0_Wizard
I love hiking, it has so many health benefits
It is a popular activity with numerous worldwide, and studies suggest that all forms of walking have health benefits.
chosen_Hiking_0
Hiking
chosen_topic_0_Hiking
Health insurance in the United States
In the United States, health insurance is any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, social insurance or a social welfare program funded by the government. Synonyms for this usage include "health coverage", "health care coverage" and "health benefits". In a more technical sense, the term is used to describe any form of insurance that provides protection against the costs of medical services. This usage includes private insurance and social insurance programs such as Medicare, which pools resources and spreads the financial risk associated with major medical expenses across the entire population to protect everyone, as well as social welfare programs such as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, which provide assistance to people who cannot afford health coverage.
Open space accessibility in California
Open spaces in urban environments, such as parks, playgrounds, and natural areas, can provide many health, cultural, recreational, and economic benefits to the communities nearby. However, access to open spaces can be unequal for people of different incomes. In California's two largest metropolitan regions, Los Angeles County in Southern California and the Bay Area in Northern California, access to green space and natural areas varies with the predominate races and classes of the communities. This also holds true in San Diego County in Southern California. Both expanding urbanization and diminishing funding for open space tend to widen these gaps in accessibility.
Mental Health Parity Act
The Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) is legislation signed into United States law on September 26, 1996 that requires annual or lifetime dollar limits on mental health benefits to be no lower than any such dollar limits for medical and surgical benefits offered by a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering coverage in connection with a group health plan. Prior to MHPA and similar legislation, insurers were not required to cover mental health care and so access to treatment was limited, underscoring the importance of the act. The MHPA was largely superseded by the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), which the 110th United States Congress passed as rider legislation on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), signed into law by President George W. Bush in October 2008.
Essential health benefits
Essential health benefits (EHBs) have been defined since the 2010 United States Affordable Care Act as a set of benefits which Individually purchased health insurance in the United States and insurance plans in small group markets, both inside and outside of the Health Insurance Marketplace must cover for people. Exempt from the EHB requirement are large-group health plans, self-insured ERISA plans, and ERISA-governed multiemployer welfare arrangements not subject to state insurance law. The 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) set forth the following ten categories of essential health benefits, at Section 1302(b)(1) of the ACA, codified at 42 U.S.C.
Workplace wellness
Workplace wellness is any workplace health promotion activity or organizational policy designed to support healthy behavior in the workplace and to improve health outcomes. Known as 'corporate wellbeing' outside the US, workplace wellness often comprises activities such as health education, medical screenings, weight management programs, on-site fitness programs or facilities. These programs can be classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary health programs, depending on the goal of the specific program. Primary prevention programs usually target a fairly healthy employee population, and encourage them to more frequently engage in health behaviors that will encourage ongoing good health.
Health systems by country
This article provides a brief overview of the health systems of the world, sorted by continent. When Algeria gained its independence from France in 1962, there were only around 300 doctors across the whole country and no proper system of healthcare. Over the next few decades, great progress was made in building up the health sector, with the training of doctors and the creation of many health facilities. Today, Algeria has an established network of hospitals (including university hospitals), clinics, medical centres and small health units or dispensaries. While equipment and medicines may not always be the latest available, staffing levels are high and the country has one of the best healthcare systems in Africa.
Health effects of wine
The health effects of wine are mainly determined by its active ingredient alcohol. Some studies found that drinking small quantities of alcohol (up to one standard drink per day for women and one to two drinks per day for men) is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and early death. However, other studies found no such effect. Drinking more than the standard drink amount increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, stroke and cancer. Mixed results are also observed in light drinking and cancer mortality.
1_Apprentice
I've always wanted to go hiking! What health benefits does it provide?
0_Wizard
Well hiking on a trail or off a trail can be good for your heart and also good for your mental health.
In the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and United Kingdom, hiking means walking outdoors on a trail, or off trail, for recreational purposes.
chosen_Hiking_0
Hiking
chosen_topic_0_Hiking
Mental health
Mental health is a level of psychological well-being, or an absence of mental illness. It is the "psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioural adjustment". From the perspective of positive psychology or holism, mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life, and create a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health includes "subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy, autonomy, competence, inter-generational dependence, and self-actualization of one's intellectual and emotional potential, among others."
Community mental health service
Community mental health services (CMHS), also known as community mental health teams (CMHT) in the United Kingdom, support or treat people with mental disorders (mental illness or mental health difficulties) in a domiciliary setting, instead of a psychiatric hospital (asylum). The array of community mental health services vary depending on the country in which the services are provided. It refers to a system of care in which the patient's community, not a specific facility such as a hospital, is the primary provider of care for people with a mental illness. The goal of community mental health services often includes much more than simply providing outpatient psychiatric treatment.
Rosalynn Carter
Eleanor Rosalynn Carter (née Smith; born August 18, 1927) is the wife of the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, and served as the First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981. For decades, she has been a leading advocate for numerous causes, perhaps most prominently for mental health research. She was politically active during her White House years, sitting in on Cabinet and policy meetings as well as serving as her husband's closest adviser. She also served as an envoy abroad, particularly in Latin America. Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born on August 18, 1927 in Plains, Georgia.
Mental disorder
A mental disorder, also called a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitting, or occur as a single episode. Many disorders have been described, with signs and symptoms that vary widely between specific disorders. Such disorders may be diagnosed by a mental health professional. The causes of mental disorders are often unclear. Theories may incorporate findings from a range of fields. Mental disorders are usually defined by a combination of how a person behaves, feels, perceives, or thinks.
Mental health care in the Philippines
Mental health is defined as "a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community". The World Health Organization emphasized the importance of mental health by including it in their definition of health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Mental health care is the status of providing and maintaining psychological, psychiatric, and emotional health by means of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses.
Mental health professional
A mental health professional is a health care practitioner or community services provider who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or to treat mental disorders. This broad category was developed as a name for community personnel who worked in the new community mental health agencies begun in the 1970s to assist individuals moving from state hospitals, to prevent admissions, and to provide support in homes, jobs, education and community. These individuals (i.e., state office personnel, private sector personnel, and non-profit, now voluntary sector personnel) were the forefront brigade to develop the community programs, which today may be referred to by names such as supported housing, psychiatric rehabilitation, supported or transitional employment, sheltered workshops, supported education, daily living skills, affirmative industries, dual diagnosis treatment, individual and family psychoeducation, adult day care, foster care, family services and mental health counseling.
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail is estimated around 2,200 miles (3,500 km) long, though the exact length changes over time as parts are modified or rerouted. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy claims that the Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only trail in the world. More than 2 million people are said to take a hike on part of the trail at least once each year. The idea of the Appalachian Trail came about in 1921.
1_Apprentice
That sounds like a lovely way to spend the day! Unfortunately I don't have any suitable places to hike near my home. What are some popular hiking spots?
0_Wizard
The Appalachian Trail supposedly has 2 million people hiking various parts of the trail at least once per year.
More than 2 million people are said to take a hike on part of the trail at least once each year.
self_Appalachian_Trail_3
Appalachian Trail
self_6_Appalachian_Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail is estimated around 2,200 miles (3,500 km) long, though the exact length changes over time as parts are modified or rerouted. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy claims that the Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only trail in the world. More than 2 million people are said to take a hike on part of the trail at least once each year. The idea of the Appalachian Trail came about in 1921.
Appalachian Trail by state
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail spans fourteen U.S. states during its journey that is long, including Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. It begins at Springer Mountain, Georgia, and follows the ridgeline of the Appalachian Mountains, crossing many of its highest peaks and running with only a few exceptions almost continuously through wilderness before ending at Mount Katahdin, Maine. The trail is currently protected along more than 99% of its course by federal or state land ownership or right-of-way.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. It is the most visited national park in the United States with over 11.3 million recreational visitors in 2016. On its route from Maine to Georgia, the Appalachian Trail also passes through the center of the park. The park was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934 and officially dedicated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940.
Appalachia
Appalachia () is a cultural region in the Eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York to northern Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle (Newfoundland and Labrador) in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in Alabama, the cultural region of Appalachia typically refers only to the central and southern portions of the range. As of the 2010 United States Census, the region was home to approximately 25 million people. Since its recognition as a distinctive region in the late 19th century, Appalachia has been a source of enduring myths and distortions regarding the isolation, temperament, and behavior of its inhabitants.
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail (commonly abbreviated as the PCT, and officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail) is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges, which lie east of the U.S. Pacific coast. The trail's southern terminus is on the U.S. border with Mexico, just south of Campo, California, and its northern terminus on the Canada–US border on the edge of Manning Park in British Columbia; its corridor through the U.S. is in the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. The Pacific Crest Trail is long and ranges in elevation from just above sea level at the Oregon–Washington border to at Forester Pass in the Sierra Nevada.
McAfee Knob
McAfee Knob is a geological feature, located on Catawba mountain in Catawba, Virginia, United States. It is named for a Scotch-Irish 18th-century settler. Considered to be the most scenic point along the Appalachian Trail, the vista offers panoramic views of the Catawba Valley, 3400 feet below. McAfee Knob is located on the Appalachian Trail, a four-mile hike northbound from the intersection with VA-311 in Catawba, Virginia or a 16 mile hike southbound from US-220 in Troutville, Virginia. The Appalachian Trail is a 2,175-mile hiking trail following the Appalachian Mountains between Georgia and Maine, and is a unit of the National Park Service.
Nestell Kipp Anderson
Nestell Kipp "Ned" Anderson (1885–1967) was an American farmer who spearheaded Connecticut's leg of the Appalachian Trail, which currently runs for 50 miles through the northwest corner of the state. In addition to creating and maintaining other area trails for the Connecticut Forest & Park's (CFPA) Blue-Blazed Trail System, he also organized Sherman, Connecticut's first Boy Scout troop in 1931, as well as the Housatonic Trail Club in 1932, for amateur and avid hikers. While hiking in 1929, Ned Anderson met Judge Arthur Perkins, a member of CFPA's Connecticut's Blue Blazed Trails Committee, who introduced Anderson to Myron Avery.
1_Apprentice
I think I've heard of the Appalachian Trail! Where does the trail begin and end?
0_Wizard
It spans from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, around 2,200 miles!
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine.
self_Appalachian_Trail_0
Appalachian Trail
self_0_Appalachian_Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail is estimated around 2,200 miles (3,500 km) long, though the exact length changes over time as parts are modified or rerouted. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy claims that the Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only trail in the world. More than 2 million people are said to take a hike on part of the trail at least once each year. The idea of the Appalachian Trail came about in 1921.
Mount Katahdin
Mount Katahdin (pronounced , "") is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Maine at . Named Katahdin by the Penobscot Indians, which means "The Greatest Mountain", the mountain is located within Northeast Piscataquis, Piscataquis County, and is the centerpiece of Baxter State Park. It is a steep, tall mountain formed from a granite intrusion weathered to the surface. The flora and fauna on the mountain are typical of those found in northern New England. Katahdin was known to the Native Americans in the region, and was known to Europeans at least since 1689. It has inspired hikes, climbs, journal narratives, paintings, and a piano sonata.
Appalachian Trail by state
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail spans fourteen U.S. states during its journey that is long, including Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. It begins at Springer Mountain, Georgia, and follows the ridgeline of the Appalachian Mountains, crossing many of its highest peaks and running with only a few exceptions almost continuously through wilderness before ending at Mount Katahdin, Maine. The trail is currently protected along more than 99% of its course by federal or state land ownership or right-of-way.
Springer Mountain
Springer Mountain is a mountain located in the Chattahoochee National Forest on the border of Fannin and Gilmer counties. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Georgia, the mountain has an elevation of about . Springer Mountain serves as the southern termini for the Appalachian and Benton MacKaye trails. The origin of the name of Springer Mountain is unclear. One possible origin was that it was named in honor of William G. Springer, an early settler appointed in 1833 by Governor Wilson Lumpkin to implement legislation to improve conditions for the Indians. Another possibility was that Springer Mountain was named for the first Presbyterian minister to be ordained in Georgia, John Springer, who was ordained in 1790.
Mount Oglethorpe
Mount Oglethorpe is a mountain located in Pickens County, Georgia. The southernmost peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the mountain has an elevation of , making it the highest point in Pickens County. Mount Oglethorpe served as the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail from when the trail was completed in 1937 until 1958. In 1958, as a result of over development around Mount Oglethorpe, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail was moved about to the northeast to Springer Mountain. Mount Oglethorpe is located in eastern Pickens County, near the border with Dawson County. The mountain is located about east of Jasper, west of Dawsonville and about north of Nelson.
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains (; ), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They once reached elevations similar to those of the Alps and the Rocky Mountains before naturally occurring erosion. The Appalachian chain is a barrier to east-west travel, as it forms a series of alternating ridgelines and valleys oriented in opposition to most roads running east or west. Definitions vary on the precise boundaries of the Appalachians. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) defines the "Appalachian Highlands" physiographic division as consisting of thirteen provinces: the Atlantic Coast Uplands, Eastern Newfoundland Atlantic, Maritime Acadian Highlands, Maritime Plain, Notre Dame and Mégantic Mountains, Western Newfoundland Mountains, Piedmont, Blue Ridge, Valley and Ridge, Saint Lawrence Valley, Appalachian Plateaus, New England province, and the Adirondack provinces.
Scouting in Maine
Scouting in Maine dates back to the creation of the Katahdin Area Council in 1920 and has continued prominently to the present day. Boy Scouting started early in Maine, with two local councils in operation by February 1915. The first second class council was in operation by 1916, and by 1917 three second class councils existed, in Auburn, Bath and Saco. South Portland Council began in 1918, as did Waterville Council, but that council apparently only existed for a year. Bangor, Old Town and Portland Councils were begun in 1919 in those localities, while in that same year Auburn, Bath and Saco's councils all ceased to exist.