Top 3 Health Tips: 3 Cold Treatments That Really Work

So despite all of your hand-washing and good hygiene, you've caught a cold. Instead of reaching for a multi-symptom cold remedy, consider a more targeted treatment that won't leave you groggy or overmedicated. Rodale's Prevention magazine recommends these three products to help you recover faster and keep your illness from morphing into something worse:

CUT YOUR COLD SHORT

1 Zinc lozenges such as Cold-Eeze can reduce your sick days. Researchers believe that the zinc ions bind to the same receptors in your throat and chest as the cold virus, which helps keep the bug from spreading.

STOP SINUS INFECTIONS

2 Ocean Saline Nasal Spray can be used to keep your nasal passages moist, and saline can help stop mucus from congealing and causing congestion and prevent germs from turning your cold into a sinus infection.

BANISH BRONCHITIS

3 Trials have shown that Halo Oral Spray's antiseptic ingredients can keep your throat free of opportunistic bacteria, such as those that cause bronchitis, for up to six hours.

Source  http://articles.mcall.com/2012-12-21/health/mc-top-3-health-tips-allentown-1222-20121221_1_zinc-lozenges-cold-virus-cold-eeze

Tips for Talking to Children About the Shooting

First, find out what they have heard. 

Through Facebook, Twitter, or friends, most youngsters will know about the mass shooting that took place on Friday morning at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. 

Listen to their fears. Dispel rumors. And be honest, sharing as much detail as a child is able to handle.

Therapists who treat childhood trauma said on Friday that parents talking to their children about the mass shooting should address the news directly and soon, allowing the child to lead with questions and concerns. Parents can no longer control what their children know by simply turning off the television. Many children will know what is happening from mobile devices and social media; now is the time to turn those devices off, these experts said. 

“It’s important to open up the discussion,” said Melissa Brymer, director of terrorism and disaster programs at the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, based at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Duke University. “There’s a lot of talk on Facebook and Twitter, and it’s important to clarify what’s rumor and what’s not.” 

Dr. Andrew J. Gerber, a child psychiatrist at Columbia, said that parents should come to terms with their own feelings about the massacre before talking to a child. They should "essentially metabolize the awfulness of the event so that what they pass on when they have a discussion with their children conveys a certain amount of thoughtfulness and understanding, rather than raw trauma," he said in an e-mail. 

If a child is frightened, determine the precise source of the fear. It may be a worry that their classroom isn’t safe; or about how to escape school when under threat. “If you say, ‘This bad man can’t hurt you,’ you’ve introduced another fear,” said Dr. Robert H. Abramovitz, a child psychiatrist at Hunter College. “Ask what their worst fear is, and address that.” 

Dr. Abramovitz said that parents can be so eager to reassure that they make unrealistic promises, like “this will never happen to you.” “Better to validate the child’s fear, to say that it’s natural to feel that way, and tell them, ‘I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe,'” he said. 

And reinforce coping skills the child may have already used. Dr. Abramovitz suggested asking, “Remember the last time you were afraid? Remember what you did to calm down?” He said, “This gives the child a feeling of having some agency, some control.” 

If possible, other therapists said, parents should use family or holiday routines as a comforting structure. Spend extra time with children at bedtime. Read them a book. Engage traditions that remind them what they are thankful for. 

Practical questions will soon arise, if not today then soon. Does a child know his or her school’s emergency procedures? What is the family’s communication plan, should something happen? 

“For example, texting is a better strategy then calling,” Dr. Brymer said. “The phone lines clog up fast. It may be a matter of children knowing to text, ‘I’m OK.'” 

And they should be, especially if their parents check in with them and listen. And remind them of something important: that the world is a good place, even if some people do very bad things. 

Source  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/health/tips-for-talking-to-children-about-the-elementary-school-mass-shooting.html

White House to GOP: It's your move

The White House says Republicans should come clean about how much they're willing to raise tax rates on the rich. Republicans counter that President Barack Obama's latest plan is a joke that avoids tough decisions on the nation's biggest entitlement programs, including Medicare.

It's a game of political chicken as the clock ticks closer to the end-of-year deadline, when George W. Bush-era tax cuts expire and automatic, across-the-board spending cuts kick in, sending the nation over a proverbial "fiscal cliff" that some economists say could plunge the fragile economy back into recession.

But based on the partisan rhetoric of those in charge of negotiating a deal, there's not going to be a solution any time soon.

"They have to tell us what makes sense to them, and then we can take a look at it," Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said of Republicans on NBC's "Meet the Press." "But what we can't do is try to figure out what makes sense for them."

House Speaker John Boehner countered that Republicans have plenty of ideas, even if he doesn't want to discuss the specifics publicly.

"There are a lot of items on the table," Boehner told "Fox News Sunday." "The president knows what they are. The question is what are they willing to do?"

Last week, the White House delivered to Capitol Hill its opening proposal: $1.6 trillion in higher taxes over a decade, a possible extension of the temporary Social Security payroll tax cut and heightened presidential power to raise the national debt limit.

In exchange, the president would back $600 billion in spending cuts, including $350 billion from Medicare and other health programs. But he also wants $200 billion in new spending for jobless benefits, public works projects and aid for struggling homeowners. His proposal for raising the ceiling on government borrowing would make it virtually impossible for Congress to block him going forward.

Republicans said they responded in closed-door meetings with laughter and disbelief.

"The administration has put something out that polls well: taxing the wealthy," said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn. "What they haven't done is anything to deal with entitlements, which is painful, and you're not going to have a deal until that happens."

Geithner called the back-and-forth "normal political theater," saying all that's blocking a timely deal is the GOP's reluctance to higher tax rates on the wealthy.

"It's welcome that they're recognizing that revenues are going to have to go up. But they haven't told us anything about how far rates should go up ... (and) who should pay higher taxes," Geithner said.

Republican leaders have said they can accept higher tax revenue overall, but only through what they call tax reform _ closing loopholes and limiting deductions _ and only coupled with tough measures to curb the growth of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

"If we gave the president $1.6 trillion of new money, what do you think he'd do with it?" asked Boehner. "He's going to spend it. It's what Washington does."

Geithner appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation," NBC's "Meet the Press," CNN's "State of the Union," ABC's "This Week," and "Fox News Sunday."

Associated Press writers Mark S. Smith and Michele Salcedo in Washington, and Erik Schelzig in Nashville contributed to this report.

Source  http://www.laramieboomerang.com/articles/2012/12/02/ap/politics/us_fiscal_cliff.txt

Health officials give holiday food safety tips

CHICAGO | Public health officials in Illinois say the holidays mean family, food and safety.

The Kane County Health Department says be sure to prepare holiday meals in a safe manner.

That includes thawing food in the refrigerator at 41 degrees or below and not at room temperature. Officials say it takes approximately 24 hours for each five pounds of frozen food to thaw in a refrigerator.

Holiday hosts should be sure to keep everything in the kitchen clean and wash hands often during preparation and serving. Guests should be careful when eating foods like raw oysters or egg drinks.

Officials also suggest double-checking meat to make sure it's thoroughly cooked. They also warn against cross contamination. For example, don't handle raw meats and then other food without washing your hands first.

Source  http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/health-officials-give-holiday-food-safety-tips/article_cebe9f02-97d3-5255-a4a1-ebed48bbe572.html

Cambodians held over eviction protest before Obama visit

Police in Cambodia arrested at least eight people on Thursday for painting messages on their homes near the capital's airport asking for help from U.S. President Barack Obama because they face eviction before he visits the country next week.

The villages involved around the perimeter of the airport in Phnom Penh are home to 182 families.
Residents said they were told in July they had to move out because of security concerns when world leaders, including Obama, fly in to attend summit meetings in coming days. They have not been offered compensation for the loss of their homes.

Armed police moved into the villages on Wedneday night and residents were told to remove the messages they had painted beside pictures of Obama or face the consequences, a worker for the Licadho human rights group said.

At least six women and two men had been taken into custody, Licadho and the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR) said. Cambodian police declined comment.

"I put up the picture of Obama because I want him to help us get fair compensation from the government," said resident Chuong Socheata, 33. "And that's because the government has no plans to solve this peacefully."

Forced evictions have been rife in Cambodia in recent years and are frequently criticized by rights groups, even if the authorities may have legitimate security concerns in this case about buildings so close to the airport.

Only about 20 percent of Cambodians have land titles -- a hangover from the Khmer Rouge's abolition of private property during its 1975-1979 reign of terror -- leaving many defenseless when the authorities hand their land over to big companies for development.

The World Bank, which had been helping the government rebuild a land registry, froze fresh aid to Cambodia last year because of the eviction of families in Phnom Penh.

International rights groups met U.S. officials last week to try to get Obama to bring up rights issues with Cambodian premier Hun Sen during his trip. They did not come away with high hopes of any public statement.

Hun Sen has brought stability to the Southeast Asian country, which has attracted development aid and industrial investment, but he tolerates no dissent and rights group call his government authoritarian.
In a report this week, Human Rights Watch said more than 300 people had been killed in politically motivated attacks since an agreement in 1991 that ended a civil war, but not one person had been convicted.
It pointed the finger at Cambodian security forces and called on Obama to demand an end to impunity for abusive officials.

Source  http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/15/us-cambodia-obama-idUSBRE8AE0FE20121115

Five best hair care tips for this winter

Winter, a season when the temperatures continue to drop and the days seem to get darker and darker…a season that brings cold, snow and to a lucky few, a break from work or school…a season of whacky flus that you would never want to strike at your door...a time to don all your coats and hats, for the cold has taken hold!

Awestruck by the beauty of winters? Don’t just get lost in the ‘dreamy’ picture, but devote your attention towards the downside of these cold winds too. For, winter weather can wreak havoc on your hair and leave you with a feeling of cursing this blissful weather. But, you don’t have to worry for we bring you the best hair care tips to leave you with those beautiful locks that you would love to run your fingers down this winter season. 

Oil your hair properly: In winters due to cold winds, the temperature outside is cool, but, the temperature indoors is generally warm, so due to this change in temperature, it is very necessary to oil your hair properly to avoid them from breakage. Use warm oil to massage your hair and scalp for at least one or two hours to restore the moisture of your tresses. If after shampooing your hair, little bit of oil is left over, just let it be and don’t shampoo them again as this will ruin the conditioning effect of the oil.

Avoid using too much of shampoo: It is a fact that due to cold winter winds, not just your skin, even your hair and scalp are left dry. So avoid shampooing your hair much at least not more than twice a week. Also, never use very hot water for washing your hair in winter as it leaves your hair tattered and frizzy. To avoid such a condition, use lukewarm water to retain the moisture of your hair.

A hair conditioner is a must: To fight against winters, the best method is to apply a good conditioner each time you wash your hair. But make sure not to apply conditioner on your scalp but only on the strands of hair. This provides a shine to your hair and prevents them from breakage. Another important point is to choose a conditioner as per your hair type. Like, if you have dry hair, choose a conditioner that will restock your hair with essential substitutes needed by them.

Avoid using a hairdryer: Ideally, it is always good to let your hair dry naturally. If due to some reason, you are using a hairdryer, don’t over dry as this will hamper your hair badly and leave them frizzy and damaged. Another advice that will help you maintain healthy hair is by setting your hair dryer on the ‘cool’ mode while blow drying as cool air damage your hair less though it might be a little time consuming.

Cover you crown: Love your hair? Then cover your crown ladies to protect your hair from those whacky cold winds. Make sure to wear a scarf, a hat or a cap to lock the moisture of your tresses to save them from breakage. But, keep in mind that your scarf or cap should not be very tight as it hampers blood flow in the scalp.

So, try these amazing tips for healthy hair that will leave you with a beautiful feeling even as the mercury drops.

Source  http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/health-news/5-amazing-hair-care-tips-for-this-winter_19526.html

Tips for a healthy Halloween

Healthy and Halloween aren’t two words you usually hear together, but here are some guidelines to help you and your family have a fun-filled Halloween without sacrificing healthy principles. These simple strategies will help you before and after trick-or-treating.

• Make sure you and your family eat a filling snack or dinner before going trick-or-treating so your children won’t be tempted to eat candy before getting home.

• When you arrive home, check the treats to make sure they haven’t been tampered with. Look for opened wrappers and discard anything suspicious.

• Have your children sort their candy and take pictures of them with all their loot. For younger children, make a counting game out of it. Ask them how many of each type of candy bar they have.

• Do not let children store their bag of candy in their rooms. Keep it in the kitchen to discourage mindless eating.

• Place chocolate bars in the freezer to help them keep fresh longer. Frozen candy takes longer to eat, so children can’t eat them too quickly.

• Eat trick-or-treat candy over several days as a snack or dessert. Try to limit the amount of candy eaten in one setting.

• Instead of giving out candy, opt for small toys or healthy treats. Ideas include small boxes of raisins, fruit roll-ups, granola bars, packages of popcorn, sugar-free gum, stickers, washable tattoos, yo-yos, rubber spiders, or balloons. If you must give out chocolate, opt for dark-chocolate varieties for its antioxidant properties.

• Have you and your child make an art project with their Halloween candy. Mosaics of your child’s favorite animal, TV character, cartoon character or sport can be made with glue and leftover candy. Be creative!

• Host or attend an all-ages Halloween party. Focus the attention on fun while shifting it away from candy. Have relay games (3-legged race, wheelbarrow, etc.), a costume party contest with non-food prizes, decorate pumpkins, or carve Jack-O-Lanterns, go apple-bobbin, serve healthy snacks, and let the children “trick” the adults.

Happy Halloween!

Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Source  http://richmondregister.com/lifestylescommunity/x905914360/Tips-for-a-healthy-Halloween