THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL... HOW TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR HOME HEALTHY, SAFE AND DELIGHTFUL
Health Expert Patricia Stark Offers Tips on Facing Winter’s Health and Wellness Challenges When You’re Hunkering-Down for the Season
The weather outside is frightful so you might be hunkering down in the house, but between the lingering house guests, the stress that keeps you from sleeping, being stuck inside can be a less-than-enjoyable experience. And, if you aren’t aware of some of the season’s challengers, from trouble sleeping to carbon monoxide poisoning, winter can be uncomfortable and even dangerous.
Medical correspondent Patricia Spark shares her top season-specific health and safety precautions so you can avoid illness and injury and enjoy the beauty of the winter season.
Patricia answers some of our winter health and safety questions:
Winter is synonymous with cold and flu. How do we keep from getting sick or spreading our virus?
Germs are on everyone’s mind during the cold and flu season, and that there are over 200 viruses cause the common cold, and symptoms include sneezing, congestion, sore throat, coughing, body aches and a slight fever. The flu shares many symptoms, but causes high fevers which can last several days, and can lead to more serious health problems. Cleanliness and some basic hygiene practices are the best way to stop germs from spreading. It’s also important to wash your hands regularly, especially when touching heavy traffic surfaces like hand rails and doorknobs. And see your doctor and remember that avoiding germs is a key to staying well.
What are some cold weather or winter maladies, and what are some simple remedies?
Approximately 80 million Americans will experience at least one cold sore outbreak this season. One product I like is Abreva, which is the only over-the-counter cold sore medication approved by the FDA to shorten healing time. It contains 10 percent docosanol, a patented active ingredient that works in a unique way deep in your skin to block the cold sore virus from entering healthy cells, and the median healing time with Abreva is 4.1 days. You can learn more at www.Abreva.com
With a stuffy nose from the common-cold, any tips on how to breathe easier and help get a good nights sleep?
As a medical correspondent and mom, I know there are many choices to help manage and treat symptoms, so you want to choose the products that are right for you. For instance, nasal decongestants or cough medicines can help you function during the day. It can be confusing with all the options out there, so seek the advice of your pharmacist if you aren’t sure which product is right for you. There is one drug-free alternative to OTC medications on the market which I really like called Breathe Right Nasal Strips. The strips relieve nighttime nasal congestion by opening your nose to help you breathe better so you can sleep better. Each Breathe Right Nasal Strip consists of a flexible, "spring-like" band that is placed across the nose. As the strip attempts to straighten back to its original shape, it gently lifts the sides of the nose, opening nasal passages, providing immediate and continual relief to help you breathe better. Visit www.BreatheRight.com to learn more.
What dangers lurk in our home that we should be aware of this winter?
According to the National Fire Protection Association, 40 percent of reported home fires start in the kitchen -- more than any other place in the home; peaking between 5pm and 8pm. Yet, it is estimated only 25 percent of households have a fire extinguisher on hand to help contain or extinguish a small fire. I like the new Kidde Kitchen Fire Extinguisher, a lightweight cylinder with a specially designed nozzle which delivers a non-corrosive, non-toxic agent that won't damage the stove and is easy to clean up. It's the only UL-listed fire extinguisher tested on small fires started with peanut and vegetable oils – the types of oils that you use when cooking meat and vegetables, and it last four times longer than any other brand and even comes with a 12-year warranty. Visit www.Kidde.com for more information.
Another danger is carbon monoxide poisoning which is leading cause of unintentional poisoning deaths in the United States. CO poisoning is often mistaken for the flu because the symptoms are so similar. Carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable yet is responsible for approximately 15,000 emergency department visits and nearly 500 deaths annually in the US according to the CDC. With furnaces and fireplaces roaring this winter, it’s so critical to remember that the silent killer – carbon monoxide – could be lurking in your home. Because you can’t see, smell or taste this deadly gas, the only way to know it is present is to have UL-approved carbon monoxide alarms in your home. Kidde makes several battery powered or plug-in CO alarms and they're sold at most home improvement retailers. For more information please visit www.Kidde.com
About Patricia Stark: Patricia Stark has been a medical news correspondent, anchor, and host for over 15 years. She began as host of “Focus on Health” a half hour medical interview program for St. Claire’s Hospital in New Jersey for two years. This was followed by three years hosting the hour long interview program “Med Talk” for St. Vincent’s Hospital in Staten Island New York. She went on to Anchor the long running national medical interview program “MDTV Medical News Now” for over 10 years with more than 500 on-air interviews covering an extensive library of health and medical topics.
