Living with a Disabilty (Free Online Magazine)

Less than 10% of all printed material in the world is presented in a format considered “accessible” to people with low or no vision. Other types of disabilities, like dyslexia or motor-skill issues, can also limit access to web-based and electronically delivered information. That makes information accessibility an important topic for businesses and other content producers who increasingly use print and electronic media to get their messages into the world.

What makes a document accessible?

For people with disabilities, a document should be produced in one of the following formats:
• Hard-copy Braille
• Large print
• Electronic file that can accessed on a screen reader or Braille display
• DAISY format, an electronic/audio file with additional navigation options
• Audio file, narrated by a professional or created using synthesized speech
• Accessible website, easily read with a screen reader or Braille display

While every user has a preferred format, there are pros and cons for each choice. Hard copy Braille, for example, is essential for blind people who can’t use computers, but is expensive to produce. In addition, finished Braille documents can be unwieldy (a simple novel might become five thick volumes of Braille).

Who creates accessible documents?

Institutions and organizations for the blind, as well as some charitable organizations, develop materials in Braille and other accessible formats. However, their choice of material is often governed by their scope of services. For example, they might produce textbooks for schools, a small selection of novels and non-fiction books, organizational magazines and material, or only personalized requests from local members, such as family recipes or letters.

Other accessible formats are produced by businesses who often enlist the help of an accessibility consultant. In the end, there is no compelling regulating entity that requires website owners to create accessible websites: It is the responsibility of each to make their information accessible across the spectrum of users.

The good news: Many files are already accessible including .doc and .txt files which can be read on a screen reader or Braille display. E-readers and iPads are becoming increasingly popular among blind and low-vision people as alternatives to hard-copy books.

How do I create an accessible website?

Use clean, well-tested code so that the electronic screen reader can navigate through your website. Correctly describe images using “alt” tags (screen readers can only “read” the description of an image) and ensure that you have created a sensible hierarchy of heading tags on each page of your site.

For more information and help with building accessible information, check out:

• Blog Accessibility – Accessibility expert Glenda Watson Hyatt offers tons of advice about creating an accessible blogosphere.
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 – Provides international guidelines for accessible websites.
• WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool – Use this tool to check your website’s accessibility.
• AChecker – Web Accessibility Checker – Another tool for checking the accessibility of your website.

Your heart is a vital part of your body’s system – it keeps the blood flowing around your body so you continue to function normally. If your arteries get blocked with fatty deposits, you could be in serious trouble.

Eating for a healthy heart isn’t about choosing one “miracle food” and eating that at every meal. A “whole foods” diet – based on fresh, healthy foods that come from nature – is the best way to maintain a healthy heart.

Here are five heart-healthy foods you can enjoy:

1. Whole Grains

Say goodbye to white bread, surgery cereals, white rice and pasta, and hello to multi-grain bread, brown rice, oatmeal, and quinoa. Whole grains contain anti-oxidants, phytosterols and phytoestrogens, which help fight coronary disease.

The fiber in whole grains is also vital for good health.

You can enjoy whole grains everyday: have a bowl of oatmeal topped with natural yogurt and strawberries for breakfast, a wholegrain sandwich for lunch, and curry with brown rice for dinner.

2. Oily Fish

If you eat fish at least twice a week, you can lower your risk of coronary heart disease by around 30%. It’s the omega 3 in salmon, tuna and other oily fish that lowers blood pressure and triglyceride levels in the bloodstream.

3. Beans

There’s a song that goes, “beans, beans, they’re good for your heart …” I won’t sing the rest, but that part is certainly true! According to a study in the Journal of Nutrition, eating a ½ cup of cooked pinto beans every day will lower cholesterol by as much as 30%.

Beans are filled with soluble fiber, which binds with cholesterol and prevents it from being absorbed into the bloodstream. They’re also jam-packed with good-heart flavonoid chemicals, just like other heart-healthy foods: berries, chocolate and red wine.

4. Chocolate

It’s true – eating a moderate (the key word is moderate) amount of chocolate can benefit cardiovascular health and boost the immune system. This is because cocoa is rich in flavonoids and epicatechin, which help keep blood vessels healthy.

But be sure to choose dark chocolate – with 70% cocoa solids. Milk and white chocolate contain significantly more sugar and little of the epicatechin compound.

5. Apples

It is said that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and this could be true for heart disease. The homely apple contains high levels of flavonoid components that prevent plaque buildup in the arteries.

Apples also contain pectin, a type of soluble fiber that helps to lower cholesterol.

There are lots of other foods that are good for the heart, including berries, yogurt, pomegranates, nuts, green tea, and popcorn (as long as it isn’t smothered in butter, salt or icing sugar).

When trying to eat a heart-healthy diet, the important thing to remember is to choose natural, whole foods – whole grain breads, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish – and eliminate processed foods, fat, sugar and salt. By sticking to a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, your heart will be in good shape for years to come.