IUPUI is Indiana's premier urban research university. The campus enrolls more than 30,000 students in 21 schools and academic units.
Family/Consumer Health & Safety
Cancer Prevention | Alzheimer's Disease | Heart Health | Nutrition and Exercise | Mental Health | Substance Abuse: Problem and Prevention | Other Resources
Community Fitness Opportunities
Indy in Motion is a free fitness program conducted at these parks: Broad Ripple, Christian, Ellenberger, Garfield, Krannert, Raymond/Indy Island, Riverside and Washington. Other sites include Christamore House, Hawthorne Center and El Centro Hispano. Call 221-3122 for details.
For information about the great variety of fitness programs at IndyParks, go to http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/home.htm and click on the current issue of the "Fun Guide" to find out about all the classes and activities in various parks. Information about greenways such as the Monon Trail and Canal Trail is at this site, too.
More Greenways information:
Indiana Greenways
Walking Trails On/Near Campus - for a map of running trails, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, the Red Line route and more.
The Indianapolis Hiking Club offers hikes of various difficulty levels, overnights and hiking in other states for all ages of adults.
Indiana Trails
Farm Heritage Trails
Join Indiana Trails mailing list
Cancer Prevention
Things You Can Do to Cut Your Risk
Increasingly, researchers agree that there is strong evidence that poor diets and sedentary lifestyles are among the most important contributors to cancer risk. To cut the risk:
- Quit smoking.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
- Be physically active (30 minutes of intentional moderate to vigorous activity a day -- this is over and above usual daily activities like using the stairs instead of the elevator at your office or doing housework -- on 5 or more days per week).
- Limit alcohol consumption.
- Make healthy food choices (eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables and at least three servings of whole grains and cut back on red meat and excess fat).
Click here for a BMI (body mass index) calculator and more details.
New Connections newsletters for Cancer Survivors (during/after treatment) and their caregivers - call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org/newconnections.
IU Cancer Center Support for Those Coping with Cancer
Need a Ride to Chemotherapy? Call the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery program at 1-800-227-2345, at least five days before the appointment. The patient must be able to walk, as volunteers do the driving and don't have special transportation vehicles.
Support for Those with Cancer & Their Support Networks
The local Wellness Community offers free support groups, mind/body stress management programs, educational workshops and networking/social activities for cancer patients and their support networks. Their main facility is located on the north side of Indianapolis at 8465 Keystone Crossing, Suite 145 (just south of the Keystone at the Crossing Fashion Mall), but they do offer some off-site programming at other locations.
Alzheimer's Disease
Comprehensive Alzheimer's Disease information
Reflections, the newsletter of the IU School of Medicine's Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center, recommends the following books for caregivers: Inside Alzheimer's by Nancy Pearce, Dementia Caregivers Share Their Stories by Lynda A. Markut, Defying Dementia: Understanding and Preventing Alzheimer's and Related Disorders by Robert Levine, When a Family Member has Dementia: Steps to Becoming a Resilient Caregiver by Susan McCurry and Alzheimer's Activities that Stimulate the Mind by Emilia C. Bazan-Salazar.
Alzheimer's Disease: Other Suggested Reading
Heart Health
Tips for Heart Health:
- Don't smoke. Women who smoke are two to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than non-smoking women. Smoking also boosts the risk of stroke and cancer.
- Aim for a healthy weight.
- Get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
- Choose a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, and moderate in total fat.
- Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), and blood glucose. Work with your doctor to improve any numbers that are not normal.
Heart Disease
Women and Heart Disease:
Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women; one in four women dies of heart disease. In addition, heart disease can also lead to disability and a decreased quality of life. FMI, visit http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/whatis/index.htm . If you are a woman with identified heart disease, you might be interested in Woman Heart, the coalition for women with heart disease. Their link is at http://www.womenheart.org.
Nutrition and Exercise Information
The INShape Indiana Web site - has a place ("Nutrition Resources" in menu on left) you can go and ask a dietitian your nutrition questions. They leave the questions and answers that others have sent up on the site, so you can learn from those, too.
The Food and Nutrition Information Center - a comprehensive site with information about food safety/labeling, dietary guidance and more.
Eating Locally Grown Food - list of local resources for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription services, organic producers and farm markets. For a county-by-county listing of farmers markets in Indiana where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, visit http://www.ces.purdue.edu/anr/anr/anr/farmersmkts.html .
Assess Your Risk for Diabetes?
Lifestyle Changes Delay Onset of type 2 Diabetes
Picking a True Whole-Wheat Bread (rather than a caramel-colored fake) - http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/diet/wholegrains.cfm and http://www.cspinet.org/nah/wwheat.html
Why 5-9 Fruits and Vegetables a Day?
Lettuce: Iceberg or Romaine - Isn't it All the Same?
Eating Disorders
More than just Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa - http://www.edap.org/p.asp?WebPage_ID=294 . For information about recovery, visit http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org or http://www.anad.org . There is also a local overnight intensive treatment facility called Lotus House for those with a critical need. Call 595-5555.
Great information for kids, parents and teachers - National Dairy Council.
American Heart Association food site - healthy recipes, etc.
Kids
www.kidnetic.org, www.bam.gov, and http://indianaactionforhealthykids.org - fun sites on body weight, energy-burning activities and health for kids
Go to www.nutrition.gov for information on food safety, food-borne illness, the food pyramid, dietary guidelines and more.
General
Bicycling/BikePorts in Indiana - http://www.cibaride.org and http://bicycleindiana.org .
NIFS has a BikePort and offers special cyclists' membership. For more information, call 274-3432 or e-mail membership@nifs.org.
Map My Run allows you to map out your run and quickly view it in 3D or on satellite maps and share with friends.
America on the Move encourages walking 10,000 steps a day for good health. Visit their site tp learn about calculating your baseline and setting up your own personal log.
www.exrx.net - good, one-stop fitness site, especially for the fitness enthusiast
Safe, Successful Weight Loss Programs - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/choosing.htm
Healthy Eating Plans, Easy Snack Ideas
Wellness of Body, Mind & Spirit: Suggested Reading
Mental Health
For information about mental health services in Indiana, go to http://www.in.gov/fssa/dmha/index.htm .
National Alliance on Mental Illness - http://www.nami.org or 1-800-950-6264
National Institute for Mental Health - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/nimhhome/index.cfm
American Psychological Association - http://www.apa.org/ .
Support for Those with Bipolar Disorder or Depression - U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides this link for information, finding a support group or getting a referral in regard to depression and bipolar disorder - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=support_findsupport .
Go to the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation. They have good information and even chat rooms where you can share with other parents.
Teen Suicide - Call the local Crisis & Suicide Hotline at 251-7575 or the national hotline at 1-800-SUICIDE, if there is an immediate need. Visit the Jason Foundation at http://www.jasonfoundation.com for reliable information about teen suicide, and don't brush off teen behavior change as "just part of being a teenager."
The Dawn Project - http://www.choicesteam.org/dawn.html - is for Marion County youth with serious emotional disturbances (there is also a partner organization in Hamilton County). FMI, call 726-2121.
Back to Home - http://www.choicesteam.org/b2h.html - for families with a child with a history of running away or who are at risk of running. FMI, call 917-7700.
Families Reaching for Rainbows - http://www.choicesteam.org/rainbows.html - a support group of Marion County families working to promote children's mental health which also coordinates services for families of children with behavioral, emotional or mental disorders. FMI, call 726-2121.
Substance Abuse: Problem and Prevention
To find an Alcoholics Anonymous group in your area, go to http://www.al-anonfamilygroups.org/meetings/indiana.html .
Information for Adult Children of Alcoholics - http://www.adultchildren.org/
To find a local chapter of Narcotics Anonymous - http://www.na.org/phonelines/us-iphone.htm#indiana.
Hazelden Foundation - http://www.hazelden.org or 1-800-257-7810, 24 hours a day
Crystal Meth Anonymous - For a list of Indiana chapters, visit http://www.crystalmeth.org/index.php?option=com_sobi2&catid=67&Itemid=160 .
Cocaine Anonymous - For a list of Indiana chapters, visit http://www.ca.org/phones.html#I; for general information, visit www.ca.org.
Indiana Gambler's Anonymous - http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/mtgdirIN.html or 1-866-442-8621; the Indiana Council on Problem Gambling, http://www.indianaproblemgambling.org or 1-800-994-8448.
SMART Recovery offers face-to-face and online mutual help groups to help people recover from all types of addictive behaviors, including: drug/alcohol addiction/abuse and gambling addiction. It teaches self-empowerment; how to change self-defeating thinking, emotions and actions; how to enhance motivation and cope with urges in order to gain long-term satisfaction and quality of life. For local groups, visit http://www.smartrecovery.org/meetings_db/view/showalpha_state.php?search=I .
Drug Free America - www.drugfreeamerica.org
Ways to Keep Kids Off Drugs - U.S. Health & Human Services - www.family.samhsa.gov
Parents: The Anti-Drug - www.theantidrug.com or (Spanish) http://www.laantidroga.com or (Chinese) http://chinese.theantidrug.com or (Filipino) http://filipino.theantidrug.com or (Vietnamese) http://vietnamese.theantidrug.com.
Other Resources for Health/Fitness/Safety
Note: When using online resources, verify the information with your doctor, and never ignore the advice of your doctor based on Web information.
Health Information and Related Services
Sources of Health/Prescription Coverage for the Uninsured:
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Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) is for low-income, uninsured legal Indiana residents ages 19-64 who are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare and don't have access to health insurance through their employer. Visit http://www.in.gov/fssa/hip/index.htm for details or call 1-877-GET-HIP-9 (toll-free).
- Health Advantage is a managed care program providing high-quality, seamless medical care (at 20 provider sites) to uninsured residents of Indianapolis who fall at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and do not quality for any other assistance programs. For details, visit http://www.hhcorp.org/adv.htm.
- Rx for Indiana helps those who meet certain criteria (in general, those who lack prescription drug coverage and earn less than 200% of the federal poverty level, which is about $19,000 for an individual or $31,000 for a family of three, to get assistance paying for prescriptions. Visit www.RxforIndiana.org or call toll-free 1-877-793-0765.
There are lots of sources for medical information on the Web but a local hospital recommends www.medlineplus.gov. It has over 600 topics, is sponsored by the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health and is filtered to take out incorrect information.
Spark People offers free meal planning and calorie counter tools, fitness plans/trackers, answers from experts and more at http://sparkpeople.com .
Go to http://www.healthfinder.gov for information about prevention, wellness, diseases/conditions and more.
HealthierUS, at www.healthierus.gov, has information on physical fitness, recommended preventive screenings, nutrition and making healthy choices.
My Sister's Place is a new non-profit on the west side, which provides transitional services to formerly incarcerated at-risk women and their families. My Sister's Place provides housing, case management, trauma treatment, prostitution rehabilitation and mother/child together time. FMI, please visit www.mysistersplace-indy.org or call Carol Wellman, MSW, at 509-1219.
The Indiana Minority Health Coalition, Inc. offers programs for pregnant women, those with chronic diseases and weight management as well as prevention programs for heart disease and AIDS. Visit http://www.imhc.org/programs/index.html.
Women's Health Research - Women's Health - http://www.4woman.gov/
Men's Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/menshealth.html http://www.womenshealthresearch.orgs
College Women's Health - www.4collegewomen.org
Girls' Health - http://www.4girls.gov . Due to the special importance for calcium, also visit http://www.4girls.gov/bones.
GetFit - http://www.getfit.samhsa.gov
Children's Health - American Academy of Pediatrics
Be a Good Consumer When Looking for a Doctor. Start by getting a couple of recommendations from friends (get first, middle and last names) and check https://secure.in.gov/apps/hpb/hpb_lookup_ia . By simply entering the first and last names, you can quickly get information about whether the person's license is active. To get a complete record (highly recommended), you must click on the license number and agree to be billed $1.00 or pay $2.04 by credit card. If the physician is a specialist (plastic surgery, etc.) be sure he/she is licensed in that specific specialty, as well. Doing this doesn't guarantee that you won't have a problem, but it's a good start because it gives you information about the doctor that you would otherwise not know.
For those who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, www.marchofdimes.com offers a wealth of information, especially on the subject of what to do to prevent birth defects. You can also call 262-4668 or visit http://www.marchofdimes.com/hbhb/18749.asp .
Center of Excellence in Women's Health (located here at IUPUI) - www.iupui.edu/~womenhlt or www.womenshealthtoday.org for services such as monthly e-mail reminders, current women's health events in the community, etc. Their national partner, the National Women's Health Information Center, at http://www.4woman.gov, has information on breastfeeding, menopause, pregnancy, girls' health and more.
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association covers topics such as infertility, treatment, coping, pregnancy and adoption. Go to http://www.resolve.org/main/national/index.jsp?name=home. Patricia Irwin Johnson's book, Taking Charge of Infertility, is also recommended.
Indiana Women in Need provides personal services for those going through breast cancer treatment. Go to http://www.iwinfoundation.org.
For a list of 800 numbers for health organizations (Alanon, Arthritis Foundation, Poison Control, Lupus Foundation, National Association for Sickle Cell, etc.), go to http://www.health.gov/nhic/pubs/2008tollfreenumbers/tollfreenumbers1.htm
American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp
National Institutes of Health - http://www.nih.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov
American Heart Association - http://www.americanheart.org
American Diabetes Association - http://www.diabetes.org
National Eye Institute - www.nei.nih.gov
