HealthyLife Articles

Tag: Personal Health & Safety

  • Ipad Pain

    WELL-BEING

    Image of man using a tablet.

    When your iPad or other tablet causes pain in the neck and shoulders –

    *  Use a case that positions the device at a comfortable viewing angle.

    *  Routinely shift hands and weight. Stand up if seated, or sit down if standing.

    When using a laptop or desktop computer, follow the same tips for a tablet plus:

    *  Use an external keyboard.

    *  Keep shoulders relaxed and elbows close to the body.

    *  Keep hands, wrists, forearms, and thighs parallel to the floor.

    *  Take a break and change position every 15 minutes.

    Holding a tablet computer too low, say on the lap, forces the neck to bend forward too much, straining and possibly even injuring muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, or spinal discs. Simply placing a tablet on a table propped at an angle in a tablet case can reduce neck strain and potential pain, according to research conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Is 3D As Dangerous As The Warnings?

    WELL-BEING

    Illustration of a TV with wild animlas appearing to come out of the television set.

    Have you read the warnings on a 3D TV or gaming system? Can 3D actually cause altered vision, lightheadedness, twitching, nausea, disorientation, especially for children and the elderly?

    Through these disclaimers, companies may have been scaring away the customers they seek, but medical evidence does not back up the claims.

    Professional eye photographer Timothy Bennett of Penn State Hershey Eye Center said there are no health issues associated with 3D imaging. Some people experience headaches or dizziness, but these are temporary. The images may be disorienting, but as soon as you stop looking at 3D, the feelings clear up.

    He recommends sitting far from the screen, especially if you are sensitive, and take breaks from gaming or watching 3D TV.

    Some people experience headaches or dizziness, but these are temporary.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • New You

    WELL-BEING

    Image of smiling man.

    Why wait to create a new you? Live your best life now. This advice comes from researchers at Washington University:

    *Learn something new.Take a class in a subject you enjoy or are curious about. Check your community colleges for noncredit continuing education classes. Rekindle your love of learning.

    *Volunteer.It’s good for your physical and mental health whether you’re building a house for someone, ladling out soup for the homeless, or collecting canned goods. You’ll make valuable community connections.

    *Get your social media house in order.The Internet and social media have opened up exciting new avenues to connect with others and new vistas to share preferences in films, books, and music. Have fun. But be cautious. Check your default privacy settings. Log out and see what your profile looks like to the outside world. Make sure passwords are complex – Use upper and lowercase letters and a special character, such as $. Don’t use the same password for all social media accounts.

    *Rediscover the library.The digital revolution has changed your local library. You can often download books online. Consider how much your library offers: novels and nonfiction works for all ages, how-to books, music CDs, movies on DVD or videotape, maps and reference works. Read the latest magazines or journals.

    *Step away from your desk.Physical activity improves health, lowers stress, and increases productivity. And if those weren’t reasons enough, research shows that exercise reduces the risk of diseases such as breast cancer, colon cancer, and Alzheimer’s.

    *Pay down your credit card debt.Put extra money toward the loans with the highest interest rates. Consolidate several small debts.

    *Use your smartphone to quit smoking.You can tap into apps for messages of support and access websites that give step-by-step encouragement.

    *Kick the car habit.Leave the SUV in the garage and try alternate means of transportation such as the bus or train, bicycling, walking, or park-and-ride commuting.

    *Parents:Make every day count. Happy, well-adjusted children need happy, well-adjusted parents.

    *Get more sleep.

    *Consume more culture.The arts not only educate and entertain, they help us to better understand ourselves and others. Visit your local museums, galleries, theaters, dance companies, and music halls.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Pack A Travel First Aid Kit

    WELL-BEING

    Illustration of an airplane and first aid kid.

    Traveling? Make a little room in your luggage for a travel first aid kit. It won’t cost much or take up much space. Once you reach your destination, you won’t need to reach any further than your suitcase to relieve those minor aches and pains that can put a major damper on your plans.

    A basic travel first aid kit should include a handful of over-the-counter remedies you can buy just about anywhere, said Caroline Sullivan, DNP, assistant professor at Columbia University School of Nursing.

    Here’s what should go in the kit:

    *  Tylenol or Advil to ease a headache or fever

    *  Cortisone 10 cream to soothe an itchy, swollen insect bite

    *  Antibiotic ointment like Neosporin or Bacitracin to prevent infection from minor cuts, scrapes, and burns

    *  Band-Aids to cover up blisters, or for those minor cuts and scrapes

    *  Pepto-Bismol tablets to relieve diarrhea, upset stomach, heartburn, indigestion, and nausea after too much food and drink. Note: This is for adults only. Pepto-Bismol has salicylates which have been linked to Reye’s syndrome.

    *  Benadryl to relieve allergies, and also to help you sleep

    *  Hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol

    *  Tissues to sneeze, dab cuts, and clean hands in a pinch

    *  Pack your prescription medicines in their original bottles in your carry-on bag.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Quit Bugging Me

    WELL-BEING

    Image of insect repellant.

    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

  • Secrets To A Successful Life

    WELL-BEING

    Image of older man smiling.

    What do America’s elder citizens say about living a happy, healthy, and successful life? A Cornell University professor, Karl Pillemer, asked hundreds of seniors and gives their advice in his book 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans.

    *Take risks to avoid regret.People in their 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond endorse taking risks when you’re young, contrary to a stereotype that elders are conservative. They say that you are much more likely to regret what you didn’t do than what you did. Say yes to opportunities.

    *Make the most of a bad job.Pillemer said, “Remember that many of these folks who grew up in the Great Depression had bad jobs early on-in fact, their bad jobs make our bad jobs look like good jobs! They found, however, that they learned invaluable lessons from these less-than-ideal work situations. You can learn how the industry works, about communicating with other employees, and about customer service.

    *Choose excitement over money.Choose a career for its basic value rather than how much money you will make. Our elders are keenly aware of how short life is, and they think it’s a mistake to waste precious time in work you don’t like. According to our elders, you need to be able to get up in the morning excited about work, so choose your career with that in mind.

    *Regrets?Embrace travel, especially when you are young.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine