Health Briefs TV Relays Cautions for July Fourth

Never use sparklers in the house or home

The upcoming July Fourth holiday in the United States is a time of celebration, family picnics, firework shows, and injuries. Health Briefs TV relays cautions for the Independence holiday.

As Americans being to prep and prepare homes, lawns, and food for the holiday weekend, there are important health and safety reminders to consider:

Lawns and the outdoors

• Carefully trim trees, bushes and shrubs. Be aware of power and cable lines hidden in thick tree branches. Wear sturdy, enclosed shoes and long sleeves to prevent slips from ladders and scratches on arms.
• Be sure swimming pools have secure gates and fences to prevent small children from possibly drowning.
• Clean outdoor furniture with water only.
• Wear swim goggles when enjoying public pools and in oceans, lakes and other bodies of water to prevent eye infections.
• Use plenty of sunscreen and wear a hat when spending a lot of time in the sun. Reapply often and don’t forget to protect the ears, nose and mouth.
• Use sparklers and snappers cautiously. Avoid letting small children use them. Snappers can pop under someone’s legs and cause burns. Sparklers crackle and pop scaring animals and kids. Stand away from other people when using them. Fireworks sold to consumers cause more burns to hands, arms and faces than anywhere else, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Homes and food

• Refrigerate all food well in advance of picnics and barbeques. Use sealed containers to prevent spills and contamination from air.
• Clean up counters and tables when done using them immediately so pets and toddlers don’t ingest food with bones, chocolate or anything which might cause an allergic reaction.
• Keep alcoholic drinks away from surfaces that kids can reach.
• Pack plenty of beach towels, bug spray and sunscreen for everyone.
• Keep everyone hydrated with a supply of cold water and fruit juices. Flavor it naturally with berries, oranges, lemons, limes and mint.

The Health Briefs TV show wishes readers a safe and healthy Fourth of July.

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Health Briefs TV Offers Advice on Getting More Sleep

Sleep is something everyone needs to be at their best every day. Often, we do not get enough of it for several reasons. Health Briefs TV shares advice on how to get more sleep.

The thoughts that run through our minds every night as we try to fall asleep can keep us awake for hours on end. Sleep deprivation can then occur. Lack of a sound sleep can result in errors made at work, vehicle accidents and worse. What’s keeping us up all night? Financial worries are the first and foremost reason we cannot get enough shut eye. More than two-thirds of Americans report worrying about one or more money problems such as lack of retirement savings, healthcare/insurance bills or mortgage/rent.  Creditcards.com, a financial comparison website, recently conducted a survey and learned that fretting about lack of funds saved for retirement and credit card debt are foremost on our minds as we hit the sack.

So how can we get needed rest every night with these troubling thoughts running wild in our minds?

• Turn off all digital devices or leave them in another room when going to bed.
• Don’t watch TV an hour before bedtime. 
• If financial worries arise, write them down on paper with a possible solution.
• Avoid drinking alcohol before bed also. It may be make us sleepier, but it can also escalate thoughts of despair.

Health Briefs TV encourages readers to banish unpleasant and worrisome thoughts before bed. Find the best way to get the most sleep every night.

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Health Briefs TV Reviews Food Labels

True free range chickens

Our search for healthy, delicious and ethically-produced food causes us to question wording found on food labels. Health Briefs reviews what we should know about it.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration places strict guidelines on food labels which certain characteristics. Those guidelines apply to labels using the terms “organic”, “low-fat” and “sugar-free”.  Organic products must meet certain standards for ingredients and how and where they are grown. Low-fat products must contain less than three grams of fat per serving. Sugar-free items must not have any sugars as an ingredient. But good packages and labels stating that the product is “a good source of fiber” can leave us wondering.

Any food item which is truly a “good source of fiber” will list a respectable percentage of fiber per serving on the food label. Check the list of ingredients too for food with natural fibers like beans, fruits and whole grains. Food packages with wording which implies made with whole grains should not have any refined or white flour in the product. The Health Briefs TV show also suggests doing a little research on food labeled “free range”. It could mean chickens are allowed to go outside of the coops, but may chose not to. Look up the name of the farm or chicken breeder to find out if it is truly a free range facility or not. Read all food labels carefully.

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Health Briefs TV Reviews Sun Protection Information

There are many sunburn protection products on store shelves. All of them list a Sun Protection Factor or SPF number.  Health Briefs TV reviews what consumers need to know about the SPF number and which products work best to prevent sun-related skin cancers.

Medical experts and doctors advise consumers to look for and buy a sun care product which states it is a broad spectrum item.  This means that the product protects against the sun’s UVA rays, which cause skin aging and wrinkles, and also covers the UVB rays which can cause sunburn.

Contrary to common belief, a sun care product with a high SPF number does not mean that the product will be better at protecting skin from sunburn.  For example:  a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 means one can stay out in the run 30 times longer without getting burned. Thirty times is 300 minutes or five hours.  A key note to remember is that sunscreen only works if used properly:

Apply one ounce (enough to fill a shot glass) to cover every exposed area of the body.

Reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or sweating.

Remember to use on bare skin on the head, on ears, noses, and feet.

Use a sunscreen lip product to protect the sensitive skin on lips from sunburn.

Health Briefs TV recommends taking advantage of the sales on sun care products now. Buy in bulk to keep enough on hand for the next few months.  There are many good products available for children as well.

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Health Briefs TV on the Health Benefits of Nuts

Ah nuts. We knew there was something good for us about them, and a new study found that we were right. Health Briefs TV gets nutty on the health benefits of nuts.

The high-protein snack seems to lower the risk of death from a number of chronic diseases, according to the researchers of the study. As reported in the International Journal of Epidemiology, when we eat at least 10 grams of nut or peanuts per day, our mortality rate from respiratory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diabetes, cancer and heart-related issues is reduced. Ten grams of nuts and peanuts per day is advised for people who are not allergic to them. The consumption of peanut better did not have any affect, nor did eating more than 10 grams of nuts per day. Ten grams of nuts is less than a handful of them.

Health Briefs TV notes that nuts and peanuts contain mono-saturated and poly-saturated fats, or the “good fats”, fiber and vitamins. Peanut butter contains added salt and “bad fats”.  Raw nuts, not the roasted and salted varieties, are best. Think almonds, sunflower seed, peanuts, walnuts, and pecans. Most grocery and organic food stores sell these.  Go nuts and lower the chance of developing life-changing and life-ending illnesses.  

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Health Briefs TV Brushes Up on Food and Drinks Bad for Teeth

Brush teeth after enjoying these BBQ ribs

Everywhere we look, people are sporting clean, white teeth. How do they manage to have such a perfect smile when we know some of them are eating and drinking things that stain teeth? Health Briefs TV brushes up food and drinks bad for teeth.

How we long for the perfect, pearly white smile.  Regular visits to the dentist’s office certainly help keep our mouths healthy. But what can we do at home, work and when out on the town?

Cold-pressed juices can contain more sugar than a can of soda.  Sugar is consumed by the bacteria in the mouth and converted into acid which wears the protective enamel off of teeth. Sip juices through a straw and wait at least 45 minutes before brushing teeth.

Even though this is the time of year when backyard barbeques are common, the barbeque sauce we love is a major stain maker – and not just on clothes.  That delicious sauce is full of sugar.  To prevent possible tooth decay and staining, rub a thin layer of petroleum jelly on teeth before eating anything with that sauce on it. Or brush teeth immediately after eating.

Health Briefs TV also notes that the acid in white wine can eat away at tooth enamel. We know that red wine can stain teeth too. But white wine is often overlooked as a stain maker. Eat cheese with a glass of white wine. It is chock-full of protein, calcium and phosphorus which can buffer the acids.

Something else to consider: follow the direction to the letter on tubes of whitening toothpaste, whitening gels and mouthwashes. Failure to do so can result in a less than sparkling mouth.

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Health Briefs TV Examines the Pros of Telemedicine

Tele-medicine is making healthcare convenient and affordable for the patient. Whether it is an app or a video chat with a physician in the city, this new form of communication has certainly has its pros, which Health BriefsTV examines.

The American patient spends at least 20 minutes in a doctor’s waiting room before being led into the exam room to only wait longer.  Time spent in the doctor’s office does not include the time off from work or the time to travel there. This may lead some people to turn to the Internet to look up symptoms and make their own medical diagnosis. There is a better way though.

Tele-medicine is delivered in a variety of ways in today’s digitally connected world. From video chats on the Internet and smart phones to on-call medical service apps, it can be easy and more affordable – in time and budget – to contact a medical professional these ways than going to one’s personal physician. Minor illnesses and injuries can be addressed in a faster way.  Health Briefs TV notes that many medical offices, health insurance companies and hospitals have implemented on-demand services for patients, which can include texting photos, instant messaging, face-t-face chats and email. Why wait to see the doctor when one can be reached in minutes not hours?

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Health Briefs TV Offers Tips for Remembering

Maybe our mind is so full of things we have to do that we momentarily forgot where we put our glasses. Or perhaps it’s just another “senior moment”. Health Briefs TV cares to share tip for remembering.

One of the best ways to remember something is to imagine it. We often have memory lapses when preparing a grocery list. We arrive home only to remember that the one ingredient we needed was forgotten. To prevent this from happening, imagine the item, what it takes to prepare it and what it looks like when done. This is committing it to memory in the first place.

Try some word association. If parked on level 5C, think of five of something that begins with the C: five chocolates, five cars, for example.

Health Briefs also suggests remembering the location of something to remember. This trick works well if we can’t recall the name of a restaurant, favorite store or meal bought at a café. Commit to memory the smells and scenery of where that favorite place or meal was. The mental image of what we want to remember will come back.

Other tips for bringing something we want to remember back to mind are:

Write it down someplace. Use the notepad or recorder in smart phones. Go old-fashioned and write it in a piece of paper and store it in a wallet.

There is so much to try and remember these days from where we left the keys to all the user names, passwords and online account information credentials we need. Find the best way to keep all the information safe.

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Health Briefs TV Offers Insight into Medical Record Hacking

Medical record cyber hacking has become more prevalent than credit card data theft. Health Briefs TV offers insight into this type of data theft.

As recently as the first week of June 2015, a major U.S. government agency announced its database of personnel had been hacked by cyber thieves.  Security analysts believe the hackers were after the medical records of millions of government employees. Reasoning behind this thought is that medical information is possibly worth 10 times more than a credit card number.

Personal medical information can be used to create fake IDs in which the thieves use to buy medical equipment or drugs which are then resold. It is also speculated that they can also create a fake medical file using a combination of patient number, false provider number and fake made-up claims with insurers. They can then file false claims and collect money from it. 

Health Briefs TV learns that through a survey from a leading think-tank that more than 90 percent of healthcare organizations they surveyed had lost data –most to hackers.  Personal medical data is more valuable to hackers and their back-end buyers than credit card data, since the latter has flooded the underground market. 

Consumers should scour any health claim forms which come in regular mail or email to be sure there are no fraudulent charges on them. If something looks suspicious, contact the insurance company immediately. Make a copy of the claim or invoice and require the insurance provider to clear any fake charges and send confirmation.  Vigilance is the keyword in these times of digital record keeping for consumers and health care providers and insurers alike.

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Health Briefs TV on Good Eye Health

Protect the eyes when outdoors

Our eyes see everything. When the eyes are unhealthy, it impairs our vision and makes life pretty miserable. Health Briefs TV explains the basics of good eye health.

There are many ways our eyes can become irritated, itchy, watery, blurry and downright unhealthy. Smog in the atmosphere, allergens in the air, contact lenses left in too long, and many other ways. Bacteria can build up in the eyes and under the lids and cause major vision and health issues.

Eating healthy is the easiest and best way to maintain good eye health. Stock up on nutrients such as lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc and vitamins C and E.

Sunglasses block the harmful UV rays which can cause the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. Grab a pair of wrap around sunglasses and keep eyes safe.

Contact lens wearers should take lens out regularly and clean and sanitize them well before reinserting them in the eyes.

The Health Briefs TV show also suggests getting a regular eye exam from an optometrist or an ophthalmologist annually. Our eyes change as we get older and proper health care for them is not only essential but vital to enjoying life.