10 Ways to Keep Your Family Safe
10 Ways to Keep Your Family Safe Recent world events may have you feeling especially concerned about your family's safety. The biggest threats to safety, though, are very close to home. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), motor vehicle accidents, falls, accidental poisoning, drowning, and choking are the leading causes of unintentional death in the United States. Don't overlook some of the easiest ways to keep your family safe. These 10 tips can help. 1. Buckle up . In the event of a car acc...

5 Home Safety Threats You Might Overlook
5 Home Safety Threats You Might Overlook You're a careful parent who steers children away from things that could harm them. But hidden threats lurk in every house—sometimes where you least expect them. For safety's sake, look through your home often. Keep an eye out for not-so-obvious hazards. Here are five of them: Scalding tap water It is common for a home's water heater to be set above 120 degrees, and this can cause a scald burn to a child in seconds. Scalding hot tap water causes 3,800 injuries and...

5 Key Mistakes Parents Make With Car Seats
5 Key Mistakes Parents Make with Car Seats You wouldn't think of not having a car safety seat for your infant or toddler, but are you using it the right way? Safe Kids Worldwide estimates that three out of four children are too small for seatbelts are incorrectly restrained in car seats or booster seats. Don't join the crowd; avoid these mistakes: Using a defective car seat. Don't buy a used seat; you don't know its history. Avoid old ones (more than 10 years old), especially with missing parts or crack...

A Common Plastic Comes Under Scrutiny
A Common Plastic Comes Under Scrutiny Polycarbonate plastic is durable, impact-resistant, and clear, making it an ideal material for baby bottles, refillable water bottles, sippy cups, and many other food and beverage containers. It is also found in eyeglass lenses, compact discs, dental sealants, and plastic dinnerware, and as a resin, it forms the protective lining for metal food and beverage cans. But recent research has raised concerns over the health effects of a chemical used in the manufacture of...

A Grandparents' Guide to Home Child-Proofing
A Grandparents' Guide to Home Child-Proofing Whether they are coming for an afternoon or a week, taking some steps before your grandchildren arrive can help keep them safe during their visit. Adopt any of the following precautions and guidelines that are appropriate for your young visitors' ages and abilities. Be prepared Gather essential telephone numbers ahead of time. These should include the numbers of the children's parents, their pediatrician, and your area's poison-control center. If you have a g...

A Heads-Up for Football Safety
A Heads-Up for Football Safety In school sports, football is the leading cause of sports-related injuries for children in the U.S. And, thanks to some changes, it is safer than it used to be--especially for younger, lighter kids. Thirty or more years ago, kids were often encouraged to block and tackle using their heads, a move called spearing. But that maneuver put youngsters at risk for potentially fatal head and neck injuries. Blocking and tackling with the head was the direct cause of 36 football dea...

A Primer for Preschooler Safety
A Primer for Preschooler Safety Your little ones can learn a lot about safety if you take some time to teach them. Keep your lessons simple, say the experts, and even very young children can learn how to stay clear of danger. Here's an ABC rule that you and your children can recite together. 'A': Always ride in a car safety seat Automobile accidents are the number one cause of death for preschoolers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Teach your child to get into his or her saf...

A Recipe for Food Safety
A Recipe for Food Safety Almost any food can be contaminated. Though most foodborne illness comes from raw animal foods—such as eggs, meats and dairy products—fruits and vegetables may carry germs, too. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alfalfa and clover sprouts were tied to thousands of cases of gastrointestinal illness and two deaths in the 1990s. In 2006, packaged fresh spinach was tied to more than 100 cases of illness and three deaths from E. coli contamination. Th...

A Safety Checklist for Parents
A Safety Checklist for Parents You can help keep your children safe by following these precautions and using common sense. General steps Encourage your children to wash their hands frequently throughout the day, particularly after using the bathroom -- and always before eating. Keep their immunizations up to date. Be sure you know where they are, who they're with, and what they're doing when out of your presence. Check the references of baby sitters or care givers carefully. In the home Thousands of chi...

About Balance and Safety
About Balance and Safety Having good balance means you’re able to control and maintain your body’s position, whether you’re in motion or remaining still. Learning about the causes of balance problems can help you prevent falls and a loss of independence. Your medications Balance problems can result from taking certain medications. For example, some medicines that lower blood pressure can make you feel dizzy. Check with your health care provider if you notice a balance problem while taking a medication t...

ADHD Drugs Safe, Experts Say
ADHD Drugs Safe, Experts Say Parents of kids with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a tough choice: whether to medicate their children or not. And this affects a lot of families. Experts say 6 to 8 percent of school-age kids have ADHD. It's a touchy subject, and it got even thornier after recent reports linked popular ADHD drugs to increased health risks, especially risks for heart problems. But the top experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as at other professional gr...

Air Bags and Kids
Air Bags: Not for Children A car with an air bag is considered safer than a car without one. But for children under 13 years old, air bags can be dangerous. In fact, no child younger than 13 or under 65 pounds should sit in the front seat of a car equipped with passenger-side air bags, according to both the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The safest place for children is in the center of the back seat, using a lap-and-shoulder seat belt or a child'...

All About Child Passenger Safety
All About Child Passenger Safety Installing your child's car seat properly and using it every time your son or daughter rides in the car is one of the best ways to help keep him/her safe in case of an accident. As your baby gets bigger, you may wonder when it's time for a larger seat. Or, maybe you're unsure about when it's safe to face the seat forward. Below are some answers to frequently asked questions about child passenger safety. When is it OK to switch a child to a front-facing car seat? Babies s...

Are You at Risk in Amusement Parks?
Are You at Risk in Amusement Parks? For two minutes, you're moving very fast. You face rapid starts, jarring stops, sharp turns, disorientation, and a sense that you're three times as heavy as normal. You're not on a jet fighter or a runaway train—you're on a roller coaster. Thrill rides at amusement parks and traveling shows are higher, faster and wilder than ever. But are they dangerous? More than 270 million people go to amusement parts each year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commiss...

Avoid Injury Around Barbecue Grills
Avoid Injury Around Barbecue Grills The act of flipping a row of sizzling burgers on a barbecue grill is one of summer's simple pleasures. But there is danger lurking in those glowing embers, and the potential damage is far worse than a few charred cheeseburgers. Because barbecue grills are operated in a casual, relaxed atmosphere, they tend to be taken for granted. And that can lead to serious injury, even death. Each year, Americans go to the emergency room because of injuries from carbon monoxide poi...

Avoid Injury When You Exercise
For Seniors: Avoid Injury When You Exercise Staying active—getting regular exercise—is one of the best ways to minimize the effects of aging. Exercise helps prevent chronic illness and loss of function in older adults, according to the American Geriatrics Society (AGS). But exercise should yield benefits without strain. The benefit of exercise comes from moving, not from pushing so hard it hurts, says Rick Kellerman, M.D., a family medicine specialist in Wichita, Kan. Pain is a sign you are overdoing it...

Avoiding Non-Impact Eye Injuries
Avoiding Non-Impact Eye Injuries You may think wearing goggles is enough to protect your eyes, but many injuries can happen to your eyes that goggles won't prevent. Protecting them from the sun, dirt, dryness, and allergens is also important. Practice prevention To protect yourself and your family from eye injuries: Keep your eyes moist. Dry, windy weather, certain medications and conditions, and menopause can make your eyes more prone to irritation. Using artificial tears and cleaning the eyelids with ...

Basketball: Make Safety a Point
Basketball: Make Safety a Point Basketball is an exciting sport, but it can also be tough on your body. College and professional basketball players must train to avoid injury--and so should your youngster. Experts say players can avoid injury by strengthening muscles through a supervised weight-training program before the season. That helps prevent ligament injuries to knees and ankles, the most common court injuries. Players must also warm up and cool down properly. Here are suggestions from the Nation...

Be Careful With Kitchen Knives
Be Careful With Kitchen Knives Every year about thousands of people end up in emergency rooms with injuries caused by using kitchen knives, according to the National Safety Council. But with a few cutting-edge tips from experts who use knives for a living -- top chefs -- you can avoid the biggest danger of kitchen work. Here's how: Halve it When chopping or dicing curved foods -- from eggplant to zucchini -- start by cutting the object in half to create a flat, stable end, says chef Tom Hickey of Sulliv...

Be in the Know When on the Go in Winter
Be in the Know When on the Go in Winter If you live in an area where winter brings snow, slush and ice, the best advice about driving in these conditions is not to drive in such conditions. But if you must venture out, be prepared. Many newer vehicles have added safety features that can take some of the hazard out of winter driving. But it is important to know how to use optional equipment such as an anti-lock brake system (ABS). Give yourself a brake In slippery conditions, using the proper emergency b...

Beware of Over-the-Counter Contact Lenses
Beware of Over-the-Counter Contact Lenses Want to make your brown eyes blue? You've got lots of company. Decorative contact lenses have grown more and more popular, especially among the young. You can even find lenses that look like cat eyes or sports team logos. You can buy contacts with no prescription at some beauty salons, flea markets and Web sites. But those contacts may be trouble. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that non-prescription lenses raise major risks of blindness and eye inju...

Bike-Helmet Safety Smarts
Bike-Helmet Safety Smarts Adults and children who ride bicycles should always wear a helmet. Many states require they do so. But even without the threat of a legal penalty, it makes sense to wear a helmet when riding a bike. Wearing a properly fitting bicycle helmet reduces the risk of serious head injuries by 85 percent, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Some parents decide to save money by buying helmets that are too large for their child. This is the same money-saving strateg...

Break the Cycle of Repeated Accidents
Break the Cycle of Repeated Accidents Sandy sprained her ankle on the job Tuesday. A week later, she threw her back out. Two months later, she was on sick leave for neck problems. Co-workers easily could label someone like Sandy a complete klutz. But generalizations about accident repeaters usually are mistaken, according to Robert Pater, managing director of Strategic Safety Associates of Portland, Ore. "No one is inherently accident-prone," Mr. Pater says, "but it's common for many people to experienc...

Bullies: Helping Your Child Cope
Bullies: Helping Your Child Cope Bullying can happen in school, on the playground—and now even on the Internet through social networking sites. Bullying is intentional tormenting that can be physical, social, or psychological. Hitting, shoving, threatening, shunning, and spreading rumors can all be forms of bullying. Kids who experience bullying can become depressed, develop low self-esteem, avoid school, feel physically ill, and even think about killing themselves. What to look for There are few things...

Buying Guidelines for Safe and Fun Toys
Buying Guidelines for Safe and Fun Toys The right toys can help children develop imagination and coordination. The wrong ones can do more harm than good. Toy-related injuries send tens of thousands of children to the emergency room each year. Most injuries occur when parents give their children toys meant for older children. Although many toy manufacturers follow safety guidelines for their products, some don't. Your challenge is to find toys your children will enjoy and that you know are safe. These su...

Ceramics: Pretty, and Maybe Poisonous
Ceramics: Pretty, and Maybe Poisonous Those brightly colored ceramic mugs you bought at the craft show certainly liven up your breakfast table. And that old pitcher from the yard sale is just the perfect size for orange juice. It's hard to imagine that such attractive pieces of pottery could be dangerous to your health. In truth, they may cause lead poisoning and some may leach cadmium into food and drink. The glaze that gives ceramics their shiny surfaces may release toxic levels of lead into your food...

Cheerleading Safety
Cheerleading Safety Is your child doing cartwheels at the thought of being a cheerleader? It's not just a matter of standing on the sidelines looking good in a uniform. Today, it's often an athletic pursuit with a risk for injury. Cheerleading now demands increasingly difficult stunts and activities. A study in the journal Pediatrics found that U.S. injuries linked to cheerleading more than doubled from 1990 to 2002. One big reason: Cheerleading has evolved into a sport that demands great strength, agil...

Child Safety for All Ages
Child Safety for All Ages Reducing the risk for SIDS Here are recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics on how to reduce the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and sleep-related deaths from birth to age 1: Get prenatal care. Routine prenatal care is critical for reducing the risk for SIDS. Breastfeed your infant. The AAP recommends breastfeeding for at least six months. Make sure your baby is immunized. An infant who is fully immunized can reduce his or her risk for SIDS by 50 pe...

Chilling Meat: It's All About Safety
Chilling Meat: It's All about Safety From the farm to the store, meat and poultry products must be chilled—and kept chilled, packaged, and handled properly so they will be safe for consumers to buy and eat. Several government agencies have the responsibility to assure the food's safety. In the home, food caretakers must do their part to store, handle, and cook meat and poultry right so it's safe to eat. Here are some of the scientific principles behind the safe storage of meat and poultry. Why is chilli...

Chilling Tales From the Freezer
Chilling Tales From the Freezer Here's a cold, hard fact: Foods shouldn't stay frozen indefinitely. In fact, some foods -- like bacon -- shouldn't be kept in the freezer for much more than a month. A food's freezer life depends on its density, processing, and water and fat content. People tend to forget about things that get shoved to the back of their freezers. But just like refrigerated foods, frozen foods have a limited shelf life. So, what happens when foods linger in a freezer for years at a time? ...

Clinical Trials: Should You Participate?
Clinical Trials: Should You Participate? Being involved in a clinical trial has risks and benefits. Being informed and asking lots of questions can help you make a decision. A clinical trial is a research study that uses human volunteers to try to answer a specific question. Whenever a new arthritis drug or breast cancer treatment hits the market, clinical trials are an important step in the approval process. Clinical trials are conducted for different reasons, according to the National Institutes of He...

Concussions: Caution Is a No-Brainer
Concussions: Caution Is a No-Brainer It's better to miss a game than a whole season. That's the key message of a campaign by the CDC aimed at an underrated health threat: sports-related concussions. Concussions are a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head that causes the soft tissue of the brain to knock against the skull's bony surface. Although they range from mild to severe, they're all serious injuries that can harm the way the brain works. For many of these injuries, the athlet...

Contact Lens Safety Tips
Contact Lens Safety Tips Here is a list of safety tips from the American Optometric Association: Visit a reputable eye care professional for a complete eye examination every 12 months or more frequently if directed by your eye care professional. Use only contact lenses approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and prescribed by a licensed eye care practitioner. Never swap contact lenses with another person. Don't wear lenses longer than prescribed, nor when sleeping unless otherwise directed. If...

Cough Medicine Abuse by Teens
Cough Medicine Abuse by Teens A common ingredient in many cough and cold remedies has become a popular substance to abuse by teenagers searching for a cheap, easy high. Dextromethorphan (DXM), a cough suppressant, is found in at least 70 over-the-counter (OTC) products, including Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Medicine, Coricidin Cough and Cold Tablets, Dimetapp DM, Robitussin cough products, Triaminic cough syrups, Tylenol Cold products, and Vicks NyQuil LiquiCaps. Used as directed on the label, DX...

Cycling Safely
Cycling Safely Many biking accidents could be prevented if riders protected themselves with the right equipment and maintained their bikes with safety in mind. The following checklist from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can help you avoid accidents and have more fun when you ride. Check your bike Check your bicycle manual for safety and maintenance instructions specific to your bike. You also should: Make sure your bike is the right size for you. When you're on it, stand straddling t...

Do I Really Need a Fire Extinguisher?
Do I Really Need a Fire Extinguisher? You probably know already that a smoke alarm is by far the best home-safety investment you can make. For as little as $10, a smoke detector can help you literally rest assured that a fire won't catch you sleeping. But you'd like to take the next step in fire protection. Perhaps you'd like to be able to fight a fire before it spreads through your home. Should you buy a fire extinguisher? Yes, provided you know when and how to use it, says the National Fire Protection...

Do You Have a Family Disaster Plan?
Do You Have a Family Disaster Plan? Natural disasters can strike quickly and force families like yours to evacuate your neighborhood. But families can and do survive such circumstances if they make preparations in advance. Knowing what to do is your best protection—and your responsibility. These suggestions from the Federal Emergency Management Agency can help you plan for the worst. Be informed Your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter is a great place to start. Seek answers ...

Doing Your Part to Help Prevent Drunken Driving
Doing Your Part to Help Prevent Drunken Driving Just about everybody loves a party. But if your party menu includes alcohol, be a smart host and insist that your guests play it safe at your party and on the way home. Plan a safe party Prepare plenty of food and have it available as soon as guests arrive so they don't drink on an empty stomach. Avoid too many salty snacks, which tend to make people thirsty. Offer a variety of nonalcoholic beverages, including simply water, for designated drivers and othe...

Do-It-Yourself Safety
Do-It-Yourself Safety If you're among the millions of do-it-yourselfers working around homes and gardens, you may not pay much heed to the risks of injury. After all, lawn mowers, chain saws, and other tools are much safer than they used to be, right? Yes, home-improvement experts respond. But people aren't. Master carpenter Norm Abram says people assume modern safety devices will protect them, but that's a false sense of security. "Tools don't recognize when they're doing something bad and don't automa...

Driving Defensively: Rules of the Road
Driving Defensively: Rules of the Road More than 45,000 Americans lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes, and more than 2.4 million more suffered disabling injuries in 2005, according to the latest report from the National Safety Council (NSC). Driving defensively means being a safe driver yourself and keeping an eye on other drivers—because no matter how good a driver you are, high speeds or impaired or careless driving by others can place you in danger. The NSC suggests the following guidelines to ...

Driving Safely on Your Family Vacation
Driving Safely on Your Family Vacation Planning on driving your family to a vacation spot this summer? Your chances for arriving safely increase with a healthy respect for the realities of highway travel. For instance, at 55 mph on a rural stretch of interstate highway, you have less than a 1 percent chance of involvement in a fatal crash. Increase your speed by just 5 mph, according to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) statistics, and your chances shoot up to 7 percent. And did you know that almost...

Eating Raw Clams: Is It Risky?
Eating Raw Clams: Is It Risky? Americans love clams, scallops and other seafood, raw or cooked. But how safe is a trip to the raw bar? Experts say that any time you eat something raw, there's a risk. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA ) notes that shellfish, especially mollusks such as oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops, are likely to cause foodborne illness because they filter water through their bodies and absorb contaminants. The water contains nutrients, but it also can contain contaminan...

Essential Eye Protection
Essential Eye Protection Nearly one million people in the United States suffer eye injuries each year. Ninety percent of these injuries could have been prevented by wearing the proper protective eyewear. Special eyewear is needed even if you wear glasses. The following guidelines from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Optometric Association can help you protect yourself and your family. At home Household cleaning products, power tools, fertilizers, weed killers, power yard equipment...

Essential Guidelines for Fireworks Safety
Essential Guidelines for Fireworks Safety Thousands of Americans, many of them children, are injured each year in incidents associated with fireworks, according to the National Council of Fireworks Safety. Most of these injuries occur during the Fourth of July holiday and include serious burns, loss of fingers, and blindness. Though the most disabling injuries occur with illegal firecrackers, such as M-80s, the majority of injuries are caused by bottle rockets, sparklers, and Roman candles. Staying safe...

Eye Protection Keeps Kids in the Game
Eye Protection Keeps Kids in the Game Protective eyewear can help prevent many of the 40,000 sports-related eye injuries that occur to children each year. The sports that cause most of these injuries are basketball, baseball, pool sports and racket sports. But any sport that involves a projectile is considered hazardous to the eyes, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). To help prevent sports eye injuries, children should use protective athletic eyewear, even if they wear eyeglasses. P...

Female Teen Athletes: At Risk for Injury?
Female Teen Athletes: At Risk for Injury? Teen girls who are athletes face unique obstacles when it comes to their bodies and how well they perform. Teen girls have their teen growth spurt at an earlier age than boys, and thus reach their adult height earlier. Teen girls have more body fat than teen boys, because of higher estrogen levels. Teen boys have more lean body mass because of higher androgen levels. Teen girls, even after weight training, have less upper body strength than teen boys. Estrogen's...

Five Steps to a Safer Kitchen
Five Steps to a Safer Kitchen Your kitchen is a hub for family life, but it's also a place with risks. Although you can't foresee every hazard, you can make the room safer with five simple steps. 1. Pay attention to food on the stove. Cooking is the top cause of home fires and home fire injuries, according to Underwriters Laboratories. If you must leave the kitchen while food is cooking, carry a wooden spoon or oven mitt as a reminder that something is on the stove. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitch...

Focusing on Safety at School
Focusing on Safety at School School should be a safe place for children, where neither parents nor children should have to worry about violence. Unfortunately, that's not always the case in today's world. Violence exists in schools, and it can make both children and parents fearful. Violence can range from bullying to fighting to the use of weapons on or near school property. Violence can occur during school hours or at after-hours activities such as dances or sporting events. But schools, parents, and ...

Follow the Road to Safety
Follow the Road to Safety No one is too young or too old to exercise. The United States Surgeon General recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, nearly every day. Exercising outdoors can be fun and enjoyable, but you should keep personal safety in mind before you head out the door. These safety tips from the American Running Association apply not only to runners, but also to people who walk, bike, or inline skate. A big part of playing it safe is paying attention to wh...

Food Freshness: What Those Dates Really Mean
Food Freshness: What Those Dates Really Mean Here a rundown on the dates you find on food labels and what those dates mean, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. “Packed On” The following outlines what you can assume based on the "packed on" date: This refers to the date the food was packaged. It doesn’t indicate the date the food was picked in the case of fruits and vegetables, or processed in the case of other food. Frozen foods are best used within two months of a pack date. Canne...

For Adults: Take Care with Antidepressants
For Adults: Take Care with Antidepressants Antidepressants are an important part of the treatment for depression. With the help of antidepressants, prescribed alone or along with psychotherapy or counseling, the great majority of adults who suffer with depression improve, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH). Depression is a complex brain disorder that affects how well nerve cells in certain parts of the brain work. Antidepressants i...

For Seniors: You Can Beat the Heat
For Seniors: You Can Beat the Heat After age 65, your body can't adjust to changes in air temperature—especially heat—as quickly as it did when you were younger. That puts you at risk for heat-related illnesses. You also may be at greater risk for heat-related illnesses if you have a chronic health condition or take certain medications that interfere with normal body response to heat. Some medications also restrict the body's ability to perspire. Fortunately, you can enjoy a safe summer by taking a few ...

Get Real Behind the Wheel
Get Real Behind the Wheel The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) blames inattentive or distracted drivers for up to 30 percent of motor vehicle crashes—an estimated 1.2 million a year. In a study by the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC), drivers knew they were being watched. Yet 15 percent drove distracted. The study found that drivers were most often distracted by something outside their vehicle, followed by adjusting a radio or CD player, according ...

Grandparents, Keep Kids Safe in Toyland
Grandparents, Keep Kids Safe in Toyland Buying toys for your grandchildren is one of the joys of grandparenting. Before you hit the stores this holiday season, though, remember that the best toys are not just fun but also safe. By choosing the right gifts for your grandchild's age group, you'll delight your little one while avoiding a toy-related accident. "The leading cause of toy-related deaths and injuries is choking from small toys or parts," says Nychelle Fleming, a spokeswoman for the Consumer Pro...

Hand Tool Safety
Hand Tool Safety Despite the advent of power tools that do everything from drilling holes to driving nails, conventional hand tools are still strong sellers. You may have some in your house, and you might assume they're much safer than their electric brethren. But don't get overconfident. While hand tools do not pose the same lethal threat as some power tools, they are still a factor in a number of accidents each year. Here are some guidelines for safe use of simple tools: Always wear safety goggles. Yo...

Hand Washing Prevents Hepatitis A Infection
Hand Washing Prevents Hepatitis A Infection Hepatitis A is a preventable disease. A vaccine is currently available for people at risk for hepatitis A. It is also recommended as a routine childhood immunization. Hepatitis A, at the top of the alphabet of viruses causing liver disease, puts travelers at risk and, until recently, worried parents of children in day care. Aside from immunization, hand washing before eating or preparing food and after using the bathroom or changing a baby's diaper, remains on...

Handling Hazardous Materials at Home
Handling Hazardous Materials at Home Many common household products contain chemicals that can cause injury or death if they are handled, stored or used improperly. Some of the household products that contain hazardous chemicals are oven cleaners, tile cleaners, toilet-bowl cleaners, liquid drain openers, antifreeze, chrome-wheel cleaners, rust removers, gasoline, motor oil, lead paint, turpentine, lacquer thinner, and muriatic acid. The following safety precautions can help keep you and your family saf...

Have a Hazard-Free Halloween
Have a Hazard-Free Halloween When we think of Halloween, we picture children laughing in colorful costumes, jack-o'-lanterns glowing in house windows, and buckets brimming with candy and treats. Experts warn, however, that this fun-filled night can pose safety hazards. An alternative is to throw a Halloween party and invite kids, rather than have them out on the street. If your kids will be going door-to-door trick or treating, however, some precautions can make the evening safe and enjoyable for everyo...

Hazardous Substances Demand Your Respect
Hazardous Substances Demand Your Respect Depending where you work and the substances you handle, you may be at risk of accidental poisonings, chemical burns or suffocation. Knowing and following the right precautions can help keep you safe. These are some of the hazards you may encounter: Asphyxiants. Chemicals that displace or dilute oxygen when introduced in large quantity to a confined space, and can cause suffocation. (Examples: carbon dioxide and nitrogen.) Carcinogens. Chemicals that can cause can...

Health Precautions When You Travel by Air
Health Precautions When You Travel by Air Q. How can I improve plane travel? A. Most people don't have any problems when they fly, but it's possible to make airplane travel safer and more comfortable. Here are some tips: Carry all your medicines in your carry-on luggage. Ask your doctor if you should change your dosages if your eating and sleeping times will change at your destination. Bring enough medicine to last your whole trip in addition to packing extra medicine in case your return trip is delayed...

Help Your Back Work for You
Help Your Back Work for You Your back is important to almost every move you make, but you probably won't realize that until you hurt it. Then you may wish you could return to the days when you took your back for granted and didn't have any pain. Even though you can't turn back time, you can recover from most back injuries. You can also learn how to protect your back so you'll stay mobile and comfortable in the future. For people younger than 45, back pain is the most common cause of disability. A variet...

Hold the Line on Phone Fraud
Watching Out for Phone Fraud Phone fraud might seem like something you'd never fall for, but it can hit anyone. Many frauds focus on older people on the theory that they're generally more trusting and polite to strangers -- not to mention the fact that many retirees tend to be home during the day to take the calls. Often it's hard to know whether a sales call is legitimate. Here are some tip-offs: If your friendly telephone huckster says you've won a free gift, prize or vacation -- and all you have to d...

House Fires: Don't Underestimate Them
House Fires: Don't Underestimate Them You just threw a party at your home. The last guest just left, and you're going to bed. But there's something you don't know: One of your guests accidentally dropped a cigarette butt on the living room sofa earlier in the evening. It's smoldering between the cushions. How long do you have to escape between the time the cigarette fully ignites the sofa and the fire becomes deadly? If you answered more than two minutes, you're dead wrong. According to a survey a few y...

How Does Your Garden Grow?
How Does Your Garden Grow? For many of us, spring means gardening -- and our pursuit of greener grass or pest-free flowers may lead us to fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Recent studies, however, raise a red flag on chemical use, pointing to a possible link between herbicides and pesticides and diseases such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, other lymphoproliferative cancers, Parkinson's disease and other neurological problems such as memory loss. Experts are calling for more research, but the home gard...

How Older Adults Can Prevent Hypothermia
How Older Adults Can Prevent Hypothermia You probably know winter can spell trouble. You can fall on ice or overdo it shoveling snow, for instance. But did you know cold itself can cause a problem? It's called hypothermia, and it takes place when your body temperature drops below normal. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) says older adults are especially prone to hypothermia, which can prove deadly if it's not treated quickly. Staying in a cold place for too long can cause the problem. Older adults a...

How Safe is Nonstick Cookware?
How Safe Is Nonstick Cookware? You probably have some pots, pans, or baking tins in your kitchen that are coated with Teflon. The chemical name for Teflon is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This chemical is what keeps food from sticking to nonstick cookware. The potential problem with nonstick cookware comes from another chemical used in making Teflon. This chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals, and possibly linked to elevated cholesterol, thyroid disea...

How Safe Is the School Bus?
How Safe Is the School Bus? When you get in your car, you buckle up for safety, and if you're a parent, you make sure your children are buckled up, as well. But if you're a parent, do you wonder about your children as they board the big yellow school bus in the morning? How safe are they aboard that big bus, particularly if the bus—like most—has no seat belts for its passengers? During the school year, 23.5 million elementary and secondary school children ride a bus to and from school each day, accordin...

How to Avoid At-the-Desk Injuries
How to Avoid At-the-Desk Injuries Your office cubicle doesn't look like a dangerous place. But if your computer, chair and other parts of your workstation aren't positioned properly, you can end up with sore wrists or a backache or other physical problems that may keep you on the injured list. Ergonomics is the science of fitting work environment to worker. Paying attention to ergonomics can help keep you healthy and productive. There are some key factors to keep in mind when setting up a workstation or...

How to Be a Happy Camper -- or Hiker
How to Be a Happy Camper -- or Hiker Whether you're a first-time hiker out for an easy walk in the woods or an expert camping in the wilderness, think about safety before you head outdoors. Have fun, but take the time to be prepared, advises the American Hiking Society (AHS). Every year people run into serious problems that they could have avoided if they had taken a few minutes to plan ahead. First, always make sure you give somebody your itinerary, no matter how short the hike or how long the camping ...

How to Keep Your Baby or Toddler Safe
How to Keep Your Baby or Toddler Safe Keeping your baby safe isn't difficult, but you do have to pay careful attention at all times. The following tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission review the basics. Motor vehicle Strap your baby into a child safety seat in the car's back seat. Be sure the child safety seat is properly secured with the vehicle's seat belt. Follow the manufacturer's directions and check your car owner's manual to be sure you are installing the car seat properly. Never put ...

How to Make the Move from Crib to Bed
How to Make the Move from Crib to Bed Moving your child from the crib to a first bed is a milestone event. But more than the bittersweet emotional concerns, your priorities will be safety and a healthy sleep routine. When to stop using the crib Sooner or later your child will simply be too big for his crib. Most children will move to a bed by age 2. Here are some signs that your child is ready to leave the crib: You have the mattress at its lowest setting and the height of the top rail is less than thre...

How to Map Out a Safe Vacation
How to Map Out a Safe Vacation If you're going on vacation—whether to cruise the Greek islands or visit your grandchildren in Maine—a little planning goes a long way. Although we all enjoy a bit of excitement on vacation, most of us don't like unexpected surprises. By thinking ahead and planning for your vacation before you go, the only surprises you'll encounter are the nice ones, such as finding a deserted beach or hearing your grandchild's first words. Health matters When getting ready to leave, you ...

How to Prevent Identity Theft
How to Prevent Identity Theft Computers, credit cards, and e-mail have made our lives more convenient and more efficient than ever before, but they have created other problems. It's now easier than ever for thieves to steal your personal information and use it to make purchases or carry out other illegal activities in your name. This is a crime known as identity theft. Luckily, having your identity stolen is far from inevitable. It just takes a little vigilance on your part to keep your identity safe on...

How to Prevent, Treat Choking on Toys
How to Prevent, Treat Choking on Toys When it comes to dangerous toys, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn't play around. In one recent year, the government confiscated 2 million toys—mostly imports seized at U.S. borders. Still, the commission's long quest to protect children is far from finished. Toys caused 12 deaths and sent 250,100 children to emergency rooms in 2009, the latest statistics available. Three of those deaths were from choking. CPSC requires labels on all toys that pose a...

How to Safely Choose OTC Medications
How to Safely Choose OTC Medications Over-the-counter (OTC) cough and pain relievers, laxatives, and headache remedies may treat different conditions, but they all have one thing in common: They’re serious medicines that need to be taken with care. OTCs medications are real medicines and can have side effects and risks, even though you don’t need a prescription to buy them. Generally they are safe when taken exactly as directed on the label, but can be dangerous if the wrong dosage is taken, the right a...

How's Your Car Safety Knowledge?
How's Your Car Safety Knowledge? Most of us think of ourselves as safe and responsible drivers. Yet the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Safety Council report that automobile accidents are the leading cause of death for people ages 5 to 33 and the leading cause of injury for people of all ages. You can't be responsible for other drivers, but it is wise to brush up on your own auto safety skills. To test your knowledge, try your hand at this true/false quiz. 1. In a severe ...

Installing and Using Child Safety Seats and Booster Seats
Installing and Using Child Safety Seats and Booster Seats Proper restraints for children riding in motor vehicles depend on the child's age and size. Restraints to keep a child safe in the car include: Infant safety seats Child safety seats Child booster seats Properly used safety belts The key to keeping your child safe is to use an age-appropriate child restraint that is properly installed and properly used. Infant and child safety seats come in many shapes and sizes. Some are not compatible with cert...

Is It Too Hot To Trot?
Is It Too Hot To Trot? When the first warm, sunny day of spring arrives, you're rarin' to take your exercise program back to the great outdoors. Whoa, hold your handlebars. If you're not careful, you could wind up with a case of heat exhaustion just as easily as the couch potato next door, no matter how fit you might be. Indeed, although being fit increases your tolerance to heat and cold, your body still needs time to acclimate itself to warm weather. In winter, your body has had a relatively easy time...

Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe?
Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe? The color pink in cooked turkey meat raises a "red flag" to many diners and cooks. Conditioned to be wary of pink in fresh pork, they question the safety of cooked poultry and other meats that have a rosy blush. Many people who call the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline (1-800-535-4555) report being alarmed when seeing "pink." To them, it means "unsafe" or "under-done." The color of cooked meat and poultry is not always a sure sign of its degree of doneness. Only a meat thermomet...

Is Your Medication Working for You?
Is Your Medication Working for You? Prescription drugs can enhance your life, but when not used correctly, they may have the opposite effect. Medications are serious business and should never be taken lightly. Ask these questions each time you’re prescribed a medication: Q: How should I take this drug? A large percentage of people don't take their medications correctly, according to recent surveys. Some never bother to fill their prescriptions in the first place. Others stop taking a drug without first ...

Keep Clear of Golf's Hazards
Keep Clear of Golf's Hazards Golfers often dwell on how far they can hit the ball. But while many people view golf as a leisure activity, more golfers are becoming fitness-minded. To do well on the links, a golfer needs flexibility, strength and cardiovascular fitness. These are the same elements important to any effective exercise program. Most Americans who golf, however, are more likely to plunk down $500 on clubs or set up a lesson with a club pro to lower their scores. Stretch or stress Flexibility...

Keep Kids Safe During Yard Work
Keep Kids Safe During Yard Work Power tools make yard work easier, from mowing the lawn to trimming the bushes. These tools, however, also pose a threat to children if precautions aren't taken. Accidents involving lawnmowers send thousands of children age 18 or younger to emergency rooms each year. And several thousand more are hurt by other outdoor power tools. Adults aren't immune from lawn mowers injuries either. In the U.S., about 68,000 adults and children are hurt by lawnmowers each year, accordin...

Keeping Kids Safe at Home
Keeping Kids Safe at Home Children have fun exploring, and you can keep them safe by controlling the household terrain. Fire Practice two escape routes from your home. Install smoke detectors, and test them once a month. Replace the batteries at least once a year. Drowning When a young child is in the tub, stay in the room. If the phone rings, take the child with you. When you are mopping, empty the bucket as soon as you are finished. Poisoning Store poisonous cleaners and medicine out of children's rea...

Keeping Little Shoppers Safe
Keeping Little Shoppers Safe A supermarket is a tempting arena for children. And a frustrating one. All those bright packages--cookies, candy, toys--out of their reach because they're stuck riding in the seat of your shopping cart. Turn your back for an instant, and your curious child probably won't hesitate to stand up and try to reach those goodies. With the hard floor below, it's an accident waiting to happen. So, the number one rule when shopping with your children is to remember you're shopping wit...

Keeping Your Kitchen Under Control
Keeping Your Kitchen Under Control The "dirtiest" rooms in your house are probably the kitchen and bathroom(s). The kitchen leads the list, according to a recent study, because people are less likely to use strong cleaners and disinfectants in that room. They aren't as shy about using cleaners and chemicals in the bathroom. Sources of contamination People are the most common source of contamination in the kitchen, because people carry diseases that other people get. Most viruses and bacteria that cause ...

Kids and ID Theft: Helping Your Child Stay Safe on the Computer
Kids and ID Theft: Helping Your Child Stay Safe on the Computer With its range of educational sites and informative encyclopedias, the Internet can be a useful learning tool for kids of all ages. But it can also pose a serious risk: identity theft. Identity theft is a crime that occurs when another person uses a Social Security number, name, or other personal identifying information belonging to someone else to commit a fraud. Identity theft happens to a significant number of children each year. Accordi...

Kids Need Safety Gear for In-line Skating
Kids Need Safety Gear for In-line Skating In-line skating is a zippy way to get exercise, but sometimes it's also a quick way to end up at the hospital. Each year, about 100,000 people are treated in emergency departments for injuries related to in-line skating, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Experts say having your child wear the appropriate safety gear, read the safety instructions, and use common sense when skating can help reduce the risk of injury. No protection Nearly ha...

Leave Mushroom Hunting to the Experts
Leave Mushroom Hunting to the Experts In some instances, eating a single mushroom can be deadly. After abundant rainfall, mushrooms pop up in yards, playgrounds and other locations. Of the thousands of different species, only a few are edible. However, identifying edible mushrooms is difficult. Even mushroom experts have to look for tiny differences in appearance to determine which mushrooms are safe to eat. There is no good way to distinguish edible mushrooms from poisonous toadstools. In most cases of...

Little League Goes to Bat for Safety
Little League Goes to Bat for Safety Baseball is known for timeless traditions, but some modern retooling may help keep young players safer. That's why Little League Baseball has amended the rules for its participants. The changes began with the fall 2008 season with mandatory pitch count limits. Pitchers ages 7 to 8 can throw no more than 50 pitches a game. That pitcher can't change to the catcher position for the rest of that day. Pitchers ages 15 to 18 throwing 31 to 45 pitches must have a day of res...

Make Friends with Your Meds
Make Friends with Your Meds Prescription medications are more powerful and beneficial than ever. One small tablet can help someone avoid a deadly stroke or heart attack by controlling blood pressure; another can keep a person with diabetes from having to administer daily insulin shots or use inhaled insulin; still others can reduce anxiety--or stem suicidal thoughts. Yet, research indicates that many Americans don't take their prescriptions as ordered. Many of those don't even fill the prescriptions doc...

Make Sure Bunk Beds Meet Safety Rules
Make Sure Bunk Beds Meet Safety Rules Do you breathe a sigh of relief after you tuck your child into bed at night? If your child sleeps in a bunk bed, your sense of security could be a false one. Each year, thousands of children visit emergency rooms for injuries linked to bunk beds. Most are minor, caused by horseplay, but some children have died after being trapped in bunk beds, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Experts blame the potentially dangerous injuries on the beds' struc...

Medication Strategies During Pregnancy
Medication Strategies During Pregnancy When you're pregnant, you want to do everything you can to protect your baby. If you have a cold, a headache, or heartburn, is it safe to take an over-the-counter (OTC) remedy? No one can say for sure that a medication is safe to use while you're pregnant. But, avoiding medicines may not be a good idea, either. It may be wiser to treat an illness than ignore it. Doctor knows best When you find out you're pregnant, it's important to talk with your doctor or midwife ...

MRSA Infections on the Rise
MRSA Infections on the Rise Bacteria are everywhere, even on our skin--and most exist without causing any health problems. Staphylococcus aureus --or staph--is one of those common skin bacteria. Staph and other bacteria become a problem when they cause infection. An infection can develop when the bacteria enter a scratch, cut, or other wound. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics. For some types of staph bacteria, however, common antibiotics don't work because the bacteria have become res...

Myths and Tips About Dressing for Winter
Myths and Tips About Dressing for Winter Do you know enough about the cold to keep warm? Poor planning of a winter outing can lead to frostbite and hypothermia. The following are some misconceptions about the cold and suggestions for staying toasty this winter. Myth: Dressing warmly avoids colds, viruses, and flu. Mom was wrong on this one—mostly. If you haven't been exposed to a virus, cold weather won't make any difference. There are over 200 viruses that can cause the common cold. Myth: You lose body...

New Rules for OTC Cold Relief
Rules for Some OTC Cold Relief Medications Some over-the-counter (OTC) remedies you may have used to ease your cold and allergy symptoms in the past are no longer available in the pharmacy aisles at your drugstore, department store, or grocery store. They are still available without a prescription, but you'll have to ask the pharmacist or clerk if you want medications containing pseudoephedrine. In 2006, the FDA put in place strict rules for the sale of pseudoephedrine. This nasal decongestant, used in ...

Older Adults and the Common Cold
Older Adults and the Common Cold Cold and flu season is hard on everyone, but for older adults who may have chronic health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, it’s especially challenging. Having a respiratory infection can make managing those chronic conditions more difficult. And older adults are at greater risk for complications from the infection, or even unpleasant drug interactions between prescription medications and over-the-counter cold medic...

On the Barbecue, Charred Is Barred
On the Barbecue, Charred Is Barred Many foods seem to taste better hot off the grill. But there's a dilemma facing those of us who love to barbecue in warm weather. Researchers have found that cooking muscle meats—beef, pork, poultry, and fish—at high temperatures may pose a risk for cancer. The cooking process can cause amino acids, the building blocks of protein, and creatine, a chemical in muscles, to react and form heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Seventeen different HCAs from the cooking of muscle meats...

On the Road to Safety
On the Road to Safety Many of us drive so often that we operate on autopilot. We step in and out of our cars without giving our actions, or our safety, a second thought. By taking even the shortest ride for granted, you may be putting yourself and those who ride with you at risk. Maybe you follow the speed limit, use your signals at every turn, and turn your lights on when it's raining so that other cars can see you better. But there are more safety rules to consider. The next time you're about to take ...

OTC Medications: Understanding the Risks
OTC Medications: Understanding the Risks Over-the-counter (OTC) medications may seem risk-free – after all, you don't need a doctor's prescription to buy them. But just because they are readily available doesn't mean you don't need to follow an OTC drug's directions carefully. Some OTC medicines pose risks for people with certain medical conditions, as well as for pregnant women. Some drugs can interact adversely with other medications, food, or drinks. And if you take too much medication, use it for to...

Parents: Check Toys for Lead
Parents: Check Toys for Lead You’ve heard lots of reports about lead paint causing recalls of children’s toys. While federal officials and health experts work to fix the problem, what can you do to keep your kids safe? First, you can check you child's toys against those listed as being recalled due to lead issues. You can find the list—back to 1973—at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website. You can even sign up for email updates. If you have toys that have been recalled, don’t throw them ...

Plastic Surgery Is Up Among Youths
Plastic Surgery Is Up Among Youths In 2010, doctors performed nearly 219,000 cosmetic surgeries on those between the ages of 13-19, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Those elective surgeries included: Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) for more than 35,000 Otoplasty (ear surgery) for more than 8,700 Breast augmentations for nearly 8,500 patients aged 18-19 Breast reduction for more than 4,600 patients aged 13-19 Teens tend to have plastic surgery to fit in with peers while adults t...

Play It Cool in the Hot Tub
Play It Cool in the Hot Tub What's more relaxing than a good soak in a hot tub? Hot water sure makes you feel great, but hot tubs and whirlpools can sometimes be dangerous—and even deadly. Let's take Joe, who's just finished a grueling workout on the stair climber. He jumps straight into his hot tub and cracks a cold beer to relax. What's wrong with this picture? Plenty. Your body can't cool itself when it's immersed in water that's hotter than body temperature. So Joe, already hot from his workout, has...

Play It Safe With Kitchen Fires
Play It Safe with Kitchen Fires Almost half of all fires in the home start in the kitchen, and kitchen fires can quickly become serious. Because of that, it's important to take steps to avoid a kitchen fire, and know what to do in case one occurs. Prevention tips Here are tips from the National Fire Prevention Association to help prevent kitchen fires: Always take a few minutes to wipe up spills on the stove. Keep combustible materials such as dish towels and pot holders away from burners. Do not wear l...

Preparing Against Dangers When Out of Doors
Preparing Against Dangers When Out of Doors Many people who embark on wilderness jaunts don't consider the fact that just a few seconds of inattention or recklessness can lead to disaster. Yet, most of the tragedies that occur could probably be prevented with basic safety equipment or increased vigilance. Drowning Young people are particularly at risk. Drowning is a frequent cause of death, followed by closed head injury, according to Douglas S. Diekema, M.D., emergency medicine physician and pediatrici...

Prevent Accidents in Your Home
Prevent Accidents in Your Home Many people enjoy the sanctuary their home provides from the hustle and bustle of the world. This makes accidents in the home such as falls, fire, poisoning and drowning even more unsettling. The first and most important rule for preventing accidents is to use common sense. Many in-home accidents occur because people are in a hurry, take shortcuts or do things that they know are not safe. You can reduce the risk of injury in your home. Doing so may take some time and money...

Preventing Broken Bones
Preventing Broken Bones Bones are tough and resilient, but if you push them hard enough—if you fall on a hard surface, for instance—they can crack or break. Common sense and certain safety precautions, however, can head off a trip to the emergency room. The CDC and other experts offer these safety tips to help prevent broken bones: Wear the right gear when exercising or playing a sport. Make sure your home is safe from hazards that can cause falls. Wear a seat belt when driving and make sure children ar...

Preventing Car Crime
Preventing Car Crime Vehicle thefts, carjackings, and thefts of vehicle contents are common crimes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers the following suggestions to help you prevent them. Whenever you drive: Always lock vehicle doors and keep windows closed. If your car has a flat tire or another malfunction, drive it to a well-lighted area before stopping. Store briefcases, cell phones, and other expensive items out of sight. Park in well-lighted areas. Avoid driving at ni...

Preventing Falls One Step at a Time
Preventing Falls One Step at a Time Although it's impossible to prevent all falls, you can help keep yourself safe as you grow older by improving your balance and employing "fall-proofing" behaviors in and around your home. According to the CDC, one out of three adults age 65 and older falls each year. The CDC estimates that up to 30 percent of adults who fall injure themselves seriously enough to impair their independence and increase their risk for premature death. Change your home To help prevent fal...

Preventing Household Poisonings
Preventing Household Poisonings More than 90 percent of poisonings occur in homes, and more than 53 percent involve children younger than age 6. The following steps can help you prevent a poisoning in your home: Never leave children alone in a room with cleaning, cosmetic or medical products. A child can quickly and easily pull allergy pills from a purse or drain cleaner from a grocery bag. Store alcohol and tobacco products out of reach. Both can cause long-term physical damage or death if swallowed by...

Primer: GHB, the Club Drug
Primer: GHB, the Club Drug GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) is a fast-acting, central nervous system depressant once sold as a food supplement. It is now generally called a club drug because of its popularity among teens attending all-night dance parties (raves). GHB was developed as an anesthetic in the 1960s, and subsequently sold in health food stores as a performance enhancer for bodybuilders. The FDA banned GHB in 1990; it is now a Schedule I Controlled Substance. On the street, GHB is used for its abil...

Primer: Smokeless Tobacco
Primer: Smokeless Tobacco Many people think using smokeless tobacco is safer than smoking. Just because there's no smoke, doesn't mean it's safe, the American Cancer Society (ACS) says. A person who uses eight to 10 dips or chews a day receives the same amount of nicotine as a heavy smoker who smokes 30 to 40 cigarettes a day. Spit tobacco is placed inside the mouth, which gives the user a continuous high from the nicotine. It's made with a mixture of tobacco, nicotine, sweeteners, abrasives, salts and ...

Protect Your Child from Medical Errors
Protect Your Child from Medical Errors Medical errors are one of the leading causes of death and injury for American adults, according to a study by the Institute of Medicine. A medical error can occur when something that was planned for medical care doesn't work, or when the wrong plan was used in the first place, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. While hospitals, doctors, and government agencies are working to decrease errors, there is much parents can do to protect their ch...

Protect Your Eyes When Jump-Starting a Car
Protect Your Eyes When Jump-starting a Car No one likes the idea of being stranded with a dead car battery. But many car owners don't know how to jump-start a battery safely. This lack of knowledge causes many Americans to lose their sight or suffer serious eye injuries each year in auto battery accidents, according to the group Prevent Blindness America (PBA). All vehicle batteries contain sulfuric acid and produce hydrogen and oxygen gases. If the gases come into contact with a spark, flame or a lit c...

Protect Your Hearing on the Job
Protect Your Hearing on the Job Wearing ear plugs and earmuffs can protect your hearing on the job. Noise at work that is above 85 decibels can cause damage to your ears. One-time exposures that are very loud can cause permanent hearing damage. Once noise permanently damages the nerve endings in the inner ear, there's really no way to repair your hearing. Even a hearing aid can't completely correct it. What's too loud? The noise level is dangerously high when you have to raise your voice to talk with so...

Protect Your Kids From Internet Crime
Protect Your Kids From Internet Crime Computers and the Internet have become an important part of our lives and our children's lives. An estimated 77 million American children and teens are now online, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Youngsters spend time online messaging, chatting, searching, and surfing. Although most of these Internet experiences are likely positive, parents need to be aware of the dangers to better protect their children. Children and teens can become victims through onlin...

Protect Yourself from Food Contamination
Protect Yourself from Food Contamination In recent years, contaminated foods have been making news. Some of the dangerous foods were imported from foreign countries, but many were grown and prepared in the United States. With everything from spinach and green onions to peanut butter making people sick, it’s no surprise many Americans are becoming concerned about the safety of our food supply. These tips from the FDA can help you reduce your risk of becoming ill from the food you eat at home and in resta...

Protect Yourself from Sexual Assault
Protect Yourself from Sexual Assault Sexual assault, including but not limited to rape, is any kind of sexual physical contact that involves force or any form of coercion or intimidation. Rape can happen to anyone—children, grandmothers, students, working women, wives, mothers, and even males. Many victims know their assailants. In more than half of reported cases, the rapist is an acquaintance, neighbor, friend, or relative of the victim, according to the National Women's Health Information Center. Mos...

Protecting Your Child from Sports Injuries
Protecting Your Child from Sports Injuries Most children depend on recreational and school sports for exercise and fun. But too many young athletes suffer needless injuries. Each year, more than 3.5 million children suffer sports-related injuries severe enough to require emergency-room treatment. Sports are the second-most frequent cause of injury to teenagers, although, after puberty, boys are more likely to be hurt than girls of the same age. Any physical activity involves some risks, but injury rates...

Putting Disease Risk into Perspective
Putting Disease Risk into Perspective Are you terrified you might get mad cow disease? Does news of E. coli outbreaks make you swear off spinach salads for life? True, a few people will get those illnesses. But most of us never will. The things most likely to make us sick seem less dramatic: heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes, to name just some of them. Even when we think about these real threats, we may conclude our risk is far higher or lower than it is. Risk perception The way we gauge the p...

Raise the Alarm Against Carbon Monoxide
Raise the Alarm Against Carbon Monoxide Carbon monoxide (CO), an odorless and colorless gas, is created from the incomplete burning of fuels like gas, oil and wood. CO can come from any device that burns fuel, such as a gas or propane furnace, gas water heater, wood burning fireplace, or a portable butane or gas heater. It can be trapped inside the home by a blocked chimney or flue. Burning charcoal inside a house or running an automobile engine in an attached garage also can produce dangerous CO levels...

Recognizing a Partner's Emotional Abuse
Recognizing a Partner's Emotional Abuse Physical violence is just one form of domestic abuse. If you have a partner who verbally humiliates you, demands all your attention, blames you for everything that goes wrong or threatens to harm you or your children, you’re also being abused. Emotional abuse can be subtle at first and may consist of name-calling, ignoring your feelings or cursing at you. However, over time it usually escalates to repeated put-downs, ordering you to account for every minute of you...

Recommended Temperatures for Safe Cooking
Recommended Temperatures for Safe Cooking Eggs, meat, and poultry not cooked to a safe internal temperature can cause food-borne illness, leading to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and severe dehydration. Using a meat thermometer to make sure these foods reach the following recommended internal temperatures can protect your family from salmonella, E. coli, and other infectious illnesses. Insert the thermometer into the center of the food and wait 30 seconds to get an accurate measurement. Food product: Eggs a...

Safe Food-Handling Tips
Safe Food-Handling Tips From shopping to storing to cooking, food is a big part of our lives. However, foodborne illness don't have to be included. Unfortunately, millions of Americans are sickened each year by improper handling of food. You can protect yourself and your family by following these suggestions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Grocery shopping Put cold and frozen food last on your grocery list and get it home as soon as possible. Minimize the time that perishable foods are a...

Safe Handling of Food Gifts
Safe Handling of Food Gifts Many people make gifts of food or order food gifts from mail-order companies, especially during the holidays. To ensure food items arrive in safe, edible condition, it's important to have some guidelines as to how perishable food and packaging should look when delivered. This is especially true for meat, poultry, fish, cheese, and cheesecakes, all of which must be handled correctly to prevent foodborne illness. These tips from the U.S. Department of Agriculture can help you d...

Safe Summer Play
Safe Summer Play May through August can be a dangerous time of year for children, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. The following recommendations can help keep your kids safe and sound. Water rules Every year, thousands of Americans drown, with young children having the highest death rate. Here's how to keep your children safe around water: Never leave them alone near water. That means at the pool or beach, or near a river, deep bucket, or bathtub. Teach older children to always swim with a buddy, and n...

Safe Use of Alternative Remedies
Safe Use of Alternative Remedies Some of them have household names: garlic, soy, vitamin E. Others are less familiar: feverfew, echinacea, pycnogenol. You can find them lining the shelves of natural food stores, where they promise a wholesome way to boost your memory, ease depression, prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, extend your life, or just plain heal you. They’re known as alternative remedies. In some cases, the feel-good aura is merited, even well-supported by research. But using any herb, vitamin...

Safety Checklist: How Does Your Family Rate?
Safety Checklist: How Does Your Family Rate? Keeping your family safe and sound can be as easy as following simple safety rules consistently. The following checklist from the National Safety Council can help you assess your family's adherence to essential safety precautions. If you say "false" after any of these statements, correct the safety issues they address. General safety No one in your family drives after drinking alcohol. All of your family members buckle their seat belts every time they ride in...

Safety Precautions for Kids in Cars
Safety Precautions for Kids in Cars Motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of childhood death in the United States. In 2008, 968 children ages 14 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 168,000 were injured, according to the CDC. That’s an average of 4 deaths and 529 injuries each day. When properly installed and used, child safety seats reduce the risk of death by 70 percent for infants and 55 percent for toddlers. Adults can protect children by wearing seat...

Secondhand Smoke, Firsthand Problems
Secondhand Smoke, Firsthand Problems According to the American Lung Association (ALA), secondhand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is a serious health problem that causes close to 50,000 deaths per year. The CDC reports that ETS contains at least 250 known toxic chemicals, 50 of which are known to cause cancer. The Surgeon General's 2006 report on secondhand smoke makes it clear that secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and adults who don't smoke. Avoiding...

Set Limits to Keep Your Teen Driver Safe
Set Limits to Keep Your Teen Driver Safe Handing the car keys to your newly licensed son or daughter is a milestone. But while your teen celebrates new independence, you face new worries. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for 16- to 20-year-olds, claiming about 5,500 lives a year. Younger teens who have been licensed for less than a year face the highest risk for a road crash. Nonetheless, parents can take steps to keep teen drivers safe, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Adm...

Simple Ways to Make Your Home Safer
Simple Ways to Make Your Home Safer The safer and more livable you make your home, the longer you can maintain your independence and avoid debilitating injuries. A host of commonsense precautions and modern design concepts can add convenience and remove risks. Older adults have much to gain from a safer home: Falls are the leading cause of their injuries, and 75 percent occur in the home. Forty percent of all nursing home admissions are from falls. It's much better to prevent these injuries rather than ...

Sound Advice for MP3 Users
Sound Advice for MP3 Users As teens and preteens plug in their earphones and crank up the volume, "Can you hear me now?" threatens to become more than an ad catch phrase. Experts say today's small music players pose a big risk of hearing loss. One reason: The "earbuds" used with iPods and other MP3 players fit into the ears, not over them. That makes the sound more intense than old models. Their digital songs are distortion-free, too. That invites kids to dial up the loudness with no loss of clarity. Mo...

Sports Eye Safety Is No Game
Eye Protection Critical in Sports Your budding baseball star steps to the plate hoping to whack the ball—but sometimes the ball whacks back. Each year, thousands of children suffer sports-related eye injuries, says the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the American Optometric Association (AOA). Sports is the leading cause of school-age children's eye injuries, but most of those injuries are preventable. The AAO, the AOA, and the American Academy of Pediatrics say all kids in organized sports s...

Spring Cleaning: Don’t Forget the Medicine Cabinet!
Spring Cleaning: Don't Forget the Medicine Cabinet! When you make your spring-cleaning to-do list, don't forget the medicine cabinet. That means properly disposing of unused or expired medicine. Why proper disposal? Some medicine is harmful if used by those for whom it's not intended, including children and animals. And disposing of old medications reduces the risk of unintentional use, overdose, and illegal abuse. Plus, a wide range of prescription drugs has been found in lakes, streams, rivers, and dr...

Stay Awake Behind the Wheel
Stay Awake Behind the Wheel Would you ride in a car with a driver who’s been drinking alcohol? No way. How about riding with someone who just pulled an all-nighter? If you’re not sure, consider this: Every year, sleepy drivers cause about 100,000 automobile accidents in the United States. According to a recent poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, 60 percent of Americans have driven while drowsy in the past year. You may believe that you can stop yourself from falling asleep, but you can’t. Y...

Stay Safe When You’re In the Hospital
Stay Safe When You’re In the Hospital Every year hundreds of thousands of medical errors occur, and as many as 98,000 Americans admitted to hospitals die because of treatment mistakes, according to an Institute of Medicine report. Being actively involved in care decisions and taking extra precautions to avoid infection when in a hospital can help keep you and your family safe, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality says. Avoid infection Hospital-associated MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staph inf...

Steer Clear of Sports Supplements
Steer Clear of Sports Supplements Big-name sports stars aren't the only ones who use risky performance-boosting drugs or supplements. High school youths, especially athletes, frequently use supplements ranging from energy drinks, vitamins, herbs and minerals to illegal anabolic steroids. In well-publicized cases, star athletes have suffered serious and even fatal harm from these drugs and supplements. The possible short- and long-term threats include stroke, heart attack and cancer. Yet many youths who'...

Steroids, Sterols, Anabolic Steroids, and Corticosteroids: What's the Difference?
Steroids, Sterols, Anabolic Steroids, and Corticosteroids: What's the Difference? Steroids are important compounds used in medicine, but people often misunderstand what they are. The term steroid and sterol simply refer to chemical molecules that share a common chemical ring stricture. There are many steroids and sterols that are important in health and medicine, and some that may be used as medications. Some steroids are called hormones. Hormones are chemicals that are made in the brain, kidneys, or se...

Stop Dating Abuse Before It Starts
Stop Dating Abuse Before It Starts Seeing your teen off on a date can give you the jitters. Unfortunately, parents also must consider a particularly unnerving topic--teen dating violence. It's worrisome, but it's not inevitable. You and your teen can avoid potentially perilous situations and reduce the risk for problems. Abuse is defined by the National Domestic Violence Hotline as a pattern of coercive control that one person uses over another. Battering is behavior that physically harms, causes fear, ...

Street Hockey: Good Surface, Gear Are Critical
Street Hockey: Good Surface, Gear Are Critical In an era when many children play little but video games, experts are glad to see street hockey is on a roll. Boys and girls across the country ages 6 and up get regular workouts on organized teams, while others join informal matches on driveways and playgrounds from Boston to Big Sur. What attracts a lot of youngsters is that it's less expensive than regular hockey, and that kids can play it anywhere they can find the space. In-line hockey is usually safer...

Street Smarts: How to Protect Yourself When Walking
Street Smarts: How to Protect Yourself When Walking The optimist in all of us likes to think that the world is getting safer all the time. But the realist tells us that walking alone on the street—especially as a woman carrying a purse—can still be a dangerous thing to do. And if you find yourself in a neighborhood that you don’t know particularly well, you need to be especially vigilant about staying safe until you arrive at home. You can take a few easy steps to minimize your risk when walking on the ...

Take Care of Your Hard Hat
Take Care of Your Hard Hat If your job calls for wearing a hard hat, wear it -- there's never a good excuse not to. Areas where potential head hazards exists include anywhere there's a danger of falling, walking into objects, being exposed to falling or moving objects or bumping into exposed electrical wires -- and anywhere there is a posted "Hard-Hat Area." A quick guide to hard hats Choose the right hard hat. All are designed to protect you from falling objects, and some are specifically designed to h...

Take Care When You Take a Walk
Take Care When You Take a Walk A stroll around the block could be hazardous to your health. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that in miles traveled, pedestrians are 36 times more likely to die in traffic than drivers. Children and older adults are two groups at higher risk for injury as pedestrians. Here are some ideas on how to help keep them safe when they are on the street. To keep children safe Being struck by a vehicle is the leading cause of death and injury in children, acc...

Take Care With Nasal Sprays
Take Care With Nasal Sprays Many people turn to a medicated nasal decongestant spray to offer fast relief for a congested and running nose. It can reduce swelling and clear mucus from nasal passages quickly. In fact, these products often work so well that people are tempted to use them for too long. If you use a medicated nasal spray for more than three days in a row, you may develop rebound rhinitis medicamentosa (RM) when you do stop using the spray. This condition can cause prolonged sinus congestion...

Take the Bite Out of Spring
Take the Bite Out of Spring Mosquitoes can be more than a nuisance--they can ruin your outdoor plans and threaten your health. So it’s a good idea to protect yourself and your family as the weather heats up. Mosquitoes rest during the day in dark, humid areas, then come out at dusk to feed on animals and humans. The skin irritation you feel after a bite is your allergic reaction to their saliva. Mosquito-borne illnesses, such as West Nile Virus (WNV), can be passed through just one bite. Still, the chan...

Taking Care with Lyme Disease
Taking Care with Lyme Disease Lyme disease is a tick-borne bacterial infection that most often targets the skin, joints, brain, and heart, although any part of the body can be affected. Lyme disease is an infection caused by bacteria transmitted through tick bites. According to the CDC, most Lyme disease infections in the U.S. occur in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, from northeastern Virginia to Maine; in the north-central states, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota; and the West Coast, particularly in n...

Teenagers and Summer Jobs
Teenagers and Summer Jobs Your teen is itching to get a summer job and the spending money that goes along with it, but you’re not sure whether that's a good idea. Here’s good news for both of you: When asked in a recent survey, about 70 percent of parents said they are actively involved in helping their teens find jobs, apply for jobs, and figure out how to solve on-the-job problems. So your “job” as a parent doesn’t end just because your child now has, or wants to have, a boss. “Is my child ready?” Par...

The Truth About Club Drugs
The Truth About Club Drugs Ecstasy, GHB, Rohypnol, and Ketamine are some of the so-called club drugs used by teens and young adults at nightclubs and raves, or all-night dances. Many people who party at clubs and these dances don't use any of these drugs, but those who do say they like the increased stamina and intoxicating highs they provide. Research indicates, however, that these drugs can, sometimes permanently, change critical parts of the brain. Also, in high doses, most can cause muscle breakdown...

Time to Fertilize? Wait a Minute!
Time to Fertilize? Wait a Minute! Springtime means gardening and lawn chores -- mowing, mulching, planting, weeding. For many weekend gardeners, this is also the time when chemicals make their annual debut -- as fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. In pursuit of a greener lawn or a pest-free garden, homeowners often become chemists of sorts. Recent studies, however, have raised a red flag on chemical use, pointing out a possible link between herbicides and pesticides and a kind of cancer called non-Ho...

Tips for Safe Ladder Use
Tips for Safe Ladder Use Ladder climbing takes place in almost every home and workplace. So why read a warning label before doing something as simple as changing a light bulb or reaching a box on a top shelf? "Yet, that's exactly what you should do," says Richard Dresser, C.S.P., C.E.T., safety director for IHC Group Inc. in Elgin, Ill. "All ladders come with information taped to their sides, which tells you their specifications, warnings and directions for use. Knowledge about safe use of ladders is cr...

Tips for Staying Healthy and Safe at Work
Tips for Staying Healthy and Safe at Work As we go to work every day, we often think about the tasks we need to do and our interactions with co-workers. Most of us may not think much about our health and safety on the job, but we probably should. Colds and other viral infections can spread quickly and can affect productivity, and more than 3 million disabling accidents occur in American workplaces every year. To avoid being sidelined by an illness or injury, start taking action today. Protect yourself a...

Today's Radiology Technology Uses Less Radiation
Today's Radiology Technology Uses Less Radiation When doctors suspect disease or internal injury, they often use computed tomography, or CT, scans to help them make a diagnosis. But while these scans provide detailed, 3-D images of the inside of the body, the radiation they use is linked with an increased risk for cancer. Fortunately, newer low-dose CT scanners produce the same clear images while delivering less harmful radiation. The cancer connection CT scanners work by using X-rays to create cross-se...

Toss Your Baby Walker, Pediatricians Say
Toss Your Baby Walker, Pediatricians Say Safety is your top concern for your child. Just as you put your infant in a car seat, you may think that putting your child in a baby walker is safe, too. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) calls baby walkers dangerous and says you should throw them out. According to the AAP, one of the reasons why a baby walker is not safe is because a child is able to move more than three feet in one second. In children younger than age 15 months, the U.S. Consumer Produc...

Trampoline Troubles
Trampoline Troubles Backyard trampolines are popular, but beware, medical experts say. Not surprisingly, along with the increasing popularity of these backyard "toys," trampoline injuries have also been on the rise. And the injuries are serious, including fractures, concussions, and head injuries. Even more sobering are the serious spinal cord injuries and deaths that can occur with trampoline use. This rate is so alarming that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has taken a firm position: "The tra...

Treat It Right: Food Safety
Treat It Right: Food Safety Did you know that millions of people get sick from foodborne illnesses every year? The culprits are usually raw meat and eggs, but produce and canned foods can cause problems, too. By following these tips, you can help keep your food safe at home: Shop smart. Never let juices from raw meat touch other groceries. Avoid canned goods with dents, cracks, or bulging lids. Wash up. Wash your hands before preparing anything in the kitchen. In addition, wash your hands between differ...

Under the Influence...of Drowsiness
Under the Influence ... of Drowsiness The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says driving when you're tired can be as deadly as driving after drinking. The NHTSA states that each year numerous vehicular crashes and deaths are caused by drivers who are impaired by sleepiness. Many of these crashes involve a sober driver in a lone vehicle. But the problem of sleepy drivers is larger than these figures indicate, because they don't include accidents that occur during the daytime and don'...

Understanding Prescription Drug Abuse
Understanding Prescription Drug Abuse Although it’s dangerous to take a prescription medication without a prescription, abusing such medications is the fastest growing type of drug abuse in the United States, outpacing marijuana abuse two to one, according to some studies. A study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse found the number of teenagers who admit to abusing prescription medications tripled from 1992 to 2003, while in the general population such abuse had doubled. What’s goin...

Unwrap the Gift of Toy Safety
Unwrap the Gift of Toy Safety The biggest threat to the health of children older than 1 is not a dread disease. It's accidental injury. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year nearly 230,000 children suffer injuries from toys severe enough to be treated in a hospital emergency room. Nearly 40 percent of those injured are younger than 5. Your challenge is to find toys that your children will enjoy and that you know are safe. These simple guidelines can help keep the holiday se...

Use Your Medications Wisely
Use Your Medications Wisely You don't have to look past your medicine chest to find prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) remedies that can make you feel better, improve your health, and even save your life. We use more medications, supplements, and herbal therapies today than ever. A survey found four out of five U.S. adults take at least one medication each week. More than one in four adults takes at least five medications. That's no surprise when you think of what medications can do. They help trea...

Using Herbal Supplements? Use Caution, Too
Using Herbal Supplements? Use Caution, Too Herbal supplements have grown into a multibillion-dollar-a-year industry used by more than 38 percent of Americans. If you're one of them, how can you find out if your supplement works, or if it's safe? Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, the FDA treats supplements as food. Unlike prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbal medicines and supplements can be sold without proof of their dosage, purity, composition, effectiveness, or ...

Water-Safety 101: Basic Guidelines
Water-Safety 101: Basic Guidelines Every year, thousands of Americans are injured or killed in boating and swimming accidents. You can protect yourself and your family from such accidents by following these guidelines. Boating safety Check weather and water conditions before leaving shore. Do not drink and boat. Alcohol is a factor in many boating accidents. Choose a designated boat driver who will not drink. Insist that everyone wear a Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device or life jacket while...

What About Energy Drinks for Kids?
What About Energy Drinks for Kids? As some schools ban colas from vending machines, ads are hyping a source of even more caffeine: energy drinks. The pitch: These drinks can aid both mental and physical performance. In reasonable amounts, caffeine isn't harmful for children, but some experts suggest that kids not go overboard on caffeinated drinks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not restrict caffeine in energy drinks, but it limits caffeine in cola to about 5.4 mg per ounce. Most cola ...

What Are the Health Effects of Air Pollution?
What Are the Health Effects of Air Pollution? Air pollution is the black cloud belching from an industrial smokestack. It's the smog that settles over certain cities, dimming the skyline. It's the smelly exhaust of an old car that burns oil. Air pollution also can be invisible, causing lung damage, cancer, or other serious health problems in people who may not realize the potential danger of the unseen gases or particles suspended in the air. What are you breathing? The U.S. Environmental Protection Age...

What to Do If You Have to Evacuate Your Home
What to Do If You Have to Evacuate Your Home Taking the following steps can help you protect your family and home if you have to evacuate because of a natural or manmade disaster, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Advance plan Consider in advance what kinds of disasters might strike your area. Do you live in an earthquake zone? Is flooding a possibility? Then think about what you’ll do in an emergency. Think about the places your family spends time, such as school and work. Learn wh...

What to Look for on OTC Drug Labels
What to Look for on OTC Drug Labels Medication errors—taking the wrong medication, or the right medication too frequently, or in the wrong amount—can be dangerous. According to the FDA, knowing how to make use of over-the-counter (OTC) drug labels can help you protect yourself and your family from harm. Read carefully Always read the label. All OTC medicine labels have detailed usage and warning information to help you choose and use the products. Look for the following information: Active ingredient: T...

When and How to Stop Antidepressant Medication
When and How to Stop Antidepressant Medication Each year millions of Americans are prescribed antidepressants. There are many types of antidepressants. Medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac, Lexapro, Zoloft, Celexa and Paxil, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) like Cymbalta and Effexor, tricyclic antidepressants including Elavil, Norpramin, Tofranil and others including Remeron, Wellbutrin, and Emsam. Many of these medications are used ...

Why We Need to Wash Our Hands
Why We Need to Wash Our Hands So, you washed your hands this morning? Bravo! Because you don't want to spread potentially dangerous germs. And because experts remind us that our hands can hold from a million to a billion invisible bacteria. But think back to those few minutes -- or were they mere seconds -- before the wash basin today. Did you use hot water? Did you lather up for 15 to 30 seconds? Did you get under the fingernails -- a prime spot for germs? It seems like such a simple task. But hand-was...

You Can Keep Yourself From Falling
You Can Keep Yourself From Falling As you age, you may face a higher risk of falling. That doesn't mean you're going to fall. In fact, you can do a lot to keep yourself from falling. The best way to reduce your risk is to improve your overall level of fitness and flexibility, according to the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Be sure to check with your doctor before you begin or alter an exercise program. Why people fall Age causes changes to your body that can increase your risk of falls. "As you get ...

Your Lips Need Protection
Your Lips Need Protection Unprotected lips are prone to a variety of ailments. Men, for example, run a higher risk of getting lip cancer, research suggests, because their lips usually have nothing on them to block ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Although your skin contains oil that protects it from drying out and from extreme temperatures, your lips do not. Your skin also has melanin, a pigment that colors your skin and offers some protection from the sun. But your lips don't. Lips are full of blood...

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