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Big Island Visitors' Information - Tutu's House In Waimea

What is Tutu’s House?
Tutu’s House (tutu is grandmother in Hawaiian), in Waimea is a unique offering encouraging self-directed health education. It provides health related resources, a library, information, tools, staff and programs on just about any health care topic you can name, free of charge. Tutu’s House is also the home of the HealthMaps program. HealthMaps is a computer-oriented service that teaches people how to use the internet to find health information on their own. It also helps people to create a personalized health map to follow in caring for themselves and improving their health status.

WHAT IS STROKE?
Article written by Joan Campbell M.P.H., Health Maps Leader at Tutu's House www.tutushouse.org

Stroke is a cardiovascular disease that affects the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when one of these blood vessels bursts or is clogged by a blood clot which results in the brain not getting the blood and oxygen it needs. Deprived of oxygen, nerve cells die within minutes and that causes the part of the body they control to be unable to work. The devastating effects of a severe stroke are often permanent because dead brain cells aren't replaced.

For more information on stroke attend Stroke: What Every Person Needs to Know on Thursday, April 29th from 6:30-7:30 pm. Learn the causes, warning signs and effects of stroke. Explore the importance of prevention, early detection and emergency treatment. Call 885-6777 for more information or to make a reservation.

Know the Warning Signs of Stroke If you notice one or more of these signs, don't wait, call 9-1-1 or your emergency medical services. Get to a hospital right away! Stroke is a medical emergency.

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Stroke Websites
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: www.ninds.nih.gov
Stroke Network: www.strokenetwork.net
American Stroke Association: www.strokeassociation.org

Stroke Prevention One way to prevent stroke is to exercise regularly. A brisk walk for as little as 30 minutes a day can improve your health in many ways. Try walking with a friend; this will make it more likely that you'll make it a habit. If you don't enjoy walking, choose another exercise activity that suits your lifestyle: bicycle, golf, swim, dance, play tennis, or take an aerobics class. Make time each day to take care of yourself by exercising.

If you are looking for support with your walking program, you may want to attend Community, Family Walk/Run at Waimea Park on Thursdays, April 15, 22, 29 & May 6, 13 from 5:30 – 6:15pm. Come one, come all! Have fun getting in shape with the family and other community members. If you want, prepare for the Annual NHCH Family Fun Run/Walk (May8)) and the KeikiFest 10,000 Steps Walk (May 15). Breathe in the fresh air, enjoy the scenery, talk story. Meet at the Waimea Park Pavilion for stretches and walking tips lead by Joan Campbell, ACSM health and fitness instructor. Pedometers are available for loan.

How Do You Define Wellness?
Article written by Joan Campbell M.P.H., Health Maps Leader at Tutu's House www.tutushouse.org

Wellness is not about one area of life. It’s a combination of all areas, balanced the way you need them balanced. Wellness for one person is definitely different than another’s wellness.

At Tutu’s House our definition of health and wellness encompasses much more than physical health. We define wellness as the SPICES of life: the Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Cultural, Emotional, and Social aspects of life. Some individuals choose to include others. Consequently wellness may include such diverse topics as Hawaiian quilting, financing and family history.

Wellness is an evolving process in which individuals develop and enhance all aspects of their life. Read below for information and tips for exploring your current wellness.

Spiritual Wellness is finding your place in the universe; the quest for meaning, value, and purpose resulting in hope, joy, courage, and gratitude; and the evaluation of personal values and beliefs.

Physical Wellness is the ability to apply your knowledge, motivation, commitment, behavior, self-management, attitude, and skills toward achieving personal fitness and health goals. Balancing nutritional practices, getting regular exercise and adequate sleep, and paying attention to the warning signs and symptoms of your body are all important to physical wellness.

Intellectual Wellness is having a curiosity and strong desire to learn. It is valuing many experiences, staying stimulated with new ideas, and sharing. It is responding to challenges and opportunities to grow, making plans, developing strategies, and solving problems. It is the ability to engage in clear thinking and recall, and to think independently, creatively, and critically.

Cultural Wellness is being aware of your own cultural background as well as the diversity and richness present in other cultural backgrounds. It involves interacting well with people of both genders, different backgrounds, lifestyles, abilities, ethnicities, and ages.

Emotional Wellness is striving to meet emotional needs constructively. It is striving to maintain good mental health, a positive attitude, high self-esteem, and strong self-image. It is striving to respond resiliently to emotional states and the flow of life events. It is dealing with a variety of situations realistically and learning more about yourself and how things you do affect your feelings. It is taking responsibility for your own behavior and responding to challenges as opportunities.

Social Wellness is having positive interactions with and enjoying being with others. It is having comfort and ease during work and leisure situations and communicating feelings and needs to others. It involves developing and building close friendships and intimacy, practicing empathy and effective listening, caring for others and for the common good, and allowing others to care for you. (Source: http://www.csuchico.edu/)

Wellness may encompass much more than the SPICES defined above. Just as there are many spices to make the food we eat tasty, there may be many important components in our life that keep us balanced and well. Do you know what makes you well? Do you have a wellness vision? Developing a wellness vision, the first step in understanding what keeps us balanced and well, is a creative process that cannot be rushed. It needs reflection and time. Ask yourself questions that will help to bring your visions into the forefront and help integrate various images and thoughts you may have.

The Get Balanced program at Tutu’s House helps participants deeply explore their wellness to get a clear picture of what motivates them and what activities will help build the wellness life they want. Participants regularly use their wellness statement or image to re-energize themselves as they plan and move towards their wellness goals. See the calendar for a complete program description. To make a reservation for the program or if you have questions, please call 885-6777.