March is a busy month for National Health Observances.
First there are the Month long designations:
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
National Endometriosis Awareness Month
National Nutrition Month
Save your Vision Month
Trisomy Awareness Month
Workplace Eye Wellness Month
Then you have the specially appointed weeks:
Patient Safety Awareness Week (6-12) and National School Breakfast Week (7-12), Brain Awareness Week, (14-20), National Poison Prevention Week (20-26) and World Salt Awareness Week (21-27)
Finally, there are the individually designated days:
World Kidney Day (11)
World Tuberculosis Day (24)
American Diabetes Alert Day (25)
Each Health Observance is sponsored by a special interest group or organization but being that they bring awareness through education, I fully support this type of lobbying. I certainly can't fault them like I would, for example, the greeting card and candy companies' grand glorification of Valentines day. Some observances get more press than others, which can certainly be attributed to the size and scope of each special interest organization. Few people are aware of the existence of the World Action on Salt & Health, but the American Diabetes Association is quite well known.
Which observance to focus on is a more personal decision. Those who have been affected by colorectal cancer may choose this as their focus this month. Parents or school faculty may want to focus on National School Breakfast Week. Whatever you choose, make it an opportunity to live well and help others to live well. Plan a week of nutritious breakfasts for your family (some would argue it's the most important meal of the day). Take your favorite family recipe and try to make it healthier. Go through your home and make sure poison hazards are marked as such and out of reach from pets and children. Individuals and companies alike can use these "Health Holidays" as valuable teaching tools and who knows, you may prevent a crisis or catch a chronic disease in its early stages.
The JFA Worksite Wellness Team shares stories, tips and information about living well, or doing the best they can, while balancing life and working as worksite wellness professionals.
