National Military Appreciation Month

The month of May marks National Military Appreciation Month. This is an American celebration of its Military personnel, which was instituted in 1999. Showing appreciation to the military is something that happens in many cultures around the world, not just the United States. Throughout the month there are several celebrations such as parades and discounts for those serving.
 To be honest, I struggle with this one. Don’t get me wrong, I think that those who are in the military work hard and have to make a lot of sacrifices (time away from family, high-risk work environments, etc.), but, I also think it’s weird how society seems to idolize these men and women for a career that THEY selected. Again, I do recognize that many and most work hard, and believe they are making a difference…but are they? I mean, when you think of it, the Western-style of help, particularly in recent years, appears to be nothing more than going into a country who’s beliefs and practices are different from our own, and imposing FORCING our way of life on them. How is that helping? Especially when you see how our own societal norms and traditions are failing us! We don’t have a perfect system in the Global North, so what gives us the right to place our own values on the Global South?! In this day and age, wouldn’t you think we’d learn that this is not beneficial to any of us? Wouldn’t you think we’d have learned by now that violence and bullying doesn’t result in positive outcomes? Wouldn’t you think that we’d have learned that if we approach things rationally, we are more likely to achieve better results? Military is big business…perhaps that’s exactly what needs to change.

National South Asian Heritage Month

Switching from health to heritage – its National South Asian Heritage Month! National South Asian Heritage Month is a celebration of “the presence and heritage of people with roots in the South Asian countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Afghanistan.” This Canadian celebration came to light in 2001, but was not officially celebrated until the following year. The majority of celebrations take place in Ontario. The month of May was selected for National South Asian Heritage Month because May 5^th is recognized as South Asian Arrival Day. 

So, let’s learn a little bit about South Asian Heritage! South Asia has one of the earliest recordings of human life, having traced Homo erectus about 500 000 years ago. The first South Asian civilization is the Indus Valley. It is a diverse area of the world, with demographics including several hundred languages, religions affiliations, and over 2000 ethnicities! 

South Asians in Canada were first recorded in the later 1800s/early 1900s. Many arrived after hearing rumours about the high wages being paid to the British Indian soldiers. Unfortunately there has been some not so pleasant history between these early immigrants and Canada. However, it is important to note (even though many of those horrific events deal with this very matter), that the hard work of these South Asian immigrants resulted in the construction of Canada’s railroads. They also found work in industries such as lumber and mining. 

Today, South Asians contribute to the rich culture that is Canada. The largest populations of South Asian Canadians can be found in Ontario and British Columbia. Take some time this month to explore the culture – particularly if there are South Asian Heritage events taking place near you!

National Brain Tumour Awareness Month/National Skin Cancer Awareness Month/National Stroke Awareness Month/Mental Health Awareness Month/National Pet Cancer Month

Following in the theme of health related ‘celebrations,’ May is also home to National Brain Tumour Awareness Month, National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, National Stroke Awareness Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and National Pet Cancer Month. So folks, this might be a bit of a heavy post today! Might as well jump right on in… 

A brain tumour is “an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor (defined as an abnormal growth of cells) within the brain or the central spinal canal.” In some cases the tumours can be cancerous. According to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, “27 Canadians are diagnosed with a brain tumour” every day, there are over 120 types of brain tumours, and on a positive note, an “estimated that 55,000 Canadians are surviving with a brain tumour.” Some of the signs and symptoms of brain tumours include:

• Behavioural changes

• Cognitive changes

• Dizziness or unsteadiness

• Double or blurred vision

• Frequent headaches

• Hearing impairment

• Morning nausea and vomiting

• Seizures

• Weakness or paralysis

For more information, check out the link above to the Brain Tumour Foundation’s website, or contact your family doctor.

Moving on…skin cancer is “the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells. It occurs when unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells (most often caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or tanning beds) triggers mutations, or genetic defects, that lead the skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors.” There are 3 main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma (are “present on sun-exposed areas of the skin, especially the face”), squamous cell carcinoma (is also present on sun-exposed areas, but are much less frequent that basal cell carcinoma) and malignant melanoma (the least frequent, but most deathly of the three, can “originate in any part of the body that contains melanocytes”). The use of sunscreen and the reduction of exposure to the sun at peak times is the number one means of prevention. The reduction or elimination of the use of tobacco products is another way to prevent skin cancer. I think it goes without saying that it is important that you seek medical attention immediately should you suspect you have skin cancer. 

Next, strokes are “the rapid loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain.” They are also referred to as cerebrovascular accident, or CVA. They are considered to be a medical emergency, and are likely to cause permanent neurological damage if not treated in a timely manner. Some of the risk factors include: old age, high blood pressure, previous stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), diabetes (for more information check out World Diabetes Day or wait for National Diabetes Month, which takes place in November), high cholesterol, tobacco smoking and atrial fibrillation (heart rhythm disorder). Here’s a PSA that was used to bring awareness to the warning signs of a stroke:

Again, should you feel these are something you have experienced, or you believe you are currently having a stroke, please go to a hospital immediately! 

Mental health is “a level of psychological well-being, or an absence of a mental disorder.” The World Health Organization defines ‘mental health’ as “"a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community." There is a lot of stigma that surrounds individuals who suffer from mental health disorders, which is silly when you consider that an estimated 50% of the global population has some form of mental illness. While there are plenty of different mental disorders, some of the most common ones include depression and anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar to name a few. The thing is, if we can move past the stigmas that having a mental disorder means there is something wrong with that person, than maybe those suffering from the symptoms will feel confident enough to seek help. I mean, even the term “mental disorder” implies something negative, and it 50% of us have some form of it, maybe that’s the first step… Just a thought. 

And finally, National Pet Cancer Month! Well, perhaps I shouldn’t seem excited about this… Pet cancer is, as I’m sure you know, is cancer found within our furry family members – and no, I’m not talking about your human male family members with excessive body hair! According to petcancerawareness.org, the cancer rates for dogs and cats are similar to that of humans. Did you know that cancer is the “#1 natural cause of death in older pets, or that “1 in 4 dogs will die” from one of cancers many forms? Well, you do now. Taking care of any pet involves hard work and commitment, and one of the responsibilities of being a pet owner, is ensuring they are healthy. I am in no way implying that cancer is preventable, but as with humans, early detection is the best way to beat it! So, make sure you get your furry friends checkout out by your family vet regularly.

Well that appears to be the end of this chapter…check in soon for the next Monthly holiday instalment!

National Better Speech and Hearing Month

Welcome to the first of several May Monthly celebration posts! Today’s theme is National Better Speech and Hearing Month. The purpose of National Better Speech and Hearing Month is to “raise awareness about communication disorders and to promote treatment that can improve the quality of life for those who experience problems with speaking, understanding, or hearing.” It was founded 75 years ago. Speech and hearing impairments affect many individuals, ranging from young kids to the elderly, and all walks of life in between! According to the “The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that approximately 43,000,000 people in the United States suffer from a speech, voice, language, or hearing impairment.” Some signs that you might be experiencing hearing loss include:

• frequently ask people to repeat themselves

• often turn your ear toward a sound to hear it better

• understand people better when you wear your glasses or look directly at their faces

• lose your place in group conversations

• keep the volume on your radio or TV at a level that others say is too loud

• have pain or ringing in your ears

If you experience any of these signs, you should probably contact a specialist or your family doctor to learn more.

April Monthly Poll

That's right - it's the end of another month! Why not take a few minutes and vote on the Monthly Poll?! As always, the poll will be opened until the end of the following month (May, in this case). Results will be revealed as soon as possible after it has closed.  

Don't forget to check back tomorrow to learn about the first of several May celebrations!

National Humour Month

Let's end this month on a high note - it's National Humour Month! 

National Humour Month began in 1976 by Larry Wilde. Wilde thought April to be the perfect month to celebrate humour for two key reasons: 

1. April Fool's Day kicks it off.2. Tax season ends.  

Being as "scientific research now indicated that the curative power of laughter and its ability to relieve debilitation stress and burnout may indeed be on of the great medical discoveries of our time," it makes sense to want to celebrate it! Think about how amazing it feels to have the pains of laughter in your stomach. Think about the last time you laughed so hard you had tears streaming down your face. Who doesn't want to experience that daily? Not me! So, get joke tellin' and laughin' folks! Make the best of the rest of this month! 

(Image found at: http://literarileigh.blogspot.ca/2010/04/april-is-national-humor-month.html)

National Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is apparently National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Does anyone else feel like this shouldn't be a thing? Not that we should be preventing child abuse, mind you, but the fact that we actually need to make a conscious effort to do so!

(Image found at:http://www.andersen.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123053108)

National Child Abuse Prevention Month began in 1983 in the United States. The purpose of the month-long theme was to begin a conversation about how to decrease the instances of child abuse. This year, marks the 40th anniversary of the Child Abuse and Treatment Act, which was another factor in creating the Month.  

Child abuse can take place in several ways: physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse. In fact, the definition of child abuse reads as follows: "the physical, sexual or emotional maltreatment or neglect of a child or children." A study by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that in 2009 25.9% of survey respondents indicated that they had been exposed to conditions of verbal abuse as a child, 14% reported instances of physical abuse, and 12.2% have experienced sexual abuse. The greatest instances of abuse were flagged by participants between the ages of 18-24 at the time of the survey, which means, there is still quite a bit of abuse taking place today.  

The sad truth is that, National Child Abuse Prevention Month is still relevant and necessary. Together we can, hopefully, build a culture of intolerance for future generations. 

(Image found at: http://fssba.org/announcements/april-is-child-abuse-prevention-month)