WELL-BEING
As you enjoy the great outdoors, you may not see a bear, but you might encounter biting and stinging critters such as ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects.
Bring along your own make-at-home first aid kit that includes assorted bandages and basic medicines such as a 1 percent hydrocortisone anti-itch cream, suggests Dr. Janyce Sanford, an ER doctor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Use insect repellant with DEET. Include tweezers to remove ticks (the best way is to pull straight up in an easy motion). And if anyone is sensitive to bee or wasp stings, carry an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) when camping or hiking.
Find out who in your party knows CPR before you might need it. Carry emergency supplies of food and light, and make sure you practice common sense.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine