HCCA's Worksite Wellness Newsletter

Founded in 1976, it is designed to heighten public awareness on how the joy and therapeutic value of laughter can improve health, boost morale, increase communication skills and enrich the quality of one's life. To learn more visit or for resources visit www.aath.org/authors_crisis.htm, www.larrywilde.com/month/htm, www.humormonth.com, www.thehumorcollection.org, and www.comedycures.org

International Moment of Laughter Day April 14th

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to laugh out loud in public? Well, get ready to do it again, because April 14 has been set aside to do just that, according to "America's Humorologist" Izzy Gesell. To encourage more people to laugh, he invites America and the whole world to join in the fun on April 14, the planet's International Moment of Laughter Day. For more information visit www.izzyg.com/content/International_Moment_of_Laughter_April_14th/1002

Stress Awareness Month

To promote public awareness of what stress is, what causes it to occur and what can be done about it. A monthlong focus on the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies and the myths about stress that are prevalent in our society. For more information visit www.counseling.org, and www.stresscure.com

National TV-Turnoff Week April 19-25th

Screen Time cuts into family time and is a leading cause of obesity in both adults and children. Excessive use of screens for recreational purposes leads to a more sedentary and solitary lifestyle and that is unhealthy for all of us, both mentally and physically.

In the US and other industrialized nations around the world, screen time use continues to increase every year. The average daily usage for all screens, in some countries, has reached 9 hours per day. This is for recreational use of screens and does not include work time.

On average, people watch 4 hours of television and then spend another 4 plus hours with computers, games, video, iPods and cell phones. According to Nielsen, the average World of Warcraft gamer plays for 892 minutes per week! The company that owns Second Life (a virtual world) claims that its users spent over 1 million hours on line. These statistics hold true for children directed sites as well, including Webkinz and others. To learn more visit www.tvturnoff.org/ and unplugyourkids.com

Visit capital.villagesoup.com the week of April 12th for more information.

National Cancer Control Month
"Cancer Control" is an approach to managing cancer in the best way possible, in each stage of the disease. It is a system which ensures that cancer risk is controlled as much as possible, that cancers are screened for as early as possible, and that patients receive effective care and support which meets their needs and situations.

How can you help control cancer?

Prevention
Advances in medicine are making cancer treatment more effective, and making it possible to treat forms of cancer that were untreatable a short time ago. Despite the advances in treatment, the best way to beat cancer is to never get it. According to the World Health Organization, up to a third of cancer cases are preventable. To reduce the risk of cancer, the WHO advises that people should:

* avoid tobacco, the most preventable cause of cancer worldwide

* adopt a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, and get regular exercise - being overweight has

been linked to many types of cancer

* avoid excessive sun

* avoid environmental carcinogens, such as asbestos and benzene

Early diagnosis and screening
While it is not always possible to prevent cancer, early detection is one of the most important factors in beating cancer. Some types of cancer, such as breast, skin and testicular cancers, can and should be regularly self-examined. If you detect anything to give you concern, make an appointment to talk to your physician or medical professional for further screening.

Many other types of cancer form within the body and are not easy to detect. There are number of tests that help doctors detect cancer from blood samples or imaging devices; talk to your physician about what screening methods are appropriate, given your age and medical history.

To learn more visit www.cancer.org

National Healthcare Decisions Day April 16th

Despite recent gains in public awareness of the need for advance care planning, studies indicate that most Americans have not exercised their right to make decisions about their healthcare in the event that they cannot speak for themselves.

The National Healthcare Decisions Day will help Americans understand that making future healthcare decisions includes much more than deciding what care they would or would not want; it starts with expressing preferences, clarifying values, identifying care preferences and selecting an agent to express healthcare decisions if patients are unable to speak for themselves.

The National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) initiative is a collaborative effort of national, state and community organizations committed to ensuring that all adults with decision-making capacity in the United States have the information and opportunity to communicate and document their healthcare decisions. To learn more visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionday.org

Other April Observances

National Public Health Week April 7-13th www.apha.org

World Health Day April 7th www.who.org and www.paho.org
Earth Day April 22nd www.earthday.net

May Health Observances flowers

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and

Prevention Month
National Stroke Awareness Month

Better Sleep Month

Clean Air Month
Women's Health Week - May 19-15th
National Employee Health and Fitness - May 19th
National Blood Pressure Awareness Month
Bike to Work Week May 17 -21st
World No Tobacco Day - May 31st
Older Americans Month
National Senior Health & Fitness Day- May 26th

Correct Posture Month

National Bike Month

National Mental Health Month

Join Hands Day: Youth and Adults Volunteering

Together - May 1