Hurricane Katrina-related stories
FEMA evacuating Katrina victims from trailers
Two-and-a-half years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and parts of Mississippi, those displaced by the storm are being moved again -- this time because of high levels of formaldehyde in their temporary homes. Travel trailers provided by FEMA have tested positive for the carcinogen, and in some cases the levels are high enough to cause breathing trouble in those without respiratory issues. People currently living in the trailers will be moved to hotels, apartments, and in studier mobile homes. It's not clear whether the formaldehyde issue is a problem in the FEMA trailers alone, or in travel trailers in general. Either way, FEMA is discontinuing use of travel trailers for emergency housing.
After Hurricane Katrina, 144,000 trailers were used to place victims of the storm. Currently, there nearly 36,000 trailers in use in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Katrina victims more prone to PTSD
The ravaged land that Hurricane Katrina left in its wake is doing more damage to the citizens of the gulf coast region far beyond the monetary losses the disaster created.In fact, residents of New Orleans are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at a rate that is 10 times the amount which occurs in the general population, according to a new study.
This is to be expected. Hurricane Katrina was a life-changing event for almost everyone that was directly affected by it. It also points out that long-term, coordinated mental health care should be a central tenet included in disaster relief.
Man loses weight, raises money for victims of Hurricane Katrina
Healthy Habits, Diet & Weight Loss
Matt McKenna weighed 500 pounds and had limited his activities out of physical necessity and shame. Then one day, his family stepped in. Concerned for his health and welfare, they told him enough was enough and asked for a serious commitment from him to lose the weight. So Matt moved in with his parents for supervision and support and began the South Beach diet. The first week he lost 25 pounds, and in just over a year he's hit his goal weight of 240 pounds. He also addressed his emotional food issues with counseling.
Even if your health and fitness goals are different than Matt's, stories like his might inspire you. Matt had overwhelmingly positive family support, but the choices he made were his own and he deserves credit for taking control. If you go to the article and click on Matt's gallery, he's got some interesting motivational tips.
His family wanted to encourage him, so his relatives made a deal that for every pound he lost, they would pledge a certain amount of dollars to Habitat for Humanity to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. By the time Matt hit his goal weight, his extended family had donated $10,000.
Matt's success inspired me today to stick to my health and fitness goals. What inspires you to keep going when the going gets tough?
Even if your health and fitness goals are different than Matt's, stories like his might inspire you. Matt had overwhelmingly positive family support, but the choices he made were his own and he deserves credit for taking control. If you go to the article and click on Matt's gallery, he's got some interesting motivational tips.
His family wanted to encourage him, so his relatives made a deal that for every pound he lost, they would pledge a certain amount of dollars to Habitat for Humanity to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. By the time Matt hit his goal weight, his extended family had donated $10,000.
Matt's success inspired me today to stick to my health and fitness goals. What inspires you to keep going when the going gets tough?
