Breadcrumb

Awareness Matters

​

​Awareness Matters. Each month Be Well Illinois provides educational resources about health awareness topics. Increasing awareness supports the prevention of serious health conditions and each awareness month creates the opportunity to learn more about how to keep yourself healthy.

 Most recent articles
  • September is National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Awareness Month
    Whether navigating treatment options, lending a caring ar or picking up the pieces after a relapse, helping someone with a drug addiction can be a scary and frustrating challenge. Here’s what to do to help take care of yourself and your loved one.
  • September is Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month
    Leukemia and Lymphoma are both cancers that are not associated with a tumor. Lymphomas are cancers that affect the lymph system. Leukemia is a cancer of the early blood-forming tissues, including your bone marrow and lymph system

 Previous Articles
  • August is Psoriasis Awareness Month
    Many of you who have been diagnosed with psoriasis know how the disease affects you. Even if you have lived with psoriasis for years, the why may not be so clear. So here’s a refresher on the psoriatic disease.
  • August is National Immunization Awareness Month
    To build your best defense against colds, flu, COVID-19 and other infections, your daily habits matter. Use this five-day mini challenge to make the right immune-boosting moves second nature.
  • July's Focus is Stroke Awareness
    July’s focus is Stroke Awareness. A stroke can happen in an instant and it can be a life-altering event. A stroke can strike anyone no matter your age, ethnicity or sex.
  • July is UV Safety Awareness Month
    Most of us know the sun is bad for our skin but did you know the sun wreaks havoc on the eyes, too? You may not be able to slather your eyes in sunscreen but you can help shield them.
  • June is Men's Health Awareness Month
    June is Men’s Health Awareness Month. Five of the most common health issues you face as a male can carry a risk of serious harm to your vision. Learn the ways your vision can be affected by each of these diseases and what you can do to help avoid them.
  • June is Migraine & Headache Awareness Month
    Migraines, even thinking about them may wipe you out. The pounding headache, the nausea, the light sensitivity. The first step in understanding your pounding, unrelenting headache is knowing which kind of migraine you have.
  • May is Mental Health Awareness Month
    May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Many people are feeling like stress or worry is their “new normal”. The long uncertainty of the pandemic has been a lot to handle. If you are feeling more anxious or depressed than usual, you are not alone.
  • May is Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month
    Spring is in the air. The flowers, plants and trees are a welcome sight after a long, cold winter. However, to 35 million Americans with what are called "seasonal allergies," spring is not so beautiful.
  • April is Stress Awareness Month
    You encounter stress every day, often without even realizing it. Whether big or small, these moments can cause your body to release hormones that put you into fight or flight mode, which affects the way you think and act.
  • April is Autism Awareness Month
    Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex, lifelong developmental condition that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships and self-regulation.
  • March is Colorectal Health Awareness Month
    March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, so it’s a good time to highlight what it is, who may be at risk and what you can do for yourself and others.
  • March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive, lifelong illness that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Normally, myelin protects nerve cells. Myelin is a fatty substance that acts like electrical wire insulation.
  • February is Heart Health Awareness Month
    We all know you need regular exercise and a diet filledwith fruit, vegetables and whole grains. However, taking steps to strengthen your heart emotionally is just as important to good health.
  • February is Children's Dental Health Awareness Month
    We all try our best to avoid possible infections in even minor cuts and scrapes but did you know that according to the American Dental Association (ADA), tooth decay is the single most common infectious disease affecting U.S. children?
  • January is Cervical Health Awareness Month
    Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer deaths for women in the U.S. It’s now the most preventable gynecological cancer and the only one with both screening tests and a vaccine.
  • January is National Blood Donor Awareness Month
    January is National Blood Donor Awareness Month, a critical time to raise awareness about the many benefits of being a blood or plasma donor. Donations are important because there is no alternative for blood; it cannot be manufactured.
  • December's Focus is Winter Wellness
    The lack of sunlight and bitter temperatures can give winter a bad reputation when it comes to your health. You pull out all the tricks to try to stay warm and healthy, but some of your winter wellness habits may be based on long-standing myths.
  • December's Focus is Fall Risk Prevention
    Every year, one in four people over age 65 experience a serious fall. For seniors, falling is the primary cause of severe injury, such as a broken hip or head trauma.
  • November is Diabetes Awareness Month
    What is type 2 diabetes? Having type 2 diabetes means your body doesn’t use insulin well and can’t keep blood sugar at normal levels. Diabetes can lead to serious conditions such as heart disease, blindness and kidney disease.
  • November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
    Alzheimer’s is a progressive medical condition. It is important to learn about the disease along with some simple steps that can help delay the potential onset or help facilitate an early diagnosis.
  • October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
    Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early.
  • October is Dental Hygiene Awareness Month
    Taking care of your teeth and gums can mean more than just a healthy-looking smile. It can help reduce the chance of gum disease or decaying teeth, and the unpleasant side effects of poor dental hygiene.
  • September is Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month
    Leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are types of cancer that can affect the bone marrow, the blood cells, the lymph nodes, and other parts of the lymphatic system.
  • September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
    There’s a lot to learn and understand about ovarian cancer. Simply put, ovarian cancer is cancer that starts in the ovaries or fallopian tubes.
  • August is National Immuniaztion Awareness Month
    Vaccines greatly reduce the risk of infection by working with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to disease.
  • August - Focus on Care Coordination Services
    While care coordination benefits and models can differ, the core of any approach is the same: to identify patients who require more coordinated care and facilitate delivery of the necessary healthcare services.
  • July - Focus on Stroke Prevention
    You can greatly reduce your risk for stroke by making lifestyle changes to help control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and, in some cases, by taking medication.
  • July - Focus on Family Wellness
    Families can improve wellness in ways big and small. Resist grand plans that involve too much time and money.
  • June is Men's Health Month
    Celebrated each year during June, Men’s Health Month brings awareness to the health issues all men face. The month is dedicated to enriching men’s health and and wellness through a broad spectrum of national screening and educational campaigns.
  • June is National Safety Month
    Your home is your castle, where you feel safe from the world’s demands and dangers. However, accidental poisonings, falls and fires cause almost half of all home accidents that can be fatal or lead to serious injury.
  • May is Mental Health Awareness Month
    National Mental Health Month raises awareness about mental illness and related issues in the United States. In recent times, attitudes towards mental health issues appear to be changing.
  • May is Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month
    The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) declared May to be “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.” It’s a peak season for people with asthma and allergies, and a perfect time to educate about these diseases.
  • April is Stress Awareness Month
    Learning to cope with our stress and finding healthy ways to deal with these situations can go a long way in living a healthy and positive life.
  • April is World Health Awareness Month
    World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on April 7th, under the guidance of the World Health Organization, as well as other related organizations.
  • March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
    Most colorectal cancers start as a growth on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. These growths are called polyps.
  • March is Pollution Awareness Month
    Air pollution is a known environmental health hazard. We know what we are looking at when brown smog settles over a city, exhaust fumes swirl across busy highways, or a cloud that rises from a smokestack.
  • February is Heart Health Awareness Month
    Cardiovascular disease, heart disease, coronary heart disease, what’s the difference? Because these terms sound so similar, people use them interchangeably. This information will help you understand how these conditions differ.
  • February is Children’s Dental Hygiene Month
    Developing your child’s health habits includes making good choices when selecting beverages. Help keep them on the right track by selecting the best beverage options for optimal oral health and overall wellness.
  • January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
    According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control.