Thanks for reading the October  2024 issue of This Awful Awesome Life. I hope you enjoy the Pumpkin Salsa recipe in “The Twelve Months of Salsa.” Previous issues are available to read on our website. Go to www.thisawfulawesomelife.com and start scrolling or you can enter specific search criteria.

Our November issue is about “Men’s Health.” We’ll also feature articles about our U.S. Thanksgiving and Indigenous People’s Day.

How many of our males readers take the Movember challenge and grow a mustache? You must shave on the last day of October and start from scratch on November first. Can you do it?

Did you know mustache is the correct US English spelling of the British English word, moustache? Not that it has anything to do with men’s health, but I find that interesting. It’s inspired me to do an article about US English and British English for the November issue.

Do you know why men grow mustaches in November? Similar to the Pink Ribbon campaign for breast cancer, this campaign was started to raise men’s awareness about prostate cancer and yearly screenings. It has expanded to raise awareness of other  men’s health issues such as other cancers, heart, lung, or kidney diseases, diabetes, and depression. As with any form of cancer or other disease, early diagnosis and treatment are linked to higher survival rates.

In the United States, suicide rates for males are four times higher than suicide rates for females. Male deaths represent 79 percent of suicides. Why? Also, 90% of people who commit violent physical assaults that are reported are men.

We’ll have information on cancers, heart disease, depression, and other mental health issues. Also we’ll be discussing ways to be healthy and reduce the risks of many diseases.

Orlando Bartro and I will be back with interesting articles for you.

Next month, we will have a Q&A with author and blogger Tony Valerino. Valerino is a history buff on a mission to make history interesting to everyone. I’m currently reading his book, Civilizations of the Ancient World: A Global Survey and so far, mission accomplished! I’ll be reviewing it for the November issue.

We’ll have another author birthday and our next salsa recipe because you need something tasty to snack on while you read the November issue.

We’re moving some of our regular features around to shake things up a bit and keep you on your toes.

I’ll have more streaming and reading recommendations. “What’s in a Word?” and “Dare to Believe,” will be back but we’ll be alternating some of our content. We’ll continue the monthly quizzes to exercise our brains, and we’ll continue reviewing books.

I’ll have a short story for you with a November theme.

Stay safe. Stay well. You are important, and you are loved.

All my best,

Fran  

Answers to the October 2024 “So You Want to Be Healthy Rebus Puzzle Quiz.”

1. Two words - Get moving.

2. Six words - Begin a heart healthy eating plan.

3. Four words - Manage your stress levels.

4. Five words - Pay attention to your body.

5. Eight words Get wellness checks and age-appropriate health screenings.

6. Seven words - Be truthful with yourself and your doctor.

7. Seven words - Don’t smoke, use smokeless tobacco, or vape.

8. Five words - Limit consumption of alcoholic beverages.

9. Five words - Know your family medical history.

10. Six words - Limit screen time and prioritize sleep.