Monday – Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness
Breast cancer occurs mostly in women 50 plus, post-menopause, but it’s never too early to check. The general consensus is to get a mammogram every 2 years, starting at 40. Don’t be fooled, men can develop breast cancer as well, it doesn’t discriminate.
Tuesday – Green for Mental Health Awareness
According to the CDC, “More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness.” It’s a lot more common than we think. What’s even sadder is that more than 1 in 5 youth live or have lived with a debilitating mental illness. It’s important that we recognize the severity of how they can affect us when left untreated. Whether you believe it works or not, everybody should see a therapist at least once in their life. It’s important to have someone to talk to who is confidential, won’t judge you, and doesn’t have a bias.
Wednesday – Purple for Alzheimer’s Awareness
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s such as memory loss, attitude change, poor judgment, and trouble handling money among many other things can start as early as 60. It’s important to pay attention to your loved one’s habits, so you’ll notice if they change for the worse.
Thursday – Yellow for Autism Awareness
Autism is a mental disability that affects over 75,000,000 people. And that’s just the diagnosed cases. Autism is notoriously overlooked in females, especially adults. Nearly 80% of autistic females go undiagnosed by age 18. While it’s important to recognize signs in both sexes, we also have to recognize that females present differently. Females have fewer social difficulties whereas men find it hard to make friends. Females have typical interests at a restricted level while men hyper-fixate on one specific thing for years at a time. Lastly, females tend to internalize their symptoms whereas men often present their feelings freely.
Friday – Blue for Diabetes Awareness
8.9% of the population is affected by diabetes. Type 1 accounts for about 5-10% of all cases, whereas type 2 makes up the 90-95% difference. Symptoms of both types of diabetes consist of increased thirst and hunger, blurry vision, numbness in hands and feet, dry skin, and tiredness. Type 1 diabetes specifically has more gut problems, such as nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. It can also be diagnosed at any age. Type 2 diabetes is more likely to be diagnosed later in life and symptoms can take years to develop, if noticeable at all. 1 in 5 Americans don’t know they have diabetes, and 8 in 10 don’t know they have prediabetes. Don’t be that 1, or 8.
