Knowing the signs of a stroke can mean the difference between life and death. Stroke is the number four killer of Americans and is a leading cause of serious long-term disability. Experts say if people knew the signs and symptoms of stroke and got to the hospital within the first four hours of symptom onset, many more lives could be saved.
Using FAST is one way to detect if someone may be having a stroke:
FACE—Does the face look uneven? Ask them to smile.
ARM—Does one arm drift down? Ask them to raise both arms.
SPEECH—Does their speech sound strange? Ask them to repeat a phrase.
TIME—Every second, brain cells die. Call 9-1-1 at any sign of stroke.
To find out more abut the signs of a stroke and how to respond, click here.
Are your children acting more tired than usual? Perhaps even sluggish? If this problem persists, it could be due to something other than lack of sleep. Your child could be suffering from anemia.
There are many reasons why your child may be anemic and as a parent it is sometimes hard to see the signs. However, there are some key symptoms that you can keep an eye out for. Fortunately, the solution is usually very simple and may entail a change in diet or nutritional supplements.
To learn more about the warning signs of anemia and what you can do to protect your family, click here.
Swaddling is a common practice when it comes to newborns but do you know what it is or how to do it? These days, you probably will even get a little lesson in this technique before you leave the hospital. Swaddling is the art of wrapping a baby in a blanket using a certain technique for warmth and security.
The benefits are plentiful and can help your little one stay warm during the first few days of life. The swaddling technique has also been attributed to providing a sense of security and can help calm down your baby.
If you choose to swaddle, be sure you know how do it correctly. Research has shown links from improper swaddling to joint damage leading to hip dysplasia. To prevent this, be sure to leave enough room at the bottom of the blanket so that your baby has the freedom to bend their legs.
To find out more information about the risk of tight swaddling, click here.
This is Bonnie checking in to give you some ideas on how to get your children to eat and enjoy more vegetables. I do not have a green thumb. In truth, almost every house plant I touch eventually throws up its “hands” and dies from neglect or “over care.” There are some very simple summer vegetables than you and your children can grow without super farmer skills. When children are involved in helping with the garden and watching the vegetables grow and ripen, they are most likely to want to taste what they have grown.
To get started, pick out a sunny spot in your yard. If you aren’t sure what spots are the sunniest, they make sun indicators that can be helpful, but an afternoon playing or reading outside and observing the movement of the sun works just as well. If your soil is mostly rocks and clay, you may have to work in some potting soil in your chosen spots.
At this point in time, you will need to start with plants not seeds. Three tomato plants will yield a surprising amount of tomatoes long into July, with little care after planting other than some stakes and ties to keep the heavy vines off the ground. Unless you plan to make lots of pickles, two or three cucumbers should keep you in fresh cucs all summer long. One or two yellow squash plants, and maybe one zucchini should complete your starter garden.
Let your children stay involved from picking out the “healthiest” looking plants to preparing the “harvest” into meals. “Grown in your own yard” is the best food you can put in your mouth.
Don’t have a spot in your yard and no time to make the garden? Remember all summer long on Saturday mornings, the Stanly County Farmer’s Market takes over the Depot. Take your children with you and let them choose the prettiest and best of local farmer’s foods.
Remember when the focus of driving a car used to be simply driving? In today’s world, there are so many more distractions at our disposal to keep our eyes and thoughts away from the road.
The popularity of mobile devices has been linked to a significant increase in distracted driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, each day more than 15 people are killed and more than 1,200 people are injured in crashes that were reported to involve a distracted driver.
For those of you who don’t know what creates a distracted driver, the CDC defines distracted driving as any activity that take your attention away from driving. These include activities such as using a cell phone, texting, and eating. This can be especially frightening when thinking about drivers that are new to the road; nearly 50 percent of teens admit to texting while driving.
The best way to end distracted driving is to educate others about the dangers that it poses and to lead by example.
If you want to learn more about the dangers of texting and driving, click here.
Do you ever feel like you watch too much television? Have you ever sat down to think about how much time you actually spend consumed by screen media?
According to Nielsen, Inc., “children watch on average about 24 to 28 hours of television per week. The average 5-year-old will have spent 5,000 hours in front of the TV before entering kindergarten, more time than he or she will spend in conversation with his or her parents for the rest of their lives and longer than it would take to get a college degree.” This is a frightening statistic that should act as a wake up call to children and adults everywhere.
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood hosts an annual event known as “Screen-Free Week” in which parents, children, teachers, and others are encouraged to turn off screen media (television, video games, computers, cell phones, etc) and enjoy the freedom of being unplugged.
Screen-Free Week 2012 goes from April 30th to May 6th. The emphasis of this campaign is to not only reduce the time that people spend in front of screens but also encourage people to reevaluate their lifestyle and hopefully make some positive changes.
For more information on the affects of television on children, click here.
Are you ready for some summer fun? Fire up the grill and invite your friends over for some fun in the sun! Summer is a great time of year filled with lots of activities and good weather. However, how much do you really know about summer safety?
It’s easy to forget about the dangers that the summer months present. Do you know how to keep you and your family safe whether it’s at the beach or in your backyard.
To test your knowledge, take this interactive quiz to find out if you are prepared for this summer!
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Upcoming Events
- Look Good Feel Better June 15, 2012
- Wellness Exercises for Relaxation and Stress Reduction June 12, 2012
- Healthy Directions / Diabetes Prevention 3rd Session June 11, 2012
- Nutrition Support Group June 7, 2012
- Breast Cancer Support Group June 5, 2012