Category: Health

Share the HEART of health on GivingTuesday

 

We always need a   #GivingTuesday. 

There are always people with needs. Just a few years ago it was a viral pandemic that threatened people’s incomes. This year it’s inflation. And that creates an opportunity for us all to help.

Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.)   #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, of holiday and end-of-year giving.

a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.

givingtuesday.org

“GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, it has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.”

sharing the HEART of giving

My goal for this blog is to inform and inspire us all to explore the HEART of health in our lives, and the lives of our families and communities. But beyond that, my mission for this blog is

to share the HEART of health with people all over the world,

Watercress Words mission

especially those who face hardship due to poverty, isolation, discrimination, political turmoil, hunger, homelessness, human rights violations, and natural disasters.

drawing of a laptop with GIVE on the screen
graphic from LIGHTSTOCK.COM, affiliate site for stock photos and graphics

So for Giving Tuesday, I’m asking you to give to one or more of the groups I have featured on this blog and personally have or do support. The links below take you to stories about their mission and links to their sites where you can

And the good Samaritan is…

Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan to answer the question,

“Who is my neighbor?”

The term “good Samaritan” means a person who goes out of their way to help someone, especially a stranger, often at  personal sacrifice.

A Shining Spirit- Kayla Mueller

Soon after I started this blog a news story caught my attention and my heart.

A young woman volunteer, Kayla Jean Mueller, was abducted following a visit to a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders

Sharing the HEART of health in Panama

I have volunteered on several teams with CompassionLink, an organization that serves to provide

HEALTH RESTORED-HOPE SUSTAINED.

Love conquers fear-a memoir by the Napalm Girl, Kim Phuc Phan Thi

updated April 23, 2024 Even if you are not old enough to remember the war the United States fought in VietNam in the 1960s and 1970s, you likely have seen the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo of the “Napalm girl” running down a dirt road, fleeing an attack that burned most of her body. Taken to a…

Where will you give?

Besides these places, I know you have needs in your community, maybe your own neighborhood. So look for places like a local food bank, women’s shelter, a homeless outreach, coat distribution, faith-based ministry, school, and many others can can use time, talent, and finances.

Dr. Aletha

7 Resources for Responsible Social Media Sharing

The post emphasizes the importance of responsible social media usage by highlighting various resources and strategies to combat misinformation. It discusses how emotional responses can be manipulated by disinformation and urges readers to critically evaluate content before sharing. We all have a responsibility to research claims and ensure truthfulness online.

updated February 3, 2026

we end up living in a world in which casual truth and lies exist in the same moment and we’re too overwhelmed and busy to figure it out. We believe what we want, and disbelieve the rest, and now that I think about it, this is exactly the world we live in. Never mind.

Chuck Sigars, from a now deleted blog post

man looking at a phone screen

Social Media Tips – Viswanath Lab

Be the weak link-you may be unknowingly contributing to the spread of false information forwarding anything and everything you receive.

THINK before you post or share.
graphical depiction of electronic devices, paper, pencil, Bible, coffee mug

How to Avoid Falling for Urban Legends, Rumors, and Conspiracy Theories

Why would we believe unfounded and sensational claims and theories about people and events that could be easily explained otherwise?

They help us make sense of and manage threats. Most pieces of misinformation address things we fear (diseases, kidnapping, murder, mysterious creatures, crime, etc.). We often don’t fully understand these threats, so we use misinformation to make sense of them and to cope with our fears.

by Shannon

5 ways to spot disinformation on your social media feeds

Remember that the creators of disinformation purposely make content that is designed to trigger an emotional response…so ask yourself,

Why was this shared?

by Erin Calabrese

Consider the questions listed in the article.
hands keyboarding

Tips & Tools – Media Literacy & Misinformation – LibGuides at Monmouth University

Manmouth University sponsors this website dedicated to Media Literacy . The site offers advice on

  • how to choose a news source
  • how to fact check
  • how to image check
  • how to check your own bias
  • how misinformation spreads
  • how to evaluate sources
  • conspiracy theories

“The problem is not that some people might believe something that’s not true. The problem is that most people might stop caring if anything is true.”

Siva Vaidhyanathan, Director, University of Virginia Center for Media & Citizenship 

Try these tips now while reading-

Microchips in our vaccines?

Use these resources to evaluate this blog post by Dr. Gretchen LaSalle.

Whatever you already think about vaccines, microchips, and Bill Gates, identify your own bias, then objectively consider what she says.

Fact-check her references, think critically, consider all sides, and identify your emotional reaction.

And if you choose to share the post, consider using the strategies I suggested in my previous post.

But if we have learned anything in the Internet Era, it is this… We can’t always believe what we read.

Even legitimate news outlets get it wrong sometimes and people have agendas which can color how they report “the news”. Yes, it’s frustrating. Yes, it’s time consuming.

But we HAVE to do the work of researching these claims to make sure we are not part of the problem in spreading falsehoods and misinformation.

Gretchen LaSalle, M.D.

Exploring the HEART of Health

I appreciate your commitment to making social media a safe, valuable, and healthy place to connect and share what we know and how we feel. The digital world can be a valuable source of connection if used responsibly. Thank you for joining me.

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha
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