Shannon Medical Center | Health Beat

If you or

someone

you know

is having a

stroke, call

911 right

away. Our

emergency

department

is expert

at treating

strokes.

PROPERLY POSITION

A BIKE

HELMET

Put the helmet on.

(If it’s not snug, adjust the

pads or the fit ring inside.)

Look in a mirror: The

helmet should be level.

You should see only an

inch or less (the width of

one or two fingers) be-

tween your eyebrows and

the helmet.

Adjust the straps.

They should form a V

under—and just in front

of—your ears.

Center the left buckle

under your chin.

(You

may need to lengthen or

shorten the straps.)

Buckle and tighten

the chin strap.

If you can

fit more than one or two

fingers under it, tighten

it some more. The chin

strap and both side straps

must be snug.

Check that all straps

and buckles are ad-

justed.

Move the rubber

band until it’s beside the

buckle.

Now hop on your bike.

Wearing your helmet,

you’ll be a model of safety!

SAFELY TRIM YOUR

TOENAILS

●

Remove any nail pol-

ish with a nonacetone

remover.

●

If you have thick toe-

nails, soak your feet for

10 minutes in warm salt

water (one teaspoon of

salt per pint of water).

●

To soften nails for an

easier trim, apply urea

or lactic acid cream after

you soak.

●

Always use a clean,

straight-edged nail

clipper to cut each nail

straight across. Avoid

tools with curved

blades—they can raise

your risk for ingrown

toenails.

●

With an emery board,

smooth toenail edges by

filing gently in one direc-

tion. Avoid scraping the

nail surface. And re-

member: Don’t round the

edges as you file.

Finally, if you get an

ingrown toenail, see a

podiatrist.

REMOVE

GUM

FROM A CHILD’S HAIR

●

Coat the gum with

creamy-style peanut but-

ter. You can use your fin-

gers or an old toothbrush.

●

Wait a few minutes

while the oils in the pea-

nut butter make the gum

stiffer and less sticky.

●

Remove the gum from

the hair, and wash the

child’s hair as usual.

If a bubble-blowing

contest has left its mark

on a child’s eyelashes or

eyebrows, swap the pea-

nut butter for vegetable

oil. It works on head hair

too and is probably a safer

choice in homes where

kids have peanut allergies.

ACT FAST FOR STROKE

Strokes are medical emergencies. Learn these signs and what to do:

FACE

One side

droops.

ARMS

One drifts

downward when

both are raised.

SPEECH

It’s

slurred or strange.

TIME

If you observe

any of these signs,

call 911 immediately.

You may have heard this about strokes: Time is brain. It means the sooner

someone having a stroke is treated, the better the chances of reducing long-

term disability. Knowing what time the rst symptom began is also impor-

tant. It helps doctors know what treatments to use.

RECOGNIZE

WHEN YOU’RE TOO

DROWSY TO

DRIVE

The next time you feel

tired behind the wheel,

ask yourself:

●

Am I having trouble

focusing my eyes?

●

Are my eyelids heavy

and threatening to close?

●

Have I been yawning

again and again?

●

Did I miss an exit sign

or a traffic signal?

●

Have I been tailgat-

ing or drifting into other

lanes?

●

Are the rumble strips

growling under my tires?

If you find yourself

answering “yes” more

than once, you may be

as dangerous behind the

wheel as a drunk driver.

Pull over to a safe spot,

and take a 20-minute nap.

Then honestly reassess

your fitness to drive.

KNOW IF YOU’RE

DEPRESSED

Depression can happen

to anyone. To tell if it’s

happening to you, check

any items below that ring

true:

I feel anxious, empty or

sad all the time.

I sleep too much or

not enough, or I wake up

in the middle of the night

or early in the morning.

I eat too much and

have gained weight, or my

appetite is poor and I’ve

lost weight.

I’m not interested in

things I used to enjoy,

including sex.

I feel irritable and

restless.

I have physical symp-

toms that don’t respond

to treatment (like chronic

pain or tummy troubles).

I can’t concentrate,

make decisions or re-

member things.

I’m fatigued and out

of energy.

I feel guilty, hopeless

or worthless.

I’ve thought about

death or suicide.

If you checked five or

more symptoms—and

you’ve had them for two

weeks or longer—you

might be depressed. A

qualified mental health

professional can help.

Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics;

American Academy of Dermatology;

American Cancer Society; American

Institute for Cancer Research; American

Podiatric Medical Association; Arthritis

Foundation; National Highway Traf c Safety

Administration; National Stroke Association;

National Sleep Foundation; U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services

F A S T

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5

H E A L T H

B E A T