Behavioral+Contract

Amber, Chris [|StoryKit]

media type="youtube" key="UWuTbrUB6bs" height="315" width="560" iMovie

As heart disease statistics are rising around the world, it is important for the individual to confront and change aspects of their lifestyle that will cause them to become one of those statistics. An individual can change their behavior through a system of rewards and punishments. Through this system, individuals will receive positive or negative reinforcements for their behavior; their ultimate positive reinforcement will be a healthy lifestyle free from cardiovascular disease. It is important for these behavioral contracts to be signed and kept with people who are trusted by the individual, such as a spouse, parent, or a close friend.

Preventing risks of CVD on an individual level:

1. Diet Individuals need to create a diet plan that satisfies, but does not exceed, daily needs. For example, it is important to use your calories on foods such as protein, however by cutting out the "empty" calories such as chips and dessert, you could greatly reduce your risk of obesity. As it is said, it is important to have everything in moderation. That means you can still go out to eat and get take out, however it is important to practice portion control. It would also be beneficial to incorporate more of certain foods in your diet, such as fruits and vegetables, and fish to consume more Omega 3 fatty acids to reduce your LDL cholesterol levels. To incorporate diet into a behavioral contract, you could do something such as give yourself a calorie limit each day, and if you stay under that limit each day for a week, at the end of the week you will earn yourself a reward, or a positive reinforcement. If you exceed the limit, the person trusted with your contract has the power to prevent you from doing something for yourself and implement punishments, such as more exercising to make up for the calories.

2. Exercise Individuals need to create an exercise plan that works for them. It must be personalized and fit into their schedule in order to be effective. An example of exercising in a behavioral contract is exercising 4-5 days a week for at least an hour a day. If these requirements are not met, they must be made up by either increasing days or time spent exercising, taking away from free time you could use for something else. However, if they are met, you earn yourself a reward. This reward can't have anything to do with food, for example women could but themselves a new dress. Positive reinforcement for reaching these goals is that you are one step closer to the goal of a healthy weight and lifestyle.

3. Alcohol Consumption If you enjoy drinking, it is important to limit yourself. Part of a behavioral contact would be a set time and number of drinks you are allowed to consume during the week. For example, person may not be able to drink during the week, but if they were to go out during the weekend they have a set number of drinks they can have. If these rules are broken, the punishment will carry over to the next weekend when you will not be able to drink at all. Or, you will have to add on a day of exercise for every extra drink.

4. Smoking Smoking is a leading cause of atherosclerosis, which causes damage to the arterial wall which leads to heart disease. It is important to not smoke, and if you do smoke to quit, to save your heart and put money in your pocket. All of the extra money that used to go to cigarettes, could now be used to buy healthy foods or go towards a gym membership. In a behavioral contract, if a person feels the need to smoke, they will be rewarded every time they resist the temptation. However, if they break this contract, it will be a punishment in either the diet or exercise area, such as increased exercise or a lower calorie limit. To lessen the impact of smoking, they could seek the help of electronic cigarettes or Nicotine patches, however eventually they should stop altogether.

5. Stress There are many stressful situations in our everyday lives, and it is crucial to know how to deal with these and keep stress levels down. There are many tactics to lower stress levels, a major one being exercise. Exercise will release endorphins which make you happier and will also increase feelings of self esteem and accomplishment. Stress management is not something that can be strictly enforced by the person you are keeping the contract with, but this is why It is important to have someone you trust help you, so they can provide you with encouragement during times of stress. They should reinforce the tactics used to keep stress levels down