It’s Summer Solstice
Today is the longest day of the year! Get your sunscreen ready.
In case you missed it: June 21st is the summer solstice.
A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun's apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme. The name is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, the apparent movement of the Sun's path north or south comes to a stop before reversing direction.
Of the many ways in which solstice can be defined, one of the most common (and perhaps most easily understood) is by the astronomical phenomenon for which it is named, which is readily observable by anyone on Earth: a "sun-standing." This modern scientific word descends from a Latin scientific word in use in the late Roman republic of the 1st century BC: solstitium. Pliny uses it a number of times in his Natural History with the same meaning that it has today. It contains two Latin-language segments, sol, "sun", and -stitium, "stoppage." The Romans used "standing" to refer to a component of the relative velocity of the Sun as it is observed in the sky. Relative velocity is the motion of an object from the point of view of an observer in a frame of reference. From a fixed position on the ground, the sun appears to orbit around the Earth.
Here are some great, fun facts about the summer solstice:
- Today the North Pole is tipped closer to the sun than on any other day of 2010. The opposite holds true for the Southern Hemisphere, for which today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.
- While the June solstice generally occurs on the same day every year, the date does change every once in a while. For example, in 2008, the summer solstice occurred on June 20.
- This date shifting is a result of the discrepancy between a human calendar year—which is usually counted as 365 days—and an astronomical year, which is 365.25 days.
- It is not the solstice across the globe. People in the Southern hemisphere will experience summer solstice in December.
Bad Breath Tips
Let’s face it, bad breath is embarrassing. The good news is that for the most part—with proper dental care—bad breath, also called halitosis, can be avoided. Maintaining good oral health is essential to reducing bad breath, as bacteria that builds up on the back of your tongue or in between your teeth is the main culprit. Bad breath can be caused by foods, smoking, dry mouth, medical conditions, gum disease, and sinus conditions. No wonder dental hygiene is such big business.
If your halitosis hangs on for more than 24 hours without an obvious cause, call your dentist or doctor, says Roger P. Levin, D.D.S. It can be a sign of gum disease, gastrointestinal problems, sinus infection, bronchitis, or even more serious diseases, such as diabetes, liver or kidney failure, and cancer. Bad breath can also be a sign of dehydration or zinc deficiency.
Spice things up
Other herbs and spices in your kitchen are natural breath enhancers. Carry a tiny plastic bag of cloves, fennel, or anise seeds to chew after odorous meals.
Brush your tongue
"Most people overlook their tongues," says Dr. Shapira. "Your tongue is covered with little hairlike projections, which under a microscope look like a forest of mushrooms. Under the caps of the 'mushrooms,' there's room to harbor plaque and some of the things we eat. That causes bad breath."
His advice? While brushing, gently sweep the top of your tongue, too, so that you don't leave food and bacteria behind to breed bad breath.
Create your own gargle
Mix extracts of sage, calendula, and myrrh gum (all available at health food stores) in equal proportions and gargle with the mixture four times a day. Keep the mouthwash in a tightly sealed jar at room temperature.
Even when you can't brush, you can rinse. Take a sip of water after meals, swish it around, and wash the smell of food from your mouth, says Jerry F. Taintor, D.D.S.
Eat your parsley
Parsley adds more than green to your lunch plate; it's also a breath-saver, because it contains chlorophyll, a known breath deodorizer. So pick up that sprig garnishing your plate and chew it thoroughly. Or toss a few handfuls (even add some watercress to the mix) in a juicer. Sip the juice anytime you need to refresh your breath.
Watch your intake of odorous eats
Highly spiced foods like to linger long after the party's over. Certain tastes and smells recirculate through the essential oils that they leave in your mouth. Depending on how much you eat, the odor can remain up to 24 hours, no matter how often you brush your teeth. Some foods to avoid include onions, hot peppers, and garlic.
Ease up on cheese
Camembert, Roquefort, and blue cheese are called strong for good reason—they get a hold on your breath and don't let go. Other dairy products may have the same effect.
Ban certain beverages
Coffee, beer, wine, and whiskey are at the top of the list of liquid offenders. Each leaves a residue that can attach to the plaque in your mouth and infiltrate your digestive system. Each breath you take spews traces back into the air.
Carry a toothbrush
Some odors can be eliminated — permanently or temporarily — if you brush immediately after a meal. The main culprit in bad breath is a soft, sticky film of living and dead bacteria that clings to your teeth and gums, says Eric Shapira, D.D.S. That film is called plaque.
At any time, there are 50 trillion of these microscopic organisms loitering in your mouth. They sit in every dark corner, eating each morsel of food that passes your lips, collecting little smells, and producing little odors of their own. As you exhale, the bacteria exhale. So brush away the plaque after each meal and get rid of some of the breath problem.
Rinse out your mouth
Even when you can't brush, you can rinse. Take a sip of water after meals, swish it around, and wash the smell of food from your mouth, says Jerry F. Taintor, D.D.S.
Gargle on minty mouthwash
If you need 20 minutes of freedom from bad breath, gargling with a mouthwash is a great idea. But like Cinderella's coach-turned-pumpkin, when your time is up, the magic will be gone, and you'll be back to talking from behind your hand again.
Chew a mint or some gum
Like mouthwash, a breath mintLike Some Ice Drops, perhaps or minty gum is just a cover-up, good for a short interview, a short ride in a compact car, or a very short date.
Hand Sanitizer vs. Soap and Water
Which Kills Germs the Best?
To start with, it’s important to understand how soap works. Soap is an emulsifying agent, capable dispersing oil in water. When people wash their hands, dirt and germs trapped in the natural oils of the skin are lifted and suspended in water. Except for antibacterial soap, regular soap really isn’t capable of killing a lot of germs. What soap is good for is lifting germs from the skin.
To start with, it’s important to understand how soap works. Soap is an emulsifying agent, capable dispersing oil in water. When people wash their hands, dirt and germs trapped in the natural oils of the skin are lifted and suspended in water. Except for antibacterial soap, regular soap really isn’t capable of killing a lot of germs. What soap is good for is lifting germs from the skin.Coating the Hands With Soap or Hand Sanitizer
Whether hand sanitizer or soap is being used, it’s important to adequately coat and spread the hands with cleanser to ensure that soap or hand sanitizer comes in contact with every part of the hand where germs might be lurking. This means that any jewelry should be removed before soaping up.
How Long to Rub Hands with Soap or Hand Sanitizer
Experts recommend that at least 20 seconds be spent lathering up. Counting to 20 or saying the alphabet is a good way to ensure that enough time is being spent covering the hands with soap. Care should be taken to apply the lather to the backs of the hands and between fingers. Don’t forget to clean under nails too, as germs find the perfect sanctuary beneath fingernails.
Drying Hands
If using soap, rinse thoroughly and use a clean towel, paper towel, or dryer to dry hands. If using hand sanitizer, continue rubbing till hands are dry. Use a paper towel, if possible, to turn off the faucet and open the bathroom door to prevent re-infecting the hands.
How Much Alcohol Should Be In Hand Sanitizer?
It’s recommended that hand sanitizers contain at least 60% alcohol. The Food Safety Network’s fact sheet, “What are hand sanitizers?” (University of Guelph, 2003) reports that ethanol is more efficient at killing viruses than isopropanol.
Which Kills More Germs – Soap or Hand Sanitizer?
An ABC News report tested alcohol-based hand sanitizers, antibacterial soap and regular soap and found that alcohol-based hand sanitizers were able to kill more E. Coli bacteria on hands than either antibacterial or plain soap. They did not find a significant advantage in using antibacterial soap rather than regular soap. In fact, there are concerns that using antibacterial soap will only produce stronger, more resistant strains of bacteria.
Notes and Cautions on Using Hand Sanitizers
Because of the high percentage of alcohol used in hand sanitizers, it’s important to keep the following points in mind.
- Don’t light up a cigarette right after using hand sanitizers. Alcohol is flammable.
- Supervise children while they are using hand sanitizers. Some children have been known to ingest it by licking their hands, which could be harmful.
- Cuts or scratches on hands may burn or sting when they come in contact with sanitizer.
Protecting kids from the sun
5 Tips for Kids Sun Protection
The temperature is heating up, and your kids are spending more time outdoors. They’re sweating; they’re swimming. They
need extra sun protection—and so do you!
The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are at their strongest during the summer, and unprotected skin can be damaged in as little as 15 minutes. While applying a SPF (sun protection factor) 30 sunscreen is important throughout the year, taking extra sun-safety precautions during the summer is especially important.
Try these tips on your next family trip to the beach, pool, playground, ballpark or amusement/water park.
1. Put on extra sunscreen
“Kids who are sweating or swimming need to reapply sunscreen more often,” says Dennis Hughes, M.D., Ph.D., a pediatric oncologist who takes care of children with melanoma at the Children’s Cancer Hospital at MD Anderson. “Reflective surfaces, such as water and sand, can intensify the sun’s rays and cause a greater burn.”
A sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 protects the skin from the sun. Apply one ounce of sunscreen (about the size of a ping pong ball) to all sun-exposed areas of the body. Don’t forget the ears, feet and behind the neck.
Because sunscreen can take up to 30 minutes to go into full effect, it’s a good idea to apply it at home before you drive to the pool or beach.
“Don’t let the kids out the door without being fully covered with sunscreen,” Hughes says. “If they’re spending time at a summer camp, make sure you give the camp counselors extra sunscreen for reapplication throughout the day.”
2. Protect lips and eyes
Choosing the right sunglasses and lip balm also can provide added UV protection for parents and kids. Apply a lip balm that offers SPF protection and reapply throughout the day. Choose wrap-around sunglasses that absorb at least 99% of UV rays to protect your eyes and the skin around your eyes.
3. Wear sun-protective clothing
While most people usually know to use sunscreen and sunglasses, few are aware of the availability of sun-protective clothing. Many companies offer a variety of sun-protective clothing with as much as ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) 50.
UPF indicates how much UV radiation can penetrate the fabric in clothing. For example, a shirt with UPF 30 means that just 1/30th of the sun’s UV radiation can reach the skin.
You can find swimsuits, hats, shirts, shorts and jackets that offer UPF protection in every color and size for both kids and adults.
“Certain items in your closet also may do the job,” says Susan Chon, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology at MD Anderson. “Wear tightly woven, dark-colored fabrics.”
“These colors and fabrics offer more protection than others,” Chon says.
According to Chon, a long-sleeved shirt may offer sun protection; however, most light-weight cotton shirts used in the summer don’t offer more than UPF 10.
“A simple way to test your tee’s UV level is to hold it up to a light bulb. If you can see the light coming through, it probably isn’t offering you maximum protection.”
4. Find or make shade
It’s always a good idea to have a place where you and your family can find shade from the sun. Plan ahead.
“Seeking shade is especially important between 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. when the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are at their strongest,” Chon says.
Depending on the activity or location, one of the options below may work for you.
- Choose parks with a covering over playgrounds. More parks are adding this feature to their kid’s play area.
- Carry a large beach umbrella. Did you know you can buy umbrellas with UPF protection? You can find a variety of good ones online.
- Put up a tent if you have the space. This is an especially good idea for large groups.
- Choose seating areas near trees.
5. Make a travel size sun-safety kit
You never know what the day has in store. At the beginning of the summer, create a travel size kit with all the items you need to keep your family sun safe. Don’t leave home without it!
Here are some basic, portable items to put in your kit.
- Sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher
- Lip balm with SPF 15 or higher
- Hat with a brim or cap
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Sunglasses with UV protection
“These are great items to keep handy in your bag to prepare for the sun as it intensifies throughout the day,” Chon says.
credit to: MD Anderson Cancer Center
by Adelina Espat
Causes of Bad Breath
Bad breath, medically called Halitosishalitosis /hal·i·to·sis/ (hal″ĭ-to´sis) offensive odor of the breath. hal·i·to·sis (h l -t s s). n. The condition of having foul-smelling breath, can result from poor dental health habits and may be a sign of other health problems. Bad breath can also be made worse by the types of foods you eat and other unhealthy lifestyle habits.
How Does What You Eat Affect Breath?
Basically, all the food you eat begins to be broken down in your mouth. As foods are digested and absorbed into your bloodstream, they are eventually carried to your lungs and given off in your breath. If you eat foods with strong odors (such as garlic or onions), brushing and flossing -- even mouthwash -- merely covers up the odor temporarily. The odor will not go away completely until the foods have passed through your body.
Why Do Poor Habits Cause Bad Breath?
If you don't brush and floss your teeth daily, food particles can remain in your mouth, which promotes bacterial growth between teeth, around the gums, and on the tongue. This causes bad breath. In addition, odor-causing bacteria and food particles can cause bad breath if dentures are not properly cleaned.
Smoking or chewing tobacco-based products can also cause bad breath, stain teeth, reduce your ability to taste foods, and irritate the gums.
What Health Problems Are Associated With Bad Breath?
Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth may be warning signs of gum (periodontal) disease. Gum disease is caused by the buildup of plaque on teeth. The bacteria cause toxins to form in the mouth, which irritate the gums. If gum disease continues untreated, it can damage the gums and jawbone.
Other dental causes of bad breath include poorly fitting dental appliances, yeast infections of the mouth, and dental caries.
The medical condition dry mouth (also called Xerostomiaxerostomia /xe·ro·sto·mia/ (zēr″o-sto´me-ah) dryness of the mouth due to salivary gland dysfunction.) can also cause bad breath. Saliva is necessary to moisten and cleanse the mouth by neutralizing acids produced by plaque and washing away dead cells that accumulate on the tongue, gums, and cheeks. If not removed, these cells decompose and can cause bad breath. Dry mouth may be caused by the side effects of various medications, salivary gland problems, or continuous breathing through the mouth.
Many other diseases and illnesses may cause bad breath. Here are some to be aware of: respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis, chronic sinus infections, postnasal drip, diabetes, chronic acid reflux, and liver or kidney problems.
What Can I Do to Prevent Bad Breath?
Bad breath can be reduced or prevented if you:
- Practice good oral hygiene. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque. Brush your teeth after you eat (keep a toothbrush at work or school to brush after lunch). Don't forget to brush your tongue, too. Replace your toothbrush every 2 to 3 months. Use floss or an interdental cleaner to remove food particles and plaque between your teeth once a day. Dentures should be removed at night and cleaned thoroughly before being placed in your mouth the next morning.
- See your dentist regularly - at least twice a year. He or she will conduct an oral examination and professional teeth cleaning and will be able detect and treat periodontal disease, dry mouth, or other problems that may be the cause of bad mouth odor.
- Stop smoking/chewing tobacco-based products. Ask your dentist for tips on kicking the habit.
- Drink lots of water. This will keep your mouth moist. Chewing gum (preferably sugarless) or sucking on candy (preferably sugarless) also stimulates the production of saliva, which helps wash away food particles and bacteria.
- Keep a log of the foods you eat. If you think the foods that you eat may be causing your bad breath, record what you eat. Bring the log to your dentist to review. Similarly, make a list of the medications you take. Some medications may play a role in creating mouth odors.
Who Treats Bad Breath?
In most cases, your dentist can treat the cause of bad breath. If your dentist determines that your mouth is healthy and that the odor is not of oral origin, you may be referred to your family doctor or to a specialist to determine the odor source and treatment plan. If the odor is due to gum disease, for example, your dentist can either treat the disease or refer you to a periodontist, a dentist who specializes in treating gum conditions.
What Products Can I Use to Eliminate Bad Breath?
You can buy a number of mouthwashes over-the-counter that claim to eliminate bad breath. However, keep in mind that many of these mouthwashes generally provide only a temporary way to mask unpleasant mouth odor. There are, however, several antiseptic mouth-rinse products available that instead of simply masking breath odor kill the germs that cause bad breath. Ask your dentist about which product is best for you.
For a quick easy cover-up when you are unable to treat the cause of your bad breath, breath mints, breath drops or breath sprays can be a safe and effective method of getting you through until you address your bad breath.
How Well Do You Know Your Sunscreen?
Repeated exposure to the sun will have its natural consequences for your skin. The best way to protect yourself is the proper use of sunscreen.
Regardless of color, skin that is repeatedly exposed to the sun tends to become tough and thick. Beyond the middle years of adulthood, the results can be even more dramatic.
Selecting a sunscreen product that offers some degree of protection from the sun's UV rays can be one way to protect your skin from these ageing affects.
Due to the variety and range of sunscreen products available, here are some basic factors to consider in making an appropriate selection:
1. Ingredients:
Sunscreen products can be made with ingredients to protect against UVA rays, and / or other ingredients to protect against UVB rays (which are in fact more harmful for sun burning than UVA rays). The best products offer ingredients for protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Consider also the actual ingredient list.
2. SPF (Sun Protection Factor):
The SPF number on the product's label refers to the strength of protection, and the length of time a sun-screening product will allow your skin to be in the sun without burning - relative to the length of time bare skin (or skin without the product applied) would burn or redden.
For example, let's say 'Danny', a young student, would normally burn after 12 minutes of being out in the sun. He applies a sunscreen, also referred to as a sun block, with an SPF of 15. This means that he should be fine for 15 times his average amount of protection time. In other words, 'Danny' is protected for up to 3 hours.
12 minutes x 15 SPF = 180 minutes (3 hours).
(Now if 'Danny' applied a sunscreen with an SPF of 30, he'd be protected for up to 6 hours.
12 minutes X 30 SPF = 360 minutes (6 hours)
3. Skin Type:
When selecting a sunscreen, it's important to consider the different skin types and how they react with exposure to the sun.
Young children: For ages 6 months+, consider a product with SPF of 15 or higher to protect against both sun tanning and burning. Also consider a product label that lists protection against both UVA and UVB rays (also known as the "broad-spectrum").
Skin Type - Very Fair: This skin type generally burns quickly. Tanning is rare. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 20 to 30.
Skin Type - Fair: This skin type almost always burns easily. Some tanning can occur, although not much. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 12 to 20.
Skin Type - Light: This skin type burns in the moderate range. Tanning is normally gradual, yielding a light brown shade. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 8 to 12.
Skin Type - Medium: This skin type burns in the minimal range. Tanning happens much of the time, yielding a moderate brown shade. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 4 to 8.
Skin Type - Dark: This skin type rarely burns. Tanning occurs big time, yielding a dark brown shade. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 2 to 4.
Skin Type - Other: This skin type includes people with moles (or whose close blood-relatives have a history of moles), people with skin cancer in their family histories (including melanoma), and people with very fair skin and hair. As this is a high-risk category for health damage from too much UV exposure, consider using sunscreen products with the highest SPF available, combined with light to moderate sun exposure.
Once you've selected the most suitable sunscreen product, and regardless of your skin type, apply your sunscreen 'before' going out into the sun's rays. To ensure the best possible UV protection, the sunscreen product should also be spread fairly thick, and in a uniform manner over all areas of the skin that will be exposed to the UV rays.
Taking appropriate care of your skin 'now' will help determine a healthier and younger-looking skin in the future.
Organic Lip Balm
OraLabs is proud to introduce our new Lip Organics line Lip Balm. For over a year, we have worked ardently with the USDA and CCOF to achieve our organic certification. Our facility, as well as our Lip Organics, have been certified in the process.
What Does That Mean?
‘Organic’ refers to how food, or related products, are produced. By eliminating the use of any and all synthetics in the ingredients and production process, we are able to create a truly 'green' lip balm
Is It Organic or Natural?
The term “organic” can only be used on products that are grown and produced without pesticides, and other harmful chemicals. Products that host the USDA Organic Seal are produced under the high standards set forth by the US Dept. of Agriculture. There is no legal definition of what the term “natural” means. Natural foods can include organic foods, but not all natural foods are organic. Look for products with the USDA Organic seal and you’ll be making the right choice for your health and the environment.
Then What's In It?
- Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*
- Beeswax*
- Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*
- Helianthus Annus (Sunflowe) Seed Oil*
- Flavor
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
Our Lip Organics line include the following ingredients:
*Organically Produced
Why Go Green?
Organic food tastes amazing! Organic food tastes better than conventional because it’s not coated with chemical residues from pesticides and fertilizers. Organic food, which often times is synonymous with local food, optimizes time by allowing food to grow at a natural pace in the garden or field. This coupled with a shorter farm to market distance ratio than means fresher food as well.
Organic food is healthy! Organic food on average contains higher Vitamin C (powerful antioxidant) levels as well as higher levels of calcium, magnesium, iron, and chromium. The bioavailability of nutrients in organic foods is at a greater level than that of conventional.
Organics are better for the environment! Organic production systems do not allow the use of chemical fertilizers which pollute our rivers and streams. Instead, organic production systems utilize composted manure and leguminous cover crops in rotation with cash crops to naturally feed nitrogen to the soil.
Organics support communities! For small farmers, organic agriculture has offered an alternative market where organically grown food commands a fair price. Workers on organic farms have reduced exposure to harsh cancer causing chemicals.
Avoid Germs in Public
The emergence of hand sanitizer dispensers as a part of our everyday lives is an indicator that public awareness of easily spread disease and infections has reached all-time highs. As unappealing as it may be, the reality of our world is that escalator railings, grocery carts and the handles of a gas pump are teeming with germs and bacteria. Viruses and bacteria are everywhere and people around the globe are taking heed in the dark shadow of H1N1, MRSA, Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Listeria, E.coli O157, Campylobacter and Clostridium perfringens.
Some germs are a necessary part of life. There are about 200 species living in symbiosis on the human body and perform necessary duties such as eating dead skin cells. Humans have more bacterial cells on them than there are human cells. You cannot, however, live inside a plastic-wrapped bubble or remain house-bound, so it becomes prudent to take a few precautions and save yourself from unnecessary illness.
Take a few simple steps to reduce your exposure to Germs:
- Be a role model. Teach good hygiene practices in home and in school. Kids learn fast and will mimic hand hygiene habits, especially if a parent or teacher shows them the "why" and "how" they can successfully keep pesky germs at bay.
- Wash your hands for the amount of time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.
- Teach children and adults to cover their mouths and avoid placing their fingers into their mouth or eye.
- To open the public bathroom door from the inside, grab a piece of paper towel, then dispose of it properly.
- Instead of using your hand to flush a public toilet, use your foot or a dispensable hand towel.
- Most grocers provide bleach wipes in the entrance; grab one on your way into the store. Wipe the handle and associated areas and then use another one on your hands.
- After visiting a public event where you shook a lot of hands, wash thoroughly before you leave the event. It's easy to contaminate the steering wheel for the next driver.
- On the way home, keep your fingers out of your mouth and do not rub your weary eyes.
- Wash your fresh produce as if your family's lives depended upon it. A friendly critter may have left a "gift" on the unwashed produce. Foreign pathogens often hitchhike into the produce aisle.
- If you favor a Jacuzzi, be sure it has been maintained properly. Upon exiting, take a cleansing soapy, rinse-off shower (Bleach cannot kill every pathogen).
- When you have a cold, frequently wash the phone, refrigerator handle, doorknobs and such. If someone near you sneeezes, leave the room till the air clears. Wash your hands frequently during the day. Keep some sanitary wipes in your wallet, school box or purse Antimicrobial lotions are good, but can be overused.
- Gas pump handles have been used by hundreds of good folks before you. Beware of department store escalator handles. The stainless counter at an inside fast food take-out can be highly contaminated. Grocery cart handles also harbor dangerous bacteria; mostly fecal matter. Beware of toilet flushing handles and lifting the seat. Beware of bathroom door handles. Turn on the water in a public toilet with a hand towel.
- When conventional hand washing is not possible, use an alcohol based hand sanitizer
Great Uses for Lip Balm
1. Tame wild eyebrows with a little lip balm. Apply it as a styling wax and stroke brows into place. Manage an unruly mustache the same way.
2. Stop the bleeding from shaving nicks. Dab on a little lip balm and stop the bleeding from most small cuts.
3. Protect your face from windburn. Stroke a little lip balm across your cheeks before heading down the slopes.
4. Remove a ring that's stuck on your finger. Smear a little lip balm around the finger in the area of the ring and work the ring off in a circular motion.
5. Rub a little lip balm with your finger up and down the teeth of a zipper to smooth its action. Zip and unzip it a few times and the lip balm acts as a lubricant to make it slide more smoothly. Do the same on the tracks of windows and drawers to make them glide more easily.
6. Prevent outdoor light bulbs from getting stuck in their sockets. Coat the threads with a little lip balm before setting them in to make removal easier.
7. Make drilling screws and pounding nails easier. Put a little lip balm on nails and screws and they virtually slide into wood.
Recent Spike in H1N1 cases
Health officials are carefully watching a spike in cases of the pandemic H1N1 flu in the Southeastern U.S.
Georgia in particular is worrisome, with 40 people admitted to hospital for the flu last week -- more than in any other state, according to Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
Georgia has outpaced the rest of the nation in laboratory-confirmed H1N1 flu cases admitted to hospitals for the past three weeks, Schuchat said in a telephone press conference.
While the death figure is lower than the 36,000 usually attributed to seasonal flu every year, Schuchat said that's misleading. Most of the deaths occurred among people younger than 65, where the death rate is five times higher than usual.
The press conference -- the first in several weeks to discuss the pandemic -- was called largely because of the situation in Georgia, she said. The rate of H1N1 disease overall nationally is lower on average than last fall.
The increase in Georgia is "unusual and we did want to spotlight that," she said.
Schuchat added that the number of hospital cases in the state is higher now than it was in early October, and since many cases of influenza-like illness are not tested for the virus, it's possible that the number is underestimated.
As well, she said, "H1N1 has been causing more disease recently in the Southeast." Georgia is one of three states reporting regional flu activity, she said. The others are Alabama and South Carolina.
Six other Southeastern states -- Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia -- plus Hawaii, New Mexico, and Puerto Rico are seeing local flu activity.
The flu that's causing anxiety in Georgia, Schuchat said, is caused by the H1N1 strain and is mainly affecting adults with underlying conditions. The virus itself has not changed, she said.
Schuchat said most of the people affected by the flu in Georgia have not been vaccinated, and indeed the state had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.
Although investigation of the spike is still under way, she said, the CDC decided to call attention to it in order to reinforce the message that vaccination remains an important preventive measure.
Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, MD, said the supply of H1N1 vaccine last week reached 24 million doses "but many Americans are still vulnerable to the H1N1 (flu) because they haven't gotten vaccinated yet."
She added that minorities are staying away from the vaccination program, even though they have higher rates of some of the underlying diseases that make the flu more dangerous.
Benjamin added that an estimated 60 million Americans have been infected by the virus, 265,000 have needed inpatient care, and nearly 12,000 have died.
While the death figure is lower than the 36,000 usually attributed to seasonal flu every year, Schuchat said that's misleading. Most of the deaths occurred among people younger than 65, where the death rate is five times higher than usual.
On the other hand, those over 65 have been "relatively spared," she said.
Schuchat added that the seasonal flu has been largely missing in action so far. "We've not seen seasonal flu in substantial numbers at all," she said.
Recent Posts
- It’s Summer Solstice
- Oobleck: Fun Summer Activity
- Teaching Children Good Hygiene
- Summer Survival Kit
- Wear Sunscreen
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