries, a Christian organization that serves the chronically ill. She has authored eight books, including resources for over 300 HopeKeepers groups, a program of Rest Ministries. As editor of HopeKeepers. Magazine and founder of National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week, Lisa seeks to encourage churches to increase an outreach to the chronically ill nearly 1 in 2 people in the U.S.
Lisa's works have been published in ... [More]
[View Lisa Copen's Extended Author Bio]
[Display Categories] Sort By [Title] [Newest] [Oldest]
- Chronic Illness - How Much Do You Share With Your Spouse?
[Relationships:Marriage] Can you talk about your chronic illness too much to your spouse? Yes! Despite the fact that they are a closest friend, sharing about every ache and pain we have can have a negative impact on your marriage relationship.
- 5 Advantages of Living With an Invisible Illness No One Sees
[Health-and-Fitness:Pain-Management] Having and invisible illness that no one sees or understands can be frustrating, but are there actual perks to having an invisible disease? Oftentimes we only see the negative side of living with an illness that invisible to most people. But as time progresses, so does my own illness, rheumatoid arthritis. I can now see that there are advantages to having an illness that can be hidden or revealed, based on one's own desires or certain circumstances.
- 7 Tips to Plan a Perfect BBQ Party
[Home-and-Family:Parties] It's fun to look at magazines that have perfect patios all prepared to entertain guests, but go easy on your self! Here are 7 quick ways to have a fun backyard bash.
- How to Use Twitter to Track Chronic Pain Levels
[Health-and-Fitness:Pain-Management] If you are looking for an easy tool to track your chronic pain and symptoms of illness, you may find a private Twitter account as the perfect application that is easy to use, free and where it really does matter that you post what you ate for breakfast.
- 20 Tacky Things to Ask an Adoptive Mom About a Birth Mom
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] So you have a friend who has just shared with you that she is going to pursue adopting a child. Whether this is her first child or tenth, the decision is personal and special to her. She may be laden with fears while simultaneously excited. She could be eager to talk about her feelings and the situation, or hesitant to discuss it.
- Yes, Adoption Can Be Scary - No, You Shouldn't Emphasize This
[Home-and-Family:Pregnancy] Adoption can be a joyful experience, but it's also not a secret that it can have its shares of worries and uncertainties. If a friend or family member is adopting you may be concerned that she has not yet considered all of the risks involved in putting her heart out there and pursuing adoption. Oftentimes loved ones of those who adopt hear all of the fears voiced by friends and it just adds to their stress.
- 10 Good Reasons to Fire Your Doctor
[Health-and-Fitness] Doctors are human and none of them are perfect. It is no secret that they call their profession "the practice of medicine." Medical errors are one of the leading causes of both death and injury in the United States.
- Checklist of 36 Steps to Starting a Support Group
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Starting a support group doesn't have to be an overwhelming job. Just follow along with this detailed checklist and you will have covered many administrative hurdles way before they come up in your group. It will save you much time and heartache in the future.
- 3 Reasons Moms Should Scrapbook Their Child's Adoption
[Home-and-Family:Scrapbooking] Start your adopted child's scrapbook today. Reading them their story and showing them photos, from the time they are a toddler, is an important part of letting them understand and feel joy about their journey.
- You Are Too Young to Be That Ill
[Health-and-Fitness:Pain-Management] I was twenty-four years old, enthusiastically living in new city, finding my independence, careers, and following my heart when I became disabled in a period days and was eventually diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. It only took about four weeks, but with two visits to doctors a week, explaining my significant pain, it felt much longer.
- 9 Ways to Plan a Christian Women's Retreat So the Chronically Ill Can Attend
[News-and-Society:Religion] Planning a Christian women's retreat takes time to accommodate the different needs of the women, but too often those with physical limitations are overlooked completely. With a few adjustments of practicalities as well as awareness of what someone with an illness may have challenges with, and your retreat will be life-changing for many women involved.
- Can You Be Friends If They Think You Are Faking Your Illness?
[Relationships:Friendship] "Maybe if you just got out of the house more and stopped thinking about your illness so much!" Many well-meaning friends have voice this kind of advice, some of them even skeptical that your illness even exists. Can you maintain a friendship if she thinks you are faking it?
- Too Tired to Cook? 5 Ways to Create Fast Healthy Dinner Plans
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] Cooking dinners when you are feeling exhausted, especially when you have a condition like a chronic illness, can seem overwhelming. But a few simple changes can quickly make you the envy of all of your friends because you have dinner on the table every night.
- 4 Problems Illness Support Group Leaders May Discover
[Self-Improvement] Have you started a chronic illness support group and things aren't running as smoothly as you had hoped? Here are four challenges a leader may discover, and how they can prepare for them.
- "YOU - The Smart Patient" Should Be on the Desk of Every Ill Person
[Book-Reviews:Health-Mind-Body] When I bought the book "YOU: The Smart Patient: An Insider's Handbook for Getting the Best Treatment," by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz a few years ago I had no idea Mehmet Oz or "Doctor Oz" would soon be the hot new guest on Oprah, giving cheery advice on every personal health topic (from the common sense stuff to the unspeakable) on national television. Enjoying his frank yet endearing personality, however, has only made the book more satisfying.
- 8 Signs You May Not Need a Support Group For Your Illness
[Health-and-Fitness] Upon the diagnosis of an illness everyone, including your doctor, likely tells you to go to a support group. Research has shown that support groups can be extremely helpful in how one copes with disease. And yet, not everyone finds a group to be the answer to the kind of support for which they are searching.
- Change A Life In 20 Minutes - Ministering To The Chronically Ill
[News-and-Society:Religion] Can your church reach out to the chronically ill in less than 20 minutes? Yes!
- Can I Be Mad at God About My Illness? 3 Ways to Know
[News-and-Society:Religion] It's normal to feel moments of anger when you live with a chronic illness. It's when the anger stage turns into a lifestyle that one needs to consider how to use their anger for positive changes, avoiding the bitterness that can occur.
- 6 Tools for the Chronically Ill to Make Sensible Resolutions
[Self-Improvement:Goal-Setting] Did you skip resolutions or did you already forget them? Don't sweat it! When life is so unpredictable, as it is when you live with a chronic illness, it can be hard to set New Year's resolutions. Read about how you can make some smart choices.
- How to Design an Adoption Scrapbook for Your Child
[Home-and-Family:Scrapbooking] Every adopted child needs a scrapbook or life book about how they came to be a part of your family. With these tips you can have one done in no time for them to enjoy now.
- Creating an Adoption Life Book When Information is Slim
[Home-and-Family:Scrapbooking] Crafting a life book may seem like a overwhelming task. If you aren't a particular crafty person or don't have much information about your child's life before he or she became a part of your life, it can be hard to figure out where to start. Adoptive families vary in the extent of information they may have about birth mother of their child.
- Adoption Scrapbook Albums That Are Fast and Easy
[Home-and-Family:Scrapbooking] Adoptive moms often want the perfect baby book for their child; one that explains the whole adoption experience, the emotions, and the details. Too often it becomes overwhelming and something that is put off until there is "time." A fast adoption scrapbook album is needed so the child can enjoy reading his or her story from they are a toddler.
- 7 Highly Effective Habits of Happy People With Illness
[Health-and-Fitness:Alternative] As I sit here working on this article my 4-year-old son hangs out with me with a little cold and fever. I keep telling him he needs some medicine but all he has said since he got out of bed is "I'm better now. I'm all better." How much does our attitude effect how well we deal with our illness and our level of happiness?
- When Your Wife is Ill and Romance Ain't Happening
[Health-and-Fitness:Mens-Issues] When your wife is chronically ill the romance in the relationship can go from little to zero in no time. Here are some tips to help get the romance back and surprise her with your understanding.
- How A Woman with Illness Can Romance Her Husband
[Relationships:Marriage] Chronic illness can really kill the romance in a relationship, but it doesn't have to! These tips will help you put some of the spark back in your marriage when you are the woman who would rather curl up with your blanket than your man.
- Manage Your Chronic Pain While Traveling in Comfortable Hotels
[Health-and-Fitness:Pain-Management] If you have a chronic condition, such as fibromyalgia or arthritis, making the effort to travel can leave you feeling exhausted and ready to crash on a comfortable bed like you'd find in those cute little bed and breakfasts. But until recently, those with chronic illnesses often found a hard bed and few comforts of home. But this is changing fast.
- My Medical Records - Why Can't I See Them?
[Health-and-Fitness] Medical records should be our own property, but are they? How much do they cost? How do I get them?
- 8 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Mom
[Health-and-Fitness] Parenting with a chronic illness is a challenge that keeps chronically ill mothers constantly feeling like they are unable to do enough or keep up with their children's life. Knowing a few specific ways to encourage a chronically ill mom who is a friend will make all the different in her life, as she feels like someone understands her invisible pain level and daily challenges.
- 6 Ways Anyone Can Lose a Few Pounds
[Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] [1] Switch to Sugar-Free Sodas According to the American Dietetic Association, eliminating soda alone could help you lose 11 pounds per year and the less you drink the less you will crave it. Consider a soda a splurge, like a dessert, and choose the low-calorie options. Coca Cola recently released Diet Coke with Splenda, which is considered a better option than aspartame to many weight watchers as well as Coke Zero, which tastes a lot like Coca Cola, but without the sugar.
- Counting the Blessings Hidden in Illness
[Health-and-Fitness] Finding the blessings in illness can be a challenge, even on the best of days. But the little things that we often overlook can mean the most.
- Learning to be Assertive Despite the Fatigue of Illness
[Health-and-Fitness] Chronic illness can leave you feeling exhausted and it can be difficult to be a good advocate for yourself. At the same time, the red tape can grow wearisome and give you a negative attitude. How can you learn to be assertive without getting a bad rap?
- Hospital Visits - What Do You Talk About?
[Relationships:Friendship] Visiting someone in the hospital doesn't have to be awkward and uncomfortable. Real people share what makes a difference to them when someone visits.
- 7 Secrets The Chronically Ill Want Chaplains to Know
[News-and-Society:Religion] Do all people with chronic illness want prayer for healing? What do they want from chaplains, congregational care pastors and others in the ministry field? These tips will help you connect with the true needs those with chronic illness have and improve your ministry outreach.
- Can Those With Invisible Illness Park in the Blue Spots Without Others Seeing Red?
[Health-and-Fitness:Diseases] "Do you know the fine for using someone else's handicapped parking permit is $300?" "That parking spot is saved for the disabled! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Nearly everyone with an invisible illness has been told, "You don't look disabled to me!" One of my friends replied, "Well, you don't look stupid to me."
- Celebrate Today Even if You Have a Chronic Illness
[Health-and-Fitness:Pain-Management] Life is hard. Living with a chronic illness adds multiple challenges and frustrations. But finding joy is still possible. Find out some basic attitudes that can make celebrating life a bit easier!
- Are There Medical Benefits to Video Games?
[Health-and-Fitness:Pain-Management] Who would have thought that we'd ever tell our kids to go play some video games? But now video games can help one lose weight and even avoid physical pain!
- 50 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend
[Health-and-Fitness:Diseases] Little ways of reaching out make all of the difference to someone who is hurting, especially when the illness is chronic. It's rarely the dramatic gifts that make the difference, but the consistent day-to-day words of encouragement or little reminders that one is cared for that can make a huge difference for one with a chronic illness.
- Living With Invisible Illness - 5 Ways to Let Go of Hurt Feelings
[Health-and-Fitness:Diseases] Living with an invisible chronic illness can be a frustrating experience. "You don't look sick" people say, leaving you burning. How do you live successfully with your illness?
- Can't Sleep? 18 Ways to Get Some Sleep Despite Chronic Pain
[Health-and-Fitness:Sleep-Snoring] Desperately Seeking Snoozing? If so you are one of the millions of people are on the internet in the middle of the night who have a chronic illness and cannot sleep. We need to get some sleep! Find out 18 ways to adjust your habits so you can get some much-needed rest and cure that insomnia and chronic pain.
- Illness Isn't An Excuse For Not Guarding Our Words
[Health-and-Fitness:Pain-Management] When illness gets us down both mentally and physically, it can be easy to lash out at those we care about the most. But having a chronic illness doesn't give us a free pass to say whatever is on our mind without watching our words.
- Romantic Ideas For When You Have A Chronic Illness
[Relationships:Love] Can you be romantic even when you have a chronic illness? Yes, but you have to make an effort in the romance department. About 75 marriages end in divorce when illness is present. You can save yours by putting some simple romantic ideas into place.
- 6 Reasons Not To Worry When You Have A Chronic Illness
[Self-Improvement:Stress-Management] Worrying only seems natural when you live with a chronic illness and every day is unpredictable and often full of pain. But worrying can become a heavy burden and make our health even worse. Find out how we can change our perspective to stop worrying.
- 8 Choices You Must Make to Live Successfully With Chronic Illness
[Health-and-Fitness:Depression] We may not have a choice about the chronic illness we live with, but we do have a choice about how we live with it. Little choices can make a large impact on our life!
- 6 Ways to Let Those With Chronic Illness in Your Church Know You Care
[Health-and-Fitness:Pain-Management] People in your church are hurting! Nearly 1 in 2 people in the U.S. live with a chronic illness and most illness is invisible. Small practical changes and an awareness of attitude can make the difference in our church for those who live with chronic illness and feel alone and misunderstood.
|
|
|
