by Dorothy C. Lee | Oct 26, 2017
Some 30 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes this year. How will their lives be affected? Diabetes does mean some big changes but you may be surprised how much diet flexibility remains.
The human body is a marvelous machine, made up of many complex systems. When everything runs smoothly, we are “healthy”. Diabetes is an example of what happens when things don’t work exactly as they should. People with diabetes cannot properly use glucose, also called blood sugar, the cells energy source. Some people make no insulin, which regulates blood glucose by helping it enter the cells. Other people produce too little insulin, or have trouble using the insulin they make, or both.
The exact cause of diabetes is unknown, but if you have a family history of diabetes, you are at great risk. The ADA estimates that almost half of all people with diabetes don’t know they have the disease. Some people ignore their symptoms until they have medical complications.
Some of the warning signs of diabetes may be symptoms of excessive thirst, unusual hunger, slow healing of infections, constant urination, blurred vision, weakness and fatigue. Recurring of these symptoms may signal the need to consult your physician.
A diagnosis of diabetes doesn’t’ have to mean dietary deprivation and boredom. The key dietary words are; low-fat, high-fiber, low-sodium, well-balanced and reduced sugar.
Exercise is another important factor in diabetes management for two reason. Active people have an easier time losing weight which is important for controlling glucose levels. Exercise also promotes the cells ability to use glucose, which in turn reduces the amount of glucose in the body to more favorable levels.
Stress reduction is an important part of a wellness program. Feeling stressed out, uptight, and edgy strains the entire body. We may not have control over the sources of stress in our life; therefore, change the way you react to life’s stressors. Physical exercise is one of the best stress reducers. Don’t take on more than you can handle. Use support systems, reach out to family and friends.
Diabetes affects many people and can have very serious consequences, but the good news is that your health habits can help prevent diabetes or reduce its impact on your health. A healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risks of disease that are often a complication of diabetes.
by Melanie Taylor | Oct 16, 2017
Make Halloween a fun and safe night for children and adults alike.
From candy to pumpkins to the costumes, Halloween is a fun-filled time for kids and adults alike. However, it can pose dangers. To help make this year’s trick-or-treat a safe and fun time, follow these simple safety tips compiled by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
CREATIVE COSTUMES:
Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure shoes fit well and costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement, or contact with flames.
Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes. The makeup should be tested on a small patch of skin ahead of time to ensure there are no unpleasant allergies on the big night.
When shopping for costumes, wigs, and accessories, look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are “flame resistant.”
If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child’s costume, make sure it is not sharp or long. A child may be easily hurt by the accessories if he/she stumbles or trips.
Do not use decorative contact lenses without an eye examination and a prescription from an eye care professional. While the packaging on decorative lenses will often make claims such as “one size fits all,” or “no need to see an eye specialist,” obtaining decorative contact lenses without a prescription is both dangerous and illegal. This can cause pain, inflammation, and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss.
Review with children how to call 911 if they ever have an emergency or become lost.
PUMPKIN CARVING TIME:
Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then adults can do the cutting.
Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest.
Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and not on a porch or any path where visitors may pass close by. They should never be left unattended.
HOME SAFETY:
To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes, and lawn decorations.
Adults should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
Wet leaves and debris should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
Restrain pets so they do not jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.
TRICK-OR-TREAT TIME:
A responsible adult should always accompany young children during their neighborhood trick-or-treating.
Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and adults.
If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.
Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind Trick-or-Treaters to:
- Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
- Remember reflective tape for costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
- Carry a cellphone for quick communication.
- Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
- If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
- Never cut across yards or use alleys.
- Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom). Never cross between parked cars or out of driveways.
- Do not assume the right of way. Motorists may have a hard time seeing Trick-or-Treaters.
- Just because one car stops does not mean others will!
- Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.
HEALTHY HALLOWEEN TIPS:
A good, healthy dinner prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage children from filling up on Halloween treats.
Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books, stickers, or pens and pencils.
Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.
Try to ration treats for the days and weeks following Halloween to prevent overindulging, which will lead to a stomachache and ruin the night’s fun.
Make sure the Halloween night is fun and safe with the suggested tips above. These tips will help guarantee you all a ghoulishly good time.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
by Angela Hinkle | Aug 24, 2017
What’s worse than wearing wet socks? Okay – wet, dirty socks. Or wet, dirty socks with holes. Ooh, ooh, the worst – cold, wet, dirty socks with holes.
If your feet are in clean, dry socks with no need of mending, think for a moment about those not so lucky.
Homeless shelters are continuously in need of new socks. If you’re homeless, you walk – a lot. Many homeless walk several miles every day for food, shelter, and other essentials. Getting the assistance you need is easier when your feet are healthy and don’t have blisters. People are often more motivated to seek employment and keep it when they feel confident in the way they look. Wearing socks and shoes with holes decreases their sense of self-worth. A clean set of socks is often the first step in restoring their feeling of dignity.
Wet socks breed bacteria, which can cause infection. And since more than a million Americans have diabetes, wearing cold, wet, holey, dirty socks puts them at greater risk of skin injuries and infections. According to WebMD, diabetics should never walk barefoot and should wear comfortable socks and shoes that fit well and protect the feet. For more foot care tips, see Tips on Good Foot Care.
If you like keeping things local, know that cotton is considered a power crop in the panhandle of Florida. It’s rotated in alternate years with peanuts to avoid pests, diseases, and weeds. Some socks are 100% cotton; many are a blend of cotton mixed with other fibers.
So, help the local economy in the Florida Panhandle and help someone by giving them socks. Buy new socks with cotton. Keep a pair for yourself and donate some to a homeless shelter near you. (Waterfront Mission is a great place to start – Waterfront Mission Donations.) You’ll feel better and so will they.
by Heidi Copeland | Aug 9, 2017
Will you be ready if disaster strikes? Disasters, or devastating events-natural or human-generated, certainly can disrupt daily life. National Preparedness Month, held annually in September and sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is a good reminder that we need to be ready to respond to emergencies. Adversity can strike at any time. There is no time like the present to prepare for emergencies.
How? Focus on making a standing plan for family readiness! A standing plan is one that you and your family have developed in the event of disasters. For most people, the prime goal is knowing that all family members are safe and as secure as possible against harm.
Need some help? Ready.gov has information to help you with that critical “what do we do in case of an emergency” conversation with children as well as seniors or any family member with special needs. The Ready.gov website contains a wealth of information to get you started including downloadable checklists and other publications as well as printable posters. Anyone can download the materials for free!
For instance, some disasters strike without warning. Have you thought about supplies you would need the most? Ready.gov supports the use of checklists as a good way to help you make it through an immediate disaster period.
Are you a pet owner? Ready.Gov has a unique brochure containing information for pet owners and suggestions for proactive pet emergency preparedness. Have you ever considered evacuating in the car with your animals?
Additionally, inadequate insurance coverage on a family home or properties can lead to major financial losses. NOW is the time to plan, document, and insure your property as well as prepare digital copies of your important financial information. One thing to keep in mind: FLOOD INSURANCE is a pre-disaster insurance protection program. Flood damage is not usually covered by typical homeowners insurance. Check your policy. Do not make assumptions.
Be smart; take part in preparing before an emergency happens!
- Implement a standing plan
- Prepare in ADVANCE
- Stay informed
You can plan ahead for an emergency. Take action now.
by Ginny Hinton | Jun 30, 2017
Driving to work this morning, I had to swerve to miss a driver who had crossed the center line. Thankfully, I was paying attention and he got back in his lane fairly quickly, so no one was hurt. I suspect the other driver never realized that he almost had a close encounter of the dangerous kind.
We’ve all heard the warning: driving while texting can be a deadly distraction. The problem is that most of us live fairly hectic lives. We may not intend to talk or text while we drive but the temptation to multi-task can be overwhelming – especially when we’re under a deadline. And honestly? Most of us think our driving skills are a shade above average and we can cope with a little distraction.
The hard truth is that cell phone use, especially texting, is “associated with the highest levels of driving performance degradation.” Even the most experienced texting driver takes twice as long to react, making texting a seriously dangerous activity. Around 69% of drivers, ages 18-64, report having used their phones while driving over the past 30 days. With over 9 people killed and 1,060 injured every day due to distracted driving, that’s a major problem.
So, what makes texting and driving so dangerous? You may have heard that the average texting driver takes his or her eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like traveling the length of a football field blindfolded. What you may not know is that there are three distinct forms of driving distraction:
- Visual (requires driver to look away from the road)
- Manual (requires driver to take a hand or hands off the wheel to manipulate an object)
- Cognitive (thinking about something other than driving)3
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, texting is among the worst of driver distractions because it involves all three forms at the same time. With over 320 million cell phone subscriptions in the US today, it’s a problem that continues to grow.
Only you can make the decision to be an alert driver. Choosing to focus on your driving makes you better – and safer – while sharing the road.
Sources:
- Vegega, M., Jones, B., & Monk, C. (2013, December). Understanding the effects of distracted driving and developing strategies to reduce resulting deaths and injuries: A report to Congress (Report No. DOT HS 812 053). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Cooper, J., Yager, C., Chrysler, S., (2011, August). An Investigation of the Effects of Reading and Writing Text-based Messages While Driving. Southwest Region University Transportation Center: Texas Transportation Institute.
- What Is Distracted Driving?, 2017, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. http://nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving#34621.
by Marie Arick | Jun 27, 2017
Summer is upon us and that means many of us will be enjoying pools, lakes, rivers, and the ocean. Florida provides many opportunities for outdoor water recreation that we should enjoy responsibly and safely. Are you prepared to handle a water emergency? Do you have water safety rules? Do you know CPR? These are all things to consider. Not everyone is ‘waterproof’ and taking precautions can really prevent a misfortune.
As the warm summer months draw many of us to the water for fun and fellowship, remember, sudden things are sudden and people drown quickly and quietly. Being honest about your swimming abilities is important. If you are not a strong swimmer, chances are you will not be able to help someone in trouble. This is also important if you are supervising others. Take the time to work on your swimming skills with others or take lessons. Knowing basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR, also can increase the chances of survival for a drowning victim.
There is safety in numbers; enlist another adult to help when supervising swimming children. If you are at a public beach, river, or lake, locate the lifeguard and position yourself close to the stand. If the beach is the locale for the day, look for the flag to alert you to the surf conditions and adhere to the recommendations of the flag and signage. If you are at a venue with no lifeguard on duty, you are now the lifeguard! Locate any emergency devices available to you and be certain you have cell phone reception in case you must call for help. Have those you are supervising demonstrate their swimming abilities. Knowledge of someone’s swimming abilities in advance can allow you to set safer boundaries. For example, if a child cannot swim the width of the pool without stopping and placing their feet on the bottom, you have determined, for their safety, they must remain in the shallow area of the pool where they can stand up. Another great option is to have the children utilize swimming vests. Never allow for rough play in the water. What seems to be harmless quickly can become life- threatening.
No matter the venue, ocean, river, lake, or pool, be steadfast in monitoring the swimmers and prepared to assist if you are needed. The American Red Cross and National Swimming Pool Foundation have an online course to educate pool owners. The American Heart Association provides the option of taking an online CPR course. Being prepared for a potential crisis is the first step to avoiding a crisis. Many wishes for a safe summer of water fun!
Some 30 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes this year. How will their lives be affected? Diabetes does mean some big changes but you may be surprised how much diet flexibility remains.