Contrary to popular belief swine flu can not be caught from pigs or from eating pork in any form and this video might help convince you of that

Actually I just thought this video was funny

Know when to stay home. Know when to seek medical attention.

When to stay home

Even though you hear about the flu everywhere now days  not everyone who sneezes has the H1N1 virus.  The most common respiratory infection is still the common cold and the regular flu is also infecting people.  Still even if it is just the cold there is no reason sharing it with everyone.  All of the same precautions still apply. Flu symptoms (such as fever, cough, muscle aches, a sore throat, fatigue, weakness and loss of appetite) can make you feel really sick and can last for several days, but in most cases you can care for yourself at home.

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    • Rest
    • Drink plenty of fluids – to avoid dehydration
    • Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for aches and fever

Avoid spreading the flu:

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    • Wash your hands frequently
    • Cover your coughs and sneezes with your arm, not your hand
    • Regularly clean frequently touched surfaces such as door handles with normal household disinfectants
    • Keep at least two metres from household members and friends
    • Postpone going out and getting your vaccine until after you are well
    • Stay home until you are fever-free for 24 hours AND you are feeling better

When to see your physician or primary care provider

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    • If you are pregnant or have a medical condition related to heart, lungs or immune system, see your physician or primary care provider within 48 hours of the onset of the symptoms.
    • If you don’t have underlying conditions and one or more of your flu symptoms get worse, seek medical assessment from your family physician or primary health care provider.

When to go to a hospital emergency department

If symptoms become severe – such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, lips turning blue, extreme weakness or passing out – go to a hospital emergency department.

Do not go to the emergency department to confirm that your illness is the flu, to get tested, to get vaccinated or to be cleared to resume your regular activities.

Check out the link below to a tool to help you decide if you should go to the hospital

http://www.flu.gov/evaluation/index2.html

I met up with a friend at the local coffee shop this morning as we often do. We were standing in the parking lot near our vehicles because she smokes & enjoys a cigarette with her coffee. When a teenager tried to cross the street in the nearby busy intersection he was crossing against the lights. A car trying to get through the intersection before the light changed hit him, throwing him into the air he first landed on the windshield before flying into the air and landing on the pavement. The impact of the accident knocked both his shoes & hat off. Even though I was running it felt like I could not travel fast enough to travel the short distance reach him fast enough. As my friend & I arrived on the scene so did many others who had been traveling in the same intersection. One man jumped in and supported his head & neck keeping him from moving too much I took of my jacket & covered the boy and instructed others to do the same. I directed people who were helping to move their vehicles to the nearby parking lot to allow emergency vehicles access to the intersection. Manny of the people were already calling 911 as we approached the scene. I did an assessment of the injuries and gave information to a woman who was standing nearby on the phone. He was conscious and shaking as though he was in convulsions or going into shock. He was bleeding from the left side of his head and had a compound (open) fracture on his right leg. There may have been other injuries but this was enough for the emergency personal right now. People quickly started coming forward from other nearby car with blankets. We wrapped him up & kept him warm. At this time it seems to take forever for the ambulance to show up. There is not much else we can or need to do with the ambulance only minutes away. The reality is that it was only a few minutes before the ambulance got there. I could hear them long before I could see them I looked to see which way they were coming from & waved my arms in the air as they approached so they knew I was the one to direct them & then pointed to where the boy was lying on the ground As the ambulance enters the scene one may started circling around & saying “O.k. everyone move back give him room“ I quickly asked him to move to the side & told the man holding the boy`s head to stay where he was as I continued to support the secondary injury the broken leg. I also announced that the police would soon want to speak with anyone who witnessed the accident so not to go too far.

 So if  you are first on the scene what do you do:

          • First make sure things are safe. You do not help anyone if you are the second victim

          • Next control the scene. There many things happening and you DO NOT have to do it all. Just make sure it all gets done.

           • Someone has to Call 911 (or your emergency numbers) not necessarily you

           • Do a quick assessment of the victim. The ambulance just wants to know the main things wrong with him: conscious, breathing, major bleeding

           • Assure people you know what you are doing “I have first aid” is all you need to say

           • Talk to the victim get to know who he is; age, name, & other information he wants to share and gain his confidence give you name tell him you are going to help him, let him know he is safe with you there.

          • Touch is very important, hold his hand, touch his face, just support his body in the position it is in

          • Not everyone out there knows what to do or is trying to help have confidence in what you are doing & do not stop offering comfort until the paramedics/ambulance personal ask you to step pack.

           • Once they have asked you to step back. Just step back don’t go away. They may have questions or need your help to move the casualty or help in another way.

The common perception is that if is natural it is safe and only manmade remedies come with warnings and could be harm full. It is extremely important to realize that even natural remedies come with risks you should always discuss natural remedies with your doctor before you try them. Many of the medicines and cures we rely on now days have their basis in old folk remedies or natural cures. The most common example of this is, Aspirin that is a registered trade mark name for acetylsalicylic acid (ASA).  It is also sold under many other names but they all have basic same ingredient.  Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is the chemical made from salicin. Salicin is found in many different plants including willow bark.

Taking willow in the place of aspirin (ASA) can eliminate the stomach upset that is associated within uncoated aspirin (ASA) because it passes through the stomach before it changes in the pain reliving form. There are still many precautions that you still must keep in mind if you are taking willow.

• Do not take willow if you are allergic to aspirin (ASA) or other salicin types of medications
• Do not take willow if you are on blood thinners like warfarin (Coumadin)
• Willow can react with barbiturates & sedatives  such as aprobarbital (amytal) or alprazolam (Xanax)
• Do not take willow if there is any other reason you doctor has told you not to take aspirin(ASA)
• Willow can cause stomach upset if taken with alcohol
• Do not give to children under 16 who have any type of viral infection such as the flu or chicken pox. Like with aspirin (ASA) this can lead to Reye’s syndrome a serious condition that involves the brain & liver and can lead to death.
• Do not take willow with aspirin or other salicin types of medications.

Willow can be used to treat ailments that you would use aspirin for.

• Headaches (migraines)
• Muscle & joint pains  like sprains & strains
• Fever

Willow also known as white willow bark can be found in pill and powder form in many health food stores and natural medicine stores.  As well now days you can find natural medicines in most drug stores alongside the vitamins.

You can make some willow tea by steeping  1 teaspoon of white willow bark in a cup of boiling water for 15 minutes then strain. Drink 1 cup 3 times a day till the pain & swelling subsides.

Later this week the United States celebrates Thanksgiving; this is the first of two holiday days that are traditionally celebrated with a large meal with turkey as the main dish.  Each year millions of cases of food-related illnesses are reported. Many of these illnesses could be prevented by following proper food handling and preparation techniques. These are the ways you can keep your family safe well preparing your turkey.

Get your turkey into the freezer immediately after it is purchased & keep your turkey frozen until you are ready to defrost it. Frozen turkey can kept frozen in its original packaging for up to one year.

Do not thaw your turkey at room temperature. Thaw turkey in the refrigerator in a container that will ketch any of the drippings as it defrosts. Keep the turkey on the bottom shelf of the fridge to keep it from dripping on other foods. The drippings from raw meat contain bacteria that will contaminate other food.

If you wish you can defrost your turkey in cold water. Keep it in original wrapping and change the water every half hour to keep water cold.

Defrost times

In the fridge: 10 hours per kilogram/5 hours per pound.

In a sink covered with cold water: 2 hours per kilogram/1 hour per pound. 

If you are using an unstuffed turkey, make sure your turkey is completely defrosted before cooking. The bird will then cook evenly and harmful bacteria will be destroyed. For prestuffed turkey, cook directly from frozen.

Clean and disinfect all surfaces and kitchen utensils touched by raw turkey or drippings from thawing turkey.

 Important cooking tips:

Your goal when cooking turkey is to make sure that the bird reaches a high enough cooking temperature to kill harmful bacteria. The slower and lower you cook the turkey, the more opportunity for harmful bacteria to grow. 

Never cook a turkey at less than 325ºF (160ºC).

Use a meat thermometer, and cook turkey until the temperature of the thickest part of the breast or thigh is at least 185° F (85° C). Avoid actually touching the bone; the bone is hotter than the meat.

Cook stuffing separately in its own oven dish or on the stove top. If you do stuff your turkey, stuff loosely just prior to roasting.  Cook stuffing to a minimum internal temperature of 165° F (74° C). Tightly packed stuffing will not heat evenly and some areas of the stuffing may not reach this temperature.

When dealing with leftovers

 Remove all the stuffing from the turkey and refrigerate it within two hours of cooking.

Only reheat what you are going to eat at that time. Reheating & cooling of the will cause bacteria to grow.

Turkey poses particular food safety challenges because it can be contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps.

Never attempt to freeze a whole fresh turkey. Home freezers are not powerful enough to do this job.

*A turkey that is labelled “previously frozen” should never be refrozen, unless it’s already been cooked.

If you or your family show any of the signs of food poison seek medical aid.

Have a safe & happy holidays

This blog was posted by Dr. Phil I feel that it is important enough to repost it here

The likelihood of a child getting abducted is one in 347,000 or .0003 percent, but if it happens to your kid, it’s 100 percent. Dr. Phil counts down the five most important things you can do to keep your children safe from predators.

5. Prepare Your Children without Fear

You don’t want to make your children paranoid, but you must prepare them. Talk about safety openly and without fear. Go over the dos and don’ts with them.

Don’ts

Never get in a car with a stranger.
Never go to a second location with someone you don’t know.
Never let someone swear you to secrecy.
“The child has no decision to make, because there are clear nevers,” Dr. Phil explains. “That way, they will be cautious, they will be careful to not let someone put them in harm’s way.”

Dos

Stay with a friend.
Let parents know where you are.

You need to make sure your children understand that they are loved, and they need to love themselves.

4. Set Up Their World for Safety

Never leave your children alone, even for a moment, particularly when they’re young.
Have strict procedures on such things as going to and from school and where to go after a dance or sports. If your child is a latch-key kid, make sure he or she knows the procedure you want in place for when he or she gets home from school, like keeping the doors locked.
Your children should know their home telephone number, their parents’ cell phone numbers, their home address and how to call 911.
Children should never wear clothes displaying their name.
Set up a code word with your child in case of emergency and test it. If you send a friend or family member to pick your child up, the child can ask him or her for the code word. Your child will know it’s safe to go with the adult if they can repeat the code word.
Create a map of your neighborhood so children know where to go if they’re feeling uncomfortable. Point out safe houses, fire stations or a trusted neighbor’s home. Your child should also know where to run or drive in case the situation calls for that action.
“They need to know where things are if they have to make decisions on the spur of the moment,” Dr. Phil says.

3. Listen and Look

As parents, you need to be extremely tuned in to what’s taking place in your child’s life. Listen to your children to see if they’re talking about anyone who doesn’t belong in their world.
When you pick your children up from the mall or school, scan the landscape and notice if there are people lurking or located where they don’t belong.
Most abductions are not completely random. Even if it’s a stranger abduction, they tend to target children for a period of time before they abduct them. Many abductees are girls and teenagers.
Be sure to look and listen to what your child is doing while on the Internet. Know how to monitor the computer. Get in game and figure out how to check for access, passwords, lockdowns and where they’ve been surfing. Predators will try and groom a child over the Internet and then try and set up a meeting in the real world.

2. Have a Plan

Make sure you have up-to-date pictures of your child from every angle. Be sure the images are easily recognizable.
Get your child fingerprinted. Many local police departments offer the service free of charge, so your child can be entered into a database.
Have a list of emergency contact numbers easily accessible. The first number on your list should be 911, and the second should be for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: (800) The Lost, (800) 843-5678. The first few hours after an abduction are most critical.

1. Teach Your Children to Self-Protect

Teach your child to recognize danger: who, what and where.

Who: Somebody they don’t know or don’t trust asking them to do something they don’t want to do. Strangers are not only the creepy looking men in trench coats. They can be anyone. Many kids are abducted by a family friend or acquaintance.
What: Adults do not ask children for help. That should be a warning sign that something is wrong. Your children should also be aware of anybody who asks them to get in a car or go somewhere with them, or anyone who crosses a boundary, such as touching them or invading their personal space.
Where: If someone asks your child to go to a second location, that should set bells off in his or her head. If your child is alone and an adult approaches him or her, that is not a good sign.
The Buddy System: Kids should never be alone, even for a minute. They should always be with a friend or two, because there is strength in numbers.
React: Children must also know that it is OK for them to say no. They shouldn’t worry about being polite. If the feel they are in danger or something is not right, they should move in the opposite direction, yell, scream and ask for help. Rehearse this with your children by asking them how they would react in certain situations. Don’t tell them how to react. For example, ask them what they would do if they are at bus stop and a car pulls up offering a ride.
Communicate: It’s imperative that you establish a line of communication with your kids about anything they don’t feel comfortable talking about.
Trust your instincts; if it feels wrong, it probably is wrong. These tips can save your child’s life.

There is no end to the list of diets out there that claim to allow you to loose all the weight you want with out having to change a thing. Each week a new plan comes out with even more miraculous claims than the last. Most likely if you are among the millions of people who feel the need to loose weight it is easy to get sucked in to the vortex thinking this will be the one that works for me. With a record number of people over weight and obese it seams everyone has jumped on to the Diet bandwagon claiming to have the next best diet plan. The important thing to understand is that almost any diet will help you loose weight if you stick with it long enough. The key is sticking with it. So what is the best diet for you? Following some simple rules will help you choose your best diet and not let you get sucked in to wasting you money or putting your health at risk

                1. Does the diet match the way you like to (or have to) eat! Some people have the time and discipline to eat every 2 or 3 hours, while others lead a more chaotic life and are lucky find time to grab something between their regular daily tasks. Find a diet, or better yet make up one that matches the way you like to eat.  Is the Diet structured or Flexible. Some people are very disciplined and can handle a very structured diet, while others prefer more flexibility. Just make sure you can stick too it for the long term (most likely the rest of your life) If you go back to the way you use to eat you will go back to what you use to weigh even more.

                2. Do you like the food and is it affordable. A friend once suggested that I try the Atkins diet he had lost over 50 pounds on it and had never looked better. This was enough for me to give it a try. But as a person who has never been a meat eater, the switch to a diet that was almost all meat and no fruits or vegetables was tough. I stuck with it two weeks and had not lost any weight but had realized I was on the wrong diet for me. Nothing kills weight loss faster than following a diet that you do not like or have a taste for. If you do not like salads it would be impossible to stay on a diet that requires you to eat a salad each day for lunch.

                3. How does it fit in with the rest of the family? Will the plan coincide with what and when the rest of the family is eating? If not, how much of a hardship will that be? If you have to come home at the end of a busy day and cook two meals you may want to rethink the plan. And if you are trying to stick eating something bland & tasteless while you are cooking something you see as “forbidden” & love, for the rest of the family it will hard not to keep from snacking or even worse eating a second dinner.

                4. Don’t ignore your cravings. We all have our favorite foods, foods we would rather not do with out. As soon as you class a food as forbidden it becomes the food you most want. Plan it in to your diet. Once a week have that small bowl of ice cream or a small piece of chocolate if you know you will get a piece at the end of the week you will be less likely to “sneak” a piece when you think no one else is looking.

                5. Don’t think of it as all or nothing deal. The biggest reasons that diets fail is because of cheating and giving in to temptation and we often think of it as all or nothing deal. It starts with a bit of snacking, then just a little more, and a little more, until we think oh what’s the difference I have already blew it I may as well enjoy the rest of the cake. Then we start in beating ourselves up over our indiscretions. We then see is as we have failed to loose the weight we wanted with this diet we will have to find another one that works better. The truth is that it wasn’t the diet it was just our failure to stick with it.

                6. If you fall off the wagon get back on. If you have fallen off the diet wagon what you need to do is reassess this diet was it for you? Or was just one that you spotted it while waiting in the check out line or the one you “skinny friend” said that she would try if she had to loose weight.

                7. Exercise always helps. Whether a diet plan includes exercise or not it is important to add in some form of exercise. Even a small amount will help. We will get in to this more in the future.

                8. It takes time to lose weight. There are several rapid weight loss diets. These diets boast a very quick weight loss, and it is true you will loose weight but that weight is all water & muscle and not actual fat. Often with these diets the you do loose weight very quickly & GAIN IT BACK JUST AS QUICK WHEN YOU GO BACK TO NORMAL EATING. You may want to consider a more eating habit/lifestyle change diet that can bring long-term weight management success.

                9. Record everything you eat. (at least at first) Even if you intent is to not restrict or count the calories. Studies show that people who record their food loose twice the amount of weight as those who do not. Why? Because we tend to under estimate how much we are really eating. Of course this goes with out saying that if you wait till the end of the day to make your record you may as well forget it. Odds are you have forgotten just how much you did eat.

                10. Anytime you see a diet that completely eliminates any one-food group from your diet be cautious. As humans we require a wide variety of foods to get proper nutrition. The same goes for diet that only allow all you can eat of one food (or dish) like the pineapple diet or cabbage soup diet.

                11. Avoid any company or person that would like to “sell you the secret formula” even at a reduced cost. The only thing you will loose will be your money.

                12. Crash diets don’t work. Putting yourself on a crash diet may result in a short term weight loss but you can also put yourself in starvation mode making even harder to loose the weight. The best bet is still the slow steady weight loss.

Following these simple rules can help you find the diet you need to achieve the weight loss you are looking for, but as any one who has been trying to loose weight for a while knows this is not the whole story there is may things that go in to loosing the weight we would like. Over the next few weeks we will discuss some of the other factors that can help you loose the weight. I hope you will find this helpful. Please feel free to leave your comments on what diets you have tried and  what other health issues you would like addressed.