Sunday November 30, 2008, is:

Computer Security Day

Computer Security Day was started in 1988 to remind people to protect their computers & information.

The theme for this year (2008) is:  "A Good Defense".

Here are some ways that you can celebrate:

• Change your password.

• Check for computer viruses.

• Protect against static electricity.

• Vacuum your computer and the immediate area.

• Eliminate dust from computer areas, including chalk dust.

• Back-up your data (after being certain that it is virus-free).

• Delete unneeded files.

• Install and inspect power surge protection as appropriate.

• Install fire/smoke detection and suppression equipment in computer areas.

• Install all security-related updates to your computer's operating system.

• Help a computer novice backup their files.

• Update your anti-virus program.

Source:   Association for Computer Security Day  Visit www.computersecurityday.org for more.

NOVEMBER is:

LUNG Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that…

• Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the United States.  An estimated 212,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed this year.

Watch ABCnews video with Bonnie J. Addario & her husband Tony (of the Lung Cancer Foundation):

“Survivor urges early lung cancer screening” (Video & article – click here)

Learn More:

Visit the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation Website:  www.thelungcancerfoundation.org

Visit the Care-Aware main page (if you’re not there already): http://care-aware.spaces.live.com

Toy Hazard Alerts:

Before you buy a toy for a child, check this list – it contains some of THE worst toys which have the potential to cause injuries or even deaths.

W.A.T.C.H.’s 2008 "10 Worst Toys" List [click]

Then read their list of things to be on the alert for when shopping for toys:

"TOY HAZARDS TO WATCH OUT FOR" [click]

Visit the Care-Aware home page (if you’re not there already): http://care-aware.spaces.live.com

This (last) WEEK in November is:

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Awareness Week

(November 25^th – December 1^st, 2008)

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, affects at least an estimated 5% to 7% of the global population.

• GERD is generally a treatable disease. Serious complications can result if it is not treated properly.

• All too often, GERD is either self- treated or mistreated.

Visit the Int’l Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders website [click here]

Get your (free, printable) 7-Day Diary & Quick Questionaire [click here]

NOV is also Heartburn Awareness MONTH

(Persistent heartburn is the most frequent – but not the only – symptom of GERD.)

Visit the Heartburn Awareness Month Website [click here]

 (Sponsored by the National Heartburn Alliance)

National Family Week

(November 23^rd - 29^th, 2008)

Visit The Alliance for Children & Families [click here]

&

National Home Fire Safety Week

in CANADA

(November 24^th – 30^th, 2008)

• Fire departments respond to over 50,000 residential fires a year in Canada.

• On average, eight Canadians die from a fire every week.

Visit the Canada Safety Council’s Website [click here]

  Hmm… “GERD”, “Family” & “Fire”?  Well, I gotta say, those somehow seem like a really appropriate combo of awareness topics for the same week as Thanksgiving Day (USA)... in MY house, anyway!   LOL

Help Spread Awareness for All:   Share the URL/address/link to this blog post &/or to the main Care-Aware Space.

Visit the Care-Aware home page (if you’re not there already):  http://care-aware.spaces.live.com

November 25^th, is:

International Day To End Violence Against Women

“At least one out of every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime — with the abuser usually someone known to her. Perhaps the most pervasive human rights violation that we know today, it devastates lives, fractures communities, and stalls development.”  [Source: UNIFEM.org]

Read more:

Facts & Figures on Violence Against Women (Click)  

www.saynotoviolence.org

This post was last updated on 11/25/09.

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Thursday, November 20^th, is:

The Great American SmokeOut Day

NOVEMBER is Lung Cancer Awareness MONTH

The Great American SmokeOut is a one-day annual event to encourage the 45+ millions of Americans to quit tobacco smoking, with the hope that not smoking cigarettes for 24 hours will result in their quitting forever.  With all the resources available to help smokers quit, there has never been a better time to quit smoking!

The GASD grew out of “Don't Smoke Day” which began in 1974 in Minnesota.  Before that (in 1971), there had also been a day set up (in Mass.) where people were asked to give up cigarettes for a day and donate the money they would have spent to a high school scholarship fund.  This idea caught on, turned into the GASD in California on November 18, 1976, & spread nationwide by 1977.

Many celebrities have chaired the event, over the years (including Sammy Davis, Jr., Edward Asner, Natalie Cole, Larry Hagman, Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, Christy Turlington), and "spokespud" Mr. Potato Head  even gave up his pipe for the cause!  J

Smoking Stats:

• Roughly 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 teenagers in the U.S. are current smokers.

• Lung cancer remains the number one cancer killer among men and women.

• This year alone, approximately 213,380 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the US, and an estimated 160,390 people will die from the disease.  Each year, smoking accounts for an estimated 438,000 premature deaths, including 38,000 deaths among nonsmokers as a result of secondhand smoke.

• Smoking is also associated with increased risk for cancers of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, kidney, bladder, pancreas, and cervix and has more recently been associated with colorectal cancer, myeloid leukemia, as well as cancers of the liver, stomach, and nasal sinuses.

• Smoking is also a major cause of heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema.

• Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society, yet there have been 12 million premature deaths attributable to smoking in the United States.

• Smoking prevalence varies by race and ethnicity, with American Indian/Alaska Native men and women having the highest rates (40.5% and 40.9%, respectively).

• Youth smoking prevalence in the US still remains high; in 2005, 23 percent of US high school students were smokers. In the absence of intervention, studies show that most adolescent smokers continue smoking as adults.

I happened across this article, not long ago by a woman who quit smoking by using hypnosis (after having smoked a pack a day for 40 years, nonetheless!).  Interesting (I  thought, anyway)!:

“Hypnosis: Is It for You?” (click for article)

OOOOH – HEY!  Look what else I just found, to go with that – FREE hypnosis online for today (plus possible prizes)!:

When Smokers Quit -- Benefits of Quitting Over Time:

20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.

12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.

10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease.

15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker's.

[Source: http://www.cancer.org/downloads/GAHC/WhenSmkrsQuit.pdf]

Accept the Great American Smokeout Challenge (click)

Or, Phone the Quitline:

By calling the American Cancer Society Quitline® at 1-800-227-2345, people who plan to quit will be able to speak with a trained counselor and receive free, confidential counseling.

Studies have found that Quitline can more than double a person’s chances of successfully quitting tobacco. Callers to Quitline can be connected with smoking cessation resources in their communities, social support groups, Internet resources, and medication assistance referrals. Since its inception in 2000, Quitline has provided counseling support to more than 380,000 smokers.

The American Cancer Society offers other free resources – through Quitline and at www.cancer.org/GreatAmericans – that can increase a smoker’s chances of quitting successfully, including tips and tools for friends, family, and coworkers of potential quitters to help them be aware and supportive of the struggle to quit smoking. Studies show the importance of social support in quitting smoking, as people are most likely to quit smoking when their friends, family, and coworkers decide to quit smoking. Popular online social networks such as Facebook and MySpace are also becoming support channels for people who want to quit, and American Cancer Society Smokeout-related downloadable desktop applications are available on these networks to help people quit or join the fight against tobacco.

“A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that social networks are helpful in quitting smoking,” said [spokesperson]. “Friends and family can help the most by being aware and supportive of the struggle to quit, and the American Cancer Society has resources to help them show support for their loved one who is trying to quit.”

[Source: American Cancer Society]

Oh dear… HERE’s another reason to quit smoking (NOT pretty lol)!: 

Download the FREE SmokeOut Countdown Clock & Craving Stopper (click here for details)

Did you quit smoking?  How did you do it?  Help those who are still thinking of quitting (&/or have tried before) by leaving a comment for them.

© Care-Aware 2008  Visit the Care-Aware main page (if you’re not there already): http://care-aware.spaces.live.com

The 2nd or 3rd Wednesday^Ŧ in November is:

World COPD Day*

"Breathless not Helpless!"

NOVEMBER is COPD Awareness MONTH

World COPD Day is an event held each November to raise awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) worldwide.

What is COPD?

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a serious lung disease that progressively robs sufferers of breath.

• COPD is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide (but will be the third leading cause of death by 2020), and causes serious, long-term disability & more than 3 million deaths every year.* 

• The number of people with COPD is increasing. More than 12 million people in America are currently diagnosed with COPD and an additional 12 million likely have the disease and don't even know it.  An estimated 600 million people have COPD in the world.  Recent studies indicate that 25% to 50% of people with clinically significant COPD don’t know they have the disease.

• You may have heard COPD called other names, like emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

• In people who have COPD, the airways—tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs—are partly blocked, which makes it hard to get air in and out.

“Breathless Not Helpless!”

On World COPD Day, in countries all over the world, dozens of activities for healthcare professionals, COPD patients, the general public, and the media will take place around the theme “Breathless Not Helpless!” This positive theme emphasizes that effective treatments are available for COPD. It also raises awareness that, for people

who have not been diagnosed with COPD, breathlessness is a signal that they should see their doctor.

“Breathlessness is not just an inevitable part of getting older,” says Roberto Rodriguez-Roisin, MD, Chair of the Executive Committee of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). GOLD is the organizer of World COPD Day. But he says that the early stages of COPD often go unrecognized. “Unfortunately, many COPD patients do not receive a diagnosis until their disease is relatively advanced.”

Symptoms of COPD

• Constant coughing, sometimes called “smoker’s cough”

• Shortness of breath while doing activities you used to be able to do

• Excess sputum production

• Feeling like you can’t breathe

• Not being able to take a deep breath

• Wheezing

When COPD is severe, shortness of breath and other symptoms can get in the way of doing even the most basic tasks, such as doing light housework, taking a walk, and even bathing and getting dressed.

COPD develops slowly, and can worsen over time, so be sure to report any symptoms you might have to your doctor as soon as possible, no matter how mild they may seem.

Diagnosis

“In patients at risk, a test called spirometry to measure a patient’s lung function can diagnose COPD. Spirometry is simple, quick, and painless to do,” emphasizes Klaus Rabe, MD, PhD, GOLD Executive Committee Co-Chair.  “Greater use of spirometry would help us diagnose COPD earlier and reduce the worldwide burden of COPD,” says Christine Jenkins, MD, Chair of the GOLD Dissemination Committee. This year, the committee produced a series of educational resources to help health care professionals perform and interpret spirometry in clinical practice. “Many people are aware that it is important to have one’s cholesterol levels monitored. If you have risk factors for COPD, getting a lung function test is just as important,” Jenkins adds.

Without treatment, COPD is generally a progressive disease, and as the disease gets worse patients become breathless during everyday activities such as climbing a flight of stairs, walking the dog, or even getting washed and dressed in the morning.

Importance of Early Detection

The earlier COPD is detected, the more effective treatment can be. Medicines for COPD alleviate symptoms of breathlessness so that patients can participate more fully in daily life. Patients may be able to slow or even stop the progress of COPD by reducing their exposure to risk factors for the disease.

Risk Factors

Worldwide, the most commonly encountered risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking. Other important risk factors include dusts and chemicals encountered on the job and smoke from biomass fuels (such as coal, wood, and animal dung) burned for cooking and heating in poorly ventilated dwellings, especially in developing countries.  Heavy or long-term exposure to secondhand smoke or other air pollutants may also contribute to COPD.  Being over 40 years old or having symptoms of COPD are also risk factors.

Genetic Factors: In some people, COPD is caused by a genetic condition known as alpha-1 antitrypsin, or AAT, deficiency. While very few people know they have AAT deficiency, it is estimated that as many as 100,000 Americans have it. People with AAT deficiency can get COPD even if they have never smoked or had long-term exposure to harmful pollutants.

Could YOU have COPD? Take this quick Questionairre (click)

What You Can Do:

• Quit Smoking - (tomorrow - Thurs., Nov 20^th – is the Great American Smokeout) Visit www.smokefree.gov; www.lungusa.org; or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

• Avoid Exposure to Pollutants - Try to stay away from other things that could irritate your lungs like dust, strong fumes, poor outside air quality, & cigarette smoke.

• Visit Your Doctor on a Regular Basis - even if you are feeling fine. Make a list of your breathing symptoms and think about any activities that you can no longer do because of shortness of breath. Be sure to bring a list of all the medicines you are taking to each doctor’s visit.

• Do your best to avoid crowds during flu season.  - It is also a good idea to get a flu shot every year, since the flu can cause serious problems for people with COPD. You should also ask your doctor about the pneumonia vaccine.

• Take Precautions Against the Flu - Do your best to avoid crowds during flu season. It is also a good idea to get a flu shot every year, since the flu can cause serious problems for people with COPD. You should also ask your doctor about the pneumonia vaccine.

If you think you might be at risk for COPD, get a simple breathing test. Talk with your doctor about treatment options. You can take steps to make breathing easier and live a longer and more active life. 

*  World COPD Day is an annual awareness-raising event organized and sponsored by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). For more information please visit www.goldcopd.org//WCDIndex.asp.

* Source: World Health Organization (WHO); World Health Report. Geneva; 2000.

This post was last updated in Nov. '09.

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November 14^th, is...

World Diabetes DAY

Visit www.worlddiabetesday.org

Know the diabetes warning signs:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Increased hunger
• Weight loss
• Tiredness
• Lack of interest and concentration
• Blurred vision
• Vomiting and stomach pain (often mistaken as the flu)

*In children with type 2 diabetes these symptoms may be mild or absent.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes:

Diabetes is a chronic, potentially debilitating and often fatal disease. It occurs as a result of problems with the production and supply of the hormone insulin in the body. The body needs insulin to use the energy stored in food. When someone has diabetes they produce no or insufficient insulin (type 1 diabetes - an autoimmune disease that cannot be prevented), or their body cannot use effectively the insulin they produce (type 2 diabetes).

1. Every year, 70,000 children under the age of 15 develop type 1 diabetes.
2. Over half of children with diabetes develop complications within 15 years.
3. Global studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by enabling individuals to lose 7-10% of their body weight, and by increasing their physical activity to a modest level.

On World Diabetes Day (WDD) over 800 various monuments & iconic buildings will be will be lit up in blue to mark the occasion – including 35 in the United States. 

Find out which ones will be lit in YOUR corner of the world (click).

Learn MORE:

Get a FREE 30-page booklet on WDD & diabetes (including info. on diabetes in children and adolescents) from The International Diabetes Federation.

CLICK HERE for your Free (PDF) Booklet

Visit the Care-Aware main page (if you’re not there already): http://care-aware.spaces.live.com