The fourth of July is a
remarkable day to one of the greatest nations in the world, it is the
"Independence day of the United States of America". In the United
States, it is a federal holiday which commemorates the adoption of the declaration
of independence on the fourth of July 1776. It was a day independence was
claimed from Britain and democracy was born.
Events such as firework, parades,
outdoor sports, barbecues are always experienced in such a day. The Fourth of
July holiday weekend should be a time to celebrate with family and friends and not
a time to spend in the emergency room or any form of clinic. According to the
Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 230 people go to the emergency
department every day during the month surrounding the July Fourth holiday with
fireworks-related injuries alone.
In this post, we shall be looking
at few tips from medical experts to protect your health this summer holiday
season:
Health tips for a healthy fourth of july
1. Do not
play with fire
According to a medical expert, more
than 50 percent of Independence day injuries are burns. Hands and fingers are
the most injured body parts. Leave fireworks to the experts, and especially
keep children away from fireworks. Sparklers may seem safe but actually burn at
temperatures about 2,000 degrees, akin to a blow torch.
2. Protect
your eyes
According to Prevent Blindness
America, more than 1,300 eye injuries were reported in the past year due to
fireworks, almost double from the previous year. Fireworks can cause eye
injuries including burns, both thermal and chemical, lacerations and deep
tissue injury leading to vision loss. Half of those injured were not handling
the explosives themselves but were innocent bystanders. Children are often at
greater risk as they are not aware of the dangers associated with improper
handling of fireworks including sparklers. Stay 500 feet away from fireworks,
respect safety barriers, and do not touch fireworks that failed to detonate. If
handling fireworks, wear protective eyewear, and if injured, seek medical
attention immediately. Do not rub or flush eyes as that may make the injury
worse.
3. Protect
your hearing
26 million Americans suffer
irreversible hearing damage from noise. Some fireworks can create 150-175
decibels of impulse or blast noise. At these high intensities, adults need to
be a minimum of 50-60 feet away in order to prevent noise-induced hearing loss,
and children need to be 160-200 feet away. Wear earplugs to protect hearing
when noises are loud, because once permanent ear damage has occurred, hearing cannot
be recovered.
4. Avoid
sunburn
Use a ping pong ball-sized
handful of lotion with an SPF of 30 or higher approximately 30 minutes before
you go outdoors. Pay attention to covering the tips of the ears, the nose, the
back of the neck as well as chest, arms and legs. Do not forget balm for your
lips. And reapply every two hours.
5. Stay hydrated
Drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of
water a day is the general recommendation, with more needed if you are outdoors
in the sun. Avoid dehydration by eating fruits and vegetables and definitely
take time outs in the shade and cool temperatures to avoid fatigue.
Also read: Benefits ofdrinking water
Follow these tips to have a
healthy fourth of July experience. Happy Independence day!
Guard your health, simply shop for health products HERE
Guard your health, simply shop for health products HERE
Independence day: fourth of July healthy tips
Reviewed by Chibuzor Aguwa
on
Monday, July 04, 2016
Rating:

No comments: