Childhood Cancer Awareness Month requires attention and action

September is back-to-school season, and also Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Needless to say, it is a serious and somber issue, as sad and daunting a health challenge as there is today. Fortunately, this September, many groups — research facilities, charities, churches and concerned families and citizens everywhere are joining forces to fight childhood cancers.

           

Their efforts will extend from outreach to those families who have a child stricken with the disease, and include everything from survivorship issues to the special care needed for the child undergoing treatment. And, most important of all, funding for research to find the cure will be front and center.

The efforts to fight this battle are numerous. Early detection is a must, so regular checkups and physicals for a child should always be on the calendar. With the advent of any questionable symptom — nosebleeds, unexplained fatigue, pain — consult a doctor at once. The survivor rates for cancer victims who have their condition caught early is many times greater than anyone who is found in the late stages of the disease.

           

Cancer, of course, attacks on an emotional level too. And it is especially hard on children. They are often confused, bewildered and scared. Their busy and active lives are curtailed, often without them understanding why. It is important for any child stricken with cancer to get the emotional support and counseling she or he will need. The American Childhood Cancer Organization offers books, play kits and stuffed animal kits on their website, as well as online guidance on how to best support a child coping with a cancer diagnosis and treatment. This September many other groups will be sponsoring events, support groups, distributing literature. See if you know of anyone who could use the help, and point them to the right resources.

           

Something we can all do during this month is Go Gold and show our support for victims of childhood cancer. The gold (or yellow) ribbon should be sported by anyone and everyone; and if someone asks why you’re wearing it, you’ve created a great opportunity to enlighten another person about the issue at hand!

           

And for those whose lives have been touched intimately by the disease, there are Founding Hope Funds. Essentially these are personalized non-profit fundraising platforms, often in name commemoration of a fallen child. They are tremendous grass-root opportunities to raise both awareness and always needed research and treatment dollars.

Anything to do with our children’s health needs, and deserves, all our attention. So make sure this September you play your part in the fight against childhood cancer.

Seeing is believing: It’s Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

August brings us Children's Eye Health and Safety Month, an important date to mark on your family's health calendar. Best estimates tell us that more than 12 million children in this country suffer from some sort of vision impairment. Not that this is always an easy figure to determine -- let's face it, kids can go quite a while, even into their school years, before vision problems are determined. That's why regular eye exams and screenings are so important.

Eye exams should be as normal a part of your child's checkup regimen as vaccinations or knee-knocking with the little mallet to check reflexes. It isn't just near-sighted/far-sighted that is to be determined. There are numerous conditions that can affect children's eyes: lazy eye, astigmatism, even color-blindness. And our own naked eye test isn't enough to diagnose these for a child; like most health matters, we need to seek the professionals.

Then, there is the matter of injury. Kids are prone to scrapes and bruises, in case that's news to anyone. Generally, one can rub on a little Bactine, slap on a Band-Aid and get the kid back in the game. But eyes are fragile, not so easily healed, and your child only has the one pair. So, safety first! Protective eye wear is a must, particularly in any sport involving flying projectiles, ricocheting balls, etc. Also, be sure your kid is playing with age-appropriate toys. A toddler, for instance, often lacks the necessary control and coordination to play safely with a toy that has sharp edges or pointy tips.

Along those same lines, Scrubin wants to bring up Contact Lens Health Week, Aug. 22-26. This one has a dear place in our hearts, as many of us have worn corrective lenses since pre-adolescence. In fact, some of us remember when there was an actual choice between soft lenses and hard (read: putting glass in your eye, voluntarily!).

Fortunately, there have been considerable advancements in contact-lens technology over the years, but it is still up to the wearer to diligently maintain good and sanitary practices. Clean your lenses regularly with the proper solution. Take them out every night at bedtime, even if they are disposable. And remember, the term disposable means disposable: Such lenses are not to be worn indefinitely. After the allotted time, be that daily, weekly or monthly, ditch that pair and replace with new ones. 

These are easy enough routines, but particularly with children can be easy things to let slip. So work with your kids on good eye health the way you do on brushing of teeth: a part of the daily/nightly ritual one shouldn't forsake.
So, schedule regular eye exams for your kids. Insure they wear protective eyewear in sports and play. And, if they wear contacts, teach them the proper methods of care and cleaning. Their sparkling eyes will thank you!

Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month Raises Awareness & Promotes Treatment

Some diseases and conditions are identified by who they affect. For instance, most people believe, incorrectly, that arthritis is solely the concern of those who are growing older. Sadly, that’s not the case.

July brings the return of Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. Juvenile Arthritis is a particularly troublesome condition, and unfortunately one that is all too common in children and teens. Nearly 300,000 children in this country have been diagnosed with the disease.

Arthritis is always a hardship, a painful condition that can be extremely debilitating to its sufferers. It is an especially sad case for children, who are in the stage of life when they should be most physically active and carefree. Juvenile arthritis robs many of the chance to fully enjoy the childhood years of play and fun.

Juvenile Arthritis is oftentimes more serious than adult arthritic conditions. It is often the result of disorders of the autoimmune system that directly attacks the joints. Some forms of Juvenile Arthritis can lead to paralysis, blindness, or even death.

We at Scrubin have joined the fight against Juvenile Arthritis and want to spread the message about both the condition and how to combat it. July will be a time of public education, fundraising, as well as outreach to the little troopers currently struggling.

The Arthritis National Research Foundation is issuing blue Cure Arthritis bracelets and other wearables to commemorate the month. They are also distributing Cure Arthritis action packs with bracelets, posters and more.
Furthermore, you can help spread the word by tweeting out news about Juvenile Arthritis, and spreading the word through your other social media channels.
Let’s don’t forget that while public outreach is valuable and worthwhile, there is no substitute for a cure. And a cure requires research, which requires funding. Click here to discover portals to make a donation or become involved in fundraising.

There are numerous ways to support the cause, from pledge drives to volunteering at hospitals and clinics, so find where you can best be of service. Post on social media, check in your community about ways to get contribute at the local level. Wear your blue bracelet and get your friends and family to do the same.

This is a horrible condition, one that afflicts far too many, but together we can all of us turn the tide and make Juvenile Arthritis a thing of the past!

Men's Health Month offers a great reminder to schedule that annual physical

And now, something for the gents. June brings us the 23^rd Annual Men’s Health Month, which includes Men’s Health Week from June 9-15.

This is the time for men everywhere to take stock of their well-being. Need a physical? Schedule it now, and don’t forget to ask the doctor if you’re due any preventative screenings. While you’re at it, reappraise the exercise regimen, or lack thereof, and reappraise your diet.

As always, Men’s Health Month carries an emphasis on preventative care and early detection.  To heighten awareness there’s plenty to read online, but there also will be thousands of events to raise awareness for the various issues concerning men’s health.

For one, there is Meatless Monday, a day to raise awareness of better dietary choices for men. Too much cholesterol and sodium is a big cause for the high rates of heart disease for American men. June brings Father’s Day, a fine reminder that the dads in this country can make a real difference in the lives of their families by honoring their own health and switching to a more heart-healthy diet.

Then there are free prostate screenings being organized all over the country. Yes, it’s nobody’s favorite process to undergo. But did you know that prostate cancer is easily treatable if detected early enough? With current testing and treatment methods, there is no reason this disease should take another life. No man middle-age or above should go without an annual test.

There will also be stations for blood-pressure tests, screenings for other cancers, blood sugar tests. Gyms will be promoting discount memberships so that men can get on a quality regimen of regular exercise.

Don’t see an event that emphasizes enough a particular topic in men’s health? Start up your own … and on June 17, be sure to wear blue. Why? Blue is the color of Men’s Health Month, and you can show your support just by donning a blue ribbon or picking out some of the blues from your wardrobe and sporting those on June 17.

And lest we forget, Men’s Health Month and Week isn’t just for grownups, but male children and adolescents as well. Proper rest, proper diet and developing a regimen of regular health checkups is invaluable to get the jump on a long and healthy life. Good lifestyle choices are good life choices, period. To help boys develop the habits that will help them become healthy men, throughout the month there will also be campaigns to prevent tobacco use among children and adolescents, the first and best decision a burgeoning adult can make for their long-term health.

So check out the events online. Get tested, get screened. Schedule that physical. And if those don’t apply to you personally, then bring it up with the men in your life: husband, father, sons, brothers, any man you care about and who you’d like to have around for a long-time to come. Scrubin is excited to help make the 23^rd Annual Men’s Health Month the best one yet

A double dose of gratitude for National Dentist's & National Doctor's Days

It is nice to every now and then take time out of our chronic busyness and give a big thank you to some men and women in the healthcare profession who really deserve it. March brings us both National Dentist’s Day (3/6) and National Doctor’s Day (3/30), so join us this month in showing our appreciation!

Perhaps not high on anyone’s list of favorite things, regular visits to the dentist’s office are necessary to insure healthy teeth and gums and to keep our smiles sparkling. And for anyone who’s ever experienced an abscess tooth or oral pain, the dentist comes as a godsend. Dentists help us look our best and feel the best about ourselves. We’re proud here at Scrubin to take chance to say thanks!

So, outside of a hearty “job well done” and a kind word, what is the best way to show gratitude to all the dentists out there? The best way to appreciate their work is to honor it, and that means making sure to practice good habits for oral health care. That means what we all think it means: thorough brushing every day (more than once a day is preferable), flossing and regular visits to the dentist. Laying off some of those other, not so healthy habits would be nice too (ditch the tobacco, and do any of us really need ANOTHER cup of coffee?). On the treatment side, if you’ve had any dental discomfort — bleeding gums, or undue sensitivity to hot or cold — delay no longer in getting it checked out.

And rather than restricting appreciation to just your own dentist, post on social media to say thank you to all the dental professionals out there, and contribute a little to everyone’s mindfulness about good oral health. Get those hashtags ready!

And now to the physicians. The doctor is a figure associated with some foreboding, some frustration, probably lots of emotions at once. None of us perhaps like seeing them per se, even if they are the kindest person we know. But we all can be thankful and grateful that they are there when we need them. Our physicians are literally our go-to people for our healthcare needs, from primary care to specialized treatments, from routine checkups to complicated surgeries and innovative treatment options. March 30^th is National Doctor’s Day, an excellent opportunity to take one day out of the year and show our doctors how much we appreciate them outside of some health scare.

There are numerous ways to say thank you, from a nice card to a thoughtful e-mail. Again though, the best way to honor their contributions is to spread the word about good health habits. Practice what you preach: if you’ve been procrastinating, go ahead and schedule that physical!

Also, there are some materials and items, from coffee mugs to stickers to stamps that put the word out there about National Doctor’s Day. Browse here!

To our dentists and doctors, thank you for your service and here’s to many more years of helping all of us with our health!

National Nutrition Month Offers the Opportunity for a Healthy-Diet Reset

March brings warmer weather, Daylight Savings Time (Sunday, March 13^th, in case you were wondering), and National Nutrition Month. In each case, it hasn’t come a moment too soon!

Particularly National Nutrition Month. Let’s face the facts: the holidays are way back in the rear-view mirror, and the grace period on eating whatever we want is up. Spring is in the air, and with that, it’s a good time to take stock of our cabinets and pantries and see what steps are needed to make 2016 a healthy and nutritious year.

Scrubin is really getting behind National Nutrition Month this year, because we see it as a great time to hit “reset” and get back into some healthy habits. There are many ways to get involved, choices ranging from education for better dietary choices for yourself to events and promotions to help make March a fresh start for nutritional awareness nationwide.

Most of us know that our diets are closely tied with our well-being, physically and mentally. Eating foods rich in vitamins, high in protein, low in saturated fats and sugars, not only is a long-term practice to insure against many health issues — heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers — but we all just feel better if we’re providing ourselves with the proper fuel. We reap the benefits in terms of more energy, more stamina, improved focus and overall better mood.

Sure, we all crave the cookies and the carbohydrates, and some splurging is natural. But the fact is that the human body and human brain works optimally when they are well fed with the important staples: Vitamins A – C, antioxidants, proteins, Omega-3’s. We are doing ourselves a big favor when we make proper dietary choices.

And we also need to keep in mind just how important good nutritional choices are for kids. If you don’t learn to eat well when you’re young, it’s much harder to develop those habits as an adult. Unfortunately, too many kids are fed non-nutritious lunches at school cafeterias, and way too many rely on a diet of fast food and pizza. Vegetables and fruit too rarely make an appearance during meal times. We live in an era of heightened awareness about these issues, but we also live in a time of record-high childhood obesity and early-stage diabetes. This stuff is important. Check out how to help and what we all can do. (There’s even Kids Eat Right Month, every August.)

And, it’s not just what we eat. This year National Nutrition Month is putting emphasis on how and when we eat. The body doesn’t like binge-eating, at least not for optimal performance. A proper diet consists of a healthy breakfast, a good lunch high in important nutrients and a sensible dinner. Avoid second helpings, particularly at night when too much food can interfere with a night’s rest (during sleep is when the metabolism slows down and cannot process larger quantities of food).

There is much more, from educational materials on eating disorders, to the importance of clean drinking water. Find out more and let’s all make this National Nutrition Month a time when we “Savor the flavor of eating right!”

World Cancer Day highlights the ongoing battle against this elusive foe

Here at Scrubin we regularly highlight many days of the year concerning public health and related issues, days to raise awareness, advocate for preventative treatment, raise funds for research and treatment.

None is bigger than Feb. 4, 2016. This is World Cancer Day — and this is a big deal. There is hardly a life on this planet that hasn’t been or won’t be touched by this most dreaded of diseases, in one of its many manifestations. This is the most personal of health issues, and the most global.

An estimated 8.2 million people worldwide die of cancer every year. Imagine if half these lives could be saved. Or 2 million, or 1 million. What a difference it would make for global health and societal impact the world over.

And seemingly lofty goals like these are easily within reach. The focus of World Cancer Day is to raise education and awareness, and to save millions of preventable deaths every year. There really is no larger health issue than this.
That brings us to, what can we do to help? When it comes to awareness of this special day, it’s all about outreach. Spread the word about World Cancer Day, share it on social media, link to the website, download materials and add or link a World Cancer Day event in your local area to the Map of Impact.

http://www.worldcancerday.org/map

There are currently 242 activities across the globe World Cancer Day 2016. So far, they are as diverse and inspirational as the countries who are hosting them:

·      Fundraising events in Baltimore and Calgary
·      The Concert of Hope in Poland
·      The Mass for the 13^th Anniversary of the League Against Cancer in Peru
·      South Africa has Women Against Cancer events
·      Events promoting healthy lifestyles for cancer prevention in China

A global disease demands global actions, and this is what World Cancer Day is all about.

In addition, there are dozens of packets of promotional materials to spread the word about not only World Cancer Day but the constant battle against the disease. These range from logos expressing solidarity with cancer victims, stirring stories from cancer survivor, and online packets detailing healthy lifestyle choices, anti-tobacco campaigns and the urgent need for worldwide cancer screenings, which alone could save millions of lives every year.

In this technological age of ours, when information can be disseminated in the blink of an eye via Facebook and Twitter and social media platforms, there is an amazing opportunity for everyone, everywhere to be as educated as possible concerning steps to prevent and treat cancer of all types. Medical science and research has made great strides but the most immediate impact most of us can make is to educate ourselves and inform our friends, family and associates about how we can take the fight to cancer.

So from all of us here at Scrubin, have a productive and impactful World Cancer Day! Let’s all do our part! It could make all the difference.

#ScrubinandSave Shop Now! www.scrubin.com

American Heart Month offers the chance to take stock of cardiac care

A new year often means a renewed focus on health, and so February is a fitting time for American Heart Month. This year, let’s all take a moment to stop and think about not only heart disease and how to prevent it, but what we’re doing in our own lives to ward off potential cardiac issues. This is a biggie for anyone who has a heart — and that of course means all of!

What is American Heart Month? Glad you asked. This is the time when organizations around the nation, spearheaded by the American Heart Association, raise awareness in the community and in our personal lives to make healthier heart-centered choices. These include

·      concentrated efforts to promote better cardiovascular exercise;
·      better dietary choices;
·      regular checkups; and
·      a push to eliminate tobacco use of all kinds.

These outreach programs are being done in schools, hospitals, gyms, community centers and anywhere else folks gather, so they should be easy to find.

Heart disease still ranks as the No. 1 cause of death in America, so it needs to be combated on all fronts. There are lots of online materials, a downloadable PDF and other resources to help you get involved. Send out your own American Heart Month newsletter. Or link up from your Facebook account. Send tweets throughout the month of February to spread the message.

And, this year, there is a red-letter day to highlight on the calendar. This is National Wear Red Day, an offshoot of Go Red for Women, on Feb. 5. What’s it all about? Glad you asked! National Red Wear Day is devoted to fighting heart disease for women in America. It is important to remember that heart disease or strokes are responsible for one out of every three deaths for American women every year.

This is an urgent issue, deserving our best efforts. Be among one of many you’ll see sporting red this Feb. 5, a visible and colorful way to proclaim solidarity and support.

Of course February has lots more days in it — 29 this year, thanks to Leap Year — to support American Heart Month. Take part in community events, but also dedicate this month to making better, heart-healthy choices for you and your family (20 minutes a day on the treadmill, substituting spice for salt, a brisk walk after dinner). From all of us to all of you, let’s make February 2016 the best American Heart Month yet!

National Influenza Vaccination Week: Have You Gotten Your Flu Shot?

Influenza. Sounds kind of exotic, at least until you know better: It’s the flu. Not exotic at all, but something quite common, and a potentially deadly illness we’ve all dealt with either ourselves, or as we’ve cared for someone who’s come down with it.

Even though the flu remains common, it really shouldn’t, because of the widespread availability of a little thing called the flu shot. Most every pharmacy has them on offer, as well as major store chains and even grocery outlets — pretty much anywhere that has pharmacy services. And yet far too many people still refuse to take advantage of the inoculation, come down with the dreaded flu (or influenza), and simultaneously expose those who are vulnerable to a higher likelihood of contracting it as well.

Flu season kicks off during October and is approaching its peak during the holidays, which is the absolute worst time to be flat on your back for a week or two. So this is a fitting time of year to get the word out: Dec. 6-12^th brings us National Influenza Vaccination Week. As healthcare professionals, we have a duty to educate the people around us, so here are some talking points for those cases who don’t think they need a shot, or are afraid of the vaccine because of all the misinformation that’s out there.

The Centers for Disease Control recommendation is that everyone older than six months get a yearly flu vaccination. There are deaths from the flu every year in America; children are especially vulnerable. It’s more than just a bad couple or three days of fever and a sore throat — it can be, and often is, fatal.

Speaking of children, and to repeat: infants under the age of six months, fragile and susceptible to just about anything that comes along, are not eligible for the flu vaccination. They depend upon the rest of to ward it off, thus limiting their exposure.

Now there are criticisms of the flu vaccination, the main one being that it doesn’t always prevent the flu. There is some truth to this. The 2014 flu vaccination was considered not as effective as it could have been. The reason is that there are several strands of influenza, and different strands spring up all the time. The vaccination takes several months to prepare, and the compound is based around strands the CDC early in the year predicts will be most prevalent once flu season rolls around. No batch of the flu vaccination can take care of them all, and there is some educated guessing involved.

But it remains the medical consensus that the flu vaccination makes a huge dent in the population of flu sufferers every year. And a healthier person means a healthier chance for the people around him or her. So if you haven’t gotten vaccinated yet, by all means do so. And if you’re still shopping for that hard-to-buy-for person, a flu shot may not be a conventional stocking stuffer, but a healthy and happy winter season vs. a stretch in bed, or even a few days in the hospital, is a very nice present to receive.

Don't Let Holiday Eating Pack On The Pounds

The very idea of eating healthy around holiday time sounds not only impossible, but also pointless. For many of us, food is one of the great pleasures this time of year — unless you are going to be subsisting on a diet of candied yams, stuffing, and honey-banked hams in the balmy summer months.

We like our holiday treats, we like the big meals, the buttered rolls, the desserts … and then the other desserts. Yes, we know it perhaps isn’t the best stuff for us, but c’mon already, ’tis the season. We’d no sooner do without Thanksgiving leftovers than we would autumn foliage, and Christmas dinner is just as eagerly anticipated as opening gifts.

OK, fair enough. Nonetheless, we also definitely don’t like the feeling of being sluggish and dazed from too much grub, and none of us like the post-holiday hangover that comes crashing in right around Jan. 2: some extra pounds, and pants that if they fit at all, do so rather snugly.  So begins the next season: one of harsh New Year’s resolutions — involving pricey gym memberships, personal trainers, and meals portioned out to the gram. (“Another sliver of kale, anyone?” “No, no, I couldn’t possibly!”)

So feasting at this time of year leads unfortunately to famine tomorrow. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We could all enjoy the holidays, and the foodstuffs that come with them, if we just practiced a modicum of restraint and balance.

Rotate out some of the more caloric-busting dishes with healthier alternatives. Instead of cream-based soups or heavy stews, do a soup that is broth-based, done with vegetable stock. Avoid undue snacking from the chip or nuts dish, and pass on the cheese ball. There will be plenty to eat — no need to gorge on the starters.

At the same time, don’t use the holidays as an excuse to come off your normal eating routine. If you are one to wake up and eat a grapefruit or bowl of bran cereal, continue to do that. You’ll find your appetite is subtly sated when the main event comes around and you are less likely to stuff yourself to the breaking point if you aren’t ravenous when the turkey touches the table.

Also go easy on the alcohol; booze is loaded with empty calories and nothing is so sure to bring on the bloat as a couple too many beers or cocktails.

And finally, don’t just sit there. Get up, take a walk after a meal (or before), introduce some holiday dancing to the festivities. Make those calories work for you, and in the process work them off a little.

Just a few small adjustments can make a world of difference in staving off post-holiday blues for your body. Tailor your holiday festivities accordingly, and it might save you from having to tailor your favorite trousers afterwards.

One more thing: Happy Holidays from all of us at Scrubin Uniforms! We greatly appreciate your business, and look forward to serving you in 2016!

November Is American Diabetes Month — Get Involved

At Scrubin, we are involved with getting the word out about many great causes and organizations. One of the biggest for us is American Diabetes Month.

This is a disease which has been forefront of the public consciousness for some time, and with good reason. Diabetes numbers 30 million Americans among its sufferers, both adults and children. And it is estimated that more than 80 million more are “pre-diabetic” and at heightened risk to develop type 2 diabetes. If the disease is not at epidemic levels, it is not far from it.

Our diets are all too often composed of an excess of sugars, fats, cholesterol and sodium. While public awareness seems to be rising in this regard, it is still a widespread fact that much of our food is packaged and processed, and therefore potent as delivery systems for excesses of sugar. This is to say nothing of our affection for sodas and sugar-laden energy drinks.

Now, while a healthy, informed diet is not enough to stave off diabetes in every case, the simple fact is that eating healthier — limiting sugars, basing meals around protein and essential vitamins and roughage — would slash the percentage of our population who have type 2 diabetes by a tremendous degree. This is a particularly urgent matter in regards to our young people. The rate of growth for the disease in children has burgeoned by more than 33% in the past couple of decades.

Sure, there are several factors at work in this rising figure, but most researchers agree that the majority of the growth is directly tied to the rapidly escalating rates of childhood obesity. Healthy diet, regular exercise: these are the enemies of Type 2 diabetes. Make sure your kid has both!

Another unfortunate fact about our food consumption and diabetes: it is often more expensive and more difficult in the United States to eat healthy. Cheaper foods are typically mass produced, therefore usually have a lower price tag. And these are the very foods prevalent with trans-fats, sodium, high fructose corn syrup, dyes and excess sugars. As such, our more impoverished communities have been particularly hard hit by the growing rate of diabetes in the society. American Diabetes Month has a variety of outreach effortsintended to educate all our communities communities about the very real dangers of the disease.

Think you might be at risk? Your doctor can ease your fears, or get you on a path of treatment if there’s a problem.  He or she will perform a simple glucose test. If diabetes is indicated, then immediate steps can be taken: regular monitoring, insulin treatment, strict diet and life-style changes.

If you rate as pre-diabetic, then you and your health-care professional can design a firm plan to tackle the potential risk before it becomes a difficult reality.

Diabetes in America is on the rise, unfortunately, but we can make November of 2015 the moment when we turned back the tide!

National Epilepsy Awareness Month Has Arrived!

National Epilepsy Awareness Month kicks off with a new campaign by the Epilepsy Foundation, a year long effort to attack the condition on multiple fronts. Education, research, fighting discrimination for people with seizures and highlighting stories of survivors of epilepsy.

The campaign is called #DareTo, and it’s going to be pretty easy to spot. Public service announcements will feature spokespeople and celebrities with epilepsy. There are campaign features showcasing the work of artists who are epileptic.

#DareTo is tailored to reach those afflicted with epilepsy. Regrettably, there is still some stigma attached to people who have seizures: they live in anxiety of when/if a seizure might occur. In addition to the dangerous nature of the condition itself, there is the potential for embarrassment, public humiliation and inopportune timing. Seizures can scare people besides those who are stricken with them.

#DareTo seeks to eliminate that. No one should be ashamed of an illness. Public awareness is key, and there are numerous outreach programs on offer. Learn how those with epilepsy have turned what could be construed as a handicap into the source of great strength and resolve!

For those afflicted with seizures, management is key. There are numerous medical and cognitive treatment options available. Everyone who is epileptic, or has a loved one who is, deserves to avail themselves of all the information at their disposal.

For some medication is the answer. Others have found success with a VNS, vagus nerve simulation, the applying a device that sends electrical pulses to the vagus nerve. Still others find results from a careful diet, good exercise and various techniques designed to minimize stress.

Even if you are not yourself an epilepsy sufferer, there are many ways for you to get involved. The Epilepsy Foundation has an extensive list of volunteer activities, forums, and fundraising opportunities. Check it out and make a difference this November!

Milestone Month for Many Kinds of Cancer Awareness

September is a major month in the fight against cancer, with three main offenders of the disease highlighted: childhood cancers, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer. All take too many lives every year, and all have the potential to be stopped in their tracks if we band together to do our part.
Here at Scrubin we are committed to fighting the good fight, and we know you are too! Read on to find out how you can help.

Childhood Cancer
Nothing is more heartbreaking than seeing or hearing about a young child battling a life-threatening illness. Sadly, more than 260,000 children have to do just that every year. Some form of cancer will afflict one in 330 children before the age of 30. Childhood cancers spare no ethnic group, no demographic, makes no class distinction. And unlike some other forms of cancer, there are currently few paths to prevention.

The solutions are early detection, effective treatment, and overall public awareness. And there is good news: significant progress continues to be made. The mortality rate for many childhood cancers have been cut in half in recent years, and the survival rate for many childhood cancers is now as high as 86 percent. There has been considerable success with certain clinical trials, and studies show a greater efficacy in treatment options.

But this is a fight still far from being won.  As always funds for additional research are needed. And then there is the more personal support, volunteering to help in your community and let these little heroes know they are not alone.

Ovarian Cancer
This cancer is particularly insidious form of the disease. If detected in its earliest stages, the survival rate is close to 90 percent. Unfortunately, less than 20 percent of cases are detected this early. Why? The disease usually presents few symptoms in its early stages, and it is a disease for which we still do not have adequate early screening.

The key is prevention, and catching the as early as possible. Know the risk factors. Educate yourself, and all the women in your life about what steps can be taken.

Become an advocate today in the fight against Ovarian Cancer!

Prostate Cancer
Next to skin cancer, cancer of the prostate is the most common form of the disease in the United States., and the most common among American men. Older or elderly men especially are vulnerable: the rates of prostate cancer are as high as 80 percent for men who live beyond the age of 80.

But it is, thankfully, a slow-growing form of cancer, and the success rate is very high if it’s caught early enough. Again, the key is early detection. All men — let’s repeat  this, for good measure — ALL MEN, need to be screened. The examination is quick and easy, and there’s no reason not to be conscientious about it.

That compares very favorably to the side effects of prostate removal which can be painful or discouraging for the patient. So again, let’s stress early detection and screening. This is a cancer that can actually be stopped for good!

A diagnosis of cancer, any kind of cancer, is terrifying for the person who’s hearing that news. By doing all we can to advance research, and also taking the time to get screened ourselves, hopefully we can soon end this terrible disease in all its forms so those affected can lead happy, healthy lives.

National Health Center Week provides the chance to show our support

National Health Center Week has been going strong 30-plus years now, and this year it runs from Aug. 9-15. Here’s the perfect opportunity to learn more about the valuable work done by these organizations, and how you can lend a hand in your community!

Health centers are a various and diverse group of organizations, ranging from Community clinics to Public Housing Health Centers and health outreach programs for the homeless. What they all have in common is a tireless initiative to provide basic, high-quality health care to the most vulnerable people.

Health centers provide care and services to more than 23 million people a year. These folks are, by and large, impoverished, uninsured and/or live in areas without sufficient doctors or hospitals. Health centers provide indispensable services, and they also are part of the community fabric. Almost every day, and for long hours, they are offering prenatal care, flu shots, immunizations, emergency care, treatment programs for victims of HIV/AIDS, recovery meetings for alcoholics and addicts, and so much more. These centers are also responsible for research and public education, and their staff also advocate locally, regionally and nationally, bringing awareness to the plight of the poor and underserved in our communities.

Since passage of the Affordable Care Act, federal funding for health centers has increased, and the numbers of uninsured in many communities have dropped. This is good news. However, health centers are still very much subject to constricted budgets, and there are still plenty of people falling through the healthcare cracks, and so centers need all the support we can give.

There are a variety of outreach programs going on in August at shelters around the country. Find out what is being done at your local health center, your homeless shelter and your public schools to raise money and awareness.

Sponsorship can be a great area for promotion and funding of public health centers. These partnership opportunities between the private and non-profit sectors promote the broadest possible outreach as well as providing diverse pools for fundraising. Do you have a health center you think deserves contributions from local or national businesses? Or would you like to see your company donate its brand and name to community health initiatives? Get in touch with your local center — they will be thrilled to hear from you!

National Breastfeeding Month has arrived!

If you didn’t know there was a month commemorating breastfeeding awareness, likely you are not alone. It’s something that most new mothers do, and most everyone is aware of it, right? For the most part, yes, but knowing about the health aspects of breastfeeding is different than just knowing it exists — especially for new and expectant mothers. And so, we have an awareness month! (There’s even an awareness week!)

From educating moms on the health benefits of the nipple vs. the bottle, to helpful hints on how develop the practice (latch on already, kid!), there is a bevy of info to inform and delight out there. (And if you want to get super technical, the Centers for Disease Control has a lot of great info about milk storage, vaccines and more.) So, let’s take a look:

More mothers than ever are now educated about the many benefits of breastfeeding. They are legion: first off, it is the best delivery system by far for your baby to get the vital nutrients it needs. Mothers’ milk is packed with vitamins, immunoglobulin, and antibodies that bolster the infant immune system. This is why the American Pediatric Associationrecommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of the child’s life.

Studies show that breastfed babies are less prone to colds and ear infection and sometimes even less likely to develop allergies. Breastfeeding also seems to protect against certain childhood cancers. Nature is a complex mechanism, and for all the advances in pediatric medicine and nutrition, nothing has as yet beaten breastfeeding for overall development of a healthy child.

But what about Mom’s health? Here too, breastfeeding is the way to go. Postpartum depression is a very real thing, and most mothers are susceptible to bouts of anxiety and worry. Breastfeeding releases the oxytocin, which stimulates relaxation and nurturing. Furthermore, studies show that women who breastfeed for up to a year are less apt to develop breast and ovarian cancer.

Beyond even all this, there is the undeniable bonding between mother and child. The emotional and stabilizing effects of this cannot be quantified. The baby feels secure and cared for, the mother feels linked with her child in a very real and tangible way.

OK, so breastfeeding is natural, right? Doesn’t mean it’s a snap. There are lots of challenges involved, from the baby stubbornly refusing to latch on, to certain downsides of regular breastfeeding — chafed nipples, sore breasts, etc. There is help for that, a number of tips both scientific and homeopathic to practice the practice in ease and comfort.

Of course it should be noted that not all my moms can breastfeed. Some have lactation levels that are too low to make it a viable option, and in some cases the baby just refuses to take to it. That’s OK: mothering is more than breastfeeding. Just educate yourself on the best alternatives available to make sure your child is getting the proper nutrients and emotional support.