September is:

National Food Allergy Awareness Month

Here’s a surprising (to ME, anyway) tidbit about specific food allergy issues which I ran across, just recently:

Did you know that if you’re allergic to ragweed, there’s also a good chance that your body may react to certain foods?  Many individuals who have a ragweed allergy also have symptoms when eating certain fresh fruits and vegetables (studies show that about a third react to both).

Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) occurs when the body confuses the proteins in certain foods with similar ones in ragweed.

If YOU have a ragweed allergy you may also want to avoid these foods:

• Bananas

• Cucumbers 

• Zucchinis

• Melons 

• Chamomile

• Sunflower seeds 

• Echinacea

Interesting, huh?!  I’d heard about the chamomile connection; but had no idea about the others.  Bananas, even! 

Here are some tips for minimizing exposure to ragweed:

• Keep windows closed to keep pollen from drifting into your home. Use the air conditioner, which filters, cools and dries air.

• Stay indoors when pollen counts are highest, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• Check daily pollen counts for your area at www.aaaai.org/nab.

• Change your clothing after time spent outdoors and avoid drying laundry outside.

• Sleep well by taking a shower before bed to wash away pollen that’s accumulated on or near your head – and will otherwise wind up on your pillow.

Care-Aware: http://care-aware.spaces.live.com

September 29^th is...

All Angels Day

AKA St. Michael’s Day or Michelmas Day

This is a day to praise to God for the heavenly angels - the non-human (& never-have-been-human) beings of His own unique creation, who serve God and his saints.  Today, we (i.e. Christians) also ask God to continue to allow His heavenly angels to help and defend us here on earth.

“All the angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to help those people who will receive salvation.” 

– Hebrews 1:14 (ERV)

The day is also known as St. Michael’s Day or Michelmas Day.  The Feast of Michaelmas celebrated St Michael, the archangel who was credited with expelling Lucifer from heaven; & also marked the end of the harvest season.

“Calling All Angels” – by Train 

May you have whatever angels you need to carry you through. 

September 28^th is...

World Rabies Day highlights the impact of human and animal rabies and promotes ways to prevent and stop the disease by combating it in animals.

DID YOU KNOW:

• One person dies from rabies every 10 minutes!

• Approximately 55,000 people die worldwide from rabies each year!

• Rabies is 100% preventable!

General rabies information:

•           Rabies is caused by a virus that animals and people can get through certain exposures to the saliva or nervous tissue from a rabid animal and is nearly always fatal without proper treatment.

•           Rabies is zoonotic, which means it can spread from animals to people.

•           In most cases, preventing rabies is as simple as ensuring adequate animal vaccination and control, avoiding contact with wild animals, and educating those at risk.

Prevention:

• Take animals to be vaccinated. 

• Avoid stray animals and wildlife. 

• If you are bitten, wash bite wounds with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately. 

• If your pet is bitten, consult your veterinarian immediately. 

• Prompt and appropriate treatment after being bitten and before the disease develops can stop rabies infection and/or prevent the disease in humans and animals.

For more information on World Rabies Day, visit: 

www.worldrabiesday.org

This post was last updated on 9/28/09

The Third Full Week of September is...

Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week

The mitochondria are specialized compartments which are present in every cell of the body except red blood cells.

Mitochondria are responsible for creating

more than 90% of the energy needed by the body

to sustain life and support growth.

Mitochondrial diseases result from failures of these compartments.  When this happens, less and less energy is generated within the cell, & cell injury and even cell death follow. If this process is repeated throughout the body, whole systems begin to fail, and the life of the person in whom this is happening is severely compromised.

The disease primarily affects children, but adult onset is becoming more and more common.

Dr. Mark Korson uses “Brown-out/Power Grid” analogy… (Video)

(Chief of the Metabolic Program at Tufts New England Medical Center)

Doctor Korson (above) believes that the incidence of mitochondrial diseases is about 1 in 1,000 (if not more).  He also states (in the video) that they’ve seen people who have originally been misdiagnosed as having MS (Multiple Sclerosis) or MD (Muscular Distrophy) before correctly being diagnosed with a mitochondrial disease; & they believe that the incidence in adults is higher than previously thought.

Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles, kidney and the endocrine and respiratory systems.

Depending on which cells are affected, symptoms may include loss of motor control, muscle weakness and pain, gastro-intestinal disorders and swallowing difficulties, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory complications, seizures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental delays and susceptibility to infection.

Here’s how mitochondrial disease has affected one family:

Mom & Teen Daughter with Mitochondrial Disease Speak (Video)

5% of our DNA has something to do with mitochondria.  1,000 genes are believed to be involved in making components of the mitochondria.  Defects in any of these one thousand components can give rise to a mitochondrial disease.

Researchers have been finding that secondary mitochondrial disorders have a relationship to many known diseases such as autism, diabetes, nuero degeneration, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, & certain cancers.

Vamsi Mootha, MD PhD speaks about the mitochondria (Video)

in regards to many common diseases & the aging process.

(Assistant Professor of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School)

Dr. Mootha states that “if we can come up with strategies for manipulating mitochondria that can help patients with primary mitochondrial disorders, this has the potential to benefit HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PATIENTS, WORLDWIDE, and I’m not exaggerating, I’m being scientifically honest when I make statements like this."

While doing research for an awareness piece, this past May, I discovered that some leading doctors now believe that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) may be a particular type of mitochondrial disorder (different than the usual/pediatric ones) which is secondary to a specific type of cardiomyopathy & heart failure which is also non-standard (for which traditional testing is normal & in which heart function is abnormal & cardiac output is impaired).

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as a Mitochondrial Disease - by Dr. David Bell 

United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation

www.umdf.org

Wikipedia: Mitochondrial disease

This post was last updated on 9/26/09

Acupuncture & Cancer

abcNEWS had a piece, tonight, on how acupuncture has been shown to help with the treatment side effects of up to ¾’s of those with breast or prostate cancers. 

Doctors have found that acupuncture is just as effective for treating side effects such as hot flashes in breast cancer patients & also for androgen deprivation due to prostate cancer in men as drug therapy (such as with Effexor) is, with no side effects, & several benefits (such as increased energy).  They also found that it continues working for much longer than the drugs do, after treatments are stopped.  The study was funded by the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Other studies have shown that acupuncture is also effective for treating things such as nausea, vomiting, dry mouth & pain from cancer therapies; & the NIH had said several years ago, already that they felt it should be investigated further.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (which has a Center for Integrative Medicine) offers it to many of it’s patients.

Here are the links to ABC's news video & articles:

WATCH: A Little Relief for Breast Cancer Patients (Video)

READ: “Acupuncture & Cancer” (& related) Article(s)

September 21^st is...

International Day of Peace

www.internationaldayofpeace.org

 &...

World Alzheimer’s Day 

Alzheimer’s Assoc. ACT [click]

Play the “Maintain Your Brain” game:

&...

World Gratitude Day

www.worldgratitudeday.org

   

A writer I know, Mary Beth Sammons, has co-authored a new book on the subject of gratitude which is about to be released.  It’s called: “Living Life As a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude.”  You can pre-order it at online bookstores (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Viva Editions, etc. – it’s scheduled to be released on 11/01/09).

This post was last updated on 9/20/09

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The Third Full Week in September is...

8-10% of the U.S. population has RLS. 

Many people have a mild form of the disorder,

but 3% of the U.S. population have RLS symptoms which are moderate-to-severe.

Because many people are not familiar with RLS, it is often misdiagnosed by healthcare providers and misunderstood by a patient's friends and family. RLS is a debilitating neurologic disorder that can lead to sleep deprivation and depression.

Symptoms:

• An overwhelming need to move the limbs or walk to relieve the sensations

• Feelings of crawling, creeping, tingling, pulling, & involuntary-twitching deep in the limbs, especially at night

• Inability to sit or lie still for extended periods of time

• Severe sleep deprivation

Cause(s):

Extensive research into the cause of RLS is occurring worldwide. A single unifying cause has not been identified, but we are getting closer. Here’s what they do know:

• RLS often runs in families. This is called primary or familial RLS. Researchers are currently looking for the gene or genes that cause RLS.

• RLS sometimes appears to be a result of another condition, which, when present, worsens the underlying RLS. This is called secondary RLS.

• Up to 25% of women develop RLS during pregnancy but symptoms often disappear after giving birth.

• Anemia and low iron levels frequently contribute to a worsening of RLS.

• RLS is very common in patients requiring dialysis for end-stage renal disease.

• Damage to the nerves of the hands or feet (i.e., peripheral neuropathy) from any number of causes including diabetes contributes to RLS.

• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is common in children and adults with RLS.

Treatment:

Although many different drugs may help relieve symptoms of RLS, those most commonly used are found in the following four categories: dopaminergic agents, sedatives, pain relievers, and anticonvulsants. For most patients with severe RLS symptoms, first-line therapy is with dopaminergic agents, primarily dopamine receptor agonists.

Discovery of first mutated gene linked to RLS

Learn More:

Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation

www.rls.org

Today (September 20^th, 2008) is:

CHIARI AWARENESS DAY

Chiari Malformation (Arnold-Chiari)  is a serious neurological disorder where the bottom part of the brain, the cerebellum, descends out of the skull and crowds the spinal cord, putting pressure on both the brain and spine and causing many symptoms. 

• Chiari affects more than 300,000 people in the US; & 30% of children born with spina bifida are also born with one.

• Chiari causes a wide-ranging, diverse set of symptoms - 95% of patients experience at least 5 different symptoms.

• CM is diagnosed using combination of MRI, neurological exam, physician’s judgment, and other tests; patients often go 5 or more years before being properly diagnosed - 57% had at one time been told by a doctor they were suffering from a mental or emotional problem.

• Many patients undergo serious brain surgery in an attempt to stop symptoms from progressing.  Surgery can improve symptoms for about 80% of patients, but fails about 20% of the time.

Learn more about Arnold-Chiari Malformation & related disorders:

Conquer Chiari:  www.conquerchiari.org

American Syringomyelia Alliance Project, Inc.:  www.asap.org

The Third Friday in September is…

POW/MIA Recognition Day was established (finally) in 1979 to honor America's POW/MIA's - those returned and those still missing and unaccounted for from our nation's wars.

Nearly all National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremonies have been held at the Pentagon; & National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremonies are now held throughout the nation and around the world on military installations, ships at sea, schools, churches and fire stations. The focus is to ensure that America remembers its responsibility to stand behind those who serve our nation and do everything possible to account for those who do not return.

This observance is one of six days throughout the year for which Congress has mandated the flying of the National League of Families' POW/MIA flag (pictured below the American flag, above). The other days it is flown are Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day.

Read the 2009 Presidential proclamation

Read the 2008 Presidential proclamation

History of the POW/MIA flag

Missing Man Table & Honors Ceremony

Here's the previous 2008 poster for the event/day:

The saying on the top portion of the poster, above, reads:

“In these gardens are recorded the names of Americans who gave their lives in the service of their country and whose earthly resting place is known only to God.” – National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

For more on US POW’s & MIA’s, visit:

Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office

© Care-Aware™ 2008-9    http://care-aware.spaces.live.com    BOOK-MARK Care-Aware™ as one of your Favorites! «

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Due to some sort of bizarre technical difficulties (beyond my comprehension); the Care-Aware page theme needed to be changed.

Apparently, the blog section became invisible in the “Fresh Air” theme (ironic at so many levels  LOL); so I have changed it to “Grass” (I think).

Not such a bad thing, really… since I, for one, find things more readable when they’re not on that green background.   

Enjoy the flowers.   They’re good for health (except of course REAL flowers &/or grass, if one is allergic). 

This is now Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month occurs from mid-Sept. to mid-Oct.  It started this Mon., September 15^th, & continues through October 15^th.

This observation started back in 1968 as “Hispanic Heritage Week” under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded to the month-long event by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

The reason for the month beginning on September15th is because that is the anniversary of independence (in 1821) for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; & then Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence days on September 16th and September 18th (respectively).  “Día de la Raza” (Columbus Day [October 13^th, this year]), also falls within this 30 day period.

Read more about Hispanic Heritage Month, & the Hispanic-origin population facts for the US, here (U.S. Census Bureau):

Click Here for "Facts for Features – Hispanic Heritage Month”

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Sept. 13^th is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day

(That’s THIS Saturday!)

“Go for the GOLD!”

Champion the CURE for Childhood Cancers!

Series Event #4 – Bring in the Media! 

As I’ve mentioned, previously (in this series), unlike the worldwide & nearly-around-the-clock multi-media coverage of the Olympics, the media coverage for childhood cancer awareness has been frustratingly sparse.

YOU (& I) can be “CHAMPIONS FOR CHANGE”, in that arena.

Media coverage is essential to public awareness, & awareness is the first step in problem-solving - &, in this case, in championing the CURE for Childhood Cancers.

Here’s what we can do:

Visit CureSearch’s* “Media Guide” page, here:

http://capwiz.com/curesearch/dbq/media

You can click on your state (&/or any/every state) and send an email to the editors of newspapers & to TV & radio stations, & magazines based in the state.  Compose a simple letter (a sample letter is below**), cut and paste it in, send it, and repeat with another set (you are limited to sending 5 each time).

That’s it!  A bit of clicking & cutting & pasting & utilizing these wonderful technological tools (i.e. computers & internet) which we have the luxury of using (which we often take for granted), & POOF – a ripple effect of National (perhaps even global?) awareness has begun.

“Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision.”  - Muhammad Ali

 “One World, One Dream.”  - 2008 Summer Olympics’ Theme

Let’s all envision a world where childhood cancers have been obliterated!  Help make that dream a reality, by spending a few minutes alerting the media about National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (& Day).  

Let’s “Go for the GOLD!”, & Champion the CURE!!” 

Thank you, on behalf of all of the children & their families, for your help!

* CureSearch (www.curesearch.org) is the largest childhood cancer organization; and its members treat 90% of the cases nationwide. 

** Here’s a sample letter which was written by a father (Bob, AJ’s dad: http://curechildhoodcancer.blogspot.com & http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com & www.carepages.com/carepages/AJsspace & www.thepetitionsite.com/1/CureChildhoodCancer). Use it as a starting point… the first paragraph contains essential awareness points; you are welcome to edit in your own story or (if you don’t have a child, yourself) thoughts, for Bob’s own; use portions of the example below, or write your own from scratch.

Dear Editor, September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Each day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer. Each day, 7 children die as a result of childhood cancer. It is the number one killer disease of our children, more than more than from asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies, and pediatric AIDS combined. Did you know that 1 in 300 children will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20 and that 35-40,000 are in treatment every day? Yet only 3% of all cancer research money goes to childhood cancer. Our war against childhood cancer is vastly under-publicized and under-funded. It is another Inconvenient Truth America needs to be aware of.

I don’t know if your readers have ever been on a pediatric oncology floor. If they have ever walked the halls and seen the smiles or tears on the faces of these little fighters as they play on the little trikes and big wheels. How the moms and dads race behind them with the ever present IV pole. How they have little child-sized masks on because they are at high risk of infection. How the teens hang together and still try to be cool, even though they’re bald and ready to throw up at any time. How the teens have added words like methotrexate and acronyms like ANC to their vocabulary, instead of LOL and "sweet". How the poor little baby's cry because they can't even relate what hurts. Or if you've ever seen a mom or dad alone in the break room at 3 am, with their head in their hands, feeling alone, helpless, scared and mad. I don't know if you've ever visited a Care Page or a Caring Bridge site, blogs where we tell our kid's stories. I've seen it all and more. In December 2007 I had AJ, my 14 year old son ask me, "Dad, what's hospice". I have seen enough.

Care-Aware 2008 – http://care-aware.spaces.live.com  

The URL (AKA “Permalink”) for this event/entry is: http://care-aware.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!DBE452D9D129BF48!186.entry

Please feel free to add the link to your page/email it.

The President directs that the American flag be flown at half-staff and displayed from individual American homes, at the White House, and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments, home and abroad.

The President also asks Americans to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 A.M. (Eastern Daylight Time) marking the first plane crash on September 11, 2001.

Presidential Patriot Day Proclamation (2008):

www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080908-2.html

Today (Sept. 10, 2008) is World Suicide Prevention Day & “Stop a Suicide Today” Day.

“Stop a Suicide Today” Day

• Over 30,000 people dying by suicide each year in the United States, averaging 82 per day.  There are almost twice as many suicides as homicides each year.

• Suicide is currently the 11th leading cause of death in the US; but intervention is complicated by misunderstanding.  Over 90% of those who die by suicide had a diagnosable mental illness. Unfortunately, stigma and common myths prevent people from seeking help; even though there is effective treatment available.

• Friends, family members, coworkers and professionals can help prevent suicide by speaking to those who they feel may be depressed or considering suicide. In the same way you would respond to any medical emergency, you should respond immediately if you feel that someone you know may be at risk.

Suicide Myths:

• It is a myth that people who talk about suicide won’t kill themselves. This is NOT true. In fact, 70% of people who die by suicide tell a loved one or show warning signs before their death.

• It is also a myth that asking people if they are considering suicide puts the idea in their head. On the contrary, by asking if someone is suicidal, you are providing them with a safe opportunity to express their feelings and to have an ally in seeking help. Regardless of their answer, it is important to remain nonjudgmental and help them receive the help they may need. 

[Source:  www.stopasuicide.org]

SIGNS OF SUICIDE: Risk Questionnaires

Use these questionnaires to find out if someone you know needs help.)  www.stopasuicide.org/signs.aspx

HELPING A FRIEND: Steps to take to ACT to help someone who is suicidal

If you notice any signs in someone you care about, you are in a position to help, and need to take that responsibility seriously. It's important that you ACT now, just as you would to any medical emergency that your friend was facing. Because suicide is so often linked with mental illness, your friend may not be able to get the help he or she needs without you.

www.stopasuicide.org/help.aspx

World Suicide Prevention Day is an initiative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), and is co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO). The 2008 theme is "Think Globally. Plan Nationally. Act Locally."

• The WHO estimates that one million people die in the world each year by suicide. (One MILLION each YEAR – WOW!!)

• Every minute there are two more deaths by suicide.

• In many developed countries suicide can be either the 2nd or 3rd leading cause of death among teenagers and young adults and is the 13th leading cause of death worldwide for people of all ages.

• Most suicides in the world occur in Asia, which is estimated to account for up to 60% of all suicides. Together, three countries - China India and Japan - because of their large populations, may account for up to 40% of all world suicides.  About half of these suicides where by self-poisoning, usually with agricultural pesticides.  (Wow, I’ll tell ya – I, for one learn things while looking up info. for these posts!)

• A recent study which used trained lay-interviewers to interview family members in 39,000 deaths found that suicide rates were 10 times higher than those previously/officially reported to the WHO.  This suggest that global suicide rates may be much higher than the one million previously estimated. (Again – wow.)

• In high-income countries, the biggest risk-factor for suicidal behavior was a mood disorder, while in middle & low income countries, it was due to an “impulse control disorder".  Decreases in social interactions &/or the availability of means (i.e. firearms, pesticides, etc.) increase the risk.  Usually, no SINGLE cause is sufficient to explain an act of suicide.  It’s a complex phenomena in which many factors (from biological to situational, etc.) come into play.

Information Flyer (in English others also avail.):  www.iasp.info/wspd/pdf/2008_wspd_flyer_english.pdf

Local Activities Around the World:  www.iasp.info/wspd/2008_wspd_activities.php