Use un Casco: Helmet Safety in Spanish

Helmet Safety: Protect Your Head

This flyer comes from Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.  Wearing a helmet is so important when riding--bicycle, skateboard, skating scooter.  Brain injury can lead to death, but also permanent disability.  This flyer also addresses the proper wearing of the helmet.  I didn't realize what the difference in helmets meant, or how to wear the helmet correctly.  ALso tossing the helmet after four years, or earlier if it has been in a crash, and no used helmets. 

Calorie Busters

This little article is from the magazine Health.Com.  I like most of these little ideas.  However a couple really jump out at me.  Taking the stairs is easy, but also hard in its own way.  However it is a good idea for burning calories fast.  I like doing chores.  A half hour of chores can burn 120 calories.  A good suggestion is doing cardio while waiting for things in the kitchen, such as the microwave or toast or cooking.  Taking t.v. binges are smarter if you exercise 15 minutes before.  I also like active dates, but don't have a regular partner for exercise. 

Safety in a Construction Area

There has been construction going on at the hospital for many years.  It seems construction will be with us for the next several years as well.  The hospital is being taken down, and rebuilt one section at a time.  Came across this interesting poster of safety clothing for construction workers. 

Tinnitus

I wish I would have noticed these letters when tinnitus first became an issue with me. 



The doctor seemed to think that the cause of my tinnitus was a history of loud noises, Del Monte and boy's bands.  He gave no hope for ever having something that would alleviate the tinnitus.  Number 5 says to be wary of hopeless prognostications from doctors.  The How is the problem treated section doesn't hold out much hope, except for the vitamins.  They may prove helpful.  Reducing stress and getting enough sleep are other important things to remember.  Usually I don't note my tinnitus.  It is just there in the background.  However I have gotten negative at times, thinking I will never hear silence again, and I miss silence sometimes.  However the habituation of the tinnitus has happened, and I deal with it; much better than when it first started.  I was pretty anxious for a while, but this went away.  I have also noticed that if I am overly tired, or stressed, the tinnitus is louder.  I can handle this. 

Santa Clara County Mental Health Urgent Care

This is a place to go with urgent mental health issues in Santa Clara County:

The Opioid Epidemic

Mental Health First Aid in their blog Be the Difference is this month featuring articles on the opioid epidemic.  Some are very goo so I thought I would share them here. 
Polls Show Americans Understand the Opioid Crisis but Blame People with Addiction
This is a poll from Kaiser Foundation.  While this poll indicates people are paying attention to the problem, it also points to stigma still being an issue.  However the problem hits close to home.  Most Americans know someone addicted to pain killers.
#BeTheDifference This February: The Opioid Epidemic
This is a short article but makes a list of things you might do to help confront the opioid epidemic.  Some suggestions are read up by following their blog, and then sharing what you learn. 

(I will be adding more articles and ideas over the month)