Common Sense Living

Archive for the ‘Recalls & Warnings’ Category

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We had another busy, busy weekend. Friday night I had to make a last ditch effort to buy some shoes to wear to my niece’s wedding on Saturday. Of course when I found the perfect pair of shoes for 9.99, they didn’t have my size. Figures right? So I ended up with some platform wedges – like I don’t look tall and skinny enough.

It was really hard walking around the farm in those. But the wedding ceremony was beautiful.

When we left the house, I forbid my daughter from carrying her cell phone. As a result, she mingled and talked to people – and gave them her full attention. Imagine that.

We did get lost between the ceremony and the reception, and we had to use the cellphones – but that’s what’s they’re for, right?

Then we went all night without a single text. She met and talked to a lot of people. She was engaging and present instead of hunched over the phone constantly texting. We had tons of fun. I almost killed myself trying to dance in those shoes.

We got home around 1:30. Long day!

The next day, we were heading out the door with our rafts to do some swimming and boating and general fun in the sun stuff. She took her cell phone and put it on the table, and off we went to have some fun.

Its amazing how much more fun you can have when you don’t feel obligated to answer that friggin thing every 30 seconds!

And how much more attractive you are when you are fully present for the people you are with.

Put down the cell phone and try life without it a little. Its wonderfully freeing.

And if you’re not sure, but you’ve heard that maybe the cell phone attached to your ear all of the time may cause brain cancer – read this article.

http://ct.cnet.com/clicks?t=846382079-ed21285e71f2fb5bd5e0b2699c8ce432-bf&brand=NEWS&s=5

Besides, the fact that they can track your every move through your GPS and cell phone sort of creeps me out. How about you?

And now that its the hottest new advertising platform – yeah, we need that too, right?

Overall, I think its just a good idea to detach and use the cell phones the way they were meant to be used instead of letting them take over your life. Radiation aside, it just seems a lot healthier to me.

If you need to reach me, leave a message

Related articles

• Cell Phones to Be “Possibly Carcinogenic,” Experts Say (fitsugar.com)
• Cell phones and the radiation risk (roundup) (news.cnet.com)
• Atrocious Thing of Using Cell Phone (socyberty.com)
• The 411 on Cell Phone Use and Teens (everydayhealth.com)
• Cell Phones The New Cigarettes? (socyberty.com)

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Right now, fear mongers are making tremendous profits pushing iodine of all things. People are buying out anything that has iodine in it all over the country. Should you rush out and get some?

Your body contains about 20 mg. of iodine on a regular basis. You do need to eat some foods with iodine every day, but with the amount of salt that people are eating, it seems that should not be a problem.

Iodine is responsible for thyroid functioning, and aids your circulatory and nervous systems. Recent research heralds iodine as some sort of a miracle drug for treating cancer and heart disease.  

You can get the most iodine from iodized salt, seafood, kelp, eggs, milk, yogurt, meat. My multivitamin has 150 mcg, which is the RDA for iodine. 

The pushers are making you believe that you should start ingesting megadoses today to fortify your body before the radioactive cloud gets here.

Here’s the thing. If you look at the maps on radiationnetwork.com, the radiation levels today are higher here than in Japan – except within the facilities themselves where heroic workers are tryin gto keep the worst from happening. Which means you don’t know who to believe. It seems at the moment – it remains a threat. Lets pray that the new electric line works. While we’re at it, let pray for all of the people. The whole thing is just unfathomable.

Number 2 – all you fast food and packaged food lovers are getting more than enough iodine. Its a wonder that your thyroid still works at all and that more people haven’t developed goiters yet.

Number 3 – Iodine will only protect you from certain cancers. If this threat is as bad as they say, there is no way humanly possible to protect yourself from every possible outcome.  

As is usally the case with talks of mega doses of nutrients to cure all sorts of ailments, the reality is that if you ate a balanced nutritious diet in the first place, you wouldn’t need to take drastic actions to try to bring your body back into nutritional balance. And if the worst happens – a last ditch effort to fil yourself with iodine isn’t going to do much to save you.

So take all the scare stuff with a grain of salt. OK, a few grains – just to be on the safe side

That’s not to say there’s nothing to worry about. I’m just saying, don’t fall victim to profiteering. As I was watching videos of people being tested for radiation, I felt like I was watching a remake of The Stand. I think I’m going to re-read Revelation. I really hate that part about the stinging locusts that will torture you for 5 months.

What’s the scariest part for you?

Related articles

• How iodine protects against radiation (socialdiets.wordpress.com)
• Fallout (huntgathermedicine.wordpress.com)
• Two Doctors Discuss Iodine for Radiation Exposure (fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com)
• Protective effect of thyroidectomy for those exposed to radioactive iodine? (ask.metafilter.com)

HYPERTHERMIA: TOO HOT FOR YOUR HEALTH
Heat-Related Illness Advice for Older People

Hot summer weather can pose special health risks to older adults. The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, has some advice for helping older people avoid heat-related illnesses, known as hyperthermia.

Hyperthermia is an abnormally high body temperature caused by a failure of the heat-regulating mechanisms of the body to deal with the heat coming from the environment. Heat fatigue, heat syncope (sudden dizziness after prolonged exposure to the heat), heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are commonly known forms of hyperthermia. Risk for these conditions can increase with the combination of outside temperature, general health and individual lifestyle.

Lifestyle factors can include not drinking enough fluids, living in housing without air conditioning, lack of mobility and access to transportation, overdressing, visiting overcrowded places and not understanding how to respond to hot weather conditions. Older people, particularly those with chronic medical conditions, should stay indoors on hot and humid days, especially when an air pollution alert is in effect. People without air conditioners should go to places such as senior centers, shopping malls, movie theaters or libraries. Cooling centers, which may be set up by local public health agencies, religious groups and social service organizations in many communities, are another option.

Health-related factors that may increase risk include:
– Being dehydrated.
– Age-related changes to the skin such as poor blood circulation and inefficient sweat glands.
– Heart, lung and kidney diseases, as well as any illness that causes general weakness or fever.
– High blood pressure or other conditions that require changes in diet. For example, people on salt-restricted diets may increase their risk. However, salt pills should not be used without first consulting a doctor.
– Reduced perspiration, caused by medications such as diuretics, sedatives, tranquilizers and certain heart and blood pressure drugs.
– Taking several drugs for various conditions. It is important, however, to continue to take prescribed medication and discuss possible problems with a physician.
– Being substantially overweight or underweight.
– Drinking alcoholic beverages.

Heat stroke is a life-threatening form of hyperthermia. It occurs when the body is overwhelmed by heat and unable to control its temperature. Someone with a body temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit is likely suffering from heat stroke and may have symptoms of confusion, combativeness, strong rapid pulse, lack of sweating, dry flushed skin, faintness, staggering, possible delirium or coma. Seek immediate emergency medical attention for a person with any of these symptoms, especially an older adult.

If you suspect that someone is suffering from a heat-related illness:
– Get the person out of the sun and into a shady, air-conditioned or other cool place. Urge them to lie down.
– If you suspect heat stroke, call 911.
– Encourage the individual to shower, bathe or sponge off with cool water.
– Apply a cold, wet cloth to the wrists, neck, armpits, and/or groin, places where blood passes close to the surface of the skin, and the cold cloths can help cool the blood.
– Offer fluids such as water, fruit and vegetable juices, but avoid alcohol and caffeine.

For a free copy of the NIA’s AgePage on hyperthermia in English or in Spanish, contact the NIA Information Center at 1-800-222-2225 or go to <http://www.niapublications.org/agepages/hyperther.asp> or <www.niapublications.org/agepages/hyperther-sp.asp> for the Spanish-language version.

The NIA leads the federal effort supporting and conducting research on aging and the medical, social and behavioral issues of older people. For more information on research and the aging, go to <www.nia.nih.gov>.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation’s Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit <www.nih.gov>.

Not because the bird might fly into the pan and get burned or killed – but because the fumes from your non-stick cookware can kill it.

Seriously, there is a warning on a non-stick pan from a well respected manufacturer -

“*Keep small children away from the stove while you are cooking. Nonstick cookware can emit fumes harmful to birds. Never cook with birds or small pets in or near the kitchen..”

Anodized cookware is supposed to be safe, but I heard a lot of complaints about handles getting hot and surfaces scratching easily, even though they’re not supposed to, and pans not looking so good after a year. And that stuff isn’t cheap either.

I have missed my waterless cookware ever since my ex-husband took my waterless cookware in the divorce. Can you believe it? And that stuff costs a left lung.

I was really happy to find this set, and for that price? I had to ask “Whats wrong with it?” I went into the reviews and there was only one negative review from a lady who apparently got a defective one. All of the other reviews were great.

I guess its our lucky day! Woo-Hoo!

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If you haven’t heard, there has been a recall on all Slim Fast drinks in cans. For more information on the Slim Fast Recall >>>

I’m assuming that if you read this blog – you don’t have any, right?

Why? It’s milk, sugar, and chemicals. If you want a safe way to lose weight that actually works >>>