Category: Uncategorized

Know Your Numbers for Heart Health

Heart-406x304In consultation with your doctor, you should establish and understand the following targets for shooting down heart disease. The numbers are important, but they will be much more useful if you understand the reasoning behind them. General targets are:

• Blood pressure of 120/80

• Total cholesterol count under 150

• HDL cholesterol should be greater than 45

• LDL cholesterol should be less than 70

• The particle number for LDL should be less than 1,000

• LDL should be described as “Pattern A,” meaning your LDL cholesterol particles are large and buoyant

• Triglyceride count less than 150

• A fasting glucose, serum (sugar) count between 65 and 99

• Body mass index (BMI), the percentage of body weight that comes from fat, should be under 25

• Thyroid, C-reactive protein, and homocysteine all within the normal range

via Dr. Crandall’s Heart Health Blog.

The 5 Steps to Setting SMART Goals

Create-Smart-GoalsWhether you have a 50-employee company or an empire of one, your business success depends on your ability to set and achieve goals. Put your business on the fast-track by applying the principles of SMART goal setting.

What are Smart Goals?

S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym for the 5 steps of specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based goals. It’s a simple tool used by businesses to go beyond the realm of fuzzy goal-setting into an actionable plan for results.

via Smart Goals: The 5 Steps to Setting SMART Goals.

Be Prepared – Winter Car and Emergency Checklist

SnowDriving1You never know when winter weather could leave you stranded on the road. Here is a list of items to have with you just in case:

  • Minimize travel, but if travel is necessary, keep the following in your vehicle:
  • Cell phone, portable charger, and extra batteries
  • Shovel
  • Windshield scraper
  • Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • Water
  • Snack food
  • Extra hats, coats, and mittens
  • Blankets
  • Chains or rope
  • Tire chains
  • Canned compressed air with sealant for emergency tire repair
  • Road salt and sand
  • Booster cables
  • Emergency flares
  • Bright colored flag or help signs
  • First aid kit
  • Tool kit
  • Road maps
  • Compass
  • Waterproof matches and a can to melt snow for water
  • Paper towels

via Preparedness Checklists|Winter Weather.

Winter Storm Hazard: Snowblower Injuries

Each year, about 5,700 people in the United States go to the emergency room for treatment of snowblower-related injuries such as broken bones, cuts to skin and soft tissue, bruises, and sprains. About 10 percent of injuries involve amputation of the hand or fingers.

snow-blowerUntitled-1Snowblower injuries tend to happen when someone stops paying attention for even a few seconds.Even after the snowblower is turned off, tension is stored in the rotor blades. A hand or finger stuck in to remove wet snow or ice is at risk for being cut, mangled or even amputated.

To stay safe, keep your hands and fingers out of the snowblower mechanism whether the machine is running or turned off. Do not disable the safety devices built into most new snowblowers and take the time to review the key safety features in the owner’s manual.

via Winter Storm Hazard: Snowblower Injuries.

How is high blood pressure linked to overweight?

dv755022_5_0What is high blood pressure?

Every time your heart beats, it pumps blood through your arteries to the rest of your body. Blood pressure is how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. High blood pressure (hypertension) usually has no symptoms, but it may cause serious problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

A blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg (often referred to as “120 over 80”) is considered normal. If the top number (systolic blood pressure) is consistently 140 or higher or the bottom number (diastolic blood pressure) is 90 or higher, you are considered to have high blood pressure.

How is high blood pressure linked to overweight?

High blood pressure is linked to overweight and obesity in several ways. Having a large body size may increase blood pressure because your heart needs to pump harder to supply blood to all your cells. Excess fat may also damage your kidneys, which help regulate blood pressure.

How can weight loss help?

Weight loss that will get you close to the normal BMI range may greatly lower high blood pressure. Other helpful changes are to quit smoking, reduce salt, and get regular physical activity. However, if lifestyle changes aren’t enough, your doctor may prescribe drugs to lower your blood pressure.

via WIN – Do You Know Some of the Health Risks of Being Overweight?.

Back Injury Prevention

introductionWhen you lift…

DO…

  • Plant your feet firmly – get a stable base.
  • Bend at your knees – not your waist.
  • Tighten your abdominal muscles to support your spine.
  • Get a good grip – use both hands.
  • Keep the load close to your body.
  • Use your leg muscles as you lift.
  • Keep your back upright, keep it in its natural posture.
  • Lift steadily and smoothly without jerking.
  • Breathe – If you must hold your breath to lift it, it is too heavy – GET HELP.

 

DO NOT…

  • Lift from the floor.
  • Twist and lift.
  • Lift with one hand (unbalanced)
  • Lift loads across obstacles.
  • Lift while reaching or stretching.
  • Lift from an uncomfortable posture.
  • Don’t fight to recover a dropped object.
  • Don’t hold your breath while lifting.

via Ergonomics Back Injury Prevention, U.Va..

Preventing Youth Violence

boy_incrowd_250x188Youth violence is a serious problem that can have lasting harmful effects on victims and their family, friends, and communities. The goal for youth violence prevention is simple—to stop youth violence from happening in the first place. But the solutions are as complex as the problem.

Prevention efforts should aim to reduce factors that place youth at risk for perpetrating violence, and promote factors that protect youth at risk for violence. In addition, prevention should address all types of influences on youth violence: individual, relationship, community, and society. Effective prevention strategies are necessary to promote awareness about youth violence and to foster the commitment to social change.

via CDC – Prevention Strategies – Youth Violence – Violence Prevention – Injury.

Walking Safety Rules

  • mcminn-pedestrian-accidents-300x201-1Walk Facing Traffic: If there is no sidewalk and you must walk on the side of the road, choose the side where you are facing oncoming traffic. In North America, this is the left side of the road. This gives you the best chance to see traffic approaching closest to you and take evasive action when needed.
  • Cross Safely: Mom was right: look both ways before crossing any street. At controlled intersections, it is wise to cross only when you have the pedestrian crossing light, but even then, drivers and bikers may have a green light to turn and won’t be expecting you to be in the crosswalk. Make eye contact with any drivers who may be turning. Give them a wave. Make sure they see you. In a car-walker interaction, you can only lose.
  • Walk Single File: Unless you are on a sidewalk separated from the road or a wide bike lane, you should walk in single file. This is especially important on a road with lots curves, where traffic has only a split second chance of seeing you before hitting you. While it can be enjoyable to walk down the road two to three abreast chatting merrily, drivers don’t expect it and you may lose your best walking buddies.
  • Stay Aware of Bikes and Runners: Share the road and path with bikes and runners. Bike riders should alert you when approaching from behind with a bike bell or a “passing on the left/right.” Listen for them, and move to walk single file, allowing them to pass safely. Runners should also call out for passing. Bike-walker collisions can result in broken bones or head injury for either — and you aren’t wearing a helmet.
  • Be Visible: Wear bright colors when walking in daytime. When walking at night, wear light-colored clothing and reflective clothing or a reflective vest to be visible. Drivers are often not expecting walkers to be out after dark, and you need to give them every chance to see you, even at street crossings that have crossing signals. Be just as cautious at dawn or twilight, as drivers still have limited visibility or may even have the setting or rising sun directly in their eyes.
  • Be Predictable: Make a practice of staying on one side of the path while walking rather than weaving randomly from side to side. Watch your arm motions, or you may end up giving a black eye to a silently passing walker, runner or biker.
  • Keep the Volume Down: Don’t drown out your environment with your iPod. Keep the volume at a level where you can still hear bike bells and warnings from other walkers and runners. Your audiologist will also thank you.
  • Hang Up and Walk: Chatting on a cell phone while you walk is as dangerous as chatting while driving. You are distracted and not as aware of your environment. You are less likely to recognize traffic danger, passing joggers and bikers or tripping hazards. Potential criminals see you as a distracted easy target.
  • Walk Dogs on Short Leashes: I’ve seen many tragedies of dogs running out in to traffic or getting into a fatal dog fight either off leash or on a very long leash. Don’t trip up other walkers or bikers with poor control of your pet. Keep your pet and yourself safe by learning proper leash walking.
  • Know When to Stop Walking: Heat sickness, dehydration, heart attack or stroke can strike walkers of any age. Learn the symptoms of medical emergencies and carry a cell phone to dial 911.
  • Be Aware of Stranger Danger: Choose your walking route for paths frequented by other walkers, joggers and bikers. If you see someone suspicious, be prepared to alter your course or go in to a store or public building to avoid them. Acting alert and aware can convince bad guys to choose an easier target.

via Walking Safety Rules.