Monthly Archives: July 2012

It’s Getting Hot in Here

Posted by getPHYT in Healthy Living and tagged with , , , , ,

image source: weather.com

So hot! We’re about six weeks into summer and it’s already ridiculously HOT. According to weather.com, August is going to be a scorcher. For those of y’all that live in the “middle of the country from northern Oklahoma and much of Kansas to southern Minnesota and eastern South Dakota,” expect August temperatures to be above average.

My AC wall unit Photo by Alyssa Llamas

Like most twenty-somethings, I’m doing everything I can to save money. For a while, that included NOT using the AC. I opened the windows, bought a fan, and even put ice packs in my pillow! Up until a few weeks ago, those methods actually worked. But once it got into the triple digits, I caved. Though I’m not looking forward to my upcoming electricity bill, at least I’m not melting in my tiny (sans central air) apartment.

Extreme heat can make you sick. Usually, our bodies do a good job controlling our body temperatures. Sweating (or glistening, whatever you want to call it) helps our bodies cool down. Sometimes, it’s just too stinkin’ hot and sweating isn’t enough. That’s when we’re at a greater risk of becoming ill.

Heat stroke, the most serious heat-related illness, occurs when the body cannot control its temperature. The body gets so hot (and not in the sexy-kinda way), sometimes reaching 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes that the sweating mechanism fails. If not treated immediately, heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability. Warning signs of heat stroke include extremely high body temperature (above 103°F), red, hot, and dry skin, dizziness, and unconsciousness. If you see someone with any of these signs, call 911 asap. You can also try these methods to help cool the person down:

  • Get the victim to a shady area
  • Immerse the victim in a tub of cool water
  • Place the person in a cool shower
  • Sponge the person with cool water

Heat exhaustion, a milder form of heat-related illnesses, “can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids” (CDC). Symptoms include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, and fainting. Here are ways to cool the body during heat exhaustion:

  • Drink cool, nonalcoholic beverages
  • Rest
  • Take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath
  • Seek an air-conditioned environment
  • Wear lightweight clothing

The hottest city in America

Beat the heat and use these steps to safe and healthy during hot weather (CDC):

  • Stay in an air-conditioned indoor location
  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing and sunscreen
  • Schedule outdoor activities carefully
  • Pace yourself
  • Take cool showers or baths to cool down
  • Check on a friend or neighbor and have someone do the same for you
  • Do not leave children in cars
  • Check the local news for health and safety updates

Stay Cool Summer 2012

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

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Sneeze Like a Lady

Posted by getPHYT in Healthy Living and tagged with , , ,

image source: logicmgmt.com

Welcome to the getPHYT Finishing School for Young Ladies and Gentlemen. Today’s lesson will be hygiene etiquette. Like saying “please” and “thank you,” hygiene etiquette is easy and it truly makes the world a better place. Upon completing this lesson, you will know how to help prevent the spread of illness and disease.

You should always practice good hygiene etiquette, but it is especially important when you are sick. The CDC explains that “serious respiratory illnesses like influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)” are spread by coughing, sneezing, and unclean hands.

I am confident that if you follow these 4 steps from the CDC, you will be on your way to becoming a proper and healthy lady or gentleman.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
  • Put your used tissue in a waste basket.
  • If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
  • Wash your hands after coughing or sneezing. And make sure to wash them for at least 20 seconds (or the duration of the “Happy Birthday” song sang twice).

Remember, practice makes perfect.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Can Someone Please Tell Me

Posted by getPHYT in Chronic Diseases, Healthy Living and tagged with , , , , , , ,

“What’s cholesterol?” “Um, it’s bad for you, and it’s this thing that clogs your arteries?” That might get you partial credit (probably not). Just like calories, cholesterol is one of those elusive terms. We know what calories and cholesterol are, but defining them can be challenging.

image source: Purdue

So back to my first question: “What’s cholesterol?” If this was on a bio exam, the correct answer would most likely be: “a eukaryotic sterol that in higher animals is the precursor of bile acids and steroid hormones and a key constituent of cell membranes; synthesized by the liver and other tissues, but some is absorbed from dietary sources, with each kind transported in the plasma by specific lipoproteins” (Medical Dictionary) GOT IT? OK GOOD.

NOT GOOD. NOT OK. Unless you’re a bio student, that definition is kind of useless. So here’s the what-does-it-really-mean-why-should-you-care explanation of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance, found in our bodies and many foods. It’s used in the production of hormones, cell membranes, and bile acids, which help digest food (Livestrong). Though our bodies need cholesterol to function properly, too much can be bad. Extra cholesterol can accumulate in the arteries and form cholesterol deposits, aka plaque. Over time, the plaque narrows the arteries, allowing less blood to pass through.

Atherosclerosis, which is the condition of cholesterol buildup, can lead to dangerous complications such as coronary heart disease (heart attack and angina), kidney disease, and stroke. If plaque completely blocks an artery carrying blood to the heart, then a heart attack occurs. It can also happen if an area of plaque ruptures and causes a clot in a coronary artery. Chest pain, aka angina, is caused by plaque that partially blocks a coronary artery, which reduces blood flow to the hear (CDC).

There is good cholesterol and then there’s also bad cholesterol.

image source: Cartoon Stock

  • Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol is the “bad” cholesterol. High levels can lead to buildup in the arteries and cause heart disease. Unfortunately, LDL cholesterol makes up the majority of the body’s total cholesterol.
  • High-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol is the “good” cholesterol. It carries cholesterol back to the liver, which then flushes it from the body. HDL helps reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Here are some statistics from the CDC that will help illustrate the cholesterol problem in the United States:

  • Approximately one in every six adults—16.3% of the U.S. adult population—has high total cholesterol. The level defined as high total cholesterol is 240 mg/dL and above.
  • People with high total cholesterol have approximately twice the risk of heart disease as people with optimal levels. A desirable level is lower than 200 mg/dL.
  • More women than men have high cholesterol in the United States.

The most important thing you need to know about cholesterol is how to keep it at a normal level. A desirable level is lower than 200 mg/dL (Mayo Clinic). Follow these tips from the CDC:

  1. Get a blood test.
  2. Eat a healthy diet. Try to include high-fiber foods, fish, nuts, and olive oil into your daily meals (Mayo Clinic).
  3. Maintain a healthy weight.
  4. Exercise regularly.
  5. Don’t smoke.
  6. Treat high cholesterol

Try out these Low-Cholesterol Recipes from Food Network!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Look After Your Skin This Summer

Posted by getPHYT in Healthy Living and tagged with , , , ,

Teenage years can be especially tumultuous when it comes to caring for skin. There is acne, eczema, hormones and bad diets to take into consideration, plus fluctuating sleep patterns and the stress of school, college and university. There are lots of things to bear in mind when constructing a skincare regime for young skin – simply take a look at my tips below…

Change your bad habits

If you suffer from spots, there are plenty of little things you can do to reduce outbreaks. The first – and possibly the hardest – bad habit to beat is to stop touching your face so much.  When you lean on your palm or rub your face a lot, it transfers the bacteria from your hands onto your complexion, and this can block pores, irritate the skin and create outbreaks. Face touching is often a subconscious act, which makes it tough to break the cycle, but it’s well worth the added effort for a clearer complexion.

A good habit to take up is to wash your pillowcase roughly twice a week to keep it fresh and clean. During sleep your skin renews itself, resulting in the shedding of dead skin cells and the excretion of sebum – the oil produced by the sebaceous glands of the face – onto your pillow. This is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, which is not ideal when trying to keep skin clear and blemish-free.

image source: pixabay.com

Wear an SPF

The summer months can be incredibly beneficial for the skin, as the essential extra boost of vitamin D from the sun works give the complexion a lovely healthy glow. As great as sunlight is for the skin, it is very important to protect it properly with an effective SPF of at least 30 for young skin, as the UV rays can be very damaging. UVA penetrates the skin and are present all year round, not just when it’s sunny. This ray is the main cause of tanning, but it is important to regulate the amount of UVA you receive as they can also cause skin damage and premature ageing. With their shorter wavelengths, UVB rays damage the uppermost layers of the skin and are most commonly witnessed as sunburn. These are most intense when the sun is at its strongest in the summer, and from 11am until about 4pm.

Slathering on some sunscreen with an appropriate level of SPF protection is a must during the summer – however, it is very important to remove every trace of product before bed as the ultra fine composition of the formula can block pores as the skin is trying to regenerate itself at night.

My top sunscreen pick: Vichy Capital Soleil Mattifying Face Fluid Dry Touch SPF 50, an innovative formula enriched with silica microspheres which combat shine and offer a completely matte finish for oily skin.

Photo by Ben

Don’t overburden your skin 

It’s tempting to chop and change between products when you have a troublesome complexion, but you must remember that young skin is delicate and can very easily be overburdened. Build up a dedicated regime of products that work, and stick to it – that way, if there is a certain product that your skin doesn’t agree with, it is simpler to identify which one is the troublesome one. Choose formulas that are as streamlined as possible, and are free from known irritants such like parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, and overpowering fragrances. Also, try to resist the temptation to over-cleanse. Not all oils are bad – in fact, they can be very beneficial to the condition of the skin. Cleanse the complexion twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, and that should be enough.

My top cleanser pick: La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Deep Cleansing Foam, which is alcohol-free, paraben-free, oil-free and non-comedogenic, and works to regulate and restore the skin.

My final tip – if you have troublesome skin, try not to stress about it too much. Chances are your skin doesn’t look anywhere near as imperfect as you think it does! Plus, the stress may actually make your complexion harder to manage, so follow a simple regime, break the bad habits and smile!

Useful blog posts: 

Ruth of A Model Recommends has gorgeous skin, and that’s thanks to a streamlined skincare routine of really great products. A Model’s Guide to Teen Skincare: Cleansers. Here she talks the best cleansers for teen skin.

Caroline of Beauty Mouth is a skincare expert, and has created a number of ‘cheat sheets’ to better looking skin on her blog. Acne Cheat Sheet. Her cheat sheet for acne is a must-read!

By EMMA 

Emma writes for a British beauty website, Escentual.com, and is passionate about matching the right skincare product to the right person. When she’s not reading up on the latest beauty buys, she’s extolling the virtues of proper SPF protection and brushing up on her fragrance knowledge.

DYNAMITE!

Posted by getPHYT in Injury, Violence & Safety and tagged with , , , ,

Tomorrow is the 4th of July! Even though it’s on a Wednesday this year, there are so many reasons why tomorrow will be an awesome day. First of all, we’re celebrating America’s independence. That’s pretty great. Second, we get the day off. Of course we all wanted a 3-day weekend. But instead, we get TWO 2-day work weeks. That’s still a good deal. Next, we get to spend the day eating delicious food and hanging out with friends and family. Finally, we get to watch a spectacular firework show.

image source: ziptivity.files.wordpress.com

Fireworks are like beautiful and colorful diamonds gracefully falling down from the sky. I don’t care if they’re just redox reactions. Fireworks are magical.

But they can also be dangerous and cause eye and burn injuries. To be 100% safe, leave the fireworks to the experts and just enjoy the show.

If you’re “gon’ light it up like it’s dynamite!” Then, be smart and safe about it. “Cause I told you once.” Seriously, be safe. “Now I told you twice,” so please follow these firework safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to ensure a fun, accident-free 4th of July:

1. Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.

2. Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.

3. Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Sparklers can also be dangerous. They burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees. That’s hot enough to melt some metals!

4. Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks. Duck and cover.

5. Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.

6. Never point or throw fireworks at another person. Don’t even joke about it.

7. Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.

8. Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly. Please don’t make any attempt to simulate your own firework finale.

9. Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.

10. After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

11. Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

image source: pinterest


Click here for the recipe of the jello dessert and other yummy patriotic treats.

Happy Independence Day!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS