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Entry bubble Poison Prevention

By: Joanne | March 16, 2010 | Category: Health

poison symbolIt’s one of those parenting nightmares – you find your baby sitting on the floor with an open bottle of medicine. My story went something like that, but instead of medicine, my 1 year old got her hands on a bottle of cleaning solution for our CD’s. It has no child proof cap and she found it while rummaging through the stereo cabinet. Small children are curious little explorers and it’s amazing what they can get themselves into when you turn your back for a moment.

So there she was, sitting on the floor happily holding the open bottle. I didn’t see her drink any of it, but there wasn’t much liquid left in the bottle. I just didn’t know what to do, so I called the Poison Center.

The people at the Poison Center asked me some questions about the situation, and luckily the cleaning solution was alcohol and the quantity (if she had any at all) was small enough that it didn’t pose a serious threat. They told me what to watch out for, just in case she had a bad reaction and were calm, comforting and helpful. *whew* Everything turned out OK.

Needless to say, a child safety latch was installed on the stereo cabinet – pronto! It’s hard to make your home 100% safe, but if you have small children or animals around your home, do your best to prevent poising.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: center   child   health   joanne   poison  

 

Entry bubble It's Not the Hot Dog's Fault

By: Jess | February 25, 2010 | Category: Health

Hot dogsHot dogs are an American pastime. They are front and center at summer barbecues. And who hasn't ordered one at a baseball game?

Stuffed in a bun, slathered in ketchup, mustard, or whatever topping your prefer, they scream American summertime.

But a group of pediatricians wants to fundamentally change the hot dog because they say its shape poses a choking risk to children. Sadly, hot dogs are the cause of 17 percent of asphyxiations in kids under 10.

Now I'm all for protecting children from choking, but try for a minute to picture a less-round hot dog. All I end up picturing is some strange hamburger-like patty.

The group also wants the government to mandate that food manufacturers label products such as hot dogs with a warning label that they pose a choking hazard.

I think with common sense most people know hot dogs are a choking hazard. It's certainly not new information.

Maybe the solution here isn't changing the hot dog itself, but instead educating parents and kids about the choking risks a hot dog poses. Maybe parents need to cut their kids' hot dogs (and all food really) into smaller pieces or just feed them hot dogs less often. Maybe parents should be trained in the Heimlich Maneuver.

Before we all start banging the evil-hot-dog drum, I think we need to step back and look at some educational things we can do to prevent choking.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: choking   health   hot_dog   jess   kids  

 

Entry bubble Exercise and Heart Health

By: Joanne | February 09, 2010 | Category: Health

woman riding an exercise bikeWe all know that regular exercise is good for us, but sometimes we feel like we have to be marathon runners to benefit from it. Let’s face it, most of us aren’t in any shape for a marathon or triathlon, but here’s the good news: I heard a news story last week about how regular, moderate exercise really benefits the heart.

I have a healthy heart now, and after seeing my dad go through treatments for an aneurysm, heart bypass and a valve replacement, I would like to do what I can now to avoid having heart disease in the future. None of that was any fun at all.

Recently I’ve been improving my physical activity routine. Last fall I was spending too much time in my desk chair and not enough on my bicycle seat, you know what I mean? Just because you fall into some bad routines doesn’t mean you can’t try to do better. Now (just about) 5 days a week I have a good morning routine: walk the dog, 20 minutes of yoga and 30 minutes on the exercise bike. It certainly won’t get me in shape for the triathlon, but it makes me feel good. When I combine it with a heart healthy diet, it’ll help prevent me from becoming overweight, which carries its own risks, and will help me prevent heart disease.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: disease   exercise   health   heart   joanne  

 

Entry bubble Making Resolutions

By: Jess | December 31, 2009 | Category: Health

gymHappy New Year's Eve!

Are you thinking about what resolution you will make this year? I know I am.

One of the most popular resolutions Americans make every year is that they will get in shape/lose weight/eat healthier. It's why gyms tend to offer really great deals around this time of year and why if you're a regular gym goer you know you'll experience a packed gym for the first couple weeks of the year.

But then most people tend to slack off and the gym goes back to its normal level of activity again.

Why is it that most people lose steam on their fitness resolutions? New research suggests people who are overweight or obese, especially women, feel uncomfortable struggling through workouts in front of thinner, younger exercisers. So it's not a lack of determination that causes people to fall off the wagon.

I understand that. The guys with biceps bigger than my thighs scare me too.

Maybe the solution to that problem is to work out in your own home with hand weights or workout DVDs, or you could take a walk with friends. There are lots of ways to get in exercise that don't involve a gym.

You want to make sure you pick a resolution that you can stick with and keep it focused. For example, "I will exercise three times each week," rather than something more vague like, "I will lose weight."

My resolution is to cook at least one meal each week that uses fresh and organic (if affordable) ingredients.

What's your resolution?

| View Comments [14] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: fitness   health   jess   new_years   resolutions   weight_loss  

 

Entry bubble Coffee and Tea May Prevent Diabetes

By: Jess | December 17, 2009 | Category: Health

coffee at deskAre you a morning person? The kind of person who springs out of bed at the crack of dawn and doesn't need a shot of caffeine to get going? Or are you the opposite? Clinging to your last precious minutes of sleep and then downing three cups of coffee before you can be fully functional?

I'm the former and I always tease my friends who rely on coffee to get them going in the morning.

But it turns out those coffee drinkers may be getting a health benefit that I'm not.

Recent research shows that drinking coffee or tea (decaf or not) may reduce the risk of diabetes.

Now before you stop reading and run off to get a refill, you should know that the researchers aren't sure what causes the link between coffee and tea drinkers and decreased diabetes. They've ruled out caffeine since the effect was noticeable in decaf as well. But there are many other things that could play a part, such as the diets of the people in the study.

Before they say that anything is conclusive, the researchers said clinical trials are necessary.

So don't start guzzling that cup of joe just yet, but stay tuned for the latest results.

Are you a coffee or tea drinker? And do you prefer decaf?

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: coffee   diabetes   disease   health   jess   prevention   tea  

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