Tag Archives: risk

Take Extra Steps To Keep Children Safe In The Heat

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During these hot days, it’s important to be sure that you keep children cool and hydrated. And NEVER leave them in a parked car, even if the windows are open.

Here are some important tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on keeping children hydrated and protected during these hot days.

  • Dress infants and children in loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
  • Make sure they’re drinking plenty of fluids. Stay away from really cold drinks or drinks with too much sugar.
  • Children who are left unattended in parked cars are at greatest risk for heat stroke, and possibly death.
  • Even when it feels cool outside, cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures very quickly.
  • To remind yourself that a child is in the car, keep a stuffed animal in the car seat. When the child is buckled in, place the stuffed animal in the front with the driver.
  • When leaving your car, check to be sure everyone is out of the car. Do not overlook any children who have fallen asleep in the car.
  • Seek medical care immediately if your child has symptoms of heat-related illness.

Visit the CDC’s website for additional tips on how to prevent heat-related illness.

Physical activity has lots of benefits

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It’s well known that physical activity can help you lose weight. But did you know that keeping it moving — your body, that is — also leads to other positive results? Here are 10 benefits of physical activity cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  1. Lower risk of type 2 diabetes or diabetes complications
  2. Better brain function
  3. More money in your wallet (due to better health and lower health care costs)
  4. Lower risk of some cancers
  5. Longer life
  6. Better mood
  7. Stronger bones and muscles
  8. Lower risk of heart disease and stroke
  9. Fewer sick days
  10. Better grades in school

Visit the CDC’s website for more detailed information on each of these benefits of physical activity.

From Other Blogs: Spring cleaning your medicine cabinet and pantry, varying your vegetables, understanding why sleep is important to heart health & more

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A collection of health and environmental posts from other governmental blogs.

Spring clean your medicine cabinet

Spring cleaning—it’s a rite of passage as temperatures begin to heat up and the season starts to change. Remember to add your medicine cabinet, kitchen cupboard or wherever you keep medications to your spring cleaning list. — From Flourish, Palmetto Health’s blog

Planning Some Spring Cleaning? A Check List for a Food-Safe Pantry and Refrigerator

The refrigerator and pantry are where most people store their food. But these storage areas may also be one of the less frequently cleaned places in your home, which could be hazardous to your health. — From the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) blog

Why sleep is important to your heart

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, among men and women alike. Risk factors for heart disease include:

  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Diabetes
  • High cholesterol
  • Smoking
  • Family history

While you may be familiar with these risk factors, insufficient sleep can greatly impact your heart as well.  — From Flourish

Going Nuts for Calories!

We all love nuts, but we’re careful not to eat too many because of the high fat calories. Now, there may be less to worry about. In a series of studies, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) physiologists David Baer and Janet Novotny looked at how many calories of almonds, walnuts, and pistachios are used by the human body. There are a lot of factors to consider, such as whether the nuts are raw, roasted, or ground, and how well they’re chewed. — From the USDA blog

Vary Your Veggies without a High Cost: Corn Five Different Ways

Frozen corn is just as nutritious as its fresh counterpart. Frozen corn is a great vegetable to incorporate into any meal or side dish; it adds a touch of sweetness to the dish it complements. It’s quick and easy to prepare—no washing or chopping needed (what a time saver), plus it’s versatile and delicious. There are many ways to prepare frozen corn—baking, roasting, steaming, microwaving or even thawing out and adding to a salad. — From the USDA blog

Tracking Network Data Spotlight Poisonings

CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (Tracking Network) connects people with vital public health information. It has data and information that can inform a wide variety of environmental and public health efforts. In recognition of National Poison Prevention Week, we’re highlighting data and information available on the Tracking Network that relate to poisonings. — From the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Your Health Your Environment blog

From Other Blogs: National School Breakfast Week, lowering your cancer risk, tackling eHealth literacy & more

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A collection of health and environmental posts from other governmental blogs.

A Healthy Start to the School Day Leads to Bright Opportunities Ahead

Wholesome meals at school support educational achievement – and bright SchoolBreakfast-launch 2opportunities ahead for our nation’s kids and teens. Which is why, each year, during National School Breakfast Week (March 5-9), USDA recognizes the importance of a healthy start and the many ways the School Breakfast Program improves the health and nutrition of school children nationwide. — From the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) blog

Lowering Your Cancer Risk: A Matter of Ups and Downs

Think of listening to your favorite song. No matter what kind of music it is, someone was behind the scenes making it sound great: bringing out certain parts or instruments, balancing it, getting rid of background noise.

Cutting your cancer risk is a little bit like making great music. You turn some things up, turn some things down, and get rid of some things altogether. And you don’t have to be a professional to make choices that can help keep you doing what you love for a long time. — From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) The Topic Is Cancer blog

Prevent Colorectal Cancer: We Can Do It!

“A childhood friend has late-stage colon cancer. The prognosis is grim. But this is one cancer you can prevent,” writes Cindy Gelb, lead of CDC’s Screen for Life campaign. “One more late-stage diagnosis is one too many. Each of us really can make a difference.” — From the CDC’s The Topic Is Cancer blog

Tackling eHealth Literacy

As I waited in the exam room on a recent visit to my doctor’s office, I noticed there was a large wall display with an interactive screen. It resembled a smartphone and I could use the touchscreen to scroll and learn about various conditions, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and colon health. Each menu included signs and symptoms of illness, and information on diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. The designs were bright, jargon was kept to a minimum and defined when used, and navigating was simple for routine smartphone users. The display also included short videos supporting the on-screen text.

“Great!” I thought, “But what about patients who don’t have strong English skills or those who don’t feel confident engaging with the display? How do they get the information if they don’t directly ask for it?” — From the CDC’s Public Health Matters blog

2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: We Want to Hear from You

Interested in being part of our process as we develop the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)? Start today at DietaryGuidelines.gov. — From the USDA blog

From Other Blogs: Heart-healthy recipes, World Hearing Day, lowering your cancer risk & more

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A collection of health and environmental posts from other governmental blogs.

Five tips towards a delicious heart healthy recipe

You don’t have to purchase new cookbooks to create delicious, heart healthy recipes your whole family will love. There are plenty of low-fat, low-calorie options for making your comforting family favorites more heart healthy right now. Just one or more changes can make a huge difference. — From Flourish, Palmetto Health’s blog

Five important numbers to know for heart health

Learning these five heart health numbers can help you improve and maintain your heart health. Once you know your numbers, you can talk with your doctor about how to best manage and lower your risks for heart disease. — From Flourish

World Hearing Day: March 3rd. “Hear the future … and prepare for it.”

Repeated exposure to loud noise over the years can cause hearing loss. There is no cure for hearing loss! Protect your hearing by avoiding loud noise such as concerts and sporting events. Use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones to protect your ears. If you already have hearing loss, take steps to keep it from getting worse. — From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Your Health — Your Environment blog

Lowering Your Cancer Risk: A Matter of Ups and Downs

Think of listening to your favorite song. No matter what kind of music it is, someone was behind the scenes making it sound great: bringing out certain parts or instruments, balancing it, getting rid of background noise.

Cutting your cancer risk is a little bit like making great music. — From the CDC’s The Topic Is Cancer blog

Soil Health Practices for Mitigating Natural Disasters

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that more than 25 million Americans – almost 8 percent of the population – were affected by major disasters in 2017. From severe flooding in Puerto Rico and Texas to mudslides and wildfires in California, major natural disasters in 2017 cost over $306 billion nationally. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information, this is a new annual record. — From the US Department of Agriculture blog