Archive for » July, 2010 «

Treating and Avoiding Heat Stroke


thermometer thumb Treating and Avoiding Heat Stroke Today in Minnesota, we had a heat advisory. In the afternoon, the heat index climbed to 108 degrees. It was absolutely miserable. You know it’s bad when your glasses fog as soon as you walk out of the house.

Since this information is available to you, use it. Get heat advisory alerts on your cell phone with Weather.com or a mobile application such as Weather Bug. If you know the weather will be an issue, you can make good choices for your daily activities.

The combination of heat and humidity can create conditions in which you may find it hard to exercise or just breath while stationary. The increase of air moisture reduces the amount of oxygen you receive with each breath. Therefore, you have to breathe harder in order to get the same amount of oxygen into your body.

The symptoms of heat distress are dizziness, fatigue, increased heart rate and breathing, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Left untreated, it could lead to serious health issues.

It is essential to restore your body temperature to its proper level. Cool water and ice can be lifesavers. You can help yourself cool off by applying either to your wrists, back of your neck, armpits, or groin.

The best solution is prevention. Know when the temperature will create stressful conditions. Maybe that is the day you can catch up on your housework or extra reading.

Photo by jprole

Category: health, Outdoors  Tags:  Comments off

Indulge, Just This Once


friedchicken thumb Indulge, Just This Once If you are going to indulge in a no-no food, do so just this once. Welcome to National Fried Chicken Day!

I grew up, as many of you too, with fried chicken as the quintessential summer meal. My current favorite recipe is Deviled Fried Chicken from Epicurious.com, which you can easily make gluten free by using gluten-free flour instead of wheat-based flour. The results either way are outstanding.

For me, fried chicken is the perfect boat food. We spend many summer afternoons on the boat. Lunch, lake side, has become something of an institution with us. Fried chicken fits the bill perfectly.

Fried chicken doesn’t have to be bad for you if you eat it in moderation and choose methods which minimize the oil intake. When you make a recipe containing baking powder, you do just that. The chemical reaction minimizes the oil absorbed by the chicken.

Have a bit of fun this summer. Indulge in  just a bit of fried chicken, using a heart-friendly oil like canola, a low-fat coleslaw recipe, and corn with just a bit of unsalted butter. Summer never tasted so good.

Photo by lockstockb

Category: Foods and Recipes  Tags:  Comments off

Take Care When in the Sun


sunlight thumb1 Take Care When in the Sun I had a bit of a reawakening over my vacation. My high blood pressure medication warned about sun exposure. For the first time I experienced it first hand. Welcome to Stay Out of the Sun Day!

We met our family just arriving in Door County for our annual reunion. I had to admit to being a bit dismayed that the first remark from several family members was how red my face was.  We had been hiking earlier on Rock Island. That was the first time I realized that sun exposure was now a big deal for me. From now on, I had to be very careful.

It’s unfortunate that something so enjoyable as being outdoors has to care restrictions, but that is the way of it. Sunlight is good, but only in moderation, as so many other fun things.

However, the warning is well heeded. Who wants the pain of a sunburn? Wrinkles? Forget it! Cancer? I’ll pass. Today, take it as a reminder to take care of your skin, your appearance. Limit your time in the sun, if just during the prime hours to save your skin.

Photo by fangol

Category: Lessons Learned  Tags:  Comments off

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