Many of us know that stress is harmful for both our physical and mental health, but it's a product of the culture we live in and the expectations we have for ourselves. The question is not, are you experiencing stress, but how do you handle it? For me, stress management is easy when I can do yoga, eat my kale, and get plenty of sleep, but what happens when life gets in the way? Maybe a relationship has ended, you're having a health crisis, or you have a huge deadline to meet. You can become derailed, and even though you know exercise and diet are good for you, maybe going to the gym or buying groceries is just added stress. Here are some things I try to remind myself of, and the best part is... all I need to do is think about them.

 

Perspective.
I try to take myself out of whatever negative emotion I'm feeling- anger, anxiety, worry, sadness. Feelings are not facts. If I check back in an hour, will that emotional intensity lessen? What about a day? I like to practice letting go.

 

Acceptance. 
Stress comes when there is a discrepancy between what we can do and what we think we should do. I recalibrate often. Am I being fair to myself or am I piling on too much pressure?  

 

Mindfulness.
For me, stress comes from two places. The past- looking back and feeling bad about something I have or haven’t done. And the future- feeling anxious or worrying about something I have coming up. I try to bring my mind into the here and now.

 

Breathe.
I take deep breaths to ground myself in my body and calm my mind. It helps me avoid the fight or flight processor that releases those nasty stress chemicals.

 

Happy Buddha.
I try not to take myself so seriously. Sometimes I have to remind myself, "Stop furrowing that brow, clenching the jaw and wearing your shoulders at your ears." I like to just hang out with my family and friends and giggle away. Laughter is the best medicine.

 

Source - PatientsLikeMe Newsletter Issue 28 - April 2013

The summer season asks for a lot of care to be taken in order to avoid falling sick owing to the soaring temperatures and humidity in the environment. Here are a few tips which will ensure that you are able to maintain your health and fitness.

 

When the body heats too quickly to cool itself safely, or when you lose too much fluid or salt through dehydration or sweating, your body temperature rises and heat-related illness may develop. Heat disorders share one common feature: the individual has been in the heat too long or exercised too much for his or her age and physical condition.

 

 

 

 

 

• Slow down. Reduce, eliminate or reschedule strenuous activities until the coolest time of the day. Children, seniors and anyone with health problems should stay in the coolest available place, not necessarily indoors.

 

• Dress for summer. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing to reflect heat and sunlight.

 

• Put less fuel on your inner fires. Foods, like meat and other proteins that increase metabolic heat production also increase water loss.

*Monitor Those at High Risk - Those at greatest risk of heat-related illness include:
-infants and children up to four years of age;
-people who overexert during work or exercise;
-people 65 years of age or older;
-people who are ill or on certain medications; and
-people who are overweight.

 

If you or someone you know is at higher risk, it is important to drink plenty of fluids; avoid overexertion; and get your doctor or pharmacist's advice about medications taken for high blood pressure, depression, nervousness, mental illness, insomnia, or poor circulation.

 

• Drink plenty of water, non-alcoholic and decaffeinated fluids. Your body needs water to keep cool. Drink plenty of fluids even if you don't feel thirsty. Persons who have epilepsy or heart, kidney or liver disease, are on fluid restrictive diets or have a problem with fluid retention should consult a physician before increasing their consumption of fluids. Do not drink alcoholic beverages and limit caffeinated beverages.

 

 

 

 

• During excessive heat periods, spend more time in air-conditioned places. Air conditioning in homes and other buildings markedly reduces danger from the heat. If you cannot afford an air conditioner, go to a library, store or other location with air conditioning for part of the day.

 

• Don't get too much sun. Sunburn reduces your body's ability to dissipate heat.

 

• Do not take salt tablets unless specified by a physician.

 

• Be aware of the heat. Pay attention to it and modify your activities appropriately.

 

• Avoid hot enclosed places, such as cars. Never leave children unattended in a car parked in the sun.

 

• Use a fan, if available.

 

• Stay on the lowest floor of your building.

 

• Eat well-balanced, light and regular meals.

 

• Cover windows that receive a significant amount of sun with drapes or shades to help keep your house cool.

 

 

• Weather stripping and proper insulation will keep cool air inside your home.

 

These self-help measures are not a substitute for medical care but may help you recognize and respond promptly to warning signs of trouble. Your best defense against heat-related illness is prevention. Staying cool and making simple changes in your fluid intake, activities, and clothing during hot weather can help you remain safe and healthy.

 

--Dr. Sandeep Sharma
Physician, Jeevanti Hospital Ambernath

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, more than 70,000 visits to emergency rooms each year are for accidental medication overdoses, some of which are ultimately fatal. Most cases occur when a child accesses prescription medication while a parent or childcare provider is distracted or in another room, though there are incidents involving medication poisoning resulting from inadvertent double or incorrect doses. If your doctor has prescribed medication or recommended an over-the-counter drug for treatment and symptom management, these tips may help you prevent an ill-timed second dose.

 

 

- Keep a Medication Log – By keeping a medication log and diligently updating it every time a dose of medication is administered, parents and childcare providers can see exactly when their sick child or charge was last given her medication and when her next dose is due. Because parents may not have time to adequately communicate this information to a caregiver as they rush out the door, this system allows nannies to stay informed about and aware of her expected duties in relations to the administration of medication.

 

- Institute a “One Administrator” Policy – Families with two-parent households might find it easier to designate one parent as the only one that administers medication, with the exception of medical emergencies or when that parent isn’t home. In such cases, the medicating parent should be contacted before any prescription or over-the-counter drug is given to the child, just to double check that the last dosage wasn’t too recent.

- Teach Kids that More isn’t Always Better – Kids have a tendency to see things in very absolute, literal terms; if one pill makes them feel better when they’re sick, five might make them feel normal again. Independent children that want to take care of their own needs may attempt to take more medication on their own if they’re feeling particularly miserable, so parents should have an open conversation about adequate dosage and the dangers of overdoing it.

- Step Away From the Silver Spoons – Grabbing a teaspoon out of the silverware drawer might seem like a quicker and easier alternative to hunting down the medication spoon specially designed to provide an exact dosage, but it could lead to very serious complications. These spoons can vary so much in size, according to the UK Daily Mail, that kids could end up taking up to 50% more of their liquid medication than is prescribed. To prevent this almost-double dose, parents should keep a medicine spoon and/or the measuring tool that came with the medication on hand, and use it for every dose.

- Never Combine Medications – If your child’s pediatrician has prescribed a medication without suggesting an over-the-counter drug to manage symptoms or supplement the prescription, do not administer an over-the-counter medication along with your child’s prescription. The medications may have similar active ingredients or present a risk of harmful drug interactions. Stick with what the doctor prescribed and follow his instructions to the letter in order to avoid administering a dangerous drug overdose to your child by accident.

- Be Wary of Acetaminophen – Administering a pain reliever/fever reducer in conjunction with a “multi-symptom” medication for cough, sore throat and other cold-related complaints is effectively giving your child a double dose of acetaminophen, which can cause severe liver damage and even death. If your doctor has prescribed a medication, make sure that you read all of the information provided by your pharmacist to ensure that it doesn’t contain acetaminophen.

- Don’t Make Up For a Missed Dose – Unless the information provided by your pharmacist or your child’s pediatrician recommends it, never give your child a double dose of medication to make up for one that was previously missed. In most cases, this is only administering dangerous levels of medication without an added benefit; if you miss one dose in the schedule, call your physician to find out how to best proceed.

 

As children that are prescribed daily medication for a chronic condition begin to get older and accept responsibility for their own dosage, it’s imperative that parents take the time to explain the importance of scheduling each and every dose properly, as well as the many intricacies of taking a powerful chemical. Instituting a “when in doubt, don’t” policy, which means that your child always opts not to take medication if they aren’t sure about the last dose without speaking to an adult, can help to prevent kids that are eager to grow up from overdosing themselves with their medication.

 

This article was published at Become A Nanny at:  http://www.becomeananny.org/blog/preventing-double-dosing-when-children-are-prescribed-medication/