November is National Diabetes Month

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It’s Your Life. Treat Your Diabetes Well.

http://www.cdc.gov/

“November is National Diabetes Month, and the City of Minneapolis wants to help prevent diabetes by encouraging people to get screened for Type 2 diabetes and then take action if they’re at risk for developing it.

The Minnesota Department of Health estimates that one out of three Minnesotans have prediabetes, but most of them don’t know it. People with prediabetes are likely to develop Type 2 diabetes within five years if they don’t take action.” – http://www.minneapolismn.gov/

The Minneapolis Health Department, with funding from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sponsors the prevention program for Minneapolis residents in four community clinics and one community organization.

Under the guidance of a trained coach over 16 weeks, participants learn healthy eating, physical activity, managing stress, staying motivated, and solving problems that can get in the way of making healthy changes.

New classes are forming now. For more information, people can go to www.minneapolismn.gov/health/living/diabetesor call a class provider directly:

  • Native American Community Clinic (Brian Joyce at 612-872-8086 x1041).
  • Hennepin County Medical Center (Pa Xiong at 612-873-6641).
  • Neighborhood HealthSource clinics (Julie Lor at 612-287-2447).
  • Stairstep Foundation (Sylvia Amos at 612-521-3110).

For more information about the National Diabetes Prevention Program, go to www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/index.htm.  Credits belong to the rightful owner.

This Month in Japan | November

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“Frost month” or Shimotsuki is the old name for November. This is because in many parts of Japan, frost becomes visible in the mornings and this is the month when colder weather begins to set in.

During this month, there are two national holidays: Culture Day (Bunka no hi) on 11/3 and Labor Thanksgiving Day (Kinro kansha no hi) on 11/23. Culture Day is a special day where achievements in culture, the arts, and academic endeavor are recognized. Award ceremonies, festivals, parades, and art exhibitions are part of the celebrations that occur to honor professionals in these fields as well as to maintain local culture traditions in general.

While shichi-go-san on 11/15 is not an observed national holiday, it is a popular day throughout Japan where 7 (shichi) year-old-girls, 5 (go) year-old boys, and 3 (san) year old boys and girls visit shrines wearing traditional clothing. The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the growth and well-being of children.

 Shichi Go San -Family Portrait

https://grittymonkey.wordpress.com/

Fun facts:

  • Shimotsuki is also a Japanese surname.
  • Based on the zodiac, it is the month of the dog.
  • Labor and Thanksgiving Day is a time where Japanese people express their thankfulness for employment.

Credits belong to rightful owner.