Health Observances

Basketball Legend is Battling Leukemia—and Winning

2009-11-11T10:52:00.000-08:00

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recently revealed that he has been battling a rare form of leukemia for nearly a year. The 62-year-old former center for the Los Angeles Lakers is suffering from chronic myelogenous (or myeloid) leukemia (CML), a cancer that starts inside bone marrow and grows from cells that produce white blood cells.

The term “chronic” implies a relatively slow-growing cancer that could take years to progress. During this phase, the disease may reveal few or no symptoms. Most people, Abul-Jabbar included, who have this particular strain of leukemia are diagnosed after having blood drawn for other reasons. Unlike the accelerated (or “acute”) phase that spreads quickly, the chronic form of the disease is easily treated with a high rate of remission.

Abul-Jabbar has lived a deliberately private life since his retirement in 1989, quietly authoring seven books, directing a documentary, and serving as an assistant coach for the Lakers. However, his decision to go public was also calculated, with the hope that his high profile will bring attention to the disease and hope to others who are suffering from it. As an advocate for CML, Adbul-Jabbar wants to reveal that, by seeing a doctor and taking the proper medications, the condition can be managed and those suffering from it can live a meaningful life.

Find out more about CML by visiting our CML learning center.

Go Blue for World Diabetes Day

2009-11-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

November 14 is World Diabetes Day, the main global awareness campaign of the diabetes world. Over 150 countries and territories across the globe will mark the day in one way or another as a moment to pause and recognize the over 285 million people living with diabetes. There will be special radio and TV programs, diabetes workshops and exhibitions, public information meetings, press conferences, newspaper and magazine articles, walks, runs, and cycles, special events for children, free screenings for diabetes and related complications, and many other activities to mark the day. Important monuments around the world will be specially lit up in blue in honor of diabetes recognition – blue is the official color of diabetes awareness. So if you see a building in your city lit up in blue, remember, its World Diabetes Day. Visit the website to find activities or lit monuments near you: http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/events/upcoming

World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to the growing concern regarding the spread of diabetes. It became an official United Nations Day in 2007. World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November 14 to honor the birthday of Frederick Banting, who helped discover insulin way back in 1922.

This year, the theme of World Diabetes Day is “Diabetes Education and Prevention.” Over the past 30 years the number of people living with diabetes all over the globe has skyrocketed, with severe consequences for healthcare budgets worldwide. Over 285 million people currently suffer from diabetes, but 344 million more are at high risk for developing the disease With enough knowledge of the diabetes, those people at high risk can make simple life changes that can significantly reduce their chances of becoming afflicted. By eating healthier and getting regular physical exercise, pre-diabetics can avoid become full-fledged type 2 diabetics. And, as for those already afflicted with the disease, continual education is essential to their treatment – though diabetics is a lifelong condition with no cure, effective management of the disease can help avoid almost all serious complications associated with the disease. It is vital that diabetics receive ongoing, high-quality diabetes education, so that they can manage their disease and live a long, healthy, and fulfilling life.

Here's some interesting information from the World Diabetes Day website:

Did you know?

* Every 10 seconds a person dies from diabetes-related causes.
* Every 10 seconds two people develop diabetes.
* Each year a further 7 million people develop diabetes
* Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of global death by disease.
* Each year 4 million deaths are attributable to diabetes
* All diabetes is on the rise
* Diabetes affects people of all ages
* Care for people with diabetes is best when a multidisciplinary approach is adopted involving health professionals from all areas
* Access to appropriate medication and care should be a right not a privilege
* Diabetes costs more than money
* Up to 60% of type 2 diabetes can be prevented
* Diabetes brings different challenges at different ages
* Diabetes hits the poorest hardest.

Visit the official website to find out more about diabetes, this year’s campaign, and how you can get involved: http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/

Also, visit the Healthline Diabetes Learning Center to find detailed information on all types of diabetes and treatment options: http://www.healthline.com/channel/diabetes.html

Sports Injuries Cause Blindness in Kids: September is Sports Eye Safety Month

2008-09-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

Sports injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children. Most can be prevented by using protective eye wear while playing sports. Almost 75% of sports related eye injuries occur in people younger than age 25 years, but only 15% of kids are using protective eye gear while playing sports. Baseball and basketball are the leading causes of sports related eye injuries.

Lenses made of polycarbonate with the ATSM label are recommended. Regular eye glasses don't afford enough protection so be sure to get prescription protection lenses for those kids who need them. Polycarbonate sunglasses filter 100% of harmful UV rays. These tough, thin lenses are light weight but easily scratched, so be sure to get the scratch protection package when ordering them. The material was developed by the aerospace industry for use in the visors on helmets worn by astronauts. Visit
www.preventblindness.org to learn more. 1-800-331-2020 for questions and help for your athletic teams.

Thank you Prevent Blindness America for use of image.

Maholo to RNCentral.com for Top 50 Health 2.0 Blogs

2008-09-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

RNCentral.com honored Healthline's Health Experts network of bloggers in their Top 50 Health 2.0 Blogs.We are really happy to be recognized along with many of our friends in the blogging community. Thank you!

Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month: Blood Cancer Society's CoPay Assistance Program

2008-09-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

September is the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Awareness Month. Blood cancers are considered "catastrophic illnesses" in that it is extremely expensive to pay for treatment for them. Until we have health care reform in the US, the society offers a CoPay Assistance Program. Even if you have great insurance coverage - the copays will "kill you" in the event of a catastrophic injury or illness.

Up to $5000 in assistance is available for people whose physician confirms their diagnosis of:

Hodgkin lymphoma

The society offers assistance with paying for these services:

Private health insurance premiums
Private insurance co-pay obligations
Medicare Part B, Medicare Plan D, Medicare Supplementary Health Insurance and Medicare Advantage premium or co-pay obligations
Private health insurance premiums
Private insurance co-pay obligations
Medicare Part B, Medicare Plan D, Medicare Supplementary Health Insurance and Medicare Advantage premium or co-pay obligations

Thank you ehavir for use of photo In Memory of Blake...

Prostate Cancer Awareness Week: September 15-21

2008-09-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

WARNING: A man is 33% more likely to get prostate cancer than a woman is to get breast cancer.

One in six men get prostate cancer
35% are under age 65 years
If you are over age 40 (35 years old for blacks) GET TESTED!

PSA count and DRE (digital rectal exam)

Celebrating the Web of Life: Australia Observes Biodiversity Month

2008-09-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

Each September, the Australian Government observes Biodiversity month. Australia is home to almost 700,000 species, many of which are found no where else in the world. Why is this important to health? Our species is dependent on biodiversity for health, wellness and enjoyment of life. Our foods, medicines, products, recreation are derived from the wealth of our biosphere. Clean air and water are dependent on robust ecosystems.

Australia offers these ideas for you and your family to protect biodiversity:

create habitat with plants native to your area and create cover for birds and wildlife
never release any pet - even fish - into the wild. Be a responsible pet owner and keep pets contained to protect birds and wildlife
avoid eating threatened seafood species
start a compost bin with your organic scraps and enrich your soil
reduce what you purchase and find creative ways to buy used things vs. new

Encourage your community to commit to protecting biodiversity. Walkabout with your children and show them all of the wonderful species of plants and animals in your neighborhood.

Thank you Bluebec for use of photo Rock Wallaby at Simon's Gap.

September is National Baby Safety Month

2008-09-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

So there's a new baby in the house! No doubt you already child proofed your house prior to baby's arrival, but September is a good time to look around and go over your safety plan for children.

Make sure your car seat, stroller and baby carrying apparatus are appropriate for the baby's age: babies don't have neck control until about six months so you need to protect them.
Set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees F and keep baby's bathwater around 100 degrees F. Never leave a baby in a tub unattended.
Anchor bookshelves and any other unstable furniture that a curious child might want to climb. Thousands of children are injured every year by heavy furniture.
Keep cribs, beds and chairs away from windows and window coverings.
Keep chemicals, cleaning products and solvents stored properly and out of reach
Check the references of baby sitters and caregivers carefully
Never leave a baby in a high chair unattended.
Take a CPR class so that you know what to do in an emergency
Crawl around your house on your hands and knees to check for any potential hazards you may have missed
Never leave animals and infants unsupervised together.

Thank you Alina for use of image of Newborn baby.

STEPtember 2008: America on the Move!

2008-09-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Do you want to turn the tide against the two pound per year incremental weight gain of most adults in America? Do you want to buck the trend of growing obesity rates and diminishing health in our country? Then join America on the Move (AOM) this month with two simple changes:

Move More - take 2,000 additional steps each day
Eat Less - eat 100 fewer calories each day

AOM partnered with the Democratic National Convention (DNC) for a Lean~n~Green challenge, registering participants and encouraging walking. Their motto - Walking is the Easiest Green! is one that is easy for all of us to follow.

Hurricane Season: September is National Preparedness Month

2008-09-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Gustav has blessedly dwindled into a tropical storm, but Hannah, Ike and Josephine are reported to be following behind him, forming in the Atlantic Ocean. Homeland Security wants us all to be Prepared, Plan and Stay Informed. Please participate in National Preparedness Month by following these tips:

Create or get a kit.

Water, food for 3 days, flashlight, hand-cranked radio, batteries, first-aid kit, whistle, dust masks, plastic sheeting and duct tape, change of clothes, prescription medicine and glasses, moist towelettes, garbage bags, toilet paper, cash, sleeping bags, bleach, sturdy shoes, mess kits, paper towels.

Make a plan

Use an out-of-state person as a contact for all family members as local systems may be down. Make plans for kids to be with neighbors or friends if you work out of town.

Be informed

about the types of natural disasters and emergencies endemic to your region
Escape routes: Know the best way out of each room of your house and out of town

Get involved

Join the Citizen Corps of volunteers who are prepared to work together in emergencies

Receive first aid and CPR training
Support disaster relief and community safety

Thank you spiritwood images for use of photo Hurricane Flooding.

Get Ready for a Stress Less Back to School Week!

2008-08-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

For those of us with kids, Labor Day Weekend is a time of preparation and making the transition from lazy days of summer to gearing up for school days and after school schedules. Make things easier on yourself and your children by putting a little extra effort into planning.

Stay home this weekend & don't plan any business trips next week: it's a good time to stock up on school supplies, make sure the kids have the outfits they want for that all important First Day of School Dress to Impress and a couple pairs of shoes for feet that are no doubt a few sizes bigger than they were last Spring
Clean out bedrooms; get rid of clothes that no longer fit or are ripped and torn. Get the study area prepared and show the kids you mean business about those grades this year!
Take walks or play sports together to relieve stress and anxiety
Make sure everyone eats well and gets plenty of rest

Thank you macwagen for use of image.

Thank You Kerri, at Six Until Me for Grand Rounds 4.48

2008-08-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

Kerri hosted Grand Rounds again and did a great job using a Dewey Decimal theme. Thanks for including my post Can You Help Jenny? along with some other enlightening summer reading!

Kerri is another diabetic blogger, like Manny Hernandez, founder of tudiabetes.com. What's great about them is they write about living with the illness...day to day.

Interview with TuDiabetes.com founder Manny Hernandez

2008-08-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

The CDC estimates that almost 24 million people in the US have diabetes. The total costs to the US in terms of both medical care and disability are $174 billion. Millions have it, but according to Manny Hernandez, founder of the popular website tudiabetes.com , it is a "closet condition". I had the pleasure of interviewing Manny last week about the communities he created for people touched by diabetes. "In the early stage, people with diabetes don't look different. Some people with type 2 diabetes feel guilty - feel they have inflicted this on themselves. They may be in denial - "Oh I have just a touch of diabetes" - but their fasting blood sugar is 150. The fact is, one in four people walking around has diabetes. That means there is a good chance a lot of people you know have diabetes."

Hernandez was diagnosed with diabetes in 2002 - misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes when actually, he is a "LADA" or type 1.5. LADA is latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, a form of type 1 diabetes that is seen in adults over age 25 years. The oral medications he was initially treated with didn't work for him and a year later he was on insulin to control his blood sugars. In 2005 he started using an insulin pump and the following year went to his first insulin pumpers club. "That was an enlightening experience for me because I hadn't met so many people at different stages of their lives with diabetes before. It was great to be surrounded by groups of people I could relate to on this level. It was powerful to meet other people with diabetes."

"I had been in web product management for ten years and 2006 was when Myspace and Facebook were really catching on - fun tools for socialization. I was reading Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat and started thinking about applying social networking to diabetes. I wanted to create a social network for people who were touched by diabetes. Because in my life, everyone around me was affected by my diabetes. My 5 year old son knows when we play together he has to be careful of my pump. My wife has been very supportive.

So in March 2007 we launched tudiabetes.com as the first social network for people with diabetes. First, some of the most prominent diabetes bloggers came on board and helped build the momentum. We had members join by word of mouth. Later, we found there were important language barriers for people who only spoke Spanish. So we launched estudiabetes.com a sister community in Spanish. Now we have 4000 members for tudiabetes.com and 1000 + members for estudiabetes.com. We also have a presence on YouTube, MySpace and Facebook ,as a way to help get the word out about the communities.

Our goals are simple: 1. Help connect people with diabetes. 2. Raise diabetes awareness. The turning point for us was the Word In Your Hand project we did for World Diabetes Day last year. LifeScan, the makers of the OneTouch glucose meters, licensed Word In Your Hand, allowing us to get my wife and myself started full time on the Diabetes Hands Foundation, a nonprofit we formed to help manage the communities and the diabetes awareness programs.

Our message for people touched by diabetes is 'You are not alone.' When you connect with others you get emotional support plus you get questions answered, something to get you through between your 15 minute office visits with your doctor every three months. You get trust. The future for tudiabetes.com is to continue to spread the word and grow our roots. We recently launched two more awareness programs - Drawing Diabetes - children in the community drew how diabetes affected their lives and the Diabetes Supplies Art Contest."

If your life has been touched by diabetes - join tudiabetes.com or follow tudiabetes on twitter.

Thank you tudiabetes.com for use of photo by Kseniya.

August 10-16 is National Community Health Center Week

2008-08-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

The second week of August is dedicated to recognizing the outstanding contributions of Community, Migrant and Homeless Health Centers. They do an outstanding job of providing needed services for America's 44 million uninsured and to those who live in areas without good health care services. Facts about the homeless and health:

Homeless people are 3 x more likely to die than the general population. The average age of the homeless is 50 years will people with homes usually live to age 78 years.
Poor access to quality health care reduces recovery from injury and illnesses.
Homeless people have an 8 x higher risk of dying from exposure to the cold than those who have homes.
Homeless people have a 3-6 x higher rate of illness than those who have homes.

Medicaid represents about 40% of the revenue for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) but 40% of the population they serve are uninsured or self-pay. These centers provide health care services for those who would not otherwise have access to primary care and preventive care services - services we take for granted like immunizations, mammograms, pap smears and blood pressure checks. Health centers provide effective case management of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and save taxpayers money by avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency department visits.

Over 90.000 people are employed at health centers around our nation, providing quality health care services to the indigent every day. We are grateful for their contributions to the health of our communities!

Thank You Congressman Ellison for use of your photo of meeting w. Minnesota Association of Community Health Center members.

Give Your Kids a Boost - Teens Need Immunizations Too!

2008-08-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

Teens are gearing up to return to high school. With all of the academic and social pressures on them these days, they don't need to be worrying about their health. The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) wants us to Give Kids a Boost and get our preteens and teens the booster shots and immunizations recommended to prevent serious communicable diseases.

Tetanus, Diptheria and Pertussis (Whooping Cough): Beginning at age 11, all kids need a booster shot, yet less than 15% of kids are getting it.
Meningococcal: MCV4 is recommended at age 11
HPV: Adolescent girls may want to consider this vaccine to prevent cervical cancer
Hepatitis A: Ask your school nurse or health care provider about providing this vaccination - almost everyone should have it.

Thank you hoyasmeg for use of picture Girls Waiting.

Can You Help Jenny?

2008-08-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

A friend reached out to Healthline and requested our help in getting the word out about Jenny, a 14 year old girl from Northern California with atypical motor neuron disease. Motor neuron diseases, like Lou Gehrig's Disease, are progressive muscle weakness disorders.

Mysteriously, over the course of one year, Jenny has gone from being a healthy, active teenager to being nearly completely paralyzed. She began showing symptoms of weakness in spring of 2007, shortly after receiving her third dose of the Gardasil vaccine, however, there is no clear causal relation. In fact, Jenny's father has stated “The FDA and CIDC have been helpful at a personal level in responding to my queries about Gardasil, especially the specific lot that was administered to Jenny. However, the current reporting regulations for pharmaceutical companies and regulatory agencies are simply inadequate at being able to identify whether a particular vaccine has a higher than normal risk factor.” By March 2008, Jenny was wheelchair bound.

She has had a comprehensive medical work-up and at this point, Jenny, her family and the medical community are asking for your help in finding people with comparable medical histories.

Am I a Comparable?
A List of Comparable Traits,from most relevant to least:
a. Has had similar rapid weakening, going from healthy to paralyzed very quickly
b. Teenage girl, with recent onset of menses (periods)
c. Have had similar treatments: IVIG, plasmapheresis, multiple forms of steroids and Cytoxin (an immunosuppressant), a “mitochondrial cocktail” of antioxidants, and lithium and riluzole
d. Recent HPV vaccine
e. Possibly family history of neural diseases, such as seizures and/or a rare palsies
f. Possibly had an auto‐immune condition in the past, such as skin condition like
pityriasis lichenoides

g. Possible heavy‐metal exposure, for example aluminum or environmental mercury exposure.

If you know anyone meeting some of these criteria, please email Jenny and her family. The cause of Jenny’s illness remains a medical mystery. Finding relevant comparables could help to solve that mystery and thus provide a crucial clue to finding the treatment that could save Jenny’s life. Time is of the essence because Jenny is now a quadriplegic and is losing the struggle to breathe. Therefore, the family appeals to you to bring any potential comparables to their notice by sending an e-mail to jenjensfamily@gmail.com.

Thank you Jenny and family for kind permission to use photo.

Crisis for US Elderly

2008-07-29T10:39:00.000-07:00

Economic bad times are hitting senior citizens especially hard, reports AARP. Americans age 55 years and over are struggling with medical bills along with mortgage, credit card payments and rising gas and food prices. The bankruptcy rate for seniors age 75 to 84 years went up over 400% over the past 16 years. People who had saved lost money in the stock market. Now many are struggling to go back to work, even in their 80's.

AARP warns of the rising risk of financial failure with advanced age, as social safety nets erode. Corporations are not able to meet their health care and pension obligations to their former employees. Services from NGO's are down due to rising gas prices. Experts warn that people should be debt-free when they retire - including being mortgage free. Our health care system, with expensive co-pays for seniors covered by Medicare, just aggravates the problem. Widows in their 80's are among the those in serious crisis.

Thank you pingnews for use of Images of Aging.

Pulmonary Emboli - A Serious Post-op Complication

2008-07-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

Pulmonary emboli - or clots in the lungs are very much on my mind these days. In the space of one month, two friends of mine, both young women (30's) who suffered large bone fractures ended up in ICU post-operatively due to life-threatening pulmonary emboli. This troubles me because it's a post-op complication that should be preventable in most cases.

Facts about pulmonary emboli (PE):

Pulmonary embolism is the lodging of a thrombus from a distant site in the pulmonary circulation
650,000 cases occur in each year 50,000 resulting in death

more lethal in women and the elderly

5 symptoms of (PE):

Shortness of breath
Chest pain
lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting
Cough, coughing up blood
Rapid breathing and heart rate

5 Risk Factors

Trauma to the lower extremities
Post-operative state
Prolonged immobilization (including air travel)
Use of estrogen containing BCP
Obesity

The take away from this post is that if you have had a fracture or surgery and have any of the above symptoms, don't wait. This is a life-threatening emergency for which you must seek immediate treatment.

Prevention is key - walking and getting active as soon as medically possible following illness or injury is imperative. Get the blood in your legs circulating. Talk to your doctor about prophylactic use of blood thinners.

Thank you brykmantra for use of photo Lubbock Heart Hospital.

It's EveryBody Deserves a Good Massage Week

2008-07-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals celebrates International Massage Week with their message EveryBody Deserves a Good Massage. Massage has many health benefits besides just making you feel good. There are more than 250 types of massage and body work and some therapies are covered by insurance.

Although considered "alternative therapy", massage has been around a long time. Give yourself or someone you love the gift of therapeutic touch this week.

Thank you kruain J&B for use of photo Ayurveda treatment.

Get Out & Enjoy Our National Parks: July 13-19 is National Therapeutic Recreation Week

2008-07-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

National Therapeutic Recreation Week is to enhance promotes public awareness of therapeutic recreation programs and services, and expands recreation and leisure opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Therapeutic recreation uses treatment, education, and recreation services to help with illnesses, disabilities, and other conditions to develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health, functional abilities, independence, and quality of life.

The National Sports Center for the Disabled promotes outdoor recreational activities for people with all types of disabilities. Don't let a disability or illness deter you from enjoying the great outdoors and the thrill of adventures. Join up with one of the groups and get outside.

Thank you looking4poetry for use of photo Marathon de Paris 2008.

33rd National Wellness Conference - Stevens Point Wisconsin

2008-07-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

The National Wellness Institute is hosting its annual Wellness Conference although the theme this year may be a bit arcane for most of us. A Visionary Turning: Well Earth, Well People is the title and I think the translation is that for us to be healthy our environment has to be healthy and vice versa. I'm all about wellness and a healthy environment but I'm getting a little cranky with the lack of outreach to communities who would benefit most from the message.

Ethnic minorities and the poor are the folks who have limited access to tools for wellness. I guess that's why I am such a fan of Canyon Ranch Institute. CRI does active outreach to underserved communities to improve disparities in access to care and prevention, improve health literacy and promote healthy lifestyles. It's time for the rest of the wellness community to stop preaching to the converted and get out into communities to reach people who need them.

Thank you Gypsyrock for use of photo Plan Bee.

Travel Abroad - Watch the Road

2008-07-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

The greatest threat to Americans traveling abroad isn't an exotic tropical disease like malaria. According to US State Department data, the number one cause of death of US citizens traveling internationally is motor vehicle accidents (MVA). Infectious diseases account for only a 2% of deaths while traveling. Road traffic accidents accounted for 34% of all deaths while traveling, followed by homicide (17%) and drowning (13%).

Men die in far greater numbers than women do while traveling. Men account for almost 75% of deaths in US citizens traveling abroad. Injuries and violence are a greater threat to travelers than infectious diseases. Some tips for safe travel:

Use safety belts and helmets while riding in cars and motorbikes
Minimize alcohol intake - alcohol is a risk factor for injuries
Be alert when crossing streets
When planning adventure travel in low-income countries, be aware that trauma facilities comparable to US trauma centers may not exist
Use larger vehicles and larger aircraft for travel

Homicide was the leading cause of death for US tourists in low-income nations like Haiti, Columbia, Honduras and Guatemala. Be aware of your surroundings and again, avoid intoxication. Suicide is the 4th leading cause of death while traveling and may be due to social isolation, substance abuse and culture shock.

Thank you joiseyshowaa for use of photo US tourists in Belize.

Thank You Dr. Tam for The Seinfeld Edition of Grand Rounds

2008-07-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

The show may have been about nothing, but Grand Rounds 4:42 The Seinfeld Edition, by Dr. Tam of The Blog that Ate Manhattan, is about something - and manages to be both funny and informative. He connected my Watermelon post with the award winning Master of Their Domain episode. Read him to find out why he is one of my top 3 favorite medical bloggers. Don't miss his opinions about the HPV controversies...

5 Tips for Bicycle Safety & Summer Fun

2008-07-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

One of the mother's who shares my commute told me her family's Fourth of July weekend was ruined by an unfortunate accident. Her 13 year old was riding her bicycle - in flip flops - and fell into a picket fence, catching her toe in one of the wooden slats and breaking off the bone.

The toe had to be surgically reattached and the daughter spent the weekend with her leg elevated and on pain meds. There goes the rest of the summer - no sailing, no soccer, no biking, no hiking.

Here are some safety tips for bicycle safety this summer:

Use helmets and proper safety gear including protective foot wear.
Make sure the bike is equipped with reflectors and wear reflective patches on clothing in low light.
Be aware of your surroundings and changing terrain.
Bicyclists are subject to the same laws as motorists. Yield right of way and obey traffic signals.
Bicycle safety is not just for kids - 70% of bike fatalities are adults and 90% of those are males. Most deaths occur in the summer months between 3 - 9 PM.

Thank you mindcaster's photostream for use of photo City Cycle Chic. What is wrong with this picture?

Watermelon - Relaxes the Blood Vessels & May Increase Libido

2008-07-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Watermelon & the Fourth of July just go together. The lowly watermelon may have a lot to do with our sense of well-being this holiday weekend - so eat up & enjoy! This lovely vine-growing fruit is rich in phyto-nutrients such as beta-carotenes, lycopene and citrulline. Citrulline is converted to arginine in the body. Arginine is an amino acid with beneficial effects on the heart, circulation and immune system.

Arginine enhances the production of nitric oxide a blood vessel dilator that works much like Viagra, according to researchers at Texas A & M. The great thing about watermelon is no side effects~ Watermelon also helps the kidneys detoxify the body.

Keep your watermelon at room temperature to store it. Refrigerate after cutting. Enjoy! Have a happy & safe July 4th Weekend from your friends at Healthline.

Thank you Foreversouls for use of photo Watermelons.