Posts in the Category: “National Observances”

Arthritis Awareness Month Topic: Growing Pains or Something Else?

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You might think you know what the word arthritis encompasses: pain in the joints of an older person. But the reality is that there are more than 100 different types of arthritis, and they don’t discriminate by race, sex or age.

 

Unfortunately, about 300,000 children and teens live with the swelling, joint pain, stiffness and decreased range of motion that comes with childhood arthritis, otherwise known as Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). In fact, there are nine different types of JIA, and only about 10 percent of children have the kind of arthritis that mirrors rheumatoid arthritis in adults.

 

What was often brushed off as mere “growing pains” is now taken more seriously as we know so much more about the onset of this disease. Continue reading →

May24

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

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sad business personGetting On When You’re Laid Off

 

Companies conduct layoffs in different ways. Some decide it’s best for morale and productivity if layoffs happen swiftly; others give a couple weeks to several months’ notice so employees have ample time to transition their workload.

 

Either way, layoffs can be tremendously difficult for those leaving and, oftentimes, hard for the associates staying aboard. If you find yourself blind-sided and enjoy your job, then feelings of frustration, bitterness and betrayal will likely surface.

 

In honor of Mental Health Month, Health Net talks layoffs — what to do if you’re affected by a transition and how to keep your mental health in good order. Continue reading →

May06

It’s North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH)

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building workerWorkplace safety ranks high with workers when it comes to labor standards. In fact, a study by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago states that 85 percent of employees ranked workplace safety above family and maternity leave, minimum wage, paid sick days, the right to join a union and overtime.

 

That’s saying a lot. Employers who put workplace safety at the top of their lists end up thankful in the long run.

Continue reading →

May05

Every Kid Healthy Week

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Katie LongoWhat started as a school project ended up changing the outlook of this SoCal runner.

 

The morning of February 14, 16-year-old Katie Longo laced up her running shoes and grabbed hold of her confidence. In just a few hours, she’d be joining the other 25,000 participants running from stadium to sea in the 26.2-mile 2016 Sketchers Performance L.A. Marathon.

 

Katie, running in the youngest division, had trained for 15 weeks prior to the big day. Never mind that experts agree starting in smaller races, like 5Ks and 10ks, is a good way to go or that training for a marathon – especially your first one – could take up to a year. Katie knew what she wanted to do and nothing was going to break her focus. Continue reading →

Apr25

National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

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15865-a-teen-girl-texting-while-driving-pvDying to get that text from someone? You just might.

 

Take a look at the eyes in the cars around you the next time you’re at a stoplight. Where are they looking? One would hope the windshield, but the reality is that more and more people are distracted while driving.

 

The on-demand world we live in today has us wired to be in the know with what’s happening around us at all times. Many of us experience the fear of missing out (#FOMO) on everything from national breaking news to knowing the second a child arrives safely at a friend’s house. Continue reading →

Apr18

The Most Compassionate Gift You’ll Ever Give: Organ Donation

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2016_BlueGreen_Instagram_WebIt was 25 years ago when my grandmother got the good news from University of California Irvine. “We have a cornea for you!” the young man on the other end of the phone announced. My grandmother was 80 years old and blind in her left eye. The hospital was about three hours away, and she needed to get down there as soon as possible. Continue reading →

Apr15

Time Out! Is Your Teen Athlete Getting Enough Nutrients?

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It’s 6:45 p.m. and soccer practice is in full swing on a field almost an hour from our home. My son won’t get home until almost 8:45 p.m. at which time he’ll scarf down the meal the rest of the family ate hours before. He’s a pre-teen and, like many of his peers, regular family meals for him are often replaced with the hunger to succeed on the field.

 

Sure, dinner always happens, but at a much later time than his body (or his mom) would like. Holding off eating – especially for adolescents – is a habit that starts innocently enough, but can quickly lead to bad nutritional habits. Continue reading →

Mar17

Keep Your Eyes Open When It Comes to Your Sight

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Workers at computerMarch is Worker Eye Wellness Month and, at Health Net, we’d like to remind you to keep an eye out for any eye changes you might notice. The many hours most of us spend in front of our electronic devices — computers at work and mobile phones, tablets and gaming systems at home — no doubt put us at risk for eye strain.

 

The technical terms are computer vision syndrome and digital eye strain, and neither is hard to get with all of the screens we view multiple hours a day. Continue reading →

Mar14

National Sleep Awareness Week

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Fast asleep togetherChecking your mobile device one last time before turning in for the night can be a good idea – and pretty much expected in today’s society. After all, tending to the business of life makes you feel organized, which then relaxes your body and prepares your mind for a good night’s sleep. With everything in place for the next day, it’s then easy to tuck your phone away on a charging station outside your bedroom and tuck yourself in between the sheets.

 

If this scenario resonates with you, congratulations. You’re doing tech right. Continue reading →

Mar01

Don’t Be Blind to the Possibility of Glaucoma

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Glaucoma is known as the sight-stealing disease for good reason: there are no symptoms and, once vision is gone, it’s really gone. This, of course, makes it a particularly devastating disease.

Statistics found on the Glaucoma Research Foundation website say that more than 60-million people worldwide have Glaucoma, but only half of those people actually know it. Continue reading →

Jan19