With Winter Approaching, When Was the Last Time You Check Your Carbon Monoxide Detector

Having a working carbon monoxide detector is important all year along, but it becomes especially important during the winter months. 

As the cold moves into your area, you need to check if you have inspected your detectors.

When the temperatures drop, many tend to close up the house, including the windows and doors, to try and save money on utilities.  The problem with this is, if you do have a carbon monoxide leak, you are allowing it to build up, with nowhere to go.  One of the most common sources of the toxic, odorless gas are heaters and furnaces, which are used more in the winter months.

Many issues can be avoided just by making sure you have regular maintenance done on all household heating appliances.  With winter on its way, this is the time to bring in a trained and certified technician to ensure that everything is in proper working order.  It is also important to make sure that if you are using a space heater or other portable heater, you exercise caution while using them.

Another danger that comes with the cold weather is that many people opt to heat up their cars in the garage.  If you do this with the garage doors closed, the gas from the running car has nowhere to escape and carbon monoxide will back up into the home.  If you do warm up your car, make sure to open the garage doors and windows.

It is a requirement to have a carbon monoxide detector on every level of a home and within 15 feet of all the sleeping areas.

Carbon monoxide poising can cause flu-like symptoms including headache, nausea, vomiting and dizziness.  In severe cases it can even cause death.  If you do experience any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately if suspect you might have been exposed to carbon monoxide.

Adapted from: http://www.wgem.com/story/20091355/the-importance-of-knowing-about-co-in-the-winter

'Tis the Season...for the Flu

Fall is in full swing and that means influenza (flu) season is here, too. The flu is caused by viruses that infect your nose, throat and lungs. It's easily spread from person to person, so be sure to follow these tips to protect yourself and your family: 

  •   Wash your hands frequently
  •   Keep your home and office clean and disinfected
  •   Get a flu vaccination
  •   Know when to stay home from work or school

Want more details? Keep reading to learn more about how to avoid the flu this season.

Wash Your Hands
Proper hand washing can prevent the spread of colds, flu and other common illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests using this technique when washing your hands: Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Rub your hands together to make a lather and continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds. Rinse well under running water.

Stay healthy this season by washing your hands in these instances:

  •   After sneezing or coughing
  •   After handling pets
  •   Before eating or touching food
  •   After using the bathroom/toilet
  •   When they are filmy, sticky or visibly dirty

Disinfect Your Home and Office
It's important to keep your home and workplace clean and disinfected to avoid spreading germs. Cleaning with soap and water removes dirt and most germs, but disinfecting actually kills germs.

Use antibacterial wipes to kill germs from commonly used spaces in your home or office. Examples include countertops, faucet handles, doorknobs, desktops, phones, computer screens and keyboards.

 

Get a Flu Vaccine
Everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine. It's especially important for certain people to get the vaccine, including:

  •   People with certain medical conditions, like asthma, diabetes and
      chronic lung disease.
  •   Pregnant women.
  •   People ages 65 and older.
  •   People who live with or care for those at high risk of developing serious
      complications, such as caregivers of people with certain medical
      conditions, including asthma, diabetes and chronic lung disease.

Even if you've received a flu vaccine in the past, you should get one each year. That's because flu viruses are always changing and it's possible that a new flu strain will appear each year. By getting a vaccination each year, you are getting the best protection.

Learn more about the seasonal flu vaccine by visiting the CDC website.

 

Know When to Stay Home
If you have symptoms of the flu, stay home from school or work until you are fever-free (without the help of fever-reducing medicine) for at least 24 hours.

Common Cold Prevention May Not Come from Taking Vitamin D

 

 

 

October 4, 2012

Looking for a quick and easy way to prevent the common cold in the upcoming winter season?  A recent study indicates that you may not be able to turn to a previous remedy of taking Vitamin D.

The average American adult will catch anywhere from 2 to 4 cold per year whereas a child can catch up to 10.  Past studies have shown that taking Vitamin D may provide a boost to your immune system.  Other studies have also shown that those with lower levels of Vitamin D are more susceptible to catching colds or other upper respiratory infections (URTIs).

The Vitamin D theory was recently done over an 18 month period in New Zealand.   In the study, a group of 322 healthy adults were instructed to take a either a Vitamin D supplement or a placebo.  Those who were in the vitamin supplement group were given 200,000 international units (IU) each month, or about 6,600 units a day for two months and 100,000 IU once a month or about 3,300 a day for the remainder of the study.  The recommendation by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies located in Washington, DC is 600 IU of vitamin D daily and 800 IU daily for those over 70.

Participants in the study were instructed to tell the researchers when they felt like they were having upper respiratory symptoms.  At that time, a swab of their nose was taken to see if they have the cold virus.  At the end of the study, it was that there were 593 incidents of respiratory infections with an average of 3.7 colds per participants in the Vitamin D group.  In the placebo group there were 611 incidents of URTIs, with an average of 3.8 per person.  The average number of missed days of work was 12.  In terms of statistics, there was no noticeable difference between the two groups.

"The main finding from this study is that a monthly dose of 100,000 IU of vitamin D3 in healthy adults did not significantly reduce the incidence or severity of URTIs. This result remained unchanged when the analysis included winter season or baseline [vitamin D] levels," the authors wrote.

Dr. Jeffrey Linder, an assistant professor at the Harvard Medical school and a practicing specialist in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston stated that he believe Vitamin D should be added to the list of other cold remedies considered to be harmful or ineffective.  Others on the list include: Chinese herbs, asthma intranasal drugs, nasal irrigation, antiviral drugs, zinc, garlic, and Vitamin C.

In contrast, Ronald Eccles, the director of the Common Cold Center and a professor at Cardiff School of Bioscience at Cardiff University located in Wales, told BBD that this study does not necessarily prove that Vitamin D is not effective.  He stated that it does help to boost your immune system and he personally takes it every day.

"There is sufficient information to indicate that vitamin D is a vital vitamin for the immune system," he said.

The study was published in the October 2, 2012 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association.

 

Adapted from CBSnews.com “Vitamin D may do nothing to prevent common colds” Michelle Castillo / CBS News / October 3, 2012