For many individuals and families, summer is the time for beach visits, Fourth of July celebrations, camping trips, bike rides and lots of outdoor activities. The increase in insect populations doesn’t have to spoil your outdoor plans! What’s caused the increase? According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an increase in warmer weather, increased human travel between continents, and reforestation in certain states and suburbs where deer and rodent populations provide plenty of food for insects, all contributed to the spike in insect populations. Prevention is key.

Most of us like when our clothes are crisp, our lawns are groomed, and our windows are sparkly. Household products can make all the difference in cleaning and making our environments more pleasant. Each product, however, has unique instructions that can be found on the label. For example, aerosol products include things like:

Failure to properly use, store and dispose of household products can put you and your family’s health at risk. Many household products contain chemicals that are toxic and can cause severe health issues if not handled properly. Research shows that many people do not properly handle cleaning products. This is alarming because if mishandled, these products can burn the skin or eyes, irritate the lungs, aggravate asthma, cause dizziness and nausea and cause death.

Flu season is in full swing, so it’s now more important than ever to protect ourselves and our loved ones from illness. Influenza A and B are the most common forms of the virus, which affects up to 20 percent of the U.S.population each year. The flu leads to millions of outpatient and hospital visits, is a significant burden to the economy, and causes thousands of deaths.

As we enter into a new year, we reflect upon the choices we have made over the previous twelve months and look for areas in which we can improve. New Year’s Resolutions can seem overwhelming, but can be more manageable when they are broken down into behaviors and actions that we can easily change or implement. When setting resolutions, it is best to start somewhere small. Though the actions and behaviors that we are working to change may seem minor to us, they have the potential to have a greater impact on the communities and the world in which we live.

In part two of our “How to Avoid Illnesses over the Holidays” blog series, we will tackle the health risks associated with Christmas. There are obvious dangers associated with the holidays, like overeating too many Christmas cookies, or electrocuting yourself while hanging Christmas lights, but there are also some less obvious, but no less serious, health risks that could be lurking around your home as well.

Thanksgiving is a beloved holiday in the United States that was celebrated for the first time in 1621. It is not only a day where family and friends gather around, share a meal, and reflect on all of the things, experiences, and people they are thankful for, but this holiday also prompts our nation to look back and appreciate how our country began. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving festivities can also be detrimental to your health, and this wonderful time spent with loved ones can often result in you or your guests becoming ill. 

t’s that time again of year again, the dreaded cold and flu season. No matter how many fruit and veggie smoothies you drink, you are still at risk of catching the bug. Whether at work, at school, or on the go, germs are all around us. They live on door knobs, computer keyboards, public transportation, and the five dollar bill we use to pay for our Monday morning XL coffee. Despite our best efforts to keep healthy, the flu is spread from person to person easily. The flu is most commonly contracted from small droplets of saliva, which can be spread when someone sneezes, coughs, or talks.

Insufficient hand washing is a major contributor to global child mortality and transmission of infectious diseases in populations around the world. In fact, 1.87 million children die every year due to diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections, both of which are completely preventable[1]. While it may seem routine, people in communities around the world lack the education and resources to properly wash their hands.

For years, water scarcity has been a reality for underdeveloped nations and their populations. In many third world countries, water sources are few and far between. Limited access to water leads to extreme conditions, affecting the economy, education system, and overall health of the people. It is not uncommon for those living in underdeveloped countries to share their water sources with animals.