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Spring and summer brings out the bugs. Try having a Fourth of July barbeque without mosquitoes and flies. Camping, hiking, hunting and even a picnic in the park can result in bee stings, ticks or a chigger attack. Though some areas of the United States have more problems with fire ants or scorpions than other areas, I have identified six typical stinging and biting spring and summer insects, how to prevent them, as well as how to treat their bites and stings.
It is Throwback Thursday, so I have picked a post about surviving the extreme heat of summer. This post originally appeared…Read More >
ACHOO! Oh man, I feel ya. Almost nothing is more miserable than a seasonal allergy attack. I usually feel it during fall, but I know many of you get spring allergies, as well. Wearing contacts, mowing the lawn, going to the park or sitting quietly waiting for that spring gobbler? Forget about it. Many people are also allergic to animal dander, dust and mold. Many choose to treat allergy symptoms with prescriptions or over the counter antihistamines and nasal decongestants, while some with severe cases consider allergy shots. You can control and alleviate symptoms by avoiding exposure and treating allergies with home and natural remedies.
If you are like me, at some point it just gets too dang hot to tent camp in the summer. Spring weather in North Texas is optimal for camping—nice, warm and sunny during the day, with temperatures dropping in the night for a cool and comfortable sleeping environment. Plan your trips now before the heat turns sweltering. To get you ready, I have complied Cheaper Than Dirt’s! top six camping posts.
Hypothermia – Knowing what to do if you, or someone you encounter, show signs of this coldblooded killer can mean the difference between life and death. Are you ready?
Designed for an individual or for use on your battle buddy, this new Army first aid kit is standard issue for all American ground troops. It includes bandage, gauze, tape, a tourniquet and exam gloves. Conveniently packed in a useful, MOLLE-compatible Army digital camo pouch this first aid kit will treat anything from minor cuts to serious wounds.
I don’t want to sound like an alarmist, but carbon monoxide really is a silent killer. You can’t smell it, taste it or see it. In fact, you might not even believe you feel it. You may disregard symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, weakness, chest pain and nausea as a cold or flu. However, carbon monoxide poisoning is extremely dangerous—even mild cases can cause permanent brain damage. Carbon monoxide poisoning happens all year round, however, cases increases in winter—particularly in December and January. One of the best ways to prevent CO poisoning is to buy a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector. It works just like your smoke alarm and will sound a loud alarm when dangerous levels of carbon monoxide are present. There are other ways to prevent CO poisoning, as well:
Emergency management officials always tell you to have a Plan “A” in place in case of an emergency, and this is sound advice. However, you should also take that a step further and have a Plan “B.”
Did you know that drinking water is just as important in winter as it is in the summer? In fact, dehydration can come along quicker in winter than summer. Further, we are less likely to reach for a cool, glass of water to regulate our temperature in the winter. Not to mention that dehydration can actually speed up hypothermia. Drinking plenty of water also helps us fight colds and other respiratory illness as well as prevent dry, chapped skin. You need to store at least three days of water for you and your family in preparation for winter storms.
Though a person’s temperature may vary from 97 to 100 degrees—a healthy range—it takes just a few degrees cooler for our bodies to become dangerously too cold to function. When body temperatures fall just 3 degrees under 98.6 to 95 degrees, it is at a risk for hypothermia. Roughly 600 Americans die each year from hypothermia. Fortunately, hypothermia is easily preventable when you follow these tips.
