Did You Know?

Fun Facts

Shared by Diane

Did you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately - with out the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers?

Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They’ll clear up your stuffed nose.

        

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1-tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly - even though the product was never advertised for this use.

Honey remedy for skin blemished. Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection… To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer… If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can’t find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

        

Smart splinter remover: Just pour a drop of Elmer’s Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt’s Tomato Paste boil cure… Cover the boil with Hunt’s Tomato Paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

        

Balm for broken blisters… To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic.

Vinegar to heal bruises… Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief…. it’s not for breakfast any more! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

Headache Awareness

By Nurse Diane

When I chat online with a friend of mine, he is always telling me that I give him headaches asking him so many questions.  Well I do like to ask him questions because he is so smart and know something about everything, but I hope really don't give him a headache.

There are many different reasons why you might have a headache such as:

Tired, lack of sleep

Hungry

Sign of other medical problems, such as elevated blood pressure

Heredity such as migraines

Physical injury

Vision problems

Change in sleep patterns

Change in hormone levels

According to the National Headache Foundation, headaches are divided into two basic categories: primary/benign (tension-type, migraine, cluster) and secondary (organically caused). All headaches fall into one of these two categories depending on their causes and symptoms.   It's not uncommon for an individual to suffer from more than one type of headache. According to Dr. Seymour Diamond, Executive Chairman of the National Headache Foundation, people with mixed headache problems -- such as migraine with tension-type headache -- are not unusual.

When seeking treatment for your headache, start with your primary care physician. Discuss his or her experience and approach to headaches, including methods of classification, diagnosis, and treatment. Your doctor may decide to recommend you to a headache specialist, depending upon your symptoms or other physical conditions (diabetes, allergies, etc.) that require a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to your headache.

This is National Headache Awareness Week.  So instead of just taking 2 aspirins and calling me in the morning, if you are having a more serious problem with headaches, call your doctor and set up a visit.  For more information visit this site: http://www.headaches.org/content/my-headache

(Images from Google) 

Correct Posture

By Nurse Diane

I always shy away from having my picture taken.  I am usually the one taking pictures, so its easy to avoid the camera.  However I recently had a surprise birthday party, and not only were pictures being taken, but also videos!  After looking at these images, I could see my grandmother in me!  I looked like a hunched back old woman.

Nothing will help correct your posture more than seeing yourself in your natural position.  In fact, diabetes health.com suggest having a friend take posture pictures in this manner:

Have a friend take 3 pictures of you: from the front, back, and side.   Stand straight and tall when they take the picture, with what feels like good posture (No looking in a mirror to cheat!).  Print out the pictures, one to a sheet.   Next, put a dot between your feet on the front and back view, and on your ankle on the side view, and then fold each paper in half vertically, neatly at the dot.

FRONT & BACK VIEW: The two halves of your body should be the same.  If your head and/or torso is off to one side, or your arms are hanging differently (one hand is lower or further from the body than the other), your posture is not symmetrical.

SIDE VIEW: The line from your ankle should pass thru your shoulder and ear. If your head is way forward of that line, you may have a posture distortion called Forward Head Posture (FHP).

File your posture picture where you can find it.  Next year take another posture picture to note any changes.

They also suggest several posture correcting exercises such as:

All exercise is not created equal.  Exercising with poor posture can train you to stand and move poorly.  Yoga, Tai-Chi and Pilates are all great for building body awareness and control.  According to Dr. Weiniger, a smart way to exercise efficiently and get the most out of any workout is with a pre-exercise "Posture Break" to set your internal baseline.  Before taking a walk or hitting the gym Dr. Weiniger recommends these posture strengthening exercises:

STORK- Train yourself to stand tall while building good posture by balancing on one foot.  First, stand tall with your best posture, and then keep straight as you lift your thigh so your knee is at hip height.  Keep standing tall for 30 seconds on each side, focusing on keeping your body well aligned.

WALLSTAND-  Back up to a wall so your heels, buttocks, shoulders and head all lightly touch the wall while you keep everything level, relaxed and aligned-- and take 3 slow breaths, feeling your body's best posture.  Note: If you feel any areas of stress, get your posture checked by a professional.

This is Correct Your Posture Month. If you have back pain,  neck soreness, or other posture problems--- or want to find out how strengthening your posture can improve sports performance (i.e. golf, tennis, baseball) and wellness -- help is available.  Consult a Certified Posture Exercise Professional, chiropractor, physical therapist or massage therapist trained to assess posture and teach individualized exercise routines for pain management and wellness.

(All images from Google) 

The Real Means of Words

(another nice email)

Love

Sorrow

Innocence 

Departure

Pain

Respect

Compassion

Friendship 

Patience

Rescued

Best Friend

Divine

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about caring and loving your relatives and friends while you can touch and see them, and they are still among us. 

May you always walk in sunshine, my friend!!

Be especially kind to all you meet, each of us carries a burden that others can't see.
AMEN  

Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month

By Vivian Takafuji CMT, MQT, PhD

Arthritis describes a chronic inflammation of the joints of the body. Not just a disease afflicting the elderly, children can develop arthritis as well! Juvenile arthritis (JA) refers to any arthritis-related condition that develops in children or teenagers less than 18 years of age. According to the Arthritis Foundation, approximately 294,000 children are affected by some form of JA in the United States today. Localized pain and limited range of motion and flexibility in the joints are indications of JA progression. As a parent, if you notice a change in gait, the favoring of a limb over time, or persistent back or joint pain, a physician’s consultation will help determine a proper diagnosis and treatment for your child.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is an arthritic condition in children (usually before the age of 16) that is characterized by long-standing joint pain, stiffness, redness, and swelling. JRA is considered to be an autoimmune disorder in which the child’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy joint tissue. Body-wide symptoms can also be present, including high fever, rash of the trunk and extremities, and swollen lymph glands.

Treatment of JA should be conservative. When a few joints are involved, rest, gentle movement, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory supplements may be sufficient to control low-level pain and discomfort. Children who suffer with body-wide (rheumatologic) arthritis may require further medication such as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs to decrease inflammation in the body. Natural supplements such as Omega-3 fatty acids, Glucosamine, and Chondroitin may also help to lower overall inflammation levels and to improve joint function.