July & August Awareness

❤August Awareness❤

Children's Eye Health and Safety Month National Immunization Awareness Month World Breastfeeding Week (1-7)

☆July Awareness☆ 

UV Safety Month Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month Cord Blood Awareness Month National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month International Group B Strep Awareness Month

June Awareness!

This month is:

☀ Men's Health Month

☀ Home Safety Month
☀ National Aphasia Awareness Month
☀ Cataract Awareness Month
☀ National Scleroderma Awareness Month
☀ National Cancer Survivor's Day (5)
☀ World Sickle Cell Day (19)
☀ National HIV Testing Day (27)
☀ Men's Health Week (13-19)
Happy Father's Day! 
The purpose of Men’s Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

This week gives health care providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury.

Did I have Lupus as a child?

During the Lupus Star Foundation (Lupus Star Website) peer support group meeting, I mentioned that I might have had lupus long before I was diagnosed.  Throughout my childhood I had several issues that were just kind of brushed aside and not paid much attention to.  For example, as a child I used to have chest pains quite often. The doctors always said it was just a pulled muscle, because of my sports and dance and such. Ummm, maybe it was pleurisy people. Also, I was very active, but when I ran it was quite painful for my ankles and feet.  I just thought I was slow and out of shape.  


When I got a bit older, like high school and my first year of college, I would sometimes have to stop dancing because of exhaustion.  I mean I just could not finish performances sometimes.  I would faint or come really close to it.  This even got me kicked off of the marching band pommerette team.  I would run out of practice because I felt so bad and I couldn't keep up.  I thought I just sucked.  Did I have lupus back then?  I probably did, but the doctors did not catch it.  They always put the symptoms off as something else.  


As an adult something finally brought the disease all the way out. Yeah thanks!! Now that I know all the symptoms and different ways to diagnose lupus, I think that I definitely had the lupus all along.  Lying dormant within this little girl, that had no idea what lupus was. 


It is important to take any change in your health seriously.  It may seem like nothing, but it could be very serious.  You have to take control and understand what is going on with your body. If your chest is hurting, it means that something is wrong.  You need to find out what it is.  It is not normal for you to have pain for months at a time.  Get it checked, and make the doctors figure it out.  Don't just believe what they tell you!!  They are "practicing", they do not know everything.  As my fellow lupus survivor told us "you have to be your own advocate"; he is absolutely right.  Get tested and checked out when your feeling "funny", it could save your life. :0)


With Love,

April & March Awareness

April
☂ National Donate Life Month
☂ National Autism Awareness Month
☂ National Minority Health Month
☂ Alcohol Awareness Month
☂ World Health Day (7)
☂ World Meningitis Day (24)
☂ National Infant Immunization Week (23-30)


March 
☁ National Nutrition Month
☁ National Endometriosis Awareness Month
☁ Save Your Vision Month
☁ National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

November Awareness

❋ American Diabetes Month
❋ COPD Awareness Month
❋ Lung Cancer Awareness Month
❋ National Family Caregivers Month
❋ National Healthy Skin Month
❋ Diabetic Eye Disease Month
❋ National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
❋ Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
❋ Prematurity Awareness Month
❋ Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month

September Awareness

This month is:
❂ Childhood Cancer Month
❂ Fruits and Veggies - More Matters Month
❂ Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month
❂ National Sickle Cell Month
❂ National Infant Mortality Awareness Month
❂ National Cholesterol Education Month
❂ National Yoga Awareness Month
❂ National Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
❂ Reye's Syndrome Awareness Month
❂ National Rehabilitation Awareness Week (19-25)
❂ World Alzheimer's Day (21)
❂ Family Health and Fitness Day USA (25)
❂ National Women's Health and Fitness Day (29)
❂ World Heart Day (30)


Stay aware of what is going on and educate yourself!!  

Men's Health and Lupus

10 Foods to Boost Men's Health 

~ Oysters   (high in zinc)

~ Bananas   (high in potassium)

~ Fatty Fish   (high in Omega 3 fatty acids)

~ Broccoli  (heart disease and cancer preventing nutrients)

~ Brazil Nuts   (high in magnesium and selenium) 

~ Whole Grains   (high in fiber and Vitamin B)

~ Plant Stanols   (lower blood cholesterol levels)

~ Soybeans   (high in isoflavones) 

~ Berries and Cherries   (high in anthocyanin) 

~ Red-Orange Vegetables  (high in vitamin C and beta-carotene)

This week is National Men's Health Week, well depending on the source it is National Men's Health Month. This is the perfect time to address Lupus in Men.  Many think of Lupus as a women's disease.  Men can and do suffer from Lupus as well.  It can occur in men of any age, just as with women.  I have come across several men of various ages and ethnicities who have Lupus, and they have the same issues that women have. 

Before puberty, about 1 male will develop Lupus for every 3 females.  In teens and adults, 1 male will develop Lupus for every 10 females.  After the age of 50, 1 male develops Lupus for every 8 females.  These gender differences are seen in only systemic lupus, not in cutaneous (skin) Lupus.  

Males have similar symptoms as females, including joint pain, skin rash and extreme fatigue. The clinical course of Lupus is about the same in both genders.  Males are treated with the same therapies as females.  Some researchers have found that later manifestations of the disease differ between sexes.  Studies have found more severe kidney, nerve and blood vessel disease in males with Lupus compared to females with Lupus. However, there is no great evidence to support a significant difference in severity of Lupus in males and females.  

Researchers are now studying Lupus in aging males.  Young men with Lupus have normal levels of hormones.  Their Lupus activity is usually much worse than older men. Late-onset Lupus may depend on lower levels of male hormones.  (LFA)

Quick Facts:

~ Young men with Lupus have normal reproductive histories.

~ Lupus should not affect their ability to be sexually active.

~ Men with Lupus may not be able to continue working to support his family.

~ They may have difficulty with tasks requiring physical labor.

~ Stress may be caused by the inability to carry on the traditional male role.

~ Men can have hair loss, weight gain and skin rashes.

~ Men are more concerned with loss of job and change of job.

~ False sense of "loss of masculinity" and loss of independence is difficult. 

FLASHBACK #2

In 2007, I lived in Paris, France for 4 whole months.  It was an absolutely wonderful experience.  One aspect of this experience was a special blessing.  My health was GREAT!!  While in Paris I did not have all of the aches and pains that I deal with on a daily basis here in the US.  Why?  Well I think that all the walking and good food had something to do with it.  I had to walk everywhere and use the Metro for transportation.  I walked all day and all night.  But it felt great.  Once I walked all the way from my apartment (near Gare de Lyon) to Le Louvre.  I don't know how I did it, but I DID.  Not on purpose, I got lost coming from the Picasso Museum...anyhoo.  It was very rare for me to get turned around, but I did, silly me.  On to the Food.  Not only does it taste great; the French have very strict regulations on the quality of food that they can sell.  They aren't allowed to use all those additives and chemicals (even in their fast food) that the Americans do.  So the food is more healthy, AND tastes amazing Mmmmm!!

One other essential detail was my state of mind, attitude, mood, etc.  I was HAPPY!!  I loved every moment of it.  My good mood and positive attitude contributed to my physical well-being.  I have learned that it works here too. Just remember that even when your health is on the fritz and you feel terrible, sometimes all you have to do is think positive.  Smile and love your life, love yourself and the people around you.  Have the right mindset and know that you are in control.  Think happy thoughts and happiness will not be far behind!!

With Love ღ


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