Sedentary lifestyles are killing us – we need to build activity into our everyday lives, not just leave it for the gym.

By Vybarr Cregan-Reid Thu 3 Jan 2019 01.00 EST

Originally Published by The Guardian

This is the time of year when trainers are mined from under beds and gym kits are disinterred from the bottom drawer. Google searches relating to physical fitness peak in January. Many people even trawl the web to find out about “desk exercises” and “workouts on the go” in case they are too busy to use their new gym memberships.

Our first Alpha Cares initiative for 2019 is…

Maintaining a Healthy You!

We will be focusing our efforts from January through March on the importance of keeping yourself healthy. Maintaining a healthy body, mind, and workplace are of the utmost importance, and will positively affect other aspects of your life.

What you might see in the coming months from Alpha Cares:
Physical Health:       Did you know that there are no visibly clear symptoms of high blood pressure?
Mental Health:          Did you know that about one in five adults experienced a mental health issue in 2014? You are not alone.
Workplace Health:   Did you know that workplace health programs that offer an integrated approach to employee health can lead to better productivity, fewer absences, and improvements in employee retention?

Don’t forget to follow us on our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages as we share more information throughout Q1 of 2019!

December is International Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month! In 2015, U.S. emergency rooms treated over 250,000 toy-related injuries. To help promote Toy Safety Awareness, we will once again be participating in Toys for Tots!

We are calling for donations of new, unwrapped toys through December 17th. Toys can be dropped off in the lobby of our Norton office, all of which will then be donated to Toys for Tots with help from the Mansfield Rotary.

For more information about our Toys for Tots drive, please feel free to contact us at 508-285-8500, and remember to bring toys to 61 East Main Street in Norton before December 17th!

Unable to bring your contributions to Alpha? Call us today to schedule a pick-up!

Feel free to donate to Toys for Tots by visiting https://www.toysfortots.org/ .

We're thinking pink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Did you know that 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime?

Or that about 2,600 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men this year?

Visit www.breastcancer.org to learn about early diagnosis, symptoms, treatment options, and more!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! In the United States, about 1 in every 8 women will develop an invasive breast cancer over her lifetime. The two most significant risk factors of breast cancer are being a woman and growing older. However it is possible that a man or a young person could develop breast cancer. 

August Is…
Animal Health Month

During this month we will think about what we can do to help our own pets, along with other animals in shelters! Among cat owners, almost 50 percent did not take their cats to a veterinarian during 2011. Just like humans need yearly checkups and screenings, it is important that our animals go to the vet for checkups!

June Is…
Environmental Awareness Month

In June we are spreading awareness for conserving the environment! In America, we often use many resources without thinking about the consequences. Although our country makes up less than 5 percent of the world population, we still consume over 30 percent of its resources. Also, 110 million Americans live with such high levels of air pollution that threaten their lives.

May is…
ALS Awareness Month
May is nationally known as ALS Awareness Month! ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is a motor neuron disease that affects a person’s ability to walk, dress, speak, swallow, and eventually breathe. About 6,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with ALS every year, yet there is no known cause or cure.

This Month Is… March Motivation!

This March we are focusing on motivation and inspiration! Throughout the month we will be sharing motivational quotes, encouraging videos, book recommendations, and other ways to stay inspired both at work and in your daily life.

This report is published eight times per year. Each Federal Reserve Bank gathers anecdotal information on current economic conditions in its District through reports from Bank and Branch directors and interviews with key business contacts, economists, market experts, and other sources.