Blog Archives

Understanding High Blood Pressure

3/20/2011

Understanding Your Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure Slide Show

   Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill,
   which will be held on Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Quick Facts About Brain Injury:
An estimated 1.7 million children and adults in the U.S. sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and another 795,000 individuals sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI) from non-traumatic causes each year.

Currently more than 3.1 million children and adults in the U.S. live with a lifelong disability as a result of TBI and 6.4 million have a disability due to stroke.

Brain injury is unpredictable in its consequences. Brain injury affects who we are, the way we think, act, and feel. It can change everything about us in a matter of seconds. The most important things to remember:

• A person with a brain injury is a person first
• No two brain injuries are exactly the same
• The effects of a brain injury are complex and vary greatly from person to person
• The effects of a brain injury depend on such factors as cause, location, and severity.

(Statistics courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and the Heart Disease & Stroke Statistics 2010 Update At-A-Glance.)

Living With Brain Injury

Arietal Lobe Functions

Sense of touch
Spatial perception
Differentiation (identification) of size, shapes, and colors
Visual perception

Occipital Lobe Functions

Vision

Cerebellum Lobe Functions

Balance
Skilled motor activity
Coordination
Visual perception

Brain Stem Functions

Breathing
Arousal and consciousness
Attention and concentration
Heart rate
Sleep and wake cycles

Frontal Lobe Functions

Attention and concentration
Self-monitoring
Organization
Speaking (expressive language)
Motor planning and initiation
Awareness of abilities and limitations
Personality
Mental flexibility
Inhibition of behavior
Emotions
Problem solving
Planning and anticipation
Judgment

Temporal Lobe Functions

Memory
Understanding language (receptive language)
Sequencing
Hearing
Organization

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Keeping Your Family Safer with Fire Extinguishers

3/10/2011

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Fire Extinguishers

Keeping Your Family Safer with Fire Extinguishers

In addition to working smoke detectors, every family should have certified fire extinguishers strategically placed in rooms such as the kitchen, garage or workshop. Fire extinguishers are your second line of defense behind a smoke detector and can be the difference between a small inconvenience and a life-changing event.What type of extinguisher should I buy?

Using the wrong type of extinguisher on a fire can actually make it spread so it’s important to plan ahead when purchasing and placing fire extinguishers. There are four types of household extinguishers, and the manufacturer’s use and care booklet provides guidance on the type and size of fire with which your extinguisher may be used. The booklet also provides tips on how to properly use and maintain your extinguisher.

Extinguisher Ratings:

Type A: For use on fires involving combustible materials such as wood, cloth and paper
Type B: For use on flammable liquid fires, including kitchen grease. Never use water to extinguish this type of fire!
Type C: For use in fires involving energized electrical equipment.
Type ABC: For use on all types of fires listed above.

Where should I keep my extinguisher?

Don’t just hang your extinguisher on the wall or in the cupboard. Plan ahead, read the instruction manual and know your extinguisher’s capabilities before trying to fight a fire. Portable extinguishers are useful for putting out small fires, but recognize your limits and the limits of the extinguisher.

Some basic rules to keep in mind when dealing with household fire extinguishers:

If a fire breaks out, your first step is to call the fire department and get everyone out of the house. If the fire is not spreading and is confined to a small area, use the appropriate type extinguisher for the fire. Know both your limits and the fire extinguisher’s limits.
Periodically inspect your extinguishers to determine if they need to be recharged or replaced. Extinguishers need to be recharged or replaced after each use — even if you haven’t used all of the extinguishing agent.
When using a portable extinguisher, keep your back to an unobstructed exit that is free from fire.

Check the manufacturer’s instructions for operating guidelines, including proper distance between the extinguisher and fire. Always aim at the base of the fire.

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Home Safety Checklist

3/10/2011

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Home Safety Checklist,
Make your family safer, step-by-step

Cover Outlets: Cover all unused outlets to prevent children from sticking a finger in the socket.
Watch Cord Placement: Extension cords should not be placed under rugs or heavy furniture, tacked up or coiled while in use.
Get Grounded: All major appliances should be grounded. Be sure to check your ground fault circuit interrupters regularly.
Plan Your Escape: Practice a fire escape plan with your family where you identify two exits for every room and what to do with young children.
Give Your Air Heater Some Space: All air heaters should be placed at least three feet from beds, curtains or anything flammable.
Keep Extinguishers Handy: Place all-purpose fire extinguishers in key locations in your home – the kitchen, bedroom and basement. Be sure to check expiration dates regularly and know how to use them safely.
Create a Safe Exit: In addition to alarms and extinguishers, consider an escape ladder if your home has two floors. Keep emergency numbers and contacts readily available by the phone.
Unplug Appliances: Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use and store them out of reach.
Go New in the Nursery: Check that all painted cribs, bassinettes and high chairs were made after 1978 to avoid potential lead paint poisoning.
Cool Your Jets: Set your water heater below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid potential burns and to save energy.
Put Away Medications: Take medications and medical supplies out of your purse, pockets and drawers, and put them in a cabinet with a child safety lock.
Look for UL: The UL Mark appears on products that have been tested, verified and inspected for safety. Make sure to look for it to keep your holidays safe and bright.

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Fire Safety At home

3/9/2011

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Fire Safety At home

A simple way to put out a kitchen fire. Watch video from link below.

akitchenoilfire1.wmv
File Size:	1465 kb
File Type:	wmv

Download File

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Stopping a Fire Before it Starts: 5 Things You Can Do Today

3/9/2011

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Stopping a Fire Before it Starts: 5 Things You Can Do Today

When it comes to fire safety, information abounds. But as a busy mom, it’s often hard to find the time to wade through the information and figure out what you need to do to keep your family safer.
Here are five simple things that you can do today to help protect your family from fire.

Do a Smoke Alarm Audit
Do an audit of your home’s smoke alarms. (If you don’t have UL listed smoke alarms, make a plan to install them on each level of the home, especially near sleeping areas). Check placement: Smoke rises, so smoke alarms should be located on a ceiling or high on a wall. Alarms mounted on the ceiling should be at least four inches away from the nearest wall and those mounted on walls should be four to twelve inches down from the ceiling. Test your alarms and be sure that they can be heard in bedrooms even when the doors are closed. If not, install smoke alarms in the bedrooms. Make sure that your kids know what the alarms sound like. Replace alarms that are older than 10 years and replace any alarm that has been painted over.

Mom Tip: Change the batteries whenever you change the clocks for Daylight Savings Time.

Make Extinguishers Handy
Be sure that you have at least one or more UL listed fire extinguishers in your home. An ABC-type extinguisher is a good all-purpose choice for fires in the home. Check the gauge located on the extinguisher to see if it needs to be replaced or recharged. Also be sure that the fire extinguisher is in an easily accessible location. Remember that fire extinguishers are not designed to fight large or spreading fires. Your number one priority is to have an escape plan and to get out safely. If the fire is small and contained and the room is not filled with smoke, get everyone out and call the fire department; then, you may use the fire extinguisher to control the fire.

Mom Tip: Read the directions and familiarize yourself with the use of your extinguisher now, before you’re in the midst of an actual emergency.

Talk Prevention with Your Kids
Talk to your kids about how they can prevent fires. Children under age five are especially curious about fire and need to start learning about the tremendous danger. Take the mystery out of fire and make sure that your kids know the following safety tips:

Never play with matches, lighters or candles.
Never play with electrical cords and never put anything in a socket.
Blankets or clothes should never be thrown on top of lamps.
Don’t turn up a heater without a grown-up’s permission.
If your clothes catch on fire, stop, drop and roll.

Mom Tip: Check under beds and in closets for burned matches or candles. Kids often choose “secret” places to play with matches and light fires. Even “good” kids are curious– teach your kids to always tell you when they find matches and lighters.

Look at Your Home From Your Child’s Perspective
Think about how your child sees potential fire hazards in your home by getting down on your hands and knees with them and taking a look around. See any dangling cords that could cause a problem if pulled? Enticing heaters or other appliances? Make adjustments to your home according to what you find.

Mom Tip: Make your floor-tour a game with your kids. Have them point out things they see by playing eye-spy. You’ll be surprised by what catches their attention.

Avoid Overloading Sockets and Cords
Do a walk-through of your home. If you see sockets with too many cords plugged in or even too many extension cords around the house, it may be time to have extra outlets installed by a professional. Always pay attention to the acceptable wattage for cords and lamps. Also look for extension cords that are “tacked up” or run under a rug as these could be a real fire hazard for kids and adults.

Mom Tip: The den and the nursery are particularly susceptible to overloaded outlets. Never plug something in unsafely “just this once” or “until I get another power strip tomorrow.”

For more useful tips and information, visit the National Fire Protection Association at www.nfpa.org

Here’s a handy way to walk through each fire-prevention step with your family. Print this PDF, and check off each activity as you go. When you’re done, print out the award certificate for your family for a job well done!

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Paint Your Walls. Protect Your Family: Tips on How to Safely Paint Indoors

3/8/2011

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Paint Your Walls. Protect Your Family: Tips on How to Safely Paint Indoors

One of the quickest, cheapest and most dramatic ways to freshen up a room is paint. However, before you grab the rollers and get going, it’s important to remember that paint and paint thinner can have extremely harmful effects on you and your family, especially when used indoors.

We know you want to keep your two most important investments – your family and home – safe. For more information about safe painting tips, visit your local home improvement or paint store.

When painting, the Envionmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Consmer Product Safety Commission recommend you take the following precautions to ensure a safe outcome:

Keep windows wide open. For about two to three days after painting, weather permitting, keep windows open to avoid unwanted exposure to paint vapors (and to return to acceptable indoor air quality).
Use window-mounted box fans to exhaust vapors from the work area. Make sure the fans are secured in the window and cannot fall out. If fans cannot be used, make sure that rooms being painted have adequate cross-ventilation.
Let your neighbors know. Provide advance notice to neighbors in adjacent units if you live in an apartment or condominium that you’re starting a painting project.
Take frequent fresh air breaks while painting. Leave painted areas if you experience eye watering, headaches, dizziness or breathing problems.
Try to schedule painting for dry periods in the fall or spring. In the warmer months, windows can be more easily left open for ventilation.
Keep out of freshly painted rooms. Keep young children and individuals with breathing problems from freshly painted rooms.

In addition to these safe painting tips, there are also new environmentally safe paints for your projects. Look for low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints that reduce exposure to fumes that cause headaches, nausea and respiratory problems. These paints are available at your local paint or hardware store. Be sure to check if the tint is also VOC-free as many tints are not.

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Environmental Safety: Easy Ways to Live Greener

3/7/2011

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Easy Ways to Live Greener-Part 1

Think you’re doing all you can to give the environment a break and make your home a little healthier for your family? Or do you want to go green but you’re not sure where to start? Scan this list of green ideas and start adding a few to your routine every week.

Carry reusable bags with you anytime you shop.
Recycle just one more thing each week.
Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).
Skip bottled water, use filtered tap water.
Decorate with plants to improve air quality.
Add a low-flow showerhead.
Turn down the thermostat.
Unplug chargers and appliances when you’re not using them.
Recycle electronics through e-waste collection programs.
Sign up for recall alerts at recalls.gov.
Take shorter showers.
Plant bee-loving plants (sunflowers geraniums, pumpkins, blackberries, rosemary, sage, honeysuckle).
Share toys with another mom when your child outgrows them.
Use the microwave or the toaster oven to cook small meals to save energy.
Turn off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth.
Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.
Scrape rather than rinse dishes before loading into the dishwasher.
Repair leaky toilets, which can waste 200 gallons of water a day.
Sweep outside instead of using a hose.
Use durable coffee mugs instead of paper or Styrofoam cups.
Use cloth napkins and hand towels.
Set your water heater to 120 degrees – also a good rule of thumb to help prevent burns.
Buy paper products, like toilet paper, made from recycled paper.
Compost food scraps, grass, yard clippings and dead plants.
Change heating and cooling system filters every month.
Install a programmable thermostat if you’re away from home for set periods of time every day.
Insulate your home, pipes and water heater.
Buy unbleached coffee filters.
Use rags instead of paper towels to wipe up spills.
Buy biodegradable wax paper.
Buy eggs in cardboard cartons instead of foam packaging.
Use low-phosphate detergent or phosphate-free laundry detergent.
Use a little less detergent than manufacturers recommend.
Keep car tires properly inflated to save gas and tire life.
Have your tires rotated and balanced every 6,000-8,000 miles.
Buy cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers, which can take 500 years to decompose.
Give kids a lunch box or insulated cooler for lunch instead of a paper or plastic sack.
In cafeterias and fast food restaurants, take only the napkins, straws, condiments and plastic drink tops you plan to use.
Print and copy on both sides of paper when possible.
Save files and e-mails electronically and don’t print out hard copies unless you have to.
If you are leaving a room for more than 15 minutes, turn off the lights.
Carpool to school, sporting events and shopping.
Turn trash such as Popsicle sticks, newspapers and used office paper into craft projects.
Wash and reuse sandwich baggies and other plastic bags.
Donate your old computer to a community or senior citizens center.
When you replace your cell phone, donate it or pass it on to a new user.
Don’t air condition an empty room.
Walk, ride your bike or take public transportation.
Pay your bills online.
Dry towels and clothes on a rack instead of in the dryer.

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Environmental Safety: Easy Ways to Live Greener - Part 2

3/6/2011

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Easy Ways to Live Greener-Part 2

When you’re a parent, environmental concerns suddenly take on new meaning. You want to keep your family safe and your environment healthy for so many reasons. Scan this list of green ideas and start adding a few to your routine every week.

Wash laundry in cold water instead of hot.
Drive the speed limit.
Before buying new items, check online sites for gently used options.
Collect rainwater to water your houseplants and garden.
Make rags out of old towels and t-shirts.
Adjust your refrigerator temperature to 37°F and the freezer to 0°F.
Swap out one meat dish for a veggie dish each week.
If the line at the drive-thru is long, park and go in.
Use a push lawn mower instead of a power model.
Plant native flowers and shrubs that need less fertilizer and pesticides.
Replace the air filters in your car regularly.
Install dimmer switches.
Wrap an insulation blanket around your water heater.
Get off junk mail lists at dmachoice.org.
Buy concentrated laundry detergent to save packaging.
Dust the coils underneath and on the back of your refrigerator.
Combine the week’s errands into one trip.
Support local farmers by shopping at the farmers market or curb stands.
Buy unbleached paper.
Plant perennials instead of annuals in the garden.
Turn on the ceiling fan instead of the air conditioner.
Turn off your heater’s pilot light in the summer.
Fill a jar with water and put it in your toilet tank so you use less water with each flush.
Reuse wrapping paper or use newspaper paper to wrap presents.
Read the newspaper online.
Don’t litter.
Avoid aerosol spray cans.
Buy items you use frequently in bulk.
Take extra stuff out of your car trunk to save gas.
In public restrooms, use the warm-air hand dryer instead of paper towels.
Buy remanufactured ink and toner cartridges.
Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load.
Rent or borrow seldom-used items such as chain saws, ladders and party decorations.
Take your car to a carwash instead of washing it in the driveway.
Use the library instead of buying books and DVDs.
Have a clothing swap party.
Don’t preheat the oven or open it during cooking.
Opt out of receiving phone books and Yellow Pages.
Send e-cards in place of the traditional paper variety.
Use bar soap instead of liquid to save packaging and costs.
Skip the treadmill and walk or run outside instead.
Have your paycheck direct deposited.
Make your own cleaning supplies with non-toxic ingredients, such as baking soda and vinegar.
Download music and software instead of buying it on discs.
Opt for glass bottles instead of aluminum cans when you buy beverages.
Every time you toss something out, challenge yourself to think about how it might impact the planet, and see if you can think of ways to lower its impact, or buy less next time.
When remodeling, pick low-VOC paints and carpeting, light colored roofing, and windows and insulation with a high R-Value.
Plant shade trees by your home.
When remodeling install dual flush toilets and heating systems that heat from the floor up, instead of pushing air down.
Take only what you need.