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Public education is one of the most important institutions in our country, an institution in which the public has always played a role. It is the public who elects school board members, pays taxes to support public schools, votes for school bond referendum, and visits and volunteers in the schools. Public schools, in turn, transmit important values and information that help young people participate in our democracy and become responsible citizens. Clearly, education is important to all members of society given its impact on the community, the economy, jobs, safety, and health.- The skill level of the population increases national productivity and leads to higher salaries.- The better educated a person, the more likely that person is to report being in excellent or very good health.- The more education a person has, the more likely that person is to be registered to vote and to actually vote.- There is a strong relationship between the drop-out rate and crime among many young malesMany candidates are vocal about their support for public education, but voters can do a lot to ensure that elected officials are aware of the wide range of important education issues, and that they honor their commitment to education. This voter guide is designed to help voters focus on important education issues and ask political candidates and office holders informed questions.Strong Public Education Candidates:- Know about school reform and ways to improve public schools- Know education policy; the federal, state, and local laws that govern public education; and the responsibilities of the desired office- Make education a high priority in their political platform- Solicit opinions and viewpoints from citizens through polling, town meetings, community conversations, and face-to-face discussions- Have prior experience with public education policy- Have a clear message about public education priorities- Have a realistic funding plan to support public education improvements and ensure adequate resources for all schools- Communicate who will be held accountable for student and school performanceQuestions for CandidatesA quality public education requires the assurance of basic physical needs: shelter, nutrition, physical safety, sleep, and exercise. Quality education begins at an early age with the development of cognitive and social skills. A candidate who supports education will have a clear position on a wide range of health and other children’s issues.- What proposals, if any, do you offer for public programs to support underserved children?- What is your position on the value and importance of education?- What are your top priorities for improving public education?How well students achieve is only partly determined by students themselves. Schools play an important role, and elected officials at every level have some say in how schools are run and who is held responsible for student achievement. Strong education candidates understand the role their offices play in public education, and should be able to articulate what they will do to improve school quality.- Who do you think should be responsible for ensuring that public schools operate effectively and children achieve?- If elected, what responsibility and authority would you have for public education?- What do you believe are the best ways to evaluate school and student performance?- How would you evaluate teacher quality?Most candidates for office support quality and improvement in public education, but their proposals for how to pay for public education vary widely. A strong education candidate should have developed a viable plan for school funding.- What are your views on how much is spent on public education and whether this amount is adequate?- What changes, if any, would you make to the existing education funding structure?- What is your position on current pending court cases that would affect funding for education in the state?- What programs and areas do you consider most vital and deserving of the highest protection from budget cuts?- How would you fund the program and policy changes you are proposing?- Do you have any tax proposals to offer for public school funding?- Do you support generating funds for public education through taxes on liquor, tobacco, lotteries, casino gambling, slot machines, or through any other “sin” taxes or revenues?- What is your position on bilingual education?- Do you believe the amount spent for students classified as “special needs” is adequate? What changes would you make, if any, to support these students?- What is your stance on school choice?- What is your stance on the adequacy of school facilities?About This GuideThis guide presents a list of questions that highlight the most pressing concerns and issues in education today. Public education is a leading issue in American politics. The information in this guide will inform voters about important education issues, and help voters determine a candidate’s stance on public education. There are many possible answers to the questions raised in this guide. No single answer is “correct”. The questions help identify the education decisions candidates will have to make if elected, and encourage voters to make ballot selections based on which candidates they believe have the strongest public education agenda. In the upcoming 2020 national election, voters will elect a president, vice president, 435 members of the US House of Representatives, and 35 US senators. In state elections, voters will elect governors, state house and senate members, and countless mayors, regents, city council members, boards of supervisors, county officials, and school board trustees.Who Should Use This Guide?Everyone! A free, public education is one of America’s most vital assets. Every member of society has an investment in a quality public school system. Good schools lead to strong economies, better jobs, less crime, and many other positive social outcomes. Education is an important responsibility for elected officials at all levels, and thus an important area to consider in every election. From the President of the United States to local school board members, making decisions about education is a critical part of the job. We hope this guide helps you make informed decisions about which candidates to support.

The term Behavioral Health was coined almost 40 years ago. However, over time, the meaning of this word has evolved. Most people use behavioral health as a synonym for mental health, whereas there is a difference between the two.Mental health deals with a person’s mental state or psychology but behavioral health deals with the habits a person possesses, such as eating patterns, sleeping patterns, the lifestyle choices they make. etc. If a person struggles with a mental health issue, it can be comorbid with behavioral health problems and physical health issues. According to estimates, 70 percent mental health issues exist in correlation with behavioral health issues. Therefore behavioral health treatment centers or services have become essential to combat the disease.According to a study, around 44 million people struggle from mental health-related problems every year but only 40 percent of these are able to receive treatment. There are several reasons that contribute to people not seeking help for mental disorders. While 60 percent of the people do not seek treatment because of the associated social stigma, others do not seek treatment as they remain undiagnosed, do not have the money, lack the access to a reliable mental health facility, or do not have credible behavioral health centers near them.Behavioral Health ServicesBehavioral health services are not limited to mental health treatment programs. With its evolving scope, the range of services offered has only increased. Some of these services include:

Psychiatric

Psychology

Mental health counseling

Family and marriage counseling

Substance abuse treatment including prevention, recovery and intervention

Chronic disease management

Understanding Behavioral HealthBehavioral health refers to the relationship between daily habits (good and bad) and how they affect physical and mental health. Ideally, good habits (healthy eating, exercise, and sleep patterns) lead to a balance between good physical and mental health. On the contrary, bad habits often lead to poor physical and mental health.Based on lifestyle choices made, behavioral disorders might include:

Living in unhygienic conditions

Eating disorder

Social isolation

Sleep disorder (sleeping too less or too much)

Substance abuse including drug, alcohol or chemical dependency

Addictive behavior such as gambling, sex, compulsive shopping, etc.

Why It Is So Difficult To Seek Treatment?Most people do not seek help for behavioral disorders because they remain in denial. It is difficult for them to accept that they have a problem. Some people believe that it is a choice that they have made and therefore it cannot be called a problem. The reasons for not seeking treatment can be myriad and varied. Some of the other reasons may include:

Social Stigma and embarrassment

Fear of getting judged by society

Not being able to recognize symptoms effectively

Lack of trust and support

Feelings of loneliness and hopelessness

What Are The Benefits Of Seeking Treatment?Behavioral health disorders are complex and require customized treatment, but it is difficult to convince patients to seek treatment. However, knowing about the benefits of treatment can provide the needed nudge to seek treatment. The advantages of seeking treatment are as follows:

Improves quality of life

Combats mental illness from its root

Improves personal and professional relationships

Reduces chances of complications especially for addiction-related problems

Improves productivity

Mitigates risk of medical issues

What Are The Treatment Options Available?A treatment plan for behavioral health disorder may be a combination of the multiple therapies, the most important of which would be group therapy. Encouragement and support groups provide personal therapy that helps the patient understand themselves and their goals better. Group therapy also provides patients with contacts of others who have or are facing similar problems. Interacting with such persons helps the patient realize that they are not alone. It also provides them with the required moral support to take care of themselves and seek and continue treatment. However, the customized treatment programs require an effort from multiple types of professionals. These professionals may include:Psychiatrists: These service providers can address a wide range of issues. They deal with psychiatry on various aspects such as adolescence issues, childhood struggles, or substance abuse. They prescribe medications to treat behavioral health disorders.Psychologists: These professionals have experience in psychology consulting. This also includes clinical psychology. They carry out diagnostic work and conduct psychotherapy to treat the patient’s condition.Social workers: They assist through government run programs. They work in a variety of fields related to children mental health, substance abuse, and mental health in the less privileged society.Licensed professional counselors: These counselors usually specialize in treating patients with psychotherapy. These professionals may focus on specific areas of behavioral health, such as family problems, substance abuse, and relationship issues.Residential treatment centers: These are inpatient treatment centers where people are allowed to reside under 24/7 medical supervision. The patients undergo a personalized treatment plan as per the severity and duration of the disorder. These centers provide a controlled environment for the treatment and combat relapse.When To Seek Help?Behavioral health disorders should never be undermined. They should be identified at the earliest otherwise it will affect the patient’s relationship and productivity as they grow into adults. Behavioral abnormalities have affected lives. There are numerous treatment programs available to treat the disorder.

Deciding on and employing the right accountant or accountancy firm for your business, be it large or small, is an important decision. Not many people realise that almost anyone can set themselves up in business and advertise and label themselves as an accountant.Here are some key factors you should consider when determining which accountant to employ if you are UK based:Qualifications.The qualification you need to be looking for is Chartered or a Chartered Certified Accountancy practice. (Whilst anyone can call themselves an accountant, only people who have passed rigorous professional examinations can call themselves chartered).Chartered Accountants or Chartered Certified by passed the examinations set by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) or alternatively the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).The ICAEW is the biggest professional accountancy body in the European Union with over one hundred and twenty five thousand members. The ICAEW’s qualification is recognised throughout the world as a reputable business qualification. Upon passing this examination institute members can call themselves a Chartered Accountant and to use the letters ACA or FCA, which one they use depends on the amount of experience the member has and the length of membership.ACCA offers the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification which carries with it the letters ACCA or FCCA.Qualified accountants need to maintain their knowledge to ensure that it is up to date. Consequently members under take Continuing Professional Development or CPD for short. This is similar to other professions such as surveyors. CPD requirements normally involve so many hours each year furthering ones knowledge and can be achieved through a variety of methods including self study, attending courses or workshops. If the majority (typically 75%) of owners or partners of an accountancy firm have achieved chartered status then the firm is eligible to call itself ‘Chartered Accountants’ .Whilst it is optional to use a chartered accountant for your accounts, in the UK if your company or firm has a turnover over a certain limit you will need to have your accounts audited. The auditing of your accounts however can only be done by a firm of registered auditors.Essentially when deciding on which accountant to use you should select from a list of accountants who have professional qualifications or is from a firm labelled Chartered Accountants to adequately ensure your financial matters will be handled and supervised by fully qualified personnel.Type of FirmYou should try to choose a type and size of accountancy practice suitable to your business. If you are a international enterprise a small regional accountancy firm is unlikely to be the correct choice. Likewise a small to medium sized enterprise (SME) with a small turnover or a start up business would probably not get the best service from an international accountancy firm.One important factor to remember is that the firm you choose should be able to accommodate you as your business grows. So when selecting an accountancy firm choose one which has clients larger than you so that they have the experience of working with size of firms at a size which you intend to become. Also, whilst tax advice is the bread and butter of accountancy, most accountancy now offer a broad range of associated management functions and analysis to help you make informed decisions on how to structure and grow your business. These services can be of great benefit for people intending to grow their business.The other item to check is the accountancy firms field of specialism. The major point to look for is if they are currently working for similar businesses from the same sector.PersonalityKnowledge aside for one moment, you need to get on with your accountant on a personal level. Without this it will be harder to get on with them. The best accountants will take a keen interest in your company and also in the business world in general. Remember also that your accountant is running his own business and will have had to address many of the issues and problems that you will face during the course of your daily business activities. The ability of your accountant to relate to you and to exchange information on how to deal with things will be a great asset to you and your business organisation. There will be however instances where your accountant will have to tell you that you are doing something wrong or there is something that you need to address. If you have mutual respect for each other this process will be a lot easier. Remember that your accountant will work for you as part of your team and is trying to ensure that you succeedTechnology.Once upon a time all accounts were done by hand in ledgers. Nowadays this is almost unheard of. Also nowadays it is usual to find that many companies will keep their accounts on relatively easily to use software. What you need to check however is that your accountancy firm can accept the electronic files into their system. Also, if they require the files using a proprietor y software system is this going to entail you investing in the software to be compatible with them. Electronic document management systems are becoming more and more popular. There are also systems that allow you to store copies of your documents on remote servers which you can then grant your accountant access to. This rapidly enables the transfer of information whereas previously it might have taken days, with the benefit being your accountant can respond faster and more efficiently.Recommendation.Many people rely on personal recommendation when selecting an accountant. Almost every business networking group has an accountant on board because they know that the personal recommendations that come from these networking groups produce good leads. Choosing an accountant through recommendation does give you a significant amount of confidence when compared to, say, selecting an accountant from the phone book or from an advertisement on the internet. Consequently ask any friends or colleagues in business about which accountant they use 9or wouldn’t use!) and the reasons for that. Also ask other professionals you come into contact with, such as bank managers or solicitors for any information they have on accountancy firms.If you’ve made a decision on an accountant or accountancy firm on these five factors you should have ended up with a firm and an individual who will be able to work with you as your business expands and grows.

With the recent concerns of Covid-19 virus, known also as the Corona virus, business’ have needed to adapt to new ways to conduct business. One way to adapt is to add additional services in response to needs. Another is to adjust how things are done.The concerns regarding spreading viruses and bacteria is a real concern and it has definitely been brought to the top of nearly everyone’s mind due to the global pandemic of the Corona virus. People are increasing the social distancing between themselves and some areas bars and restaurants have been closed down and people have are instructed to stay home to help prevent spread of the virus.For real estate in most places the buying of homes and condos continues and as a result home inspections continue as well. For home inspections it is recommended that very few people attend the home inspection and of course stay at least 6 feet apart. No more hand shaking when the inspector meets the home buyer. Inspectors are washing hands more frequently and applying hand sanitizer frequently. Many are wearing gloves and face masks. Face masks are to be worn really only if one is sick or tending to someone who is known to be a carrier of the virus. If a buyer or home inspector is sick they should stay at their own home to help prevent spread. Usually home buyers are not right next to the inspector som there is low risk of transmission. So the change of how the home inspection is conducted has not varied much.The concern is largely from the home buyers having concerns about moving into a home that may somehow be infected. This naturally is concerning because the new home owner does not know who was in the home just prior to their moving in, This has sparked new services from home inspection companies.One such new service is fogging or physically applying a disinfectant to the home to help kill bacteria and viruses. Application is done after the sellers have moved their stuff out and before the new owners put their stuff in. Habitation Investigation is offering the service at no charge to their home buying clients though a “sister company” Environmental Consultants of Ohio. This service helps home buyers feel better about not only looking at home, also with moving into a home where strangers recently occupied.Two roles of home inspections is to provide information to the home buyer so they can make an informed decision and to help remove many of the unknowns that exist when home buying. The disinfectant is another way to help reduce the concern of the unknown. Of course it does not prevent the home from getting “infected” after the treatment, it does provide some peace of mind.

In a recent discussion in a class I was teaching about marketing strategies for social media, I was asked whether it was a good idea to keep your personal page separate from your business page. My response may or may not surprise you, but I said that I believe that you should have both a personal page and a business page but you should expect to be cognizant of your brand on both pages because others in the marketplace will not separate the two. They see life and business co-existing as they should because they are interconnected and you are you all the time in both venues.Once you enter the public domain, you have to recognize that there isn’t any separation. Public figures are seen as such and everything that they put into the universe is being viewed as a sum total of their brand equity. While you can monitor how much private information you share, you should expect personal information to be consumed at the same rate as business related information.Because a brand is how you illustrate your beliefs, confidence and esteem to others through your image, information and influence, it is important to be clear that personally and professionally you are one. I think it is also important to mention that you are your brand – your name, period. Your products, services, companies are sub-brands of you, the main brand. A lot of entrepreneurs and small business owners miss this and as a result they struggle to send a clear brand message into the market. And most importantly, please know that a brand culminates into an experience.It is possible to ensure that you maintain an image that you can be proud of and one that can advance your positioning and market capture abilities. I have 5 simple strategies that I will share with you now to help you do just that:R – realign your personal vision with your professional vision, image and goals.To do this, you want to take the time to think about your brand. Initially you want to define your brand so that you can prepare to unleash it. To define your brand, get clear on what makes you unique from others in the marketplace. I say start by writing down the words that you feel represent who you are and desire to be in the market. Then you want to expand on your initial definition by creating power statements that include the words you’ve determined must be a core part of your branding strategy. Lastly, be sure that you are ready to do the work; to be the brand you desire by clarifying internally that alignment is present.Ask yourself:1. What is the vision of your brand?2. What is the mission of your brand?3. How will you know that you’ve accomplished the vision and mission of your brand?4. What are the five words that best describe the brand I want to represent to be seen as my truest, most authentic self?5. When my brand is as I’d like it to be, how will I feel?O – organize people, places and events that will support the brand you’re building. Associations can make or break your brand so be clear about how others affect your position and do not be afraid to disassociate from those who are unworthy of being connected to your brand.Ask yourself:1. Which organizations should I join to further establish my brand imprint?2. What events should I attend so that I can extend my brand?3. Who are my centers of influence and how do they affect my brand?C – create an emotional response for others through your brand so you can grow your brand position, create brand equity and deliver your brand experience. To make your brand real for other people, your goal MUST be to create an experience for them through how you offer yourself, content, etc to them in the marketplace. One of the things I do, is to imagine my brand as if it were content…what tips, advice and title would you give it so that it creates an experience for the receiver of the content?Ask yourself:1. What about your brand creates an experience for others? How can you do more of that?2. How will you articulate this to the market?3. Who will benefit the most from your brand?4. How will you reach them?K – know the big reason why your brand must be visible by asking yourself the following questions:1. What does your brand stand for?2. Who do you want to be known as?3. What do you want to be known for?4. Why is it important that others get this message from you?5. What will happen when they hear and receive your message in their lives?When you have a powerful brand, your company and your name will become one in the same, there will be no separation (This is your goal.) Don’t be fooled, people are looking at your overall image: hair, clothes, shoes, makeup, presence, website, business card, brochure, emails, etc. They’re taking it all in and from your presence, deciding if you are worthy of their business. 55% of an exchange is based on your appearance; 38% of an exchange is based on your tone of voice and behavior; and 7% is based on the words you actually say.To ROCK your brand, truly ROCK it, take the time to answer the questions I pose above and focus on creating consistency online and offline so that you can be clear in the way you represent yourself personally and professionally each and every day.

Health care is evolving. Despite the fact that we are hearing and reading of new diseases coming up among the population, such as the dreaded SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and others, health care is also improving. The new trend is that it is getting more patient centered and more close to nature. Here are some of the changes that we will continue to see in the following years.1. The new trend in health care is that it will get more and more patient centered. More and more rooms in the hospitals are now air-conditioned for the convenience of the patient. More and more chemicals have been invented to fight off pain from the patient. Most injections are now administered no longer to the body directly but through the intravenous connection bringing liquid from a plastic container to the patient. The anesthesiologists have become experts in deadening the pain of an operation. The hospital building, rooms and surroundings are now cleaner than ever. Each room, even in the wards, have now a comfort room and bath facilities. In the 1980s there was a large government hospital for a million population which had only one comfort room for all the patients. This is no longer true today. Mercury-based thermometers and sphygmomanometer are now being replaced by digital ones, for the safety of the patients against mercury poisoning or contamination. Headrest in hospital beds can now be raised with a few turns of a handle. More wheel chairs are now available to move patients around with little discomfort for them. Ambulances are available to transfer patients from homes to hospitals and back to their homes or other hospitals. Indeed more and more conveniences are now given to the patients. We will see more of these as the years go by.2. Another new trend in health care is that there will be more and more return to nature, particularly herbs as curative agents. After all people are discovering that these herbs are as effective as the synthetic drugs and there are no or less bad side effects. People are getting more and more conscious of the food they eat. The number of vegetarians is increasing. More and more people are taking food supplements. As a result food supplements have multiplied. In one report we have 639 pages of listing of food supplements, each page containing around 40 names of food supplements. Food supplements, especially, the ones based on herbs will continue to multiply.3. We are going to see more people taking control of their health, especially in the area of preventing diseases. This is clearly now the new trend in health care. Perhaps this is just logical since the cost of consulting a physician is getting higher and higher, to cover up, some say, for the more and more expensive education the medical doctors are going through.4. As a result of people returning to herbs, governments are pressing for cheaper medicines. We will have cheaper medicines. An example is the sale of dextrose which has become cheaper with the use of plastic containers rather than glass. Medicines will continue to be more generic and less expensive. There are more and more drug stores selling only generic drugs.5. In general people will be getting more and more into alternative medicines. These are medicines that do not fall within the category of conventional medicine, the medical practice most of us are accustomed to because of our western culture. These include natural cures, chiropractice, herbs, traditional Chinese medicine, pranic or energy healing, meditation, hypnosis, etc. The new trend in the use of alternative medicine will continue in the years ahead.6. The diversification and specialization of health care personnel will continue to increase. Forty years ago it was the physician himself who put on the fluoroscopy machine, took the x-ray picture of his patient, analyzed it. Now we have medical technicians to do this. They even have a high sounding name now, medical technologists. Besides the ever growing group of medical specialists we now have the physical therapists for exercising the movements of the body, the nutritionists for the food of the patient, the health insurance company and the social worker for the payment of hospital bills, the hospital administrator for the management of the hospital facilities, let alone the chaplain for the anxious and dying patients. More specialized services will continue to appear.7. If there is distance education there is also distance health care. This is the last new trend in health care that I see. We will have more of this in the future. It is very rare now for us to experience being visited by the doctor at our homes, as this was done 50 years ago. This happens now only among very close friends or relatives of the doctors. There was a time when a doctor would go around town treating current and would-be patients. That is gone now. We have now consultation by cell phones. A doctor has a radio program. The audience listens. The doctor gives his cell phone number. By and by he is inundated with text messages about this and about that ailment experienced by his radio listeners. And he gives advice on his cell phone too by text messaging his listeners. Who knows, later on we can have doctors analyzing their patients from a distance with the aid of electronic equipment.Indeed health care has evolved. Now that you know these are the directions health care is going to go, the new trends in health care, be more conscious of your own health. You owe it to yourself to be healthy.But these are just predictions. Be prepared to be surprised with newer developments in health care. But we are very far from the one tablet that cures all diseases.

Home health care is just what the name suggests – health care services that can be taken care of in your home. There are quite a number of these possible home-based services, and they can be cheaper, as useful, and more convenient than the services you could get in a hospital or other nursing facility.The point of this is to take care of an illness, injury, or other ailment. The idea is to get your independence, confidence, and self-sufficient behavior back on target as quickly as possible in your own environment.Potential home health service options include caring for wounds, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, patient and care-giver education, intravenous and nutrition therapy, injections, and monitoring serious illness and unstable health status. There is also health aid, to help with things like getting into and out of bed, getting dressed, baths, eating, and bathroom activities. This is also considered things like housekeeping duties, laundry, shopping, and cooking.There are lists of agencies that do home health care work. Check your local phone book, or look up information on the internet to find local places and check what services they actually provide. Some health insurers like Medicare will only cover the costs of this if the home health agency has been certified by them.When present, the staff will check what you’re eating and drinking, check things like blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and breathing, make sure that you are taking your prescriptions, drugs, and other treatments appropriately, check if you’re in pain, be aware of the safety in your home, teach you to care for yourself over time, and coordinate your care with you, your doctor, and others who treat you.It’s very important that you understand how your plan of care works. An agency member will consult with you and your doctor to make this happen. The plan of care includes what services you need, which care professionals should give those services, how often those services are required, what medical equipment is needed, and what results you expect. All involved will review this plan as often as required to do the job properly.If you are getting home health care, you should ask yourself questions regularly to make sure you’re be treated appropriately. For instance, if the staff is polite, if they explain everything to you in a way you can understand, if they respond quickly to your requests, if they check in with you physically and emotionally with each visit, and if they regularly suggest changes to improve your situation.With all these things in mind, now you know enough to get started researching to determine if home health care is the right decision for you and your family.

It is an exciting time where so many people are engaging in a wide range of fitness programs. The number of programs available today is the greatest that it has ever been and everyone can find a program that suits them. Programs based on speed, strength, endurance and flexibility will improve any area of your fitness level through active and consistent participation. Before signing up for that next fitness class some preliminary thought could help making your choice of a suitable fitness program easier and allow you to select a program with sustainability. Those that have made the right choice of fitness programs have reported ongoing benefits including; more energy, vitality and quality of life. Here are a number of areas to consider before choosing a fitness program.o State of Health
o Lifestyle
o Body Type
o ObjectivesState of HealthWhen choosing the right fitness program at any age should include an evaluation and assessment of any health issue concerns at the time. There are various fitness avenues a person can take and each will place different demands on the mind and body. Health issues should be considered when looking at each discipline and how the individual will be impacted by the demands. It is prudent to involve your primary care physician in making a selection so that any health issues may be addressed and a plan of recommendation can be used to make a wise decision. Because there is such a large selection of fitness programs available most limitations caused by health issues which may impose restrictions on an individual can be accommodated. Exercise is basically moving the body and any type of consistent movement is going to provide benefits as a result.Participants in exercise programs who may have joint limitations can select a program with low impact on the joints and receive a whole host of fitness and health benefits. Programs are available at all levels including beginner, intermediate or advanced and can accommodate many individuals with various health issues. If there is a will, then there is a way to meet your fitness goals but it must be done logically and intelligently.LifestyleVarious fitness routines require different levels of activity and assessing which routine fits best into the lifestyle of the participant is an important selection criteria. Fitness is a change of lifestyle which includes the fitness routine merging into the daily activities of the participant. If your lifestyle is moderately active then a fitness routine which promotes moderate levels of energy will be a choice which is better suited for you and has the best chances of being sustained over the long-term. Another fact is the time you have available to devote to a fitness program. Some regimes require more time then others to achieve results. If you have 2 days a week available for working out then look for programs that can accommodate you and still provide timely benefits which are achievable. A mistake many people make is shooting too high at first and selecting a fitness routine completely off the scale in relation to their lifestyle. What they find is they are unable to sustain the regime, get discouraged and discontinue the program. Assess your lifestyle pace and the venue in which you would like to workout. There’s indoor, outdoor, individual and group programs available and you can find one that requires a pace and environment you will enjoy and be able to sustain as part of a healthy and fit lifestyle.Body TypeThe reason that so many exercise and fitness programs have been developed is simply to accommodate the individuals participating in those programs. One of the criteria for selecting a fitness program is body type. Understand that different fitness programs place different demands on the body and require different energy levels from the participants also. Those of a larger stature have gravitated traditionally toward the strength based programs and those of a smaller stature have moved in the direction of the cardio based programs. All these individuals have made what they would consider programs which best suited them. If you ever considered a football team you don’t see the larger linemen body types doubling as wide receivers. Their body types make them more suitable for the pace and demands which are placed on them as linemen. Fitness programs are the same. If you are choosing a fitness program that will best fit in with your lifestyle then your body type is a factor to consider as well. All body types can find regimes that best suit them and are able to provide ongoing health and fitness benefits derived from the programs. Those with higher energy levels are going to select those programs with high energy demands then those with lower energy levels. Programs exist which require short intense energy expenditures and also routines which require longer durations and less intensity. When selecting a fitness program consider your level of energy and the demands the regime or program will place on your energy level.ObjectivesGaining long-term benefits from a fitness program does require setting objectives you want to accomplish from the effort and consistency you put into the regime. Of course many individuals take a less organized approached to fitness and that is alright as long as they are comfortable with that kind of approach. Of course the power of setting goals and moving toward their accomplishment is proven effective for a long time and is recommended. If losing weight, building strength or gaining flexibility are some of the goals to be attained selecting programs which address these areas is made much simpler. Not all programs can deliver all benefits and meet all goals. Many programs specialize in the benefits attained from participation in them. Cardio programs are great for producing weight loss, energy and endurance but are limited when it comes to developing high levels of strength. Weight training would be more suitable if increasing levels of strength is your goal. Whatever program you decide to choose identifying objectives and setting goals will make your choose of program easier and more effective. And whatever program you choose be certain you are capable, the goals are obtainable and participation is enjoyable.