World Health Organization

World Sickle Cell Day was started by the United Nation’s World Health Organization (WHO). Their focus is to promote a worldwide agenda to address hemoglobin dysfunctions.

WHO has made a commitment to:

• Recognize that sickle cell disease is a major health issue.
• Increase awareness of the world community regarding sickle cell disease.
• Eliminate harmful and wrong prejudices associated with sickle cell disease.
• Urges member countries where sickle cell disease is a public health problem to establish health programs at the national level and operate specialized centers for sickle cell disease and facilitate access to treatment.
• Promote satisfactory access to medical services to people affected with sickle cell disease.
• Provide technical support to all countries to prevent and manage sickle cell disease.
• Promote and help research to improve the lives of people affected with sickle cell disease.
• Promote and help develop medical id’s.

The World Sickle Cell day is celebrated across the globe with special emphasis in African Nations and Asia. The celebrations include press, media campaigns, music shows, cultural activities, and talk shows.

The main emphasis is educating medical professionals, care givers, and associated personnel about prevention, research, and resources to minimize the complications due to sickle cell disease. Hence June 19th is devoted mainly to spread awareness, through talks, seminars, pamphlets, literature and consultations. The life-saving importance of wearing  Medical ID jewelry and keeping medical ID cards was also a large part of the discussion.

Here are some World Sickle Day Awareness activities that are were suggested by WHO to help the United Nations strive to raise awareness that “sickle-cell anemia is a public health problem!”

Small Scale Activities

• Blood Drives (Hospital or in the community)
• Marrow Registration Drives (Hospital or in the community)
• Balloon Releases
• Butterfly Releases
• General conversations with people
• Memorial Activities
• SC Awareness Surveys or Questionnaires
• Share the UN Resolution in a newspaper or read out loud
• Educate people that SC is in every race
• Create Medical IDs

Medium Scale Activities

• Rallies
• Assembled Meetings
• Awareness Events
• Worship Services
• Press conferences with 4 areas of focus:
• Trait awareness
• Increasing funding to develop more adult comprehensive treatment programs
• Increasing awareness on blood, tissue and cord blood donations
• Raising needed funds to purchase medical equipment in developing countries (electrophoresis machines, supplies, beds, etc.)
• Raiding awareness of Medical IDs

Large Scale Activities

• Comedy Clubs presenting: “Laughing in Crisis!”
• Awareness Benefit Concerts
• Fundraiser Activities
• A Sickle Cell World Day (WSCD) Festival that will feature food/non-food vending, performances and presentations, and enlist locally based or invited entertainers and athletes to participate as well.

For More  About World Sickle Cell Day, Visit
http://Worldsicklecellday.webs.com/
To learn more about Sickle Cell Anemia/Disease/Trait please visit:
http://aablooddriveandmarrowregistry4sicklecellawareness.webs.com/

N-Style ID makes attractive medical ID jewelry & medical alert jewelry for kids, teens, and adults. Since its founding, N-Style ID’s core vision is to make the lives of all those dealing with conditions that require medical ID's less stressful by providing fun and fashionable medical ID  jewelry. www.n-styleid.com

As we celebrate autism awareness issues this month, its important to understand some key statistics about the state of autism in 2013:

• Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability with a 1,148% growth rate.

• Every 11 minutes, a child is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

• 1 in 88 children in the United States is on the autism spectrum; 1 in 54 boys.

• 1 percent of the population of children in the U.S. ages 3-17 have an autism spectrum disorder.

• Prevalence is estimated at 1 in 88 births.

• 1.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder.

The Autism Awareness Month kicked off with the World Autism Awareness Day. World Autism Awareness Day is one of only three official health-related United Nations Days with the goal of bringing the world's attention to autism.

On April 2, countries all over the world participated in a dramatic “Light It Up Blue” campaign in which buildings and landmarks across the word were lit up in blue to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day.

Here's a great image from the Autism Speaks Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/worldautismawarenessday)

The National Autism Awareness Month gets off to a great start with the Autism Speaks, "Light it Up Blue” campaign because it’s a dramatic way “shine a light” on Autism issues by driving international awareness for the disorder.  People are encouraged to  show their support throughout the month of April and join the cause by becoming a member of Autism Speaks on www.autismspeaks.org.

While the World Autism Day featured a global day of  “lighting it up blue,” individuals, businesses, schools and government groups are encouraged to display “Light It Up Blue” merchandise and blue lighting wherever possible as well as to participate in various activities related to the campaign.

You can download all kinds of great artwork, tools and reources to show your support for autism awareness on the Tools & Resources webpage of AutismSpeaks.org.
CLICK HERE

Here are great samples of artwork you can access:

The April campaign also encourages people from all over the country to join the petition: “Give Hope. And Take Action!" This petition calls on President Obama to develop a comprehensive national plan to address autism.

As of April 5^th, 75, 948 people have signed the petition (the goal is to receive 180,000 signatures!).

To sign the petition,  go to: http://action.lightitupblue.org/c.arKQI4MBIgI4E/b.8566551/k.66A7/Give_Hope_Take_Action/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx

Meanwhile the Autism Society (http://www.autism-society.org/), which is officially in charge of organizing all National Autism Month activities in the US, is driving the Put on the Puzzle! Campaign.

The Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon is the most recognized symbol of the autism community in the world. The Autism Society is encouraging people to display the Puzzle Ribbon on their Facebook pages, pinned to their clothes, as badges on websites, to wear Puzzle Ribbon bracelets and more.

Learn about the  origins of how the puzzle design became the core symbol representing  autism and be sure to make a donation to purchase the Puzzle Ribbon by visiting: http://www.autism-society.org/about-us/puzzle-ribbon.html

At N-Style ID, in honor of National Autism Awareness month, we will conduct some Facebook contests/giveaways. BE sure to check out our Facebook page @ www.facebook.com/NStyleID.

N-Style ID makes attractive medical alert jewelry for kids, teens, and adults.Since its founding, N-Style ID’s core vision is to make the lives of all those dealing with conditions such as Autism that requiring medical ID's less stressful by providing fun and fashionable medical jewelry. www.n-styleid.com

With the holiday just around the corner and a large selection of our Children’s medical ID Bracelets on sale, we thought we’d share some fun and affordable alternatives to stuff Easter baskets and eggs.

We have many of our popular “Ultra-Light & Nylon” children’s bracelets on sale. Normally $15.50, our special March pricing is $7.50. These bracelets, for boys and girls, are perfect for everyday wear. They are made of nylon webbing and adjustable with a plastic center push buckle. They also come with the children's “Slider”  medical ID tag.

Here's a quick look at some of our Children's bracelet's on sale

The “Like” Children’s Medical ID Bracelet

"Like" Bracelet

Purchase the "Like" bracelet here

“Beating Heart” Children’s Medical Bracelet

"Beating Heart" Bracelet

Purchase the Beating Heart Bracelet, here

“Catch A Wave” Children's ID Bracelets

"Catch a Wave" Bracelet

Purchase "Catch a Wave" bracelet, here

“Butterfly Kids” Children’s Medical Bracelet

"Butterfly" Bracelet

Purchase "Butterfly" Bracelet, here

“Angel” Children’s Medical Bracelet

"Angel" Bracelet

Purchase"Angel" Bracelet, here

Does your child already have an N-Style children's "Slider" medical id tag? If so, check out our huge selection of affordable interchangeable children's  medical bracelets without ID tags. At just $5.95 each they are a perfect treat for Easter Baskets 7 egg hunts. What kid wouldn't love having a bunch of different bracelets for each day of the week?

View all Interchangeable Children's Bands, here.

The "Ultra-Light" Interchangeable Bands

The "Ultra-Light" Interchangeable Bands

The "Jelly" Interchangeable Bands

Image from www.ChildrenAllergyClinic.com

Preparing to send a child to school with food allergies is a scary and sometimes overwhelming venture.  The goal is to try to control your child’s environment as best as possible.  In this article, we summarize key precautionary steps you can take to have influence over the school environment.  It’s worth noting, that while reviewing other blogs on the subject, we’re struck that a majority leave out the explicit importance of adding medical ID jewelry to your child’s food allergy safety plan.

Here are some precautions you can take to minimize the chances of your child consuming foods that may cause an allergic reaction and the steps to take to ensure that your child gets proper care in the event of a reaction:

1. Develop and submit an “Emergency Allergy Action Plan”

- Endorsed by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, this plan outlines critical care, including allergic symptoms to watch for, that the school must follow in the event of an allergic reaction emergency

- To download the Emergency Allergy Action Plan go to: www.foodallergy.org/files/FAAP.pdf

- Set-up an appointment to meet with your child’s teachers, administrators, school nurses, aides and ideally cafeteria staff to review this plan at the start of the new school year.

- During this meeting, be sure to discuss how the school communicates your child’s food allergies to secondary school staff, such as bus drivers, substitute teachers, after-school sports coaches, etc.

- Many cafeteria menus are prepared months in advance, be sure to review the menu in this meeting.

2. Make sure the school has your child’s epinephrine auto-injector and any medications provided by your doctor

3. Don’t be shy about discussing your child’s food allergies with other parents. Once they understand the severity of your child’s allergies, they are more likely to become allies in helping to prevent your child’s exposure to dangerous foods via not packing those foods in their children’s lunch and educating their children about your child’s allergies.

4. Have “safe snacks” stocked and ready in your child’s classroom in the event that snacks are provided that your child is allergic to. This sway your child will have snacks they enjoy without feeling left out.

5. Your child should always wear medical ID jewelry in the form of a medical ID bracelet or necklace.

There are a lot of misconceptions about food allergies, particularly just how severe and dangerous they are. Wearing medical ID jewelry accomplishes two critical things:

- Can save your child’s life by alerting first responders (EMT) to the allergy so they administer fast and proper care at the moment emergency treatment is being given.

- Medical ID jewelry sends a clear message to school staff and other parents that your child’s food allergy is serious and not simply a mild reaction or irritation to certain foods.

Information to include on the medical ID tag should include name, allergy, medication (e.g., “Use Epi-Pen”) and emergency contact info.

If your child is initially resistant to wearing medical ID jewelry, remember that there are endless styles to choose from that are geared towards children’s likes and interests.  At N-Style Medical ID, we strive to create fun and functional medical ID jewelry for children. Be sure to include your child in the process of choosing medial ID jewelry so that they ultimately “love” what they’re wearing.

N-Style ID makes attractive medical alert jewelry for kids, teens, and adults. Since its founding, N-Style ID’s core vision is to make the lives of all those dealing with conditions requiring medical ID's less stressful by providing fun and fashionable medical jewelry. www.n-styleid.com

Since February is the month of love and romance, jewelry and chocolate, we thought it appropriate to spotlight our one-of-a-kind line of 14K gold, diamond and precious stone medical ID jewelry.

One of our most popular lines of medical jewelry is the beautiful 14K gold Heart-Shaped ID charms inlaid with diamonds and other precious gems.

14K Gold Medical ID Charms

These beautiful medical ID charms come in 14K yellow or white gold.  The charms can be attached to bracelets and necklaces.   The inlaid precious stone options include real diamonds, rubies, amethyst, sapphires, blue topaz or a combination of diamonds and rubies or diamonds and sapphires.

To view our entire selection of 14K Gold medical ID charms, go to:
http://www.n-styleid.com/charms-pendants

Our elegant and striking collection of 14K Yellow and White Gold Charm Bracelets were designed to work perfectly with our Heart-Shaped Charms.  We offer 7 unique bracelet designs, from traditional to trend-specific  that will look gorgeous with the rest of your premium jewelry: Hammered Gold, Two-Tone Yellow and White Gold Rope, Triple Strand Elegance White Gold , Two-Tone White Gold Cable with Gold Link Chain, Blue Topaz Stone with White and Yellow Gold, Chunky Trend White Gold and Rolo Links White or Yellow Gold.

Bracelets from the N-Style ID Charm Bracelet Collection

More from the N-Style ID Charm Bracelet Collection

To view, the entire 14K Charm Medical ID Bracelet Collection, go to:
http://www.n-styleid.com/medical-id-alert-bracelets/gold-medical-bracelets

Our 14K white and yellow gold medical ID bangle bracelets was one of the first bracelets we ever designed and continues to be our most popular.  Any woman that has to wear a medical ID bracelet, still wants the opportunity to choose a beautiful, high-end piece of jewelry regardless that’s a medical bracelet.

Our gold bangle bracelets come with the sleek Contempo style ID tag, permanently fixed to one side and with a removable hook on the other.

White and Yellow Gold Bangle Bracelets

To view our White and Yellow gold 14K medical ID bangle bracelets, go to:
http://www.n-styleid.com/medical-id-alert-bracelets/bangles

The third bracelet, “Jamie,” is a variation on the trendy & colorful multi-strand wrap  bracelets so popular right now.

We thought playing on the huge presence of Facebook in our lives could be fun. So with a wink-and-a-smile we introduced the “Like” medical alert bracelet. Within hours of posting the bracelet to our Facebook page for a giveaway, our Post was flooded with, well…. Likes!

Shop for the Like" bracelet here: http://www.n-styleid.com/like-medical-id-bracelets.html

In the same spirit of fun when creating the “Like” bracelet, we introduced the “Caution Tape” Medical Alert Bracelet.  We had a very snowy and cold December at N-Style ID and there’s not a building in sight that isn’t crowned in icicles.  I got the idea of making the new bracelet heading in and out of the building surrounded by caution tape warning us of all the icicles.

Shop the "Caution Tape" bracelet here: http://www.n-styleid.com/caution-tape-medical-id-bracelets.html

The “Like” and “Caution Tape” medical alert bracelets are from the Ultralight / Sports line and are great for everyday wear because of their durability. The adjustable bands are made of nylon webbing with a plastic center push buckle.

These bracelets are interchangeable in two ways. You can order the bracelet complete with ID tag. Then remove the bands and select other designs from our huge selection of affordable kids medical bracelets without ID tags. Or you can order different colors of the interchangeable medical ID tag.

The all new “Jamie” medical alert bracelet is a fun & feminine design with triple strands in a casual and comfortable material that includes a silver heart-shaped medical ID charm.  This bracelet is easy customize with four bracelet colors to choose from and five different silver ID charms to choose from.  The Jamie medical alert bracelet can fit a 6” to 8” wrist.

Shop the "Jamie" bracelet here: http://www.n-styleid.com/jamie-lime-medical-charm-bracelets.html
To see more of our large selection of children's bracelets, lick here to view children's medical alert bracelets

With concentrated efforts to make practical lifestyle and diet changes, managing and minimizing the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes can be accomplished in anyone’s life. Type 2 diabetes is generally caused by genetics and obesity combined with a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits.  People that carry excess weight, especially in their midsection, are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Any plan to minimize the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes is always centered on incorporating healthy lifestyle changes into our daily routine.  The thing about the recommended changes for diabetics, is that they are virtually the same for people not suffering from diabetes who are looking to improve their overall health. So the good news is that a Type 2 diabetic is not alone in seeking a healthier lifestyle.  Diet and exercise goals can be made with your partner or friends.

Here are the core changes needed to improve the overall health and well-being of people with Type 2 diabetes:

Eating Habits and Meal Patterns

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Stick to the same meal times each day.
• Managing and tracking the amount of carbohydrates at each meal or snack will keep your blood sugar level steady throughout the day.
• It’s not just the actual food you eat that affects blood sugar levels but how much you eat and when you eat affects blood sugar in the body.
• Omega-3 fish oils can improve glucose tolerance, high triglycerides, and cholesterol levels
• Incorporate high-fiber, low-glycemic-index sources of carbohydrates like whole-grains, fruits, vegetables into your diet.
• Limit intake of saturated and trans fatty acids.

Regular Exercise and Weight Loss

• Exercise promotes cardiovascular fitness and weight loss, lowers high blood pressure, improves lipid profiles and improves blood sugar control.  Since excess fat in the body can decrease the number of insulin receptors in the body, weight loss is a critical component to managing diabetes.

Limit Alcohol Intake

• Alcohol is essentially pure sugar so it worsens glucose tolerance. Try to completely refrain from or drastically reduce your alcohol intake

Stress Management

• Stress is very bad for people with diabetes. Unmanaged stress elevates blood sugars. Identify techniques to help lower stress levels such as reading, meditating or yoga.

There are endless online diet and exercise programs for people with Type 2 diabetes to help them achieve their goal of a healthier lifestyle:

Online Recipes:

http://www.joybauer.com/recipes-for-Type-2-Diabetes.aspx

http://www.diabetesinanewlight.com/

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20307365,00.html

http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/

Exercise Tips and Programs

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/fitness/

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20425548,00.html

http://www.everydayhealth.com/diabetes/type2/managing/weight-lifting-get-strong.aspx

And finally, wearing your medical alert /medical ID jewelry is also a core tool in managing Type 2 diabetes. It’s surprising that many adults with Type 2 diabetes don’t where medical alert jewelry. The importance of wearing medical ID jewelry for your overall health can’t be understated. In the event of an emergency, first responders need to know of your condition so they can administer proper care thus potentially saving your life.

Here’s an overview of our new styles:

Harmony Hemp Medical Bracelet

Our young staff designed The Harmony Hemp medical alert bracelet. The medic alert bracelet is woven of natural help fibers with a peace sign bead woven into the bracelet.  The Harmony Hemp comes with a pink peace sign; the other bracelet styles in this line are available with black or natural colored peace signs. This bracelet is not interchangeable.

Get more details about the Harmony Hemp Medical ID bracelet here:

http://www.n-styleid.com/harmony-hemp-medical-bracelets.html

Rasta Braided Medical Alert Bracelet

The Rasta Medical Alert Bracelet is braided of nylon treads in a cool combination of Rasta colors green, red, yellow and black.  The Rasta Braided Bracelet comes with the fully interchangeable Contempo ID in sterling silver with multiple color options.  And the Ratsa Bracelet can also accommodate any of our add-on charms (pictured below)

Get more details about the Rasta Braided Medical Alert Bracelet here

http://www.n-styleid.com/rasta-braided-medical-id-bracelet.html

Wrap Leather Medical Alert Bracelets

Our Wrap Leather Medical Alert Bracelets are the perfect choice for stylish and trendy looks. The Leather Wrap Bracelet can be worn in multiple way to suit your style. They can be wrapped around your wrist once and then cut the excess leather or you can wrap the leather multiple times.  The Leather Wrap Bracelet comes in multiple colors and with the Contempo ID Tag, which is interchangeable with many other bracelet styles.

Get more details about the Skulls Hemp Medical Alert Bracelet here:

http://www.n-styleid.com/red-wrap-leather-medical-bracelets.html

Candy Braided Medical ID Bracelet

The Candy Braided Medical ID Bracelet is a casual, feminine bracelet with a combination of nylon threads of lime, pink, purple and orange. The Candy Bracelet is also paired with the Contempo ID tag made of stainless steel and comes in a variety of colors. If you buy the Candy Braided bracelet with the the Contemp ID tag, the tag is then interchangeable with many other bracelet styles such as our leather and beaded bracelets.

Get more details about the Candy Braided Medical ID Bracelet here:

http://www.n-styleid.com/candy-braided-medical-id-bracelet.html

Skulls Hemp Medical Alert Bracelets

Our young staff had designed the cool Skulls Hemp Medical ID Bracelet. The bracelet has an island look to it with natural woven hemp and tiki-style skulls interwoven. The bracelet is tied on one end making the size adjustable to fit a 6" to 7 1/2" wrist. This bracelet is not interchangeable.

Get more details about the Skulls Hemp Medical Alert Bracelet here:

http://www.n-styleid.com/skulls-hemp-medical-bracelets.html

Mustache Medical ID Bracelet

We recently wrote about our new, on-trend and totally whimsical Mustache Bracelet (read more here). This medical bracelet pays tribute the popular mustache trend. Made of nylon with a plastic center tag this bracelet is great as a sports band. The Mustache Bracelet fits up tot a 7" wrist

Get more details about the Mustache Medical ID Bracelet here:

http://www.n-styleid.com/mustache-medical-id-bracelets.html

Click the photo to view more more details for Contempo Medical Alert Tags:

The mustache craze has hit N-Style’s medical ID jewelry line. It seems everywhere you look, a mustache is sure to appear.  All over Pinterest and Etsy, mustaches are appearing on coffee mugs, t-shirts, jewelry and just about anything you can think of.  The accessory of choice at weddings and children’s parties is the ubiquitous mustaches-on-a-stick. Mustaches are even appearing on baked goods at high-end bakeries, like cupcake toppings in posh neighborhoods like Napa Valley, CA.

While we’re not exactly sure where this craze started (Hipsters?, the Movember movement?), we know our line of medical ID jewelry wouldn’t be complete until we created an homage to the mustache craze.

N-Style ID’s new “Mustache” children's medical ID bracelet is a fun and causal piece covered with a variety of trendy mustache icons and is perfect for everyday wear. Click here to view the “Mustache”: www.n-styleid.com/mustache-medical-id-bracelets

The Mustache bracelet is made of khaki-colored nylon webbing and adjustable with a plastic center push buckle. Even though this band is classified as a children’s medical bracelet, it will also fit an adult size 7" wrist. Excess length may be cut and melted with a heat source to keep the webbing from fraying.

Order the Mustache bracelet complete with the your personalized medical ID tag. Engraving is printed on the back of the slider medical ID tag. Then shop our huge selection of kids medical bracelets without ID tags. All of the bands and bracelets are interchangeable with the original ID tag created for the Mustache. (Warning: This medical bracelet for kids under 3 are not recommended as they may present a choking hazard.)

At N-Style ID, many of the medical ID and medical alert jewelry we make is created for men, women and children with Epilepsy or other seizure disorders. As November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, we thought we’d wrap-up November with an overview of what you should know and how to react if a loved one or a stranger has a seizure in your presence.

Many of us have never had to provide help and assistance for someone having a seizure. Because of this there are a few misconceptions about providing the correct care for seizures. Aside from some basic steps to follow, most of the time, a person having a seizure requires no assistance other than a caring and calming presence. If you have never seen someone having a seizure, it can be a somewhat scary experience. Just remember to stay calm at all times. Seizures will end within a couple of minutes. Seizures can be very confusing to those experiencing them and your reassuring presence is extremely comforting while the person is in “recovery mode” immediately following a seizure.

Now that you know the importance of staying calm and focused in the presence of someone having a seizure, he’s a list of the top do’s and dont’s for providing care in the event of a seizure:

WHAT TO DO:

• Stay calm!
• Look for medical alert jewelry to confirm that the person has a Epilepsy or a seizure disorder
• Create the safest surrounding environment possible for the person seizing
• Remove sharp objects from around the person to prevent injury
• If possible, try to cushion their head with your hands, a pillow or any soft object to help prevent head injuries
• Try to loosen clothing around their neck
• Try to pay attention to the length of the seizure
• When the seizure is over, be sure to slowly move the person onto their left side. This is VERY important to help open their airway as any swelling of the tongue from the seizure or post-seizure vomiting could obstruct their breathing
• Recovery from the seizure will take a few minutes, but confusion and fatigue is sure to follow. Remain with that person until they are sufficiently recovered

WHAT NOT TO DO:

• Do not attempt to restrain the person’s body while convulsing. – This can cause injury to both yourself and the person suffering the seizure
• Do not put anything in the person’s mouth – This is a major misconception that stems from the concern that a person with a seizure might swallow their tongue. They will not swallow their tongue
• Do not give the person water, food or pills until they are completely recovered
• Do not leave someone alone following the seizure until they have fully regained their bearings

Cal 911 if you are a loved one and the seizure lasts more that five minutes or if you are a stranger and helping someone who is without family or friends.

For those suffering from Epilepsy or a seizure disorder, always carry medical identification in the form of medical alert jewelry and medical ID card. In the event of an emergency, this will enable the people around you, especially strangers, to provide the appropriate treatment and maintain your safety in the event of a seizure.

For more information about Epilepsy and seizure disorders, go to:

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org

http://www.epilepsy.com