NATIONAL DIABETES ASSOCIATION ALERT DAY

Hopefully, most of us won't have to deal with diabetes, but it's always good to be in the know.....

AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION ALERT DAY

American Diabetes Association Alert Day is observed annually on the fourth Tuesday in March. This one-day “wake-up call” informs the American public about the seriousness of diabetes and encourages all to take the diabetes risk test and learn about your family’s history of diabetes.

Diabetes Facts:

• Diabetes impacts approximately 34.2 million Americans. That’s about 10.5 percent of the U.S. population.
• Of those living with diabetes, 7.3 million – 1 in 7 adults – don’t know they have it.
• The risk of developing diabetes increases with age. But there are other factors, too. Ethnic background may increase your risk.
• An additional 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year.

There are two types of diabetes. While Type 1 diabetes is not as preventable, it can be managed well with insulin injections. Managing Type 1 diabetes might also require frequent blood sugar monitoring, eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight. Education is key to learning how to manage symptoms of Type 1 diabetes. However, type 2 is much more preventable, and some actions can be taken. 

Ways to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes:

• Eliminate sugar and refined carbs
• Work out regularly and avoid a sedentary lifestyle
• Make water the primary beverage
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Quit smoking
• Eat a high fiber diet
• Optimize Vitamin D levels
• Take natural herbs, such as curcumin and berberine, that increase insulin sensitivity

Type 2 diabetes is not preventable for everyone. However, making healthy choices provides the best chance of not getting it. In the United States, 9 out of every 10 cases of diabetes can be avoided if the above lifestyle changes are implemented. Families, schools, workplaces, communities, and healthcare providers can all work together to make healthy choices easier.

The observance encourages you to discover if you or your loved ones are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Consider taking this fast and easy Diabetes Risk Test. 

HOW TO OBSERVE #AmericanDiabetesAssociationAlertDay

• Learn your risk factors.
• Speak with your doctor and have your blood sugars tested.
• Families, we’ve included a downloadable nutrition color page you can print off to use at home when teaching your children about diabetes or nutrition in general.
• Use #AmericanDiabetesAssociationAlertDay to post on social media to share the news about the opportunities all have to check and manage their health risks.

If you are at risk, please consider taking some action.

Of course we can, at the same time, enjoy....

NATIONAL GOOF OFF DAY

National Goof Off Day on March 22nd each year gives everyone the opportunity to have a little extra fun. The day is also known as International Goof Off Day.

It is a day to relax, enjoy and goof off. Do something fun and leave the work until tomorrow. Everybody needs to take a break from time to time. It is often so easy to get so involved in the work and pressures in our lives. So stop, take a break, find something different! 

Let any goofy idea pop into your head. Make paper airplanes from seed packets. Doodle pictures of poodles in puddles in Peru. Play a game of Jenga with randomly stacked spice jars. Or do the obvious and spend the day in your pajamas doing nothing.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalGoofOffDay

• Catch up on some sleep or read a good book.
• You might also watch a good movie or even play a board game.
• Maybe even get caught goofing off with some of your friends.
• Strictly speaking, goofing off is the avoidance of work. So whatever you do, try not to look like you are working.
• Check out these fun ways to “goof off” in Celebration Spotlight with Jennifer Monroe.
• Goof off with your kids. Check out these 5 Great Ways to Goof Off with Your Kids.
• Use #NationalGoofOffDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL GOOF OFF DAY HISTORY

Monica (Moeller) Dufour of Davidson, MI founded National Goof Off Day. According to official records, the first celebration took place in 1976. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press in 1983, Moeller suggests the first event may have been a few years later. Whenever the inaugural day took place, it was no surprise National Goof Off Day was created by a kid who likes to do things out of the ordinary.

How are you most likely to good off today?