|
Here's to a HealthierU!
See you after Spring Break!
Announcements
Health Services open limited hours during Spring Break
Health Services will be open on March 13, 15, 21, and 22 from
10:00am to 2:00pm. An On-Call Physician will be available during
break for urgent concerns by phoning (860) 685-2470 and selecting
option 2. The office will reopen for regular hours on Monday, March
26 at 9:00am.
Click here for additional details.
Daylight Savings Time changes at 2:00am THIS Sunday
Remember to move your clocks one hour FORWARD when you go to bed
Saturday night.
If you use any type of medical device, such as an insulin pump, the
Food & Drug Administration (FDA) notified health care professionals
and consumers of the possibility that some medical devices/equipment
may generate adverse events because of the upcoming change in the
start and end dates for Daylight Savings Time (DST), and suggested
actions to prevent such occurrences.
Medical equipment that uses, creates or records time information
about a patient's diagnosis or treatment and has not been updated by
the manufacturer, may not work properly when the new DST starts
three weeks earlier and ends one week later this year. Medical
equipment currently in use was likely made before the DST rules were
changed and may cause patient's equipment to register the wrong
dates for the start and end of daylight savings time this year.
Additionally, if a medical device or medical device network are
adversely affected by the new DST date changes, a patient's
treatment or diagnostic result could be:
-incorrectly prescribed
-provided at the wrong time
-missed
-given more than once
-given for longer or shorter durations than intended
-incorrectly recorded
Consumers are encouraged to see the attached Preliminary Public
Health Notification and Advice for Patients for recommendations on
what to do if their medical equipment uses or displays time.
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2007/safety07.htm#time
Tips for a HealthierU
The contents of your refrigerator look like a science experiment
gone wrong.
Moldy Cheese: is it unsafe to eat?
Travelling during Spring Break?
Check out these travel health resources to help yourself healthier
Determined to get your academics back on track after Spring Break?
Access
the wealth of resources available to you through the Student
Academic Resources Network (SARN)
Quote of the Week
"Nothing will work unless you do." ~ Maya Angelou, poet & author
Healthy Dose of Info...Protecting yourself outdoors in cold
weather
When the weather is extremely cold, and especially if there are
high winds, try to stay indoors. Make any trips outside as brief as
possible, and remember these tips to protect your health and safety:
Dress Warmly and Stay Dry
Adults and children should wear:
~ a hat
~ a scarf or knit mask to cover face and mouth
~ sleeves that are snug at the wrist
~ mittens (they are warmer than gloves)
~ water-resistant coat and boots
~ several layers of loose-fitting clothing
Be sure the outer layer of your clothing is tightly woven,
preferably wind resistant, to reduce body-heat loss caused by wind.
Wool, silk, or polypropylene inner layers of clothing will hold more
body heat than cotton. Stay dry?wet clothing chills the body
rapidly. Excess perspiration will increase heat loss, so remove
extra layers of clothing whenever you feel too warm. Also, avoid
getting gasoline or alcohol on your skin while de-icing and fueling
your car or using a snow blower. These materials in contact with the
skin greatly increase heat loss from the body. Do not ignore
shivering. It?s an important first sign that the body is losing
heat. Persistent shivering is a signal to return indoors.
Avoid Exertion
Cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart. If you have
heart disease or high blood pressure, follow your doctor?s advice
about shoveling snow or performing other hard work in the cold.
Otherwise, if you have to do heavy outdoor chores, dress warmly and
work slowly. Remember, your body is already working hard just to
stay warm, so don't overdo it.
Understand Wind Chill
The Wind Chill index is the temperature your body feels when the
air temperature is combined with the wind speed. It is based on the
rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the effects of wind
and cold. As the speed of the wind increases, it can carry heat away
from your body much more quickly, causing skin temperature to drop.
When there are high winds, serious weather-related health problems
are more likely, even when temperatures are only cool. (Click
here for a wind chill factor chart.)
Avoid Ice
Walking on ice is extremely dangerous. Many cold-weather
injuries result from falls on ice-covered sidewalks, steps,
driveways, and porches. Keep your steps and walkways as free of ice
as possible by using rock salt or another chemical de-icing
compound. Sand may also be used on walkways to reduce the risk of
slipping.
Be Safe During Recreation
Notify friends and family where you will be before you go
hiking, camping, or skiing. Do not leave areas of the skin exposed
to the cold. Avoid perspiring or becoming overtired. Be prepared to
take emergency shelter. Pack dry clothing, a two-wave radio,
waterproof matches and paraffin fire starters with you. Do not use
alcohol and other mood altering substances, and avoid caffeinated
beverages. Avoid walking on ice or getting wet. Carefully watch for
signs of cold-weather health problems.
~ Taken from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
"Extreme
Cold: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety"
For more information on Wesleyan's health offices, visit:
WesWELL, the Office of
Health Education
Health Services
Office of Behavioral Health
for Students
Publicize your health-promoting event in HealthierU by emailing
all the details to lcurrie
@wesleyan.edu for the
following Wednesday's edition of HealthierU.
HealthierU is created and maintained by WesWELL, the Office of
Health Education.
Click here for the HealthierU Archives.
Please direct any feedback or suggestions to
lcurrie@wesleyan.edu or
860.685.2466. |
