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Best Treatments for Painful Sunburns

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Jul
03
2011
Sunburn Treatments

You enjoyed a day at the beach and now have a painful sunburn to show for it. What's the best treatment for an unexpected sunburn? While nothing will completely take away the pain and redness, there are a variety of treatments that will relieve some of the discomfort you're feeling. Here are some suggestions: 1. Discover the magic of cool water. A cool bath and the application of cool compresses to your parched skin can work wonders as far as pain relief goes. Take a cool bath without any additives. Fold a large towel and soak it in cool water. Apply the towel to your sunburned areas then lie in a cool room. Make sure you drink plenty of cold water. You want to stay well hydrated after all that sun exposure. 2. Take an anti-inflammatory medication. Aspirin and Ibuprofen help with the pain and soreness associated with sunburn. Take them as directed on the bottle until the discomfort has subsided. 3. Avoid breaking the blisters. If you have blisters associated with … [Read more...]

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Can Sitting Too Much Kill You?

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Jun
22
2011
Can Sitting Too Much Kill You

Does sitting too much increase the risk of dying prematurely? According to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, time spent sitting is even more important in determining mortality rate than the amount of structured exercise a person gets. Time Spent Sitting and the Risk of Death Researchers reviewed survey responses looking at time spent sitting and overall physical activity in 123,216 individuals as part of the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study. They discovered in healthy men and women, that the more time a person spent sitting down, the higher their risk of dying. The association was stronger in women than in men. Men who sat more than six hours a day were eighteen percent more likely to die, while women who spent the same amount of time sitting increased the risk of death by thirty-seven percent. The risk of dying was even greater in men and women who sat for long periods of time during the day and got no structured … [Read more...]

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Caring For Aging Parents

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Feb
07
2011
Caring For Aging Parents

Parents have always been the caregivers. They worked, provided food and shelter, and raised families. As our parents age, they face a reversal in that role and find themselves needing care. This can be a difficult change for aging parents to accept. In many cases, aging parents do not want to acknowledge that they need assistance. So how do we care for our aging parents without making them feel that they need it? How do we get past the pride and make their senior years as good as they should be? 1. Understand their feelings. This should be a good time in their lives, but it’s made difficult because of reduced mobility and retirement from the work force. They’re no longer needed at work and their kids have grown up, moved out and are raising families of their own – without their help. Quite naturally, they don’t feel as needed as they used to be. 2. Take payment when it’s offered. This can be a difficult one, but the offer makes our aging parents feel … [Read more...]

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Diagnosis: Walking Pneumonia

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Jan
23
2011
Walking Pneumonia

Pneumonia: a scary word, not just to spell, but to hear come out of the doctor’s mouth when you or someone you know is diagnosed with it. It’s definitely a problem for those with compromised immune systems, such as children, the elderly or those who are HIV positive but quite simply the definition of pneumonia is: an inflammation of the lungs. It can be caused by microorganisms, viruses, chemical irritants, or foreign bodies such as fungi. 'Walking pneumonia' is a type of pneumonia that, even if you let it go untreated, it won't have you confined to bed- hence the 'walking' part. It just makes the sufferer really, really miserable. Generally, the organism to blame for all this is called Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a most common and major cause in many a respiratory infection. It can be contagious but it requires prolonged contact. Those with walking pneumonia are bothered with a hacking cough and with the cough being worse at night, people sleeping in the same room would be most … [Read more...]

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