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I often wonder how I would act in the face of impending danger, even death. None of us can really be sure unless we’ve been through that sort of horror. The schoolteachers and others who survived the tornado in those now destroyed Moore, Okla., schools know. I can only pray that I could act with some semblance of the bravery and levelheadedness they did when risking their lives for those kids, in the very eye of that terrible storm. [... continue reading] 
Nice weather brings you weekend warriors out like ants to sugar. About this time of year we exercise muscles that have lain essentially dormant all winter. And the day after the workout, we suffer the consequence, feeling like we’ve been beaten with a baseball bat. This severe soreness after exercise is likely to happen during a disaster. You may be forced to work far past your comfort level—and in ways you’re not used to. So I decided to see if there were any new, study-documented ways to decrease this “severe soreness after exercise” phenomenon. To my surprise, I found one. To my greater surprise, it revolved around a common fruit. [... continue reading] 
Last week, I demonstrated how to safely use a neti pot, a popular tool to clean your sinuses for allergy prevention and treatment. You just pour specially prepared water into one nostril, and it comes out the other one. But there’s an advanced sinus irrigation technique that’ll clean you out good and proper—without a neti pot. Your amazing, Roto-Rooter, nasal cleansing alternative? A cup. [... continue reading] 
There are not many natural ways to treat or prevent nasal allergies effectively, but using a neti pot for nasal irrigation is one of them. And it’s safe. Okay, sure … a brain-eating amoeba has killed a few unfortunate people after they used contaminated tap water. And, yes, some who use the neti pot actually have more sinus infections. But … you can prevent both of those problems with two simple steps. [... continue reading] 
One of the first things I do when I see someone with an injured hand or finger is remove any rings. You’d think the person would have already done this, but sometimes it’s hard to think straight when you have an injury. Also, many are afraid it’s going to hurt (it can), and some think the finger has already swollen too much (sometimes it has). But the thing is, with a badly swollen finger, the ring acts like a tourniquet, cutting off the blood supply, and you could end up losing your digit. What to do? [... continue reading] 
Tourniquets have been on my mind lately. It’s a shame many people don’t know how to properly apply one to stop bleeding. It’s so easy. But, like most things, someone has to show you before you can learn. I read of a man bitten on his thigh by a beaver. The large femoral artery that runs from the groin down the inner thigh was severed, and the man bled to death. My first thought was, maybe he could have been saved if someone had known how to stop the bleeding—in particular, how to apply a tourniquet. [... continue reading] 
The news is grim. West Coast babies are being born with thyroid problems left and right, media reports suggest. One-third have been affected! Radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster is to blame. What to do?!!! Except … this isn’t true. The rumor has spread across the Internet, but it comes from the misinterpretation of a new study. The preparedness organization Living Ready asked me to report the unbiased truth about this study’s findings in a guest blog post. “Even worst case, the researchers found that nowhere near one-third of the newborns were hit with thyroid problems,” I write. “Not even close.” You can read the post here. Have you seen these Fukushima thyroid rumors? What did you think? You May Also Like:
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Digital Globe (CC-BY-SA-3.0). 
Scorpions make me think of Westerns. Some cowboy is riding a horse in the desert and they cut to a single scorpion in the sand. It symbolizes that this land is rough, rugged, and dangerous. One sting, and you’re dead. Cut to real life. While you will find most scorpions in the desert, you may also come across them in many Southeastern and Midwestern states. In all but one species in the U.S., the scorpion sting is similar to a bee sting. Yes, you can be allergic, and the reaction can result in death. (See my bee stings post for signs and treatment of this anaphylactic reaction.) Usually, though, the scorpion sting just hurts. But there is one scorpion here that causes more problems than others: the bark scorpion. Its sting can affect your brain and nerves. Some people are more vulnerable to a bad outcome than others, but there are things you can do if you see the reaction. [... continue reading] 
We humans are not the only ones who become more active in the spring. This second of my two-part, true/false quiz on surviving the spring is all about bites and stings. The answers are quotes from past posts. It has been said that repetition is the mother of all learning, so why not go back and read the linked posts to refresh your memory.
[... continue reading] 
Springtime. It always reminds me of the cycle of life, rebirth, new beginnings. And, of course, it’s a time to get outside, to hike, camp, play … and spring clean. This is the first of a two-part true/false spring quiz to help you get you prepared for all of the above. In the comments, let me know how you do! [... continue reading] |
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