Throughout history, we’ve been plagued with massive outbreaks of TB, Polio, Scarlet Fever, Meningitis, Mumps and Measles which today are almost non-existent or controlled by vaccines. Unfortunately though, there are newer, hardier menaces of our times such as West Nile Virus, Avian Flu, Sars, Flesh Eating Disease and it’s predicted we’re due for another Pandemic Flu outbreak.
From time to time we’re all faced with health issues, be it an actual malady or something perceived that causes us to worry. With many of the new threats and incomplete information on how to deal with them, it causes concern to the point of fear and paranoia. How many times have we discovered a symptom, cross-referenced it with our trusty, medical encyclopaedias and ended up with a host of serious problems, blowing everything out of proportion? Usually, our diagnosis is incorrect and it's actually a common, treatable ailment.
Of course, we can’t know when a sick-bug will strike but we can take some measures to prepare because “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Remember when your parents used to tell you to “button up your coat because you’ll catch pneumonia” or “wash your hands to keep the germs at bay”? You probably thought that they were just trying to spoil your fun but as you aged and became educated, you realized there were all kinds of germs and illnesses around that could really harm you. Surely you recall those science experiments in school which had you growing cultures of bacteria from water fountains, doorknobs and bathroom doors? Perhaps mom and dad knew a little about “the basics” of keeping well after all?
We’ll always be burdened with the bugs of physical and mental illness, but nine times out of ten, we can be thankful they’re of the low-threat, standard variety, which is certainly a huge relief. So…what’s “bug-in” you?
The Pandemic Pantry
The word pandemic has now entered the average person's conversation. Certainly it was not ever part of our ordinary vocabulary before. New contagious diseases such as SARS, HIV or Avian influenza, have pushed our minds into dark corners and created worries we never thought of earlier. Hence, another sort of pandemic. Fear. Beyond these biohazardous and imagined uncertainties, we've experienced world events of catastrophic intensity--forces of both man and nature that have iced our worry cakes. In some way we have all witnessed or been directly affected by these horrible iconic misfortunes. Katrina as one example, 9/11 for another. They affect the global moral because never before in history have world-wide events been so graphically documented then instantly reported. Yet despite all this in our face information there is one word that seems undervalued even mocked-preparedness.
I am not standing on a soapbox nor shouting from my roof top, merely giving our readership a practical reminder. This isn't about lamenting the end of the world or crying the woe-is-mes. Remember Y2K? It probably was the first time since 'cold war' years that masses of people actually took emergency preparedness with more than a grain of salt. So Y2K fizzled out. We should in fact count ourselves lucky it did. What we should take from that is the knowledge and value of showing due diligence and allegiance to our families, communities, and ourselves. With at least moderate awareness, and preparation perhaps we could affect the outcome of crisis. Any crisis. If everyone who was capable, had a personal emergency plan in place both personal and social impact could be lessened. Really, we shouldn't leave the burden of a disaster on agencies such as The Salvation Army, Red Cross or United Way. They should cope with the more vulnerable and under privileged in our society. Let us do as much for ourselves as is reasonable.
Who didn't have some type of Y2K stock pile of provisions? So it didn't happen--some food or medicines might have expired, and because of that perhaps we have created an illusion of security. Nothing catastrophic will really happen to 'us'. Right? What would people of New Orleans have to say about that philosophy? Who could believe the unfolding of such personal loss and life changing events? The separation of people from families, destruction of their neighbourhoods and alienation from their very home states. We witnessed an amazing amount of human anguish in the aftermath of Katrina. Yet one wonders if this over-exposure to television tragedy has somehow calloused our perspective. The TV set got turned off-most of us were immune from the physical reality.
Some religions such as the Church Of Latter Day Saints, direct their congregation to emergency survivor preparedness and instruct them on how to go about it. There is something to be learned there too. Our governments, regions and counties offer little or wishy-washy direction, so the initiative must be self-directed or socially prompted. Sure governments have websites but we have to have the ability to FIND them, and let's not forget some people still do not have computers let alone internet service. Government agencies should be getting this information directly to us. Either through the national post office or with our census or tax forms. They never cease to be able to find us if they WANT to. That aside, overall, we are a knowledgeable society with little excuse to ignore responsibility to assist with our own family survival. Let's be pro-active and demonstrate personal vigilance.
Back to a very possible danger. Influenza--of the pandemic variety. Recently, Dr. Vincent Lam and Dr. Colin Lee, both emergency physicians, were inspired to collaborate on a book called The Flu Pandemic and You. They witnessed the effect of SARS in Toronto firsthand and know there are important issues that the masses need to understand in order to help themselves. They have compiled a valuable script for assisting humanity through the next health crises. Please, get your hands on a copy.
Something that stands out in importance is that we do have options. There are many things we can do to help before we find ourselves in a situation that we can't help. We can avoid recreational travel when we are not well or if we know that an area has particular vulnerability to infection. We can assist ourselves by participating in local vaccine programs to help resist influenza, or other contagions. We can practice basic sanitary rituals and exercise some simple social courtesies. If we are sick we can keep ourselves at home, if someone is ill around us we can keep our distance. When we care for someone who is contagious we can follow a sanitation routine. We can examine the horse's mouth, persay. Hospitals and health clinics should have it right. Right? What are their simple precautions? You don't visit with a cough or cold. Or, you put on a mask if you have potential problems. There are numerous locations of antiseptic foam dispensers, through out these buildings. Why not in other public places? Why not at all entrances of civic buildings as part of public health mandate. What about entrance ways to airports, schools, malls, theatres, supermarkets, banks, at ATM dispensing systems or around shared workstations, especially those with keyboards. There are countless areas touched by thousands of hands everyday, someone should be paying attention.
Could local business's help prevent the spread of germs by disinfecting their premises? What about at least the spraying of Lysol or other approved disinfectant on grocery carts, door handles, and in public bathrooms? It seems logical that these small measures costing a few dollars, might make a difference. Instead of giving out calendars or small promotions in shopping malls. If companies handed out sample bottles or packets of hand disinfectant or tissues and if only people would use them! Follow simple examples of not sneezing/coughing into their hands but rather into their shoulders or using tissues with the non-dominant hand.
Before I start to sound eccentric here is the bottom line, if we can at all possibly help ourselves we should. And lastly we can at the very least maintain our own pandemic pantry--necessities pre-assembled to help us in a disaster. So what is stopping you?
Fitness to Dry Skin
Walking around with white, scaly and cracked hands isn't glamorous for us ladies and gents. There is nothing quite like rough hands when trying to put on a pair of pantyhose for the night's festivities or tying a silk tie. Dry skin could lead to a life long issue that needs medical attention. Don't say good-bye to your smooth skin, replenish your hands and body with the correct moisturizers. This is a serious problem and it should be treated right away. There are preventive methods that can diminish your dry skin areas.
There are plenty of reasons why your hands and/or body become dry. The major cause of dry skin stems from the environmental condition in which you live. Cold weather being the number one cause with its temperature and humidity levels declining. Using high temperature equipment such as central heating, wood burning stoves or other heat sources to maintain warmth, will dry up the moisture in the air. In the summer weather, air conditioning reduces the humidity and will also dry out your skin.
Avoid using harsh soaps or detergents such as antibacterial soaps, or detergents that will irritate your body. Taking long baths or showers will dry out your skin and will leave a soapy film that can cause you to itch so, remember to rinse off thoroughly and pat dry. When cleansing your face, avoid using wash clothes. Keep in mind to moisturize after bathing and be sure to feel the signs. To avoid chapped hands and irritated skin, protect your hands by wearing gloves while washing dishes and/or using harsh chemicals. If you're allergic to rubber gloves, wear cotton lining underneath them. One last note, fitness increases blood flow and supplies oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Why not take advantage of having a firm body at the same time your dry skin moistens?
As you age your skin becomes drier caused by the oils that our body produces to decline. Lacking in these oils may cause clumping of cells that flake or scale. Women's skin tends to become drier than men's for the simple reason of menopause. Too much sun exposure can dry out any one's skin so always use preventive methods like avoiding long periods in the sun light. Wear proper clothing and always wear a hat to protect your face.
Under normal aging processes, here are signs and symptoms of dry skin:
1. A sense of tightness after bathing, showering or swimming
2. Dehydration can cause dry skin drink plenty of enough water.
3. Skin looks and feels rough
4. Irritated skin that causes you itch intensely
5. Minor to critical flaking, scaling or peeling to cracks and fine lines
6. Redness of irritated areas, Dermatitis ( eczema )
7. Deep crevice with the skin that bleed
To nurture your skin's healthiness, you must moisturizer it. Preventing dehydration is vital. Many lotions out there have the oils with added ingredients, that may or may not work for you. Most of us don't enjoy having greasy hands so we use other forms of creams. Your body needs to keep hydrated to prevent dryness. Petroleum or Vaseline will keep the moisture within your body. Choose lotions that have an oily base because they are most effective in hydrating your skin. Stay away from lotions that consist of mostly water and other chemicals that can dry out your skin even more. Read labels before purchasing and ask questions at your local pharmacist. If they can't help you, consult your Physician before your problem worsens.
Tears Are Awesome
Tears flow like rain when you're upset or watching your all time favorite love story " Ghost" with Demi More and Patrick Swayze. During those water droplets your eyes become moistened. Like any form of liquid, tears will evaporate when open to the elements. Did you know the average person blinks at least 13 times a minute? Every time you blink a tear film is formed over your eyes, keeping them replenished and free of small particles. The layer of tear film reduces the risk of eye infections as well as any irritation that may cause vision problems. Remember, whenever you blink your eyes will love you for it. There are numerous elements that will aggravate your eyes like smoke, wind and dust, fumes or other pollutants that may play havoc. Avoid rubbing your eyes when they become itchy.
The reduction of eye fluids causes your tear glands to weaken your tear film. When this happens, your tear film breaks down rapidly, creating dry spots on your cornea. Most adults over the age 40 will experience dry eyes. When your tear ducts are incapable of generating enough tears, your eyes become dry and easily irritated. Dry eye problems are caused from an imbalance in the substances that make the tear film. Treatment of dry eye is replenishing a natural tear film to minimize dryness and prevent further discomfort. If you are suffering from dry eye irritation, consult your Physician first.
Here are some common signs and symptoms of dry eye:
1. A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes
2. A sense of a foreign substance in your eyes
3. String mucus in or around your eyes
4. Increased eye irritations from smoke or wind
5. Eye fatigue after short periods of reading
6. Sensitivity to light
7. Difficulty wearing contact lenses
8. Blurred vision, often worsening at the end of the day or after visually focusing for a prolonged period on a nearby task
Remember the next time you cry, these watery fluids are more than water. Tears are made up of fatty oils, proteins and electrolytes, good bacteria and growth factors that regulate various cell processes. Without these substances our vision would be impossible.
Taking simple steps to protect your eyes:
1. Avoid direct air in eye like hair dryer, car heater, air conditioners or fans
2. Wear protective eye wear on windy days and bright sunlight or goggles while swimming
3. Maintain your home humidity between 30-50 percent. During winter months use a humidifier to add moisture to dry air.
4. Prevent rubbing your eyes. This will irritate your eyes even more.
5. Take preventive steps. First signs of eye problems, treat right away before it worsens. Use eye drops to sooth your dry eyes.
Remember blinking is vital. By blinking frequently this helps your tears to spread evenly over your eyes to lubricate the eye surface.
Luscious Lips
There are several causes that lead to chapped and bleeding lips, sun exposure, dry weather conditions and licking your lips to biting them. Here are a few easy precautions to lip care:
1. Use Vaseline lip balm with Vitamin E or aloe vera. The greasy contents will moisten your lips correctly.
2. Try not to lick your lips, as the saliva will evaporate faster causing them to dry.
3. In sunny weather use a lip balm that contains sun block in it.
4. Remember, replenish your body with water.
5. Use a humidifier; this will add moisture in the air.
Your local Pharmacist can assist you with over the counter ointments that will heal your chapped lips. If your condition worsens consult your physician immediately.
Feeling Down Can Really Be SAD…
All of us know that the weather can lift or dampen our spirits; a bright, sunny day sees us energized and puttering in the garden while a grey, drizzly one finds us feeling dull and wanting to nap. It's well-known that we spend less time outdoors when it's cold or dreary and our bodies go into a kind of "shutdown" where we eat less and sleep more. Many of us get a little blue during the dark days of winter but with a little sunshine, we're climbing back to normal.
Usually, our moods are constant with intermittent fluctuations, but imagine that the sun doesn't shine for days and a feeling of gloom starts to settle in. If you live in a region with prolonged periods of overcast or rainy weather, and the season's right-somewhere between October and April, you may find that you're depressed to the point of not wanting to get out of bed. You can't focus and you have no energy. Nothing's of interest and you don't want to be around anyone. To top it all off, when you are awake, you want to gobble every carb in sight and you're packing on the pounds.
Recognized since 1984, Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of clinical depression said to relate to season and light deprivation. It affects the body's internal clock along with the brain's mood altering chemicals and functions where the stimulation of "feel good" chemicals, serotonin and dopamine, decrease. Other suggested factors include hormonal imbalances of thyroid or cortisol, the retina's reduced sensitivity to light in connection with the production of melatonin in the pineal gland, and even genetic associations.
Dr. Norman Rosenthal, SAD research pioneer, noticed that his mood became gloomy and his energy sluggish when he moved from Africa to New York. It seems he understood the co-relation between not getting enough sun and its affect on temperament, using light as a method for improvement. He authored a book on the subject, "Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder".
Those vulnerable to SAD will have had unipolar depression for a number of years in a row, around the same time. Prevalent during the twenties and thirties, it eases off in the fifties, with women being more prone than men or children. Symptoms can be mild to severe, rendering one helpless in everyday situations. Continuing on in this state can lead to total dysfunction, bipolar or manic-depressive disorders, and even thoughts of suicide. If this sounds like anyone you know, a visit to a family physician or healthcare facility should seriously be considered for proper diagnosis. Depending upon severity and your medical professional, different treatments are available with the most common ones being, light therapy, psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, counselling and anti-depressants.
Before SAD becomes debilitating, there are some everyday routines that can help lessen its degree. For those with mild symptoms, simply getting out for a thirty minute walk during daylight hours will do a world of good; fifteen minutes on a sunny day is best and sufficient to provide your day's requirement of Vitamin D as well. If you're "homebound", sitting near a naturally-lit window is beneficial. Exercise and an active lifestyle will go a long way to increasing your physical and mental well-being. Snacking on fruits and vegetables can curb the desire to grab for those sugars and starches, keeping your weight in check. Other "tactics" may include surrounding yourself with little children or pets both of which provide constant humour for that "up" feeling. In addition, observing a birdfeeder or reorganizing a room, depending on your energy level, may help keep you busy and your mind off of how you're feeling.
Of course, heading south where it's sunny (and warm) is highly recommended but not an option for most. Just as today's solar technology has us purchasing decorative, little ornaments that brighten our pathways with a charge from the sun, our bodies react in much the same way. So "lighten up life" because feeling down can really be SAD.
