Drinking Water Week

Did you know?
-Roughly 70% of an adult body is made up of water
-While the daily recommended amount of water is eight cups per day, not all of this water must be consumed in the liquid form. Nearly every food or drink item provides some form of water for the body
-Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid, water carries chemicals, minerals and nutrients with it.
-By the time you feel thirsty, your body has lost over 1% of its total water amount.
-Water helps maintain healthy body weight by increasing metabolism and regulating appetite.
-Drinking adequate amounts of water can decrease the risk of certain types of cancers, including colon cancer, bladder cancer and breast cancer.
-Water can aid in the prevention and alleviation of headaches.
-Water naturally moisturizes the skin and ensures proper cellular formation under layers of skin to give it a healthy glowing appearance.
-Many countries around the world do not have access to clean tap water like we do in Canada.

When we turn the tap on, clean water comes out that is drinkable and safe. It is one, if not the most important resource that we have in Canada. From May 4^th to May 10^th take time to contemplate about where our water comes from and what we can do to keep this precious resource for generations to come.

Often in BC we take this resource for granted, but it won’t last forever as it is part of an open system that may be depleted. One cannot simply make new water! The demand for this resource is increasing with the growth of our population, agricultural needs and climate change. However, together we can help conserve water at home, and raise awareness through social media. Join us from May 4^th to May 10^th in Drinking Water week!

Family Caregiver Week

From May 3^rd to May 9^th many caregiver support organizations and community groups around the province will celebrate BC family caregiver week to recognize and thank the many unpaid family and friend caregivers who dedicate their time in the acts of compassion that they bring. Family caregivers are a key part of the healthcare team in BC who provide care and support to family and friends who cannot support themselves in poor health, old age or with disability.

Family caregiver week is important because public awareness must be raised to recognize the vital roles that caregivers play in the province of British Columbia. If you know a caregiver, take some time out of the week to thank them for the work that they’ve done, as their job often detriments their own health for the sake of the health of others, a truly noble sacrifice of dedication and commitment.

Watch for events held in the community during Family Caregiver week, May 3^rd to May 9^th

See a need, fill a need.

Red Hat Society Day

The Red Hat Society (RHS) is a social organization founded in 1998 for women originally 50+ but now is open to all women with the primary purpose of social interaction and bonding among women. Currently the RHS has spread to countries all of the worlds with thousands of groups in the US as well as groups in Canada, England, Peru and many other countries.

The Red Hat Society day is on April 25^th, we encourage all female members interested in looking for support and friendship to join the RHS, a group filled with amazing and empowering women of all ages.

More info here: http:/www.redhatsociety.com/

Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month! So what is autism?

Children and Adults with autism have challenges in:
Social interactions
Verbal and non-verbal communication
The ability to learn
Repetitive behaviors
Unusual or severely limited activities and interests

People with autism often find it hard to communicate with others in a typical way and my not understand social conventions, as a result of that individuals with autism often respond in ways we are not use to in everyday situations and changing environments. The spectrum of autism varies greatly in severity, some individuals with more severe autistic conditions can have serious cognitive disabilities and symptoms of extremely repetitive and unusual behaviours which can include aggression, self-injury all caused by the inability to communicate properly. Living with a person with severe autism can be very challenging and may require great patience and understanding of the condition. However in its weakest form autism is but a personality difference in the non-understanding of social conventions.

What can we do?
As Canadians it is our duty to be accepting and understanding of all people, if you know someone who suffers from autism or someone who cares for the autistic, give and show your support during Autism Awareness Month.

For more information check out these sites:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/ways-give?gclid=CLeq5eeamr0CFYFhMgodgU0Aqg
http://autismcanada.org/index.html?gclid=CNCWiYObmr0CFYFhMgodgU0Aqg