Week in Health: Lymphedema, treatment Lunch and Learn topic

Lunch and Learn with the Blount Memorial Cancer Center on Tuesday, to find out more about lymphedema and possible treatment options. Physical therapist and certified lymphatic therapist Andi Garris presents the free program that's held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Cancer Center's conference rooms 1 and 2 on the second floor. To register, call 981-3983.

Tonight is the regular monthly meeting of Survivors of Suicide, a support group for anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide. The group meets from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Blount Memorial Hospital auditorium. For more information, call 984-4223.

Almost everyone experiences fatigue from time to time. But for more than 1 million adults in the United States, the fatigue is crushing, unrelieved by rest and accompanied by a multitude of other punishing symptoms. These people suffer from chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome, or CFIDS. The CFIDS Association of America has deemed today as CFIDS Awareness Day to bring awareness to a disease that is debilitating enough to destroy good health and active lifestyles, end fulfilling careers and devastate families. More information is at www.cfids.org.

Learn how exercise can lower blood sugar levels and about exercises for individuals with limited mobility from fitness coordinator Chad Hodson at the Tuesday meeting of the Diabetes Support Group. The group meets from 6-7 p.m. in the Blount Memorial Cancer Center conference room 1 on the second floor and is for individuals with diabetes and their families.

Caffeine, stress or even an uncomfortable mattress can rob you of the restful sleep your body needs. Fortunately, many of these culprits easily can be controlled. The Better Sleep Council has deemed May as Better Sleep Month with a goal of educating the public about the importance of sleep to good health. For more information about better sleep and tips for choosing the proper mattress, visit www.bettersleep.org.

In observance of Better Sleep Month, The Center for Sleep Medicine, a partnership of Blount Memorial Hospital and East Tennessee Medical Group, presents a free community health forum at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Blount Memorial Hospital auditorium. Neurologist Dr. Frederic Radoff and pulmonologist Dr. Bruce Roberts will discuss how the quality of your sleep impacts the quality of your life. More information is at 380-4021.

The Blount Memorial Wellness Center at Springbrook offers a variety of classes during the month of May to help keep children healthy and active. "Especially for Kids" classes are geared toward children ages 8 to 12. KidFit, a 30-minute circuit training class, is held on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m., and Jr. Fittrek -- a 30-minute outdoor interval class held weather permitting -- is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Additionally, a WellKid swim is held on Tuesdays at 4:30 and offers kids a 30-minute supervised lap-swim program. Members pay the WellKid rate per class and for non-members, the cost is $5 per class. More information is at 980-7100.

'Week in Health' is provided by Blount Memorial Hospital