National Great Outdoors Month

Ah! What a great way to start the month of June – a celebration of the great outdoors! That’s right, June marks National Great Outdoors Month! 

(Image found at: http://home.messiah.edu/~js1690/)

There are many benefits to enjoying nature and well, just life in general, outside of four walls and a ceiling! For one, it can reduce stress, which can lead to a decrease in adverse health effects. The reduction in mental stress alone is worth the trip outside. There’s something about the smell of fresh air that calms me, and I would like to assume it has the same effect on others. It usually leads to higher levels of activity, as many use the outdoors as an outdoor gym! And why not – it’s free! The outdoors, if used during the daytime, comes with an added bonus – sunshine! Sunshine provides us with Vitamin D, which helps decrease the chances of a number of diseases, as well as boosting our moods! 

These factors, I should hope, are enough to convince you to drop what you’re doing right now (I mean…finish reading the blog!) and head outdoors! Get out there and go for a walk, play some Frisbee, do some push-ups, whatever – just go outside and enjoy the world around you! 

Not to be confused with: 

(Image found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Outdoors_(film))

May Monthly Poll

I hope you've enjoyed learning about the many May monthly celebrations! Why not vote on the Monthly Poll? It's free, super fun, and will not result in anything more than wasting a few minutes of your life that you'll never get back!

To vote, click here!

The poll is opened until the end of June, and the results will be released soon after. …Hopefully anyway, because who knows what my internet access will be like for the next few months!

National Masturbation Month

Saving the best for last? I’ll let you be the judge of that…but as per the conditions of the Blog’s viewership agreement, I must advise that the following content may not be suitable for all ages, as it deals with mature subject matter.

National Masturbation Month is intended to spark conversation about the act, and to remove the shame associated with doing so. The Month was declared in San Francisco in 1995, in response to “the forced resignation of then U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders.” Elders spoke publically of masturbation in a positive light in 1994 during a speech for the UN’s World Aids Day. Elders stated that she felt it was a “part of human sexuality.”

For those of you uncertain about what masturbation is, Wikipedia defines it as “the sexual stimulation of one's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm.” Any number of sources will tell you that there are multiple health benefits to masturbation for both men and women. I suppose if you need/want to learn more about these benefits or any other aspect of masturbation, you can refer to the ‘ol Internet. After all, it has been helping teens and adults alike masturbate since, well, you get the point…

National Drinking Water Month

Did you know that there is an entire month dedicated to drinking water? Well, now you do, and it’s called May! Somewhat surprisingly, Culligan, an international bulk water distributor, declared this monthly celebration. The purpose is to raise awareness “about the importance of healthy, clean and safe drinking water.” And, they are right, it is important to gain access to safe, potable water. But, what I find interesting is that a company that makes this access difficult to many in need is the one promoting it. 

Don’t get me wrong, I totally see the value in doing so – it makes their brand look like they’re a part of the solution, it gives the impression they care and aren’t only interested in the sales, etc – and this is incredibly smart, as far as the strategy behind it goes. But, we all know this is nothing more than a marketing ploy. Considering 3.4 million people die each year from water-related causes, and an estimated 783 million don’t have access to clean water. The bottled water industry is destroying a huge chunk of the global population’s ability to obtain even the most basic amounts of water, and all in the name of $$$$$$$$. 

As fascinating as this industry is, particularly the part that indicates that the majority of sales growth was the result of virtually no marketing whatsoever, I find it extremely difficult to believe that Culligan, or any other similar company has “best intentions” in mind. 

I think we should certainly use this month to bring awareness to the fact that so many people are not as fortunate as those of us living in the Global North, but let’s do so by educating ourselves on the malicious (whether intended or not) practices of companies like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Danone, etc!

National Bike Month

Last time we met, we were discussing smiling. Still looking for a reason to smile? May is National Bike Month, and who doesn’t like a nice calming bike ride on a warm, sunny May afternoon? If you’re me, than, well, me! Okay, so it’s not that I don’t like the idea of going for a nice calming bike ride on a warm, sunny May afternoon, it’s just that I haven’t been on a bike in nearly 20 years, and the very idea of doing so kind of terrifies me. A friend offered to re-teach me to ride a bike, and I accepted with the sole condition that he come equipped with a full pillow body suit for me to wear (oh, and it had to be a grassy area). Needless to say, this has yet to actually happen. But hey! He got a good laugh out of this image, as I hope you will too! 

(Image found at: http://www.stalbertgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/tngallery?Site=GR&Date=20110606&Category=SAG0701&ArtNo=606009999&Ref=PH
Please note this is not necessarily an accurate portrayal of a warm, sunny May afternoon bike ride looks like!)

Anyway, back to business – National Bike Month. While I cannot find any evidence as to when National Bike Month began, Wikipedia suggests that it originated in the United States. But if you look at the National Bike Month Wikipedia page, that is all it says. Well, that and that the Month is a “celebration of cycling.” I think it’s fair to assume that other areas of the world outside of the United States are also pretty pleased to have biking available to them. And, really, even if I were not so petrified to get back on a bike, I’d probably be more than just theoretically pleased about it! 

So, do what I wouldn’t do, and hop on that bike of yours this month! After all, the saying goes, “it’s just like riding a bike!” – what’s the worst thing that could happen?

(Image found at: http://akpedbikealliance.wordpress.com)

National Smile Month

Well folks, for this one, we can pretty much revert back to National Power of A Smile Day! 

Actually, it appears as though we may be taking a brief detour from the non-health related category. National Smile Month, or what was formerly known as National Smile Week, is a British campaign to get people to focus on their dental health. The transition from Week to Month took place in 2006, after the campaign gained overwhelming popularity. In 2009, this Monthly celebration crossed the big pond, and began catching on in parts of the United States and Canada. The British Dental Health Foundation has set three main goals, or key messages, to focus on throughout the month:

• Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste.

• Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks.

• Visit the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend. 

Maintaining good dental health is important to maintaining good healthy bodies, so, I’d recommend you participate in this one! And, don’t forget to smile!

(Image found at: http://www.dentalrepublic.co.uk/the-probe/news/detail/national-smile-month-launched)