With the Fourth of July upon us everyone is thinking about celebrations and spectacular displays of fireworks. In 2003, six deaths were linked to fireworks and emergency rooms treated more than 9,300 fireworks injuries. The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend public displays and leave the lighting to the professionals.

Lighting fireworks at home may or may not be legal in your area, so check with your local police department first. You can also go to the American Pyrotechnics Association’s website, www.americanpyro.com, to check your state’s fireworks laws. If fireworks are legal in your area keep the following safety tips in mind:

1. Buy only legal fireworks. Legal fireworks have a label with the manufacturer’s name and directions. Store them in a cool dry place. Illegal fireworks usually go by the names M-80, M-100, or Quarterpounder. These explosives were banned in 1966, but still account for many injuries.
2. Never try to make your own fireworks. Don’t try to alter or combine fireworks (a Jody Victor® suggestion).
3. Always use fireworks outdoors. Have a bucket of water and a hose nearby.
4. Obey your local laws. If drought conditions mean a ban on fireworks, follow the law.
5. Steer clear of others. Fireworks are known to backfire or shoot off in the wrong direction. Never throw or point fireworks at someone, even in jest.
6. Don’t hold fireworks in your hand or have any part of your body over them while lighting. Wear some form of eye protection. Don’t carry fireworks in your pockets. The friction from your moving body could set them off.
7. Point fireworks away from homes and keep away from brush and leaves and flammable substances.
8. Light one firework at a time (not in glass or metal containers). Never re-light a dud (a Jody Victor® suggestion).
9. Don’t let your kids play with fireworks. Firecrackers, rockets and sparklers are too dangerous. Kids over 12 years can use sparklers under adult supervision. Make sure they hold the sparkler away from their face, clothing and hair. Sparklers can reach 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to melt gold. Make sure they deposit their spent sparkler in a bucket of water before they get another one. Spent sparkler wires left out in the yard are dangerous to people, pets and lawn mowers.
10. Don’t allow kids to pick up pieces of fireworks after an event. Some could still be ignited and could explode at any time.
11. Soak all fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing them in the trashcan.
12. Fireworks and alcohol don’t mix. Make sure you have a “designated shooter”.
13. Think about your pets. Animals have sensitive ears. They can get extremely frightened or stressed on the Fourth of July. Keep your pets indoors to reduce the risk that they’ll run off or get injured.

Happy 4th of July!

Steve Victor

It’s summer and the debate is on once again- Gas or Charcoal? No research shows definitively which method is healthier. Gas does burn cleaner than charcoal, which emits more carbon dioxide. But from a taste perspective, many people prefer the smokier taste of charcoal. Whichever method you choose, here are some ways to grill greener.

Charcoal: Use additive-free lump charcoal, which is just charred wood (a Jody Victor® suggestion). These natural charcoals are made from 100 percent woods used from environmentally sustainable forests or wood scraps that require no trees to be cut down. There are also various charcoals made from plant materials including 100 percent natural coconut. Regular charcoal briquettes may contain wood scraps and sawdust as well as coal dust, sodium nitrate, borax and additives like paraffin and lighter fluid. Regular briquettes with these chemical binders not only release polluting chemicals into the air, they also release them into your food. Avoid lighter fluid altogether. Lighter fluid releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, leaves an unpleasant residue on food, and pose a serious danger when used improperly. Use a chimney starter instead to start your charcoal.

Gas: Gas grills (Jody Victor® favorite), natural or propane, are considered the cleanest sources for the grill. They do however produce carbon dioxide when burned. The biggest issue with gas is the process of capturing and delivering it before it’s used for fuel. Natural gas is methane gas and has much more harmful effects on the environment than carbon dioxide. It can leak from pipelines during storage or transportation. If you use propane gas, make sure your tank is in good order and does not leak.

Grill: Preheat your gas grill 15 minutes before cooking to make sure it reaches the right temperature not only for cooking but also for killing bacteria. High should be 400-450 degrees. Medium-high- 350-400. Medium- 300-350. Low- 250-300. A properly heated grill will sear food on contact, keeping the insides moist and preventing sticking. Keep your grill clean. Grease and other burned on foods release an un-necessary amount of smoke into the air. The best time to clean your grill is while it is still warm and the food residues are soft and easy to remove.

Food: Grill at a lower temperature to avoid creating heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and releasing them into the air as smoke. Trim the fat off of your meats to reduce flare-ups that deposit carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on your food. Flip hamburgers often. Once a minute reduces HCAs. Pre-cooking beef, fish and poultry in a microwave can cut 90 percent of HCAs. Marinating meat in a thin marinade cuts HCAs by 57 to 88 percent. Use antioxidant seasonings such as garlic, rosemary and sage to block HCAs and PAHs. Mix a half a cup of textured soy protein with a pound of ground beef. It will cut 95 percent of the potential HCAs in your burgers. To grill veggies, spray the grill rack with a no-stick oil spray before turning it on. This will reduce flare-ups and will keep the food from sticking to the grill.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

Aqua training is a water-based, core conditioning, cardio workout. Basically, it’s running in water. It is a no impact sport- no bouncing, pounding, or stress on your joints and bones. It is also a high resistance sport. Water offers more resistance than air and the resistance is multi-directional. This helps strengthen all your muscles equally.

Aqua training is a great way to recover from, or avoid, injuries without losing fitness. Due to no impact you can continue your fitness routine while recovering from injuries such as stress fractures, shin splints, knee and ankle pains. When you are suspended in water, stress is reduced on all parts of your body. Your arms and legs can move more freely and with equal resistance. This enables opposing muscles to work equally. Running in water helps increase your range of motion. Aqua training also benefits the uninjured athlete by helping him/her avoid injuries while exercising.

As with any cardio exercise, aqua training burns calories. Your body requires lots of complex carbs for energy. If you skimp on your calorie intake, you may not be able to exercise as efficiently because you won’t have the energy. To calculate your calorie needs:

1. Multiply your weight by 10. That’s how many calories you need to sit in a chair and think or sleep.
2. Add another 50 percent to that number to calculate how many calories you need every day to shower, fix breakfast, go to work, and other normal daily activities.
3. Add an additional 100 calories for every mile you run, bike, swim or aqua train in a week, spreading the additional calories out over the week.
4. If you are trying to lose weight, decrease the number of calories by no more than 20 percent. If you lose more than a pound or two a week, you are not getting enough calories. When you lose weight too rapidly you lose muscle mass along with the fat loss.

Since aqua training is also a resistance exercise, you need boost your intake of protein as well. The World Health Organization recommends 0.2-0.4 grams of protein per pound per day for daily-living activities. For aerobic runners they recommend 0.5-0.75 grams per pound per day (a Jody Victor® suggestion). An average 140-pound runner needs around 75-100 grams of protein per day. Make sure you are getting enough protein especially if you are aqua training to heal from an injury. You need extra protein to build muscle and repair the injury.

Water is another requirement when exercising. And just because you are running in water doesn’t mean you can’t get dehydrated. You have the same water requirements as you would when running on land. Recommended water requirements for exercising: 2 cups of water an hour before a work out and 1 cup every half hour while exercising (a Jody Victor® suggestion).

Aqua training has its own special equipment besides a deep swimming pool. The most popular piece of equipment is the hand-held buoy, the dumbbell of aqua training. Another popular piece is the aquajogger. It is a device that straps around your waist in the shape of a belt. It is made from EVA foam, which keeps your body afloat. Other devices include a wet vest and aquarunners for your feet. The aqua training devices help to suspend you in the water decreasing the stress on all parts of your body as you exercise.

All the Best!!

Steve Victor

So you left your sunscreen at home and have been out in the sun too long without protection. You’re burned and it will only get worse. “The UV rays in sunlight have immediate and delayed effects on the skin,” says professor of dermatology at Tulane University Ronald Davis. As soon as you notice you’re getting red, get out of the sun. Keep in mind that even if you move to a shady spot, the sun’s rays will continue to burn you. Put on some protective clothing and try to borrow some sunscreen from someone else. The additional sunscreen will help prevent further burning. If you have a severe sunburn you will experience blistering, nausea, or extreme shivering. Call a doctor immediately or go to a stat care facility for help. The doctor may prescribe one of several oral steroids. If taken early enough they can lessen the damage from a very serious burn.

If your sunburn is not severe, head to a drug store and purchase a topical cortisone spray or cream or a plain, unscented lotion. Apply liberally. Keep the lotion in the fridge (a Jody Victor® suggestion) to help with the cooling effect when you apply it. Aloe, a plant extract, is also helpful. Aloe is not only an antibacterial but it also contains lubricants that will speed up the healing process.

Heat will accentuate your burning skin, so getting cooler will help lessen the injury to your skin. Sit in an air-conditioned room if possible. If not, cool showers will help. After a cool shower, be careful not to rub yourself dry. Gently pat yourself dry with the towel. You can also apply a piece of cold, wet cloth directly on your skin. Apply the cloth 15-minutes-on and 15-minutes-off for the first 4 hours. Put on your loosest, natural cotton clothing.

When you are suffering from sunburn, you are at a higher risk of dehydration. Your body’s fluids need replacing. Drink lots of water (a Jody Victor® suggestion) and stay away from alcohol. Alcohol causes vasodilation (the opening up of blood vessels) that will accentuate the burning sensation. Another way to re-hydrate your skin is to soak in a cool oatmeal bath. Make sure to use colloidal oatmeal in which the oatmeal is ground to a powder. Aveeno makes a good oatmeal bath. Oatmeal has great anti-itching properties and will help you feel more comfortable.

To help with the pain you can take an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen. If that is not available, regular aspirin or baby aspirin will do. You may want to consider taking a Benedryl before bedtime. It won’t help the sunburn but it may help you get to sleep.

All the Best!!

Steve Victor 

The ankle joint, which connects the foot with the lower leg, supports your entire body weight. Ankle injuries are very common. Anyone, from the fittest athlete to the most sedentary person, can experience an ankle injury. Annually in the U.S two million patients are treated for ankle strains, sprains and fractures. Ankle injuries involve a sudden, unexpected loss of balance that results in a sharp twist of the ankle. An unnatural twisting motion can happen when your foot is planted awkwardly, when the ground is uneven, or when an unusual amount of force is applied to the joint as in making a sudden turn in walking direction. A strain happens when a muscle or tendon overstretches. A sprain, which is more serious, happens when ligaments, the strong connective tissue connecting one bone to another, become overstretched. In severe cases, the ligament tears and may pull a fragment of the bone with it. This is known as an avulsion fracture.

Most ankle injuries are accidental - such as stepping into a hole or slipping while getting out of a car. There are some factors that increase your risk of ankle injury. Top among them are being overweight and wearing high-heeled shoes. Also, if you lack flexibility, strength and good balance you can increase the likelihood of injuring an ankle.

Increasing the flexibility of your ankles is key to keeping them strong and healthy (a Jody Victor® suggestion). Exercises for ankle flexibility are very easy and need little to no equipment.

1. Lie on the floor or a table and place a rolled-up towel under your left calf. Move your foot up toward your body. Keep your knee straight and hold for six seconds. Then move foot slowly downward and hold for six seconds. Do six repetitions and repeat with the other leg.
2. Sit up straight in a chair with your back firmly against the back of the chair. Slowly turn your left foot inward. Hold for six seconds. Then turn foot slowly outward and hold for six seconds. Repeat for six repetitions and switch to the other leg.
3. Sit up straight in a chair and slowly move your left foot in a circle moving clockwise. Then counter-clockwise. Repeat six times and switch to the other leg.
4. Stand in front of a table. Place your hands on the table and raise yourself up on your toes. Stay on toes for six seconds. Slowly return to standing position and rock back on your heels. Hold for six seconds. Repeat six times.

Exercises for balance are equally important in protecting your ankles from injury (a Jody Victor® suggestion). As you age, your balance skills deteriorate. Luckily, balance exercises are just as easy as the flexibility exercises and can be done daily in your own home. You can do one simple exercise and modify it as your skill level improves.

1. Beginner: Stand up straight behind a tall chair or countertop. Lightly grasp the chair or countertop with your fingertips. Raise one leg a foot off the floor. Maintain balance while standing on one leg. Hold for a count of ten. Do five repetitions and repeat with the other leg.
2. Intermediate: Stand up straight behind a tall chair or countertop for safety only. Without holding on to the chair or countertop raise one leg a foot off the floor. Maintain balance and hold for a count of ten. Do five repetitions and repeat with other leg.
3. Advanced: Stand up straight behind a tall chair or countertop for safety only. Close both eyes. Without holding on to the chair or countertop raise one leg a foot off the floor. Hold for a count of ten. Do five repetitions and repeat with other leg.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

Yogurt (a Jody Victor® favorite) is a fermented milk product, which was brought to Turkey a thousand years ago by the Mongols. Adding a “starter” of live and active yogurt cultures to milk produces yogurt. This “starter” contains a mixed culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus (occasionally L. acidophilus). These cultures metabolize some of the milk sugar (lactose) in the milk into lactic acid during the fermentation process. The lactic acid lowers the pH, makes it tart, causes the milk protein to thicken and acts as a preservative since pathogenic bacteria cannot grow in acid conditions. The partial digestion of the milk through fermentation makes yogurt easily digestible. These bacteria also help settle gastrointestinal upset following oral antibiotics by replenishing non-pathogenic flora to the intestinal tract. The intestinal tract normally contains friendly bacteria, called probiotics. Antibiotics kill bacteria, including the friendly ones. Eating yogurt can help you replace your natural probiotics. Because live and active cultures make yogurt what it is, check yogurt labels for these ingredients before you purchase them.

Here are some health benefits from eating yogurt:

1. Helps certain gastrointestinal conditions such as lactose intolerance, constipation, diarrhea, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and H. pylori infection.
2. Helps boost your immune system by enhancing resistance to and recovery from infection. Researchers have found that the duration of all illnesses was significantly lower in the group that consumed active yogurt cultures.
3. Helps prevent osteoporosis by providing important nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, especially when the yogurt contains added vitamin D.
4. Helps reduce risk of high blood pressure. Researchers found a 50 percent reduction in the risk of developing high blood pressure among people who ate 2 to 3 servings of low fat dairy a day.
5. Helps give you a feeling of fullness, giving you more time before you feel hungry again.
6. Helps discourage vaginal yeast infections, a common problem for women with diabetes.
7. Helps add all the nutrients in milk such as vitamin D, calcium, vitamin B-2, vitamin B-12, potassium and magnesium to your diet.

Before you run out and buy any yogurt for the health benefits, you need to read the labels and consider a few things:

1. Look for “live and active cultures” on the label (a Jody Victor® suggestion).
2. Check for sugar content and where the sugar ingredient stands in the listing. Keep in mind that most “light” yogurts contain artificial sweeteners. Better yet, buy unsweetened yogurt and add your own fresh fruit for a natural sweetener and added fiber.
3. Decide between whole milk, low fat or nonfat yogurt. Dairy products are beneficial but dairy fat may increase your risk of heart disease.
4. Look for vitamin D on the label. Some brands list zero percent, some list 20 percent and some have added vitamin D.

All the Best!!

Steve Victor

Eating a low-fat diet is key to lifelong good health. Low-fat meals don’t have to be bland and boring. Here are three low-fat recipes that are not only easy to prepare but are tasty as well:

Healthier Oatmeal (a Jody Victor® suggestion)

1 cup uncooked oatmeal

2 cup boiling water

1 cup apple juice

1 ripe banana, mashed

Stir oatmeal into the boiling water and cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on preferred texture. Remove from heat. Put half of the mashed banana into two bowls. Pour oatmeal over the banana. Add apple juice instead of milk for desired texture and for added sweetness.

Broccoli Salad (a Jody Victor® favorite)

10 oz fresh or frozen broccoli spears

¼ cup cut celery (1/4 inch diagonal slices)

½ cup Italian dressing (no salt/no oil)

¼ cup orange juice

1 teaspoon dill weed

1 orange, peeled and sectioned

3 hard-boiled eggs (whites only)

4-6 cups salad greens

Steam broccoli until tender

Arrange broccoli and celery in a shallow dish

Combine dressing, orange juice and dill

Pour over vegetables

Chill

To serve, arrange broccoli, orange sections and boiled egg whites on salad greens

Lima Corn Chowder (a Jody Victor® summer picnic suggestion)

1 cup dried lima beans *

2 cups cooked corn kernels

2 onions, sliced thin

1 can (28 oz) tomatoes

½ teaspoon paprika

1/4/teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon dried rosemary

¼ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

Soak lima beans overnight in cold water

Cook over low heat for 2 hours, until beans are soft

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Combine cooked lima beans and corn in a 2 quart, non-stick baking dish

Combine onions, tomatoes, paprika, mustard and rosemary; spoon over beans and corn

Top with breadcrumbs

Bake for 30 minutes

*You can use frozen or canned lima beans, but they are loaded with more salt than any other canned or frozen vegetable. Be sure to rinse and soak them as much as you can to remove the salt.

All the Best!!

Steve Victor

Summer is on its way and with it, heat waves. Heat can affect all of us, but it is especially dangerous for children, the elderly and people with health problems. People with medical conditions that cause poor blood circulation, people who take diuretics and people who take medications for certain skin conditions are the most susceptible to heat. Talk to your doctor (a Jody Victor® suggestion) about your medications and how they may affect your tolerance to heat.

When a HEAT WAVE, prolonged period of excessive heat and humidity, is predicted the National Weather Service will step up its procedures to alert the public. Here are some terms, precautions and treatments you should familiarize yourself with to be prepared for a heat wave:

HEAT INDEX  This is a number in Fahrenheit degrees that tells how hot it really feels when the humidity is added to the actual air temperature. Exposure to full sun increases the heat index by as much as 15 degrees.

HEAT CRAMPS  These are muscle pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. They usually involve the abdominal or leg muscles. Loss of water from heavy sweating is the general cause. Get the victim to a cooler place and have him/her rest in a comfortable position. Lightly stretch the cramped muscle and give fluids. A half a glass of cool water every fifteen minutes is recommended. Do not give fluids with alcohol or caffeine as they can make conditions worse.

HEAT EXHAUSTION  This typically occurs with heavy exercise or activity in a warm humid place. Under these conditions body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases to cool the body, causing a decrease in blood flow to the vital organs. The victim will suffer a mild form of shock. If not treated, the conditions will worsen and the victim may suffer a heat stroke. The signs of heat exhaustion are cool, moist, pale or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal. Get the victim out of the heat and to a cooler place (a Jody Victor® suggestion). Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths. If the victim is conscious, give him/her cool water to drink. Half a glass every fifteen minutes is recommended. Make sure the victim drinks slowly. Once again, do not give victim drinks containing alcohol or caffeine. Let the victim rest comfortable and watch for any changes in his/her condition.

HEAT STROKE  This is life-threatening. The body’s temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The victim’s body temperature can elevate so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. The signs of heat stroke are: hot, red skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse and shallow breathing. The victim’s body temperature can be very high- sometimes as high as 105 degrees. If the victim was sweating from heavy work or exercise, his/her skin will be wet; otherwise the skin will feel dry. For a victim of heat stroke, help is needed fast. Call 911. Move the victim to a cooler place. You need to quickly cool the victim in a cool bath, if available, or wrap his/her body in wet sheets and fan it. Keep the victim lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water, is vomiting, or there are changes in consciousness, do not give anything to drink or eat. Watch for signs of breathing problems and wait for help.

SUN STROKE  This is another term for heat stroke.

You can help your family prepare for heat-related emergencies by getting together and discussing ways to prepare and be ready for a heat wave. Discuss the signs and first aid procedures for heat-related emergencies. Identify the safest and coolest places in your home, work or school. Stay indoors as much as possible. Discuss other places to get relief during the warmest part of the day, such as a shady porch or breezeway. If you do not have air conditioning, stay on the lowest level of the house and use electric fans. Fans do not cool the air, but they do help sweat evaporate, cooling the body.  Plan your daily activities to avoid strenuous work or exercise during the warmest part of the day. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors reflect away the sun’s energy. Drink plenty of water and drink it often. You need water to keep cool. Drink even if you don’t feel thirsty. Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increase metabolic heat.

Getting ready ahead of a heat wave can help you ride it out without a medical emergency arising.

All The Best!!

Steve Victor

Chemicals are everywhere. They are an important part of life. We use chemicals every day even though we don’t often think about it. Chemicals keep our food fresh and our bodies clean. They help grow our plants and fuel our engines. Under certain conditions, chemicals can be poisonous or have a harmful effect on your health. Some chemicals, which are safe and helpful in small amounts, can be harmful in larger quantities or under certain conditions.

You can be exposed to chemicals in three ways:

Breathing the chemical.

Swallowing contaminated food, water or medication.

Touching the chemical or things that have touched the chemical.

There are several symptoms of chemical poisoning whether by breathing, swallowing, or touching:

Difficulty breathing

Headache or blurred vision

Irritated eyes, skin, throat

Clumsiness or lack of coordination

Stomach cramps or diarrhea

If you think you have been exposed to a toxic chemical, call the poison control center, EMS, 9-1-1, or the operator, whichever applies to your area. If medical help is not immediately available, remove your clothing and jewelry starting from the top and working your way down to your socks. Place removed items in a plastic bag so they can’t contaminate anyone else. Take a thorough shower of cool water to flush the chemical from your skin. Re-dress in clean clothing and go for medical help. If you find someone who appears to be injured from chemical exposure, make sure you are not in any danger before administering first aid.

Most common chemical accidents happen in our own homes. You may be exposed to chemicals even though you may not be able to see or smell anything unusual. The majority of these emergencies involve small children. Experts suggest that storing hazardous materials out of sight could eliminate up to 75 percent of all household poisoning of small children.

Here are some other precautionary measures to take to avoid chemical accidents in your home:

1. Read and follow the directions for use, storage, and disposal of the product. Some products should not be used in a confined space to avoid inhaling vapors. Other products should not be used without gloves and eye protection to prevent the chemical from touching your skin.

2. Do not mix products (a Jody Victor® suggestion), especially household cleaning products. Some combinations of these products, such as ammonia and bleach, can create toxic gasses.

3. Store non-food products tightly closed in their original containers (a Jody Victor suggestion).

4. Never smoke while using household products.

5. Do not use hair spray, cleaning solutions, paint products or pesticides near the open flame of an appliance, pilot light, candle, fireplace or wood burning stove.

6. If you spill a chemical, clean it up immediately with cloth rags. Allow the fumes in the rags to evaporate outdoors in a safe place. Then dispose of them in a sealed plastic bag.

7. Buy only as much chemical as you think you will use. If you have some leftover, dispose of properly to avoid contaminating your local water supply. Many communities have hazardous waste collection facilities.

Chemical accidents that occur outside of the home are considered major chemical emergencies. These accidents release a hazardous amount of a chemical into the environment. They can happen underground, on railroad tracks or highways and at manufacturing plants. Major chemical accidents sometimes result in a fire or explosion but, once again, many times you can’t see or smell anything unusual.

In the event of a major chemical emergency, proper authorities will notify you. To get your attention a siren may sound, you may get a telephone call, emergency personnel may drive by with loud speakers, or they may even come to your door. If they alert you, listen to radio or television emergency broadcast systems and follow instructions. You will be advised:

The type of health hazard

The area affected

How to protect yourself

Evacuation routes, if necessary

Shelter locations, if necessary

Type and location of medical facilities

Phone numbers to call if you need extra help

One of the basic instructions given in a chemical emergency is to “shelter-in-place”. If you are told to shelter-in-place, take children and pets indoors immediately and take the following steps:

First- Cover your nose and mouth with a damp cloth while performing the tasks.

Close all windows in your home.

Turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems.

Close fireplace damper.

Go to an above ground room (not the basement) with the fewest doors and windows.

Take a Family Disaster Supply Kit with you.

Wet some towels and jam them under the crack under the door(s).

Tape around doors, windows, exhaust fans, and vents.

Use plastic garbage bags to cover windows, outlets and heat registers.

Close window shades, blinds and curtains and stay away from windows.

Stay in the room and listen to the radio until you are told it is safe to come out or you are told to evacuate.

If you are told to evacuate immediately, do so. Take your Family Disaster Supply Kit with you. Pack only the bare essentials, such as medications, eyeglasses, hearing aids, canes and walkers.  If you are told to evacuate because of a possible emergency you can take the time to pack a change of clothing for each member of your family. Pack personal items such as toothbrushes, deodorant, etc. Pack items for your baby such as diapers, formula or baby food. You can even take the time to pack some books, puzzles or cards for entertainment. Follow the traffic route authorities recommend. Don’t take short cuts on the way to the shelter.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

Vitamin E is one of the essential nutrients that everyone needs. Vitamin E is one of nature's most powerful free
radical quenchers and it's a potent antioxidant that protects your body's cells from damage. The benefits from
vitamin E literally extend from head to toe. Vitamin E's health benefits include:

These days Americans are buying more food products that state they are “natural” on the front of the package. According to a food marketing report, new food and drink products in 2008 were more likely to proclaim themselves “natural” than any other claim. The term “natural” appeared on nearly a quarter of all new food and drink launches.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the use of the word “natural” on food labels (except for meat and poultry, which are regulated by the USDA). According to the FDA , “natural” means a food product does not contain synthetic or artificial ingredients. Some examples of approved “natural” ingredients include: salt, sugar, fructose (sugar found in fruits), high-fructose corn syrup and food colorings, if they are made from a plant or animal source. So reading the word “natural” on the front of the package does not necessarily mean the food product is healthy or nutritious. Food shoppers need to read the Nutrition Label on the back of the food package as well to discern the nutritional value of the food (a Jody Victor® suggestion).

In the case of meats and poultry that are regulated by the USDA that proclaim the term “natural”, the claim relates to how the animal products are processed. The USDA requires any meat labeled with the word “natural” be minimally processed without adding artificial ingredients, such as flavors, colors and preservatives. But “natural” in meat products are not necessarily under the stricter guidelines of the “organic” label. Meats with the “natural” claim can include: dried beef stock, yeast, and partially broken down proteins, such as hydrolyzed soy protein. Processed meats can't contain preservatives like nitrites and nitrates in order to bear the “natural” claim. But the processes of smoking and salting meats, which can cause increased cancer risk, do not add synthetic ingredients and thus are considered “natural”.

Many other health claims on the front of food packages are regulated by the FDA as well. “Healthy”-has specific limits on the amount of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium “Low in saturated fat”-no more than 1 gram per serving “Reduced saturated fat”-at least 25 percent lower than the original product of the same brand “Low sodium”-at least 25 percent lower sodium than found in the original product

Health-conscious food shoppers need to get past manufacturers' claims of “natural” and “healthy” that appear on the front of the package and do their homework on the back of the box in order to be assured of the nutritional value of the food product (a Jody Victor®

suggestion).

All the Best!

Steve Victor

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or porperly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

There are 23.6 million children and adults in the United States, or 7.8% of the population, who have diabests. While an estimated 17.9 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 5.7 million people (or nearly one quarter) are unaware that they have the disease.

If you, or someone you know, has diabetes, you need to know the top three warning signs for conditions that tell you your blood sugar is out of the normal range (a Jody Victor® suggestion).

Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) The warning signs are frequent urination, increased thirst, dry mouth, nausea and fatigue. To treat hyperglycemia adjust your meals and medications. If your blood sugar levels are consistently over 250mg/dL, call your doctor.

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) The warning signs are weakness, sweating, shakiness, dizziness, hunger, nausea, confusion, slurred speech, irritability, headache, and a fast heart rate. To treat the signs of hypoglycemia eat or drink a fast acting source of carbohydrates to raise your blood sugar level quickly. If warning signs are severe, an emergency injection of the hormone glucagon will help release sugar into your blood.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (breakdown of fat into toxic acid in the absence of sugar) The warning signs are no appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and sweet or fruity breath. If you are diabetic and experience these warning signs, see your doctor immediately (a Jody Victor® suggestion).

All the Best!

Steve Victor

People who have suffered from kidney stones insist it was the most painful experience of their lives. Ten percent of all men and 5 percent of all women will have a stone by the time they're 70. However, kidney stones are preventable. Previous prevention recommendations included drinking plenty of water, reducing calcium intake, and (in some cases) taking a thiazide diuretic. Only the increased intake of water should stay on the list. Unfortunately, thiazide diuretics can increase your risk of heart attack and other heart problems. Plus, there is no real basis for the reduction in calcium, which can lead to other serious problems.

Your kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They are located near the middle of your back, just below the ribcage, one on each side of the spine. Your kidneys are sophisticated trash collectors. Every day your kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The wastes and extra water become urine, which flows to your bladder through tubes called ureters. The wastes in your blood come from the normal breakdown of active muscle and from the food you eat. After your body has taken what it needs from the food, wastes are sent to the blood. In addition, your kidneys help control blood pressure, help make red blood cells and keep your bones strong.

There are safer and more effective alternatives. Kidney stones are made of calcium and oxalate, a by-product of commonly eaten foods. If you are prone to forming calcium oxalate stones you need to limit foods that are high in oxalate. These foods include rhubarb, beets, spinach, and chocolate. In addition, you can help counter the oxalate with supplements (a Jody Victor® suggestion). Take 1,000 mg of magnesium and 100 mg of B-6 every day. Eating more dietary fiber and avoiding sugar, alcohol and caffeine (Jody Victor® suggestions) has also been shown to protect against kidney stones. Limit your coffee, tea, and cola to 1 or 2 cups a day because the caffeine causes you to lose fluid too quickly.

Most kidney stones will pass out of the body without a doctor's help. But do see your doctor if you have severe pain in your back or side that will not go away. Or if you have blood in your urine (it will appear pink). In the past, the only way for your doctor to remove a problem stone was through surgery. Now there are new methods:

1.    Shock Waves. Your doctor can use machines to send shock waves directly to the kidney stone to break a large stone into smaller pieces. With one machine, you sit in a tub of water. With newer machines, you lie on a table and ultrasound is used to direct the sound waves to the stone.

2.    Tunnel Surgery. Your doctor makes a small cut into your back and makes a narrow tunnel through the skin to get to the stone to remove it.

3.     Ureteroscope. This looks like a long wire. It is inserted into the urethra, passed up through the bladder, and directed to the stone in the ureter. From there your doctor uses a cage to catch the stone and remove it.

All the Best!!

Steve Victor

Well, warm weather is on the horizon. That means our kids will be out playing and we will be busier with outside activities. And we will be going on picnics and trips now. For a simple, portable way to keep things cleaner for your family, try a bottle of 3% peroxide. 

One simple little one dollar bottle of 3 percent peroxide can do many things for you:

1.    Take one capful daily and hold it in your mouth for 10 minutes. It will whiten your teeth and ward off cancer sores. Small print says mouthwash and gargle right on the bottle.

2.     Soak your toothbrushes in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs, especially after you have suffered a cold or flu A Jody Victor suggestion).

3.     Clean counter tops and table tops with peroxide to kill germs. It will leave a fresh scent, too.

4.     After washing your cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria (a Jody Victor suggestion)

5.     Fill a spray bottle with 50/50 water and peroxide. Spray on feet to kill fungus. Let dry before putting on socks and shoes.

6.     Use the spray bottle of 50/50 solution to spray into nostrils when you have a cold or plugged sinuses. Hold for a few minutes then blow your nose into a tissue.

7.     Use your 50/50 spray solution to disinfect your bathroom. It will not harm your plumbing like bleach or other disinfectants do.

8.     For natural-looking highlights in your hair, spray the 50/50 solution into your hair after a shower and comb it through. Your hair will lighten gradually and it won't be such a drastic change.

9.     If you have a toothache, put a capful into your mouth for ten minutes several times a day until you can get in to your dentist's office.

10.  Soak infected cuts in peroxide for 5 to 10 minutes a day. Let dry and apply topical antibiotic cream.

11.   For more extensive skin infections, pour a half a bottle into your bathtub and soak.

12.   Use peroxide to clean your mirrors without smearing.

13.   Add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites to whiten them.

14.   Use peroxide to remove blood from clothing. Pour directly on the soiled spot, let it sit a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

All the Best!!

Steve Victor

Osteoporosis is the weakening of the skeleton and it is epidemic in the U.S. It affects 10 to 20 million people and accounts for a million broken bones a year. Men can suffer from osteoporosis, but it generally develops in women. One in 4 women over 45 have some degree of osteoporosis. Nine out of ten women over 75 have it.

Common medical advice in the U.S. for preventing and managing osteoporosis is to consume more calcium. But Third World countries eat far less calcium than we do and they don't have much osteoporosis at all. They are starting to find out the problem isn't that we have too little calcium. It's that we eat too much protein. Our intake of protein is unprecedented in human history. In the U.S. we eat 3 to 5 times what we need. The acid by-products of protein in the blood dissolve bone by leaching calcium and other minerals from our bones and then shipping them out of our bodies. You can take all the calcium you want, but if you have a high-protein diet you will still flush away about 1 mg of your bones every day. After 40 years you've lost about 75 percent of your skeleton. Without a skeleton it is difficult to stand up, let alone move around.

To keep your bones strong you need to cut down on protein and do some form of weight-bearing exercise every day. Walking and jogging are great weight-bearing exercises (a Jody Victor suggestion). So is weightlifting. And you don't have to keep up with Arnold. Low weights and more repetitions will do the trick. Nutritional supplements (a Jody Victor suggestion) are also recommended. Particularly helpful in building strong bones are vitamins K, D, and the mineral boron. You should also take folic acid, magnesium, manganese, zinc and copper.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

A stroke happens when an artery in or leading to the brain bursts or becomes blocked, starving the brain of oxygen. Strokes caused by blood clots or plaque buildup (blocked) are called ischemic strokes. Strokes caused by a tear in a blood vessel (burst) are called hemorrhagic strokes. Both require immediate attention. Stroke experts have a mantra: time lost is brain lost. The National Stroke Association estimates that during a stroke 2 million brain cells die every minute.

Eighty percent of strokes are preventable. The National Stroke Association says that of the 750,000 strokes every year in the U.S., 600,000 didn't have to happen. Here are some ways you can decrease your chances of suffering a stroke:

1.    Learn your risk factors. Controllable risk factors include smoking and inactivity. Incontrollable risk factors include age, gender and ethnicity.

2.    Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure is the leading cause of strokes. Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year.

3.   Manage your heart conditions. Work with your doctor to manage diabetes, poor circulation or atrial fibrillation.

4.     Exercise every day (a Jody Victor suggestion). Thirty minutes of exercise a day helps reduce your risk of a suffering a stroke.

5.     Eat low-sodium and low-fat foods (a Jody Victor suggestion). Diets high in fat and sodium lead to high blood pressure.

6.     Stop smoking. Smoking doubles your risk for stroke.

All the Best!

Steve Victor 

There are six classes of nutrients that your body needs to maintain the level of energy you need for your daily activities: carbohydrates, protein, minerals, vitamins, water and saturated fats. There are five food groups that supply these necessary nutrients. Here are the recommended daily servings (think deck of cards for serving size) of each food group:

1.  Milk, yogurt and cheese group (2-3 servings)

2.   Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group (2-3 servings)

3.    Vegetable group (3-5 servings)

4.    Fruit group (2-4 servings)

5.    Bread, cereal, rice and pasta group (3-5 servings)

Balancing these nutrients on a daily basis is the challenge. Be sure to eat at least the lowest number of servings from the five major food groups for the nutrients they provide (a Jody Victor suggestion). Try to pick the lowest fat choices from the food groups. You do need a small amount of fats because they are an essential component of cell walls and nerve fibers. Fitness trainers suggest that less than 10 percent of your total caloric intake should come from saturated fats.

Here are some tips for maintaining a low-fat diet:

1.   Use fat-free mayonnaise and spare the catsup which is high in sugar.

2.   Pass on packaged ground beef. Ask your grocer to grind your own selection of chuck roast for the lowest fat. Even packaged ground turkey is high in fat. Ask your grocer to grind a turkey breast for you.

3.   Stick to wheat bread and spread it sparingly with sugar-free preserves (a Jody Victor suggestion).

4.   Cook with olive oil. Use a mister or try the aerosol spray cans available at the market.

5.   Read cereal boxes for high fat and sugar content. Oatmeal is a better choice for breakfast. Or try French toast made with wheat bread, egg yolks and non-fat milk.

6.    Eliminate sauces and gravy from your recipes. If you must have them, use non-fat condensed milk for rich taste with no fat.

7.    Drink your coffee black. Heavy coffee drinkers who use cream and sugar add calories equal to an additional meal every day.

8.    Grill your meat as much as possible. The fat drips away and no additional fat is added. The best choice is skinless chicken breast. Marinate to keep in moisture.

9.     Eat fish often (a Jody Victor suggestion). At least three times a week is recommended. Skip the butter and season with lemon juice and herbs.

10. Eat green and yellow vegetables (except corn) for the most benefits and fewer calories. Corn and carrots are high in sugar and are not your best choices for frequent eating. Limit potatoes.

11.  For fast food pizza is your best choice. Better yet, make it yourself. Use wheat flour, fat-free mozzarella and lots of vegetables.

12.  Snack sensibly. Have fruit and raw vegetables handy for snack-attacks.

13.  Think substitution, not deprivation. Flavored rice-cakes instead of popcorn. Nuts instead of potato chips.

14.  Water, water, water. The more you drink, the fuller you will feel and the less you will eat.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

Not all Chinese foods are created equal. As with any meal the nutritional value is in the ingredients and the dietary loss is in the preparation. When cooking or ordering Chinese food anything steamed, poached (Jum), broiled (Chu), roasted (Kow), barbecued (Shu), lightly stir-fried or dry stir-fried, or braised is good. Anything breaded, fried, or coated in flour is not.

Stay away from thick gravies or sauces made from sugar, flour or cornstarch (a Jody Victor suggestion) such as General Tso's or Sweet and Sour Pork. These dishes are loaded with corn syrup. Try a hot mustard sauce, hoisin sauce or oyster sauce instead. No matter which sauce you choose always ask for “half sauce” for half the calories.

You can also order your Chinese meal cooked in a traditional vegetable stock, called “stock velveted” (a Jody Victor suggestion). Vegetable stock reduces the calories in a dish by 150 to 300 and the fat by 15 to 30 grams. The meat will be more moist and tender, but may not have the texture to which you're accustomed.

Fried rice is a bad choice compared to brown rice. Fried rice contains 450 calories per cup with 14 grams of fat. Brown rice has only 215 calories per cup with a healthy addition of 3.5 grams of fiber. White rice is close to brown rice in calories but it does not include the fiber and most of the vitamins.

Other items to skip while choosing your Chinese meal are the crispy noodles and Lo Mein. Munching on the noodles will cost you as much as 200 calories and 14 grams of fat. And Lo Mein gets its dark brown color from soaking up a lot of oil. A large serving of Lo Mein can contain thousands of calories.

Appetizer stats: Vegetable steamed dumplings-25 calories and 1 g fat Veggie spring roll-80 calories and 3.5 g fat Chicken egg roll-160 calories and 4 g fat

Soup stats: Wonton soup-107 calories and 1 g fat Eggdrop soup-98 calories and 2 g fat Hot and sour soup-136 calories and 4 g fat

Main dish stats: Moo goo gai pan-661 calories and 34 g fat Kung Pao chicken-1,228 calories and 46 g fat Beef and broccoli-1,118 calories and 65 g fat

When enjoying a Chinese meal try using the chopsticks. Chopsticks pick up less oil from the dish as forks. It will also take you longer to eat your meal, helping you to feel full before you have cleaned your plate.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

Winter is the dreaded cold and flu season. Most adults get sick once or twice a season. If you have small
children in your home it's even worse. Children suffer from the sniffles and fever six to ten times per season. To
cut down on your family's chances of sharing colds and flus you need to find the hiding spots for germs.

KITCHEN:
A kitchen sponge can carry more than 134,000 bacteria per square inch. The reason sponges become so
“buggy” is because we use them for more than one purpose and we tend to keep them too long, allowing the
germs to multiply. Replace your sponge once a week or so. Or put it in the dishwasher regularly or soak it in a
bleach solution for 15 minutes; longer for dirtier sponges.