Protect Health
Protect Health – Protect Yourself for the Future
Dec 24 2010
Safety During Babys Bath
Youve done it. Youre kids finally not scared of the tub, gets the time of his life during bath, splashing water on himself and on you and sees bath time as a great opportunity to play, wonder and explore.
However, your job as parent regarding bath time does not end in making it a fun time for your kid. More importantly, it is also your responsibility to ensure his safety during baths.
Safety Tip 1: Be prepared. Everything should be ready. His towel, soap, shampoo, bath toys, tub, wash cloth, bath seat and all his bathing necessities should be prepared and should be within hands reach even before you settle your kid in his tub. If in case you forget something, dont leave baby in the tub alone. Instead bundle him up in a towel and take him with you.
Safety Tip 2: Choose a safe place for bathing. The sink and the bathroom are ideal places for baby to take his tubby time. Be sure you place his tub on top of something sturdy so it wont topple over. Its also a good idea to place a rubber mat underneath the tub to prevent it from slipping. Aside from that, the place you choose to bathe baby must not have any dangerous items within babys reach such as razors, powder or breakable glass items.
Safety Tip 3: Test waters first before dipping your baby. Hot water may scald your baby while cold water may terrify him. Before letting your baby take the bath, test the water with your elbow to make sure its just the right temperature. To be doubly sure, test it with a bath thermometer to see if its 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Safety Tip 4: Never leave your baby unattended even for a second. It can only take as fast as a blink of an eye for baby to slip or fall off or for any unfortunate accident to happen. When the phone or doorbell rings, or the pot youre cooking starts to smell like its burning, never dare to leave your child on the tub and risk his safety just to answer the phone or the door or to rescue your pot roast. Needless to say, your childs life is more important.
Safety Tip 5: Be focused. Dont let the television airing your favourite soap or a chattering neighbour distract you while you give your kid a bath. Always keep in mind that its in your hands to keep your baby safe at all times. Being distracted may cause you to accidentally put shampoo on his eyes or worse not be able to hold him properly. Babies are slippery when wet and it entails a lot of effort and focused attention to ensure that your baby does not slip out of your hands and is not harmed during a bath.
One of your main responsibilities as a parent is to provide a safe environment for your kid and to ensure that he is free from anything that may hurt and harm him. Keeping him safe at all times including during bath time is one of the things you should always keep in mind.
Dec 17 2010
Relieve Sinus Headaches Using the Neti Pot
The word neti is and abbreviation of the sankskrit word Jala neti which means water cleansing. Though the technique has been unknown in the West until recently, Indian Yogis have been performing the procedure for thousands of years as a pert of their daily cleansing ritual.
The concept is really simple. You simply fill the neti Pot with warm salt water and poor it in one nostril until it comes out of the other one. This basically clears out all of that nasty stuff up there and prevents bacteria from having a pool party in your sinuses. Though the concept is simple, the actual technique and preparation does require a little practice. You should always use salt water for the best results. I personally opt to buy the refills, but you can make your own mixture if you run out of the refill packets. Non-iodized salt is best and the mixture should be at a ratio of approximately 1 12 teaspoons per liter of warm water. One advantage with the pre-mixed packets, is that they are able to have a higher saline content since special buffering agents prevent discomfort to the nasal cavity. The water should be as close to body temperature as you can get it without being too hot. If the temperature is too cold, you will fell like you are drowning in the ocean.
After stirring the mixture thoroughly, lean over a sink and tilt your head down and slightly to one side. You then place the spot of the neti pot in the nostril, establishing as tight of a seal as possible, and raise the pot slightly allowing the water to flow slowly into the nasal passage. Continue to breathe normally through your mouth. If you are positioned correctly, you should feel the water going from one side to the other until you have a steady stream flowing out of the nostril.
It took me about three attempts before I felt that I was doing it correctly, so dont get too discouraged if it doesnt go well the first few times. Also, if you have a lot of blockage then you may have to switch from side to side several times blowing your nose in between flushes. I recommend using just half a packet starting out, and one full pot for both nostrils. After a few weeks, you can do a full pot for each nostril for the maximum effect.
So far, I have been using the neti pot nightly for about 6 weeks and I have not had any of the usual sinus problems that have plagued me constantly for the last two years. It has also alleviated my snoring, since I am no longer struggling to breathe at night.
Dec 10 2010
Professional Travel Health Advice
The best Professional Travel Health Advice about food and drink on holiday, can easily be summarised as follows
1. The first thing to realise is that unpasteurised milk, non bottled drinks , and uncooked food, are likely to be contaminated and therefore possibly unsafe. This does not include fruit which can be peeled.
2. Use bottled or boiled water for cleaning your teeth.
3. Don’t open your mouth and drink water in the shower.
4. Dishes containing raw or undercooked eggs, such as home-made mayonnaise, some sauces (e.g. hollandaise) and some desserts (e.g. mousses), are not a good idea.
5. Ice-cream that doesn’t have a recognisable international brand name, and could be made locally, is often contaminated and could be a danger.
6. When confronted with cooked food, the holidaymaker should ensure that it has been thoroughly and freshly cooked; i.e. that it is piping hot.
7. Be aware of eating out the day after a public holiday, as reheated food appears, and it can be dangerous.
8. Foods that are cooked in advance need to be held at a temperature of below 10 C or above 60 C to ensure their safety.
9.Cooked food left out for some time constitutes one of the greatest risks of food borne disease. Contaminating or surviving bacteria may multiply in it if it is. Put another way, if the food has been cooked but not refrigerated between cooking and serving, because it has been left out, then you could be taking a risk eating it. This means attractive cold buffets are very definitely unsafe if they have been laid out hours before being eaten.
10. Unpasteurised milk should be boiled before it is drunk. 11. Bottles of drinking water that contain non carbonated water should be regarded with suspicion, unless you see the seal broken in front of you, because it could be straight from the TAP!!
12. Ice should be avoided unless made from safe water.
13. Drinks such as wine or beer hot tea or coffee, and carbonated soft drinks or fruit juices that are bottled or otherwise packaged are usually safe to drink.
14. Apply strict hygiene while away especially after using the bathroom and before you eat food – never use communal, damp towels in public conveniences! Use disposable paper towels or hot air.
BASIC TRAVEL HEALTH ADVICE SAYS boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it.
Dec 3 2010
Presbyopia Does Not Have To Ruin Your Outdoor Relaxation Time
Presbyopia Does Not Have To Ruin Your Outdoor Relaxation Time
Its a beautiful day outside, maybe you have plans to sit outside in your hammock, patio, or beach lounger. You put on your stylish sunglasses, let out a big breath of relaxation and delve right into your latest read.
Its tough to relax when the font in your book is so small and fuzzy, isnt it? Well there is a way to read easier while outside and still manage to protect your eyes while looking and feeling good. That is a lot to promise for a simple pair of reading sunglasses, and that is all you need to reclaim your outdoor relaxation.
There are a few things to consider when choosing your sunglasses. For starters, what power do use? In general the higher the power in your readers, the smaller font you can see. However, you will also have to hold your reading material closer. A good rule of thumb is to use the lowest power that will allow you to see your reading material at a comfortable distance. This way, you wont get a stiff neck by leaning in too close. That would defeat the whole purpose of relaxation.
The next thing to consider is what style lens you like. In general there are two lens types for reading sunglasses. The full lens sun reader will have a reading correction over the entire lens. Meaning you will not be able to use your sunglasses to see anything in the distance. These lenses offer a full view of your reading material as long as you understand that you will need to look over your glasses or simply take them off to see clearly in the distance. Another style is the bifocal sunglass. A bifocal lens has two distinct areas of correction. The lower segment has a reading add, while the top portion is a pure sunglass, with no correction. With Bifocals you can read up close and still see clearly in the distance through the same pair of readers.
You will also want to select an appropriate tint for your lenses. Just like regular sunglasses, sun readers are available in varying tints. You will find lenses varying from a light rose tint all the way to heavy darker shade. More recently, you will even find polarized reading bifocals.
Be sure to purchase your sun readers from a reputable reading glasses retailer. Look for quality, such as the readers you will find at http:www.readinstyle.comcatalogReadingSunglasses.aspx . You want frames that will look and feel good. And your sunglass lenses should always offer 100% UVA and UVB protection.
Take back your relaxation time; after all, no one deserves it more than you.
Nov 26 2010
Pregnancy and the Flu
Getting the flu is bad enough, but getting the flu while youre pregnant can be a nightmare. There is a greater chance that you will stay sick longer, there are only have a few medications that you can take to safely relieve flu symptoms, and your risk for developing flu-related complications is increased. Thats why the best thing for pregnant women to do during flu season is to take all possible precautions to avoid the virus, including getting a flu shot.
Influenza, or the flu, is a very contagious virus that affects the upper respiratory system causing fever, muscle aches, cough, sore throat, runny nose and weakness. The flu usually makes its appearance in winter and early spring, but it can also strike in the fall and late spring as well. While the virus is a nasty thing for anyone to catch, with pregnancy and the flu it can be particularly risky because a womans immune system has weakened slightly during the pregnancy. Because of this, pregnant women are more likely to experience symptoms for a longer period of time, and their risk of developing complications, such as pneumonia, is increased. Studies have shown, however, that pregnancy and the flu poses little risk to an unborn child.
The best way for pregnant women to avoid the flu is to get a flu shot. Flu shots are recommended for nearly all pregnant women and are usually given in October or November right before flu season starts. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself from the virus and can save you a lot of discomfort during the flu season. Other ways to avoid combining pregnancy and the flu include:
Frequent hand washing:
This is one of the most important things you can do for yourself to avoid illness. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after meals, after using the bathroom and frequently throughout the day. Washing your hands with antibacterial soap to get rid of germs is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy.
Stay away from people who have colds or the flu:
Common sense should tell you to avoid people who are already sick. Coming into contact with contagious individuals is an easy way to get sick yourself, so if possible, just avoid sick people altogether until they are no longer contagious.
Keeping your hands away from your nose, mouth and eyes: Germs like to come in through these particular places, so try not to touch them.
If you are unfortunate enough to get the flu, there are a few things that you can do to ease the symptoms and recover faster. Remember though, with pregnancy and the flu, there are many medications that you cannot take because they could be harmful to you or your baby. Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any medicine to treat your flu symptoms. The following treatments can help if you come down with the flu:
-Acetaminophen for fever, aches, and pains
-Chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine
-Honey or other natural ingredient lozenges for a sore throat
-Lots of rest
-Increased fluid intake, especially water, juice, and tea
Getting the flu is no fun. Getting the flu while youre pregnant is REALLY no fun. Pregnancy and the flu just dont mix, so do your self a favor by getting a flu shot and taking preventative measures to avoid the virus.
Nov 19 2010
Overcoming Fears And Phobias Through Knowledge
Fears and phobias are very limiting in our lives and keep us from attaining our true potential. This is a brief outline of how I overcame a debilitating phobia, and hopefully this method will help you too,
All my life I had a terrible spider phobia, becoming absolutely paralyzed with fear and having to get others to rescue me from these terrible monsters. Then I got a job as an electrical meter reader, which meant I had to go into people’s basements, and we all know what lives in basements! I knew I had to conquer this life-long phobia, so I went to the library and started researching spiders – physiology, biology, and so on. It was very difficult at first to even look at the pictures of spiders. But the real breakthrough came when I started looking at the mythology and symbology of spiders in various cultures and the general characteristics of spiders. To my surprise and dismay, I discovered that I was very much like a spider myself, and my fear came from a fear of those characteristics in myself. So I embraced my spider nature, particularly the creative nature of a spider, and when I saw a spider I took it as a sign that I was neglecting my creativity. In a matter of weeks I was able to be in the presence of spiders without fear. But the amazing part was that now I rarely even saw spiders as I was no longer attracting them with my fear.
The Law of Attraction tells us that what we focus on will appear in our lives. Focussing on the object of your fear will only produce more instances of that fear manifesting in your life. Getting at the root of your fear through research and observation greatly decreases the impact of that fear on your life.
I believe this method will also work to help you overcome your fears around successful internet marketing. Research, learn, and identify your deep-rooted beliefs about success and money. Find your personal truth about a fear or phobia, and the truth shall set you free!
Nov 12 2010
MFT And Ceus
Flipping on the evening news or reading the morning paper is all that it takes to make it glaringly obvious that the need for good Marriage and Family Therapists is not likely to decrease any time soon. Family dynamics are changing. Situations that would have been unlikely to arise even 15 years ago are not uncommon now. The idea of a family consisting of a man, woman, and children is being constantly challenged. Parents are living longer and needing long-term care. Chronic illnesses and financial stressors strain relationships. All of these events have a very real effect on families and individuals. Now, more than ever, it is important for MFTs to be informed and well trained to be effective in their work.
Ongoing education includes a variety of courses. There are a wide variety of beneficial ceus available. These include;
Aging and Long Term Care:
Nobody wants to think about being a burden on their children. Grown children dont want to consider the future and taking care of aged parents who are unable to care for themselves. This is happening more often, however, as medical care improves and lives are prolonged. Unfortunately, the quality of that life is not always ideal. As grown children are forced to make decisions regarding aged parents the stress on the family can prove daunting. Additionally, Alzheimers, short term memory loss, uncontrolled diabetes, debilitating arthritis and other physical conditions can make limit the options available. Guilt about the inability to care for loved ones, frustration about expenses, sorrow over the loss of relationships…all can be overwhelming burdens. Learning the dynamics and choices that revolve around long term care for aged loved ones is important for a MFT. This will help you to offer informed suggestions to your clients. You will understand the processes and procedures that should be followed and be capable of explaining these options to your clients.
Being a Good Listener:
While it may seem obvious that to be a good Marriage and Family Therapist you need to be a good listener, this isnt always as easy as it would seem. A good listener is effective in reading between the lines as it were. People generally have a hard time saying what they want to say. A good listener is able to interpret, accurately, what people are trying to say. This is only the beginning of effective listening. A good listener is able to listen to what is being said and then repeat what was said to verify that they are understanding. The key to this is that you need to be able to do this without sounding patronizing or redundant. Repeating everything someone says to you is going to get really annoying very quickly. You need to learn to repeat it is a manner that comes across as attentive, not annoying.
Behavioral Problems and Disabilities in Children:
Parents never plan to have a disabled or problem child. Generally they are excited about the upcoming birth and the joys and challenges surrounding parenthood. When reality hits, however, and a child with mental, emotional, or physical disabilities becomes part of the family, outside help may be needed to offer suggestions, options, and emotional support. A MFT may be just the person for this job. In order to be effective as this, however, the MFT needs to be up to date on the latest medical treatment options, organizations, support groups, etc. available for a wide variety of situations. Dealing with a child with autism, for example, is going to be much different than dealing with a child with Attention Deficit Disorder. Dealing with a child with a physical handicap is going to take a different set of skill than dealing with a child with a learning disability. Ongoing education in these areas keeps you up to date on the latest techniques in a variety of settings. As you increase your knowledge, your ability to be a great MFT will also increase.
Assessment of and Treatment for Child Abuse or Neglect:
Knowing what to look for and how to respond to possible child abuse or neglect situations is imperative. You need to be in a position that you can protect the child, teach the parents, and assess the situation. You may find yourself in a situation where the parents are unaware that their child has been abused. Being able to look at the bigger picture and then explain this horrible reality to the parents is very important. Ceus in this area are designed to arm you with information, laws, and options for abuse and neglect situations. Additionally, as a MFT you will need to be sensitive to the home situation for the child. You need to understanding the myriad of emotions that a child experiences when the abuse or neglect comes from someone who is supposed to protect them. Ongoing education is critical for providing the best care and support to these children that is possible.
Substance Abuse and Addiction:
Often substance abuse is the cause of family strife. Addiction will destroy not only the individual who is addicted, but the stability of the entire family. Financial stability is affected as jobs are lost and savings are spent to feed addictions. Ceus in this area educate you on the latest threats in addictive substances. You will also be informed as to the options available for medical treatment. You will learn techniques for helping families adjust, quit focusing on blame and start focusing on solutions.
Pornography:
Pornography can be an addiction. People can feel a sense of shame and betrayal. Spouses may feel anger, frustration and embarrassment. A MFT can help the family evaluate their feelings and provide possible solutions. With technology advancing at such a rapid pace, ongoing education keeps the MFT abreast of the latest threats to family stability in regards to pornography that is accessible via the Internet.
Suicide Intervention:
Often suicide attempts are a cry for help from individuals trying to find peace in their life. Families of suicidal people feel anger that the person would threaten such drastic measures. They may also feel guilt that they are not able to make their loved one happy. The MFT needs to be able to offer treatment options for suicidal ideation. There are many medications available to assist therapists in their treatment of suicidal individuals. They also need to be able to reassure family members that they are not to blame for the suicidal thoughts of their loved one. Ceus in suicide intervention will teach you current techniques for treating both the suicidal individual as well as helping strengthen the family structure.
The classes mentioned above are just a small sampling of the types of courses available for Marriage and Family Therapists to continue their education. The critical issue is not which classes are taken, but that you maintain the highest standards of care for your clients. The only way to ensure this is to be vigilant in researching and taking ceus that would be beneficial to your practice.
Nov 5 2010
Memorization Done Visually
Memorization can be done in so many ways; one would think that there are endless possibilities in learning and improving ones memory. This is the fun part of memorization that anybody of any age can actually still learn and improve (or maintain) his or her memorization skills. If maintaining a good memory is just your aim, then memory improvement methods are still the best answer to it.
Memorization improvement has been an important part of learning many things at once. When a person needs to internally absorb pertinent information, one relies on its memory to what it can retain for who knows up to when. In turn, memory improvement techniques are used more often since it is the most efficient, cost-effective and natural way to overcome memory problems. But not because there are available memorization methods which anyone can take advantage of anytime; this doesnt mean we have to leave it to the method and process all by itself. We also need to take necessary actions in making ourselves better with memorization.
Similar to the case of visual learners, if a person learns and memorizes information by sending visuals to his brain then, so be it. The more frequent times a person uses a medium he knows he specializes in, the better it can help him to remember important information he needs to recall. Even then, a person who is not exposed to using visuals in memorizing or simply retaining information can still take advantage of learning visually. The fact is that, it is easier to retrieve information of any sorts (graphic, dates, numbers etc) when it is imagined.
Anyone can surely think of a scene easily where a big elephant hanged by both its ears in a clothes line and yet, the line doesnt weigh down. It is amazing how our visual abilities are able to produce vivid images for us. But what is most amazing is how were able to lay down the details by just thinking about it. By putting our minds to work, we are initiating an active part for our brain to learn and memorize things.
Oct 29 2010
Medical Transcription Training
Employers will almost exclusively hire transcriptionists who have completed some kind of formal training in the area or who have experience. There are many ways to obtain such training, but for most a community college or vocational school will be the best option, especially if the training includes on-the-job experience. Do not worry about whether or not they offer the opportunity to earn the Certified Medical Transcriptionist designation. This is not a required certification in general, and in fact, most transcriptionists need a couple of years’ experience before they can pass the test to gain this designation. I am not a CMT, but I was able to find a job.
Courses typically take several months to two years to complete, depending on the school chosen. Many vocational schools include the cost of books and course materials in their tuition, which may be helpful after you have landed a job. If you already work in a medical field, and simply want to switch to working from home, you may only need to learn transcription, as you may already have the vocabulary you need, but think carefully, as a refresher course may not be an entirely bad thing either.
It is also possible to take transcription courses at home. This option is more flexible but may be more challenging in other ways. Your selection of a course of study should depend on how you will best learn what you need to know.
You will need an assortment of reference books. Some you may recieve with your training, but you may find you need others. See the equipment page for suggestions.
College Courses
College courses are best for most people. Having an instructor to help you through the difficult parts and to keep you working on a schedule can be a great benefit. Many schools also offer job placement assistance, which may not be available through home study courses.
Community Colleges
Perhaps the cheapest method of instructor-led training you can get, but it may not be quick. A quick look at a local community shows a 22-25 unit requirement for certification in Medical Transcription. This would require a minimum of two semesters’ work or more, depending on prerequisites and whether you attend part- or full-time.
Costs vary by what state you live in. Check with your local school.
Vocational Schools
Vocational schools cost more than community colleges, typically into the thousands, but may offer more flexiblity when it comes to the timing of your class. This may not be a quick solution either. With a quick look at a local vocational school’s webpage, I found that its Medical Transcription training program takes about 28 weeks of classroom time and four weeks of an externship. Check to see if textbooks and other supplies are included in the cost.
Home Study
Home study courses offer the most flexiblity in many ways, but they offer challenges as well. You must be capable of working on your own. On the other hand, if you want to work at home, that’s a skill you need. You’ll need special equipment for this option in many cases, such as a foot pedal.
In the time I’ve spent researching medical transcription schools, three names keep coming up as the ones that employers actually hire from regularly: Career Step, M-Tec, and Andrews School of Medical Transcription. Of them, CareerStep is the most affordable. The others have a still better repuation with employers, but CareerStep graduates are plenty well enough trained to find employment. My former employer, Medquist, requires that you take the Gold level or above from CareerStep (last I heard, anyhow), which is my recommendation as well. Expect to take a minimum of 6 months, often 9 months or more, to complete a course.
Which option is best? That depends in large part on how you best learn and what is available in your area. There’s no one definite right answer that will meet everyone’s needs.
Oct 22 2010
Massage Courses – A Complete Review.
Whether you decide to become a professional massage therapist, or just want to be able to give your boyfriend a better back rub, in all probability, there are massage courses available in the area that you reside in which are just suited for your interests. The best thing about massage courses is that they will give you such a valuable and useful skill, and that could possibly allow you to start the way to a lucrative and rewarding career.
Massage therapists have a great potential to earn just as much as doctors, with far less overhead and with a lesser time to complete their training. Of all, the best part of a professional massage therapist is that one can set his or her own hours, and does not have to deal with the HMO organizations nearly as much as a doctor. And even if it turns out that, once you’ve taken your massage courses, you discover that you don’t want to be a CMT, your massage therapist training will still have given you a great skill that you can use to make those around you very happy.
Among the various massage courses that were offered, the first course I had selected was actually a couples massage class down at the local community center. The couples format is suitable for massage courses which are not meant for professionals; because it means that anyone can come in, right off the bat, with someone whom they are comfortable practicing on. Sure, no one wants to take massage courses with total strangers, as it is hard to trust someone enough to let them really work on your body if you do not really know them that well.
Besides, after that class, I was addicted, and immediately I signed up for more massage courses. My boyfriend did too, and together we both decided to enroll in massage therapist training courses in Sacramento, CA. At this place it was much harder than either of us had realized. Although this might sound strange to you, but it was a draining experience taking massage courses all day long. Not only is there a fair bit of study of anatomy that you have to do, but on top of that the actual work of massaging is tiring. After some time it got so exhausted from our massage courses that we hardly ever exchanged back rubs anymore. But in the end, it was well worth it. At present we are both licensed massage therapists, and we both can spend our time making money doing something that we love. Truly there is really nothing better than that!
