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Take Note
daily, weekly & monthly
health observances
by Kelley Sullivan
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The American Dietetic Association (A.D.A.) created National Nutrition Month to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits. The A.D.A. boasts 70,000 members and is the largest organization of food and nutrition specialists. n For more information, visit www.eatright.org.
During National M.S. Education Awareness Month, take time to learn more about multiple sclerosis and what you can do to help. The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation hopes the campaign will promote an understanding of the scope of the disease and help those suffering from it make informed decisions about their healthcare. For more information, visit www.msfocus.org.
The Poison Prevention Week Council specializes in creating events to educate the public about the dangers of accidental poisoning. National Poison Prevention Week, March 21 to 27, reminds us that poisonings among children can occur in a matter of seconds, especially when adults are distracted. Parents have to be aware of all the hazardous chemicals in their homes and take measures to keep them out of small hands. For more information, visit www.poisonprevention.org.
According to the American Lung Association, tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease affecting the lungs, but it can also attack other parts of the body. A statistic from The Stop TB Partnership says that tuberculosis begins to develop in 8 million people every year and kills approximately 2 million people. Each person infected can pass the disease onto between 10 and 15 people annually, just by breathing. World TB Day, March 24, was created to raise public awareness about this disease. For more information, visit www.stoptb.org.
Did you know that the quality of your sleep can affect your health, productivity, and safety? National Sleep Awareness Week, March 29 to April 4, focuses on that lost hour of sleep from daylight savings time, and the importance of getting an adequate amount of rest. According to the National Sleep Foundation, even an hour of sleep is too important to lose. This year’s theme is “Waking America to the Importance of Sleep.” For more information, visit www.sleepfoundation.org.
Celebrate youth leadership and activism on Kick Butts Day (K.B.D.), March 31. The Ninth Annual K.B.D., created by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, emphasizes the importance of organizing events in our community to keep kids from picking up a pack of cigarettes. Visit http://kickbuttsday.org for more information on how to buy merchandise or receive activity guides to create your own programs.
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