TPL

Making a List, Checking it Twice... Holiday Safety Tips

With the holiday season fast approaching, most of us are busy preparing for the holidays. In the midst of all that hustle and bustle, it's easy to forget to pay attention to common safety precautions. Particular care must be taken in households with young children. Children get overly excited while their parents and caregivers may be busy and distracted during the festivities. By taking some simple precautions, you can greatly reduce the risk of accidents. Here is a list of holiday safety tips to keep in mind:

Decorations & Ornaments

• keep tree secured in a sturdy tree stand and away from high traffic areas
• if you use a real tree, choose a fresh one and water daily
• avoid trimmings with sharp, breakable and removable parts
• use only light strings and bulbs that are certified by a recognized organization
• beware of poisonous holiday plants like mistletoe, holly and poinsettia
• do not leave burning candles unattended and keep matches & lighters out of children's reach
• do not overload electrical outlets and make sure smoke detectors are in good working order

Toy Safety

• read and follow the age label on toys. Small toys and removable parts can cause chocking in children under three
• toys with long & stretchy cords present strangulation hazard for children
• sharp edges and points can cut a child
• toy packaging can suffocate or choke a child
• ride-on toys can tip; secure staircases to avoid dangerous falls
• latex balloons and leaded paint chips can be inhaled by young children

Eating and Drinking

• beware of overeating (see previous blog)
• follow basic food safety precautions to avoid food poisoning
• do everything in moderation -- so drink responsibly!
• take a taxi or public transit or have a designated driver if you had too much to drink
• protect your guests and yourself by being a responsible host

Holiday Stress

• be aware of common holiday stress triggers so you can disarm them before they spoil the holidays
• when stressed, validate your feelings and reach out; it's ok to ask for help!
• be realistic -- holidays don't have to be perfect
• plan ahead, learn to say no and stick to a budget
• don't abandon healthy habits and make some time for yourself

Last but not least, while scurrying around, don't forget those less fortunate and give generously!

Overeating!

 'Tis the season to overeat!  Getting together with family and friends doesn't have to mean eating too much or all the wrong foods. 

Some tips to help you stop overeating include:

• Eat slowly! Take the time to enjoy the meal and savor the taste. 
  
• Eat small amounts frequently.  This will help to maintain a normal blood glucose level.
  
• Plan your portions.  Use smaller plates.
• Don't go to a holiday party hungry.  Eat a light snack before.
• Keep healthy snacks easily available.  For instance, cut up veggies and put them in a prominent place in the fridge.
• Pamper yourself with a manicure or pedicure instead of comfort food.
• Focus on good times with family and friends instead of food.

Check out the Library's new books about overeating.  To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the cover.

Here are some good websites that can provide support for overeating.

Overeaters Anonymous

MayoClinic.com Weight-Loss Help: Gain Control of Emotional Eating

Dietitians of Canada

It's Still Hurting: Chronic Pain and Its Affect on Your Life

Some days the pain seems to never end!  Chronic pain can affect your life and the lives of those around you.  It may mean missing work and not getting that promotion or it may mean missing your son's soccer game or the play you planned to see with friends.

 

 

The cause of the chronic pain is often not found but it doesn't mean the pain isn't real.  There are many good books and websites to help you find treatment options.

Some good websites include:

MayoClinic.com Chronic Pain: When No Physical Cause Can be Found

Chronic Pain Association of Canada

Canadian Pain Coalition

The Library has several new book titles about chronic pain. To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the cover.

  Dr. Jackie Gardner-Nix is an internationally respected physician and a leader in the chronic pain management field. She is a chronic pain consultant at St. Michael's Hospital and the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Canada. She is also assistant professor in the department of anesthesia at the University of Toronto.

Upcoming Health Talk, November 9, 2009

Calm Your Mind, Relax Your Body

Join speaker, Debra Joy Eklove, a teacher with the Art of Living Foundation and Sri Sri Ayurveda, to explore the four sources of energy, the seven levels of Being, and more.

When:  Monday, November 9, 2009, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Where:  Elizabeth Beeton Auditorium at the Toronto Reference Library (1 block North of Bloor)

Are you worried about colds and flus?

 
It is mid October and the weather has been getting colder. Normally when we think of the word “cold”, we naturally connect it to the word “flu”. So very often when people come up against the word “flu”, they start to feel anxious. Some may ask, “Will I end up getting sick this winter?” While you can’t avoid all risk factors, below are some tips to strengthen your immune system and lower the risk of getting the flu.

Do the Sleeve Sneeze! 
Germs and viruses stick to your bare hands, so muffling coughs and sneezes with your bare hands passes along your germs to other individuals. So when you feel a sneeze or cough is about to approach, use a tissue, and then throw it away immediately. Or if you don’t have a tissue, you could simply cough/sneeze into your sleeve. By doing that, you are lessening the spread of germs.

Wash Your Hands! 
Most cold and flu viruses are dispersed by direct contact. Someone who has the flu sneezes into their hands, and then touches the door handle, the elevator button, subway pole, the public telephone, etc. Germs can live for hours and in some cases for weeks on these objects, only to be picked up by the next person who touches them. So wash your hands thoroughly. If no sink is available, rub an alcohol-based hand sanitizer into your hands.

Exercise Regularly! 
Exercise enhances your heart to work efficiently and makes it pump larger quantities of blood; makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood; and makes you sweat once your body heats up. These exercises help increase the body's natural virus-killing cells that can be very beneficial to fight the flu virus.

Get Enough Sleep!     Studies have shown that sleep is necessary for survival. You also need good sleep so that you can function well–both mentally and physically. Good sleep can enable you to work productively, make sound judgments, avoid harm, recover from illness. The body also strengthens our immune system at this time.

Eat Well & Drink Plenty of Fluids! 
Have you ever heard the old saying, “If you eat well, you’ll feel well”? Well this isn’t to say you’ll never get sick, but a healthy lifestyle goes a long way to helping you ward off colds and flus.

Helpful Resources:
- Toronto Public Health www.toronto.ca/health
  H1N1 flu information in various languages http://www.toronto.ca/health/cdc/h1n1/multilingual_resources.htm
- Public Health Agency of Canada www.fightflu.ca
- Service Ontario www.health.gov.on.ca/en/ccom/flu/default.aspx

Prepared by Omar Mojadidi, 3rd Year Nursing Student - Ryerson University

Upcoming Health Talk

Understanding Alzheimer Disease 

Join speaker, Mercedes Hughes of the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, to learn what Alzheimer Disease is, how dramatically it affects people's lives, and ways to keep your brain healthy.

When:  Monday, October 26, 2009, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Where:  Elizabeth Beeton Auditorium at the Toronto Reference Library (1 block North of Bloor)

Naturopathic Medicine

 North York Central Library will be hosting a program on naturopathic medicine on Tuesday October 20 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.  Call 416-395-5649 to register.  This is a free program.

The speakers will be Angie Tobon, acupuncturist and Dr. Lorenzo Diana, Naturopathic Doctor.  Unfortunately James Griffin will not be available to speak as previously advertised.

Dr. Lorenzo M. Diana is a graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and York University. Since graduation, Dr. Diana has established his practice as a naturopathic doctor through a number of clinics in Ontario, located in Ajax, Markham, Mississauga and Simcoe. While he has developed an eclectic practice, he has cultivated particular expertise in women's issues, digestive disorders, chronic fatigue and preventive healthcare.

A wide range of treatment modalities including homeopathy, acupuncture and nutritional and botanical medicine is employed for the benefit of his patients.

Dr. Diana regularly contributes articles on natural health topics in various journals and magazines and has appeared as a guest on CFRB Toronto Rogers Tv and community broadcasts elsewhere.

Here is a recent naturopathic title.  To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the cover.

  

Clinical trials: Are They Right for You?

So you picked up the newspaper and discovered an ad asking for people to participate in a clinical trial for an ongoing medical problem you have.  What are clinical trials? What questions should you ask?

• Clinical trials are studies or research to find new ways of diagnosing, treating, managing or preventing a disease or condition
• They often include new drugs or therapies
• Health Canada has the authority under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations to oversee drugs used in human clinical trials

For more information check out the FAQ at Canada Trials http://canadatrials.com/FAQ.php

or the Mayo Clinic article http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/clinical-trials/DI00033

 

This title contains a checklist for potential participants to fill in before signing a consent form.

 

 

 To find a clinical trial in Canada go to http://canadatrials.com/

For cancer trials go to http://www.ontario.canadiancancertrials.ca/

or to http://www.cancer.ca/canada-wide/cancer%20research/clinical%20trials.aspx?sc_lang=en##

For a listing of clinical trials in the United States go to http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/

New Consumer Health Books to Go...

Here are a few new consumer health titles you may want to check out.  Roll your mouse over the cover of the book you are interested in to see the full title.  To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the cover. 

     

  

         

Visit our blog again for more health titles and topics of interest on health.

Eating al fresco: picnic safety tips

Want to catch the last rays of the sun? How about a picnic in the park, the beach or campground before the kids head back to school. But play it safe! Nothing spoils the fun more than getting sick from food eaten at a picnic.

The risk of foodborne illnesses increases during the summer when temperatures are warmer. Certain bacteria, like Salmonella and E. coli 0157:H7, thrive under warm and moist conditions. The "danger zone" for the rapid growth of bacteria is from 4C to 60C (40F to 140F).

Picnic food safety rules include:

• keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold
• do not cross-contaminate food
• keep hazardous foods in well insulated coolers
• transport coolers in the passenger part of the car -- NOT in the hot trunk
• cover cooler at all times and keep in the shade
• if you barbeque, cook all meat thoroughly -- use a food thermometer to check for doneness
• serve food quickly and return unused part to cooler right away
• discard all hazardous food leftovers after picnic is finished

Don't forget, basic food handling rules still apply -- even outdoors! Keep utensils, plates, cups and trays clean and wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.

Having said all that, don't worry, use common sense and enjoy your picnic. Bon Appetit!