Drowning

CPR is a standard treatment for near drowning.  But if CPR doesn’t seem to work, the airways may be obstructed. The rescuer may then use the Heimlich maneuver to expel water and help the victim breathe, according to the American Heart Association.

Here’s how to apply the Heimlich maneuver in near-drowning situations:

1. Place the unconscious victim on his or her back and turn the face to one side so water can drain from the mouth.  If you suspect the airway is blocked, however, don’t turn the head, because it will prevent expulsion of the object.
2. Kneel astride the victim’s hips, facing toward the head.
3. Place the heel of one hand on the victim’s abdomen, slightly above the navel and below the rib cage.  Place the other hand on top of the lower hand.
4. Press into the victim’s abdomen with quick upward thrusts. Repeat until water no longer flows from the victim’s mouth.

The victim should see a physician immediately after rescue.  If the victim doesn’t regain consciousness, proceed with CPR and call for emergency medical assistance.   

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com

The ABCs of CPR

CPR or cardiopulmonary resucitation is a basic skill that everyone should learn. It can mean the difference between life and death. CPR can restore the flow of oxygen to the brain if the heart has stopped breathing due to heart attack, drowning, electrical shock, suffocation, drug overdose or for some other reason.

To know how to perform CPR correctly, you need expert training. It takes 3 hours to learn and the essential steps can be remembered as ABC:

Airway. Tilt the victim’s head back and clear the airway.

Breathing. Pinch the nose closed and perform mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing.

Circulation. Using both hands, compress the chest at a point where the sternum (about midpoint in the front of the rib cage) to compress the heart and deliver blood to the body until the heart can resume beating on its own.   

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com

Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer, according to the World Health Organisation, is one of the world’s deadliest but most easily preventable forms of cancer for women.

Here are some tips to reduce your risk of developing cervical cancer:

• Have a pap smear at least once a year and more often if you are sexually active.
• Don’t smoke.
• Limit your sexual activity to monogamous relationships.
• Contact your gynecologist if you have pain during intercourse or bleeding or spotting between periods. 

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com

Calcium and Bones, Part 2

(continued from last week)

Sources of Calcium

Food                          Portion                   Calcium (mg)

Ice cream                     1 cup                          176

Ice milk                         1 cup                          176

Tofu                               3 oz                           174

Cheese Pizza               1 med. slice               144

Blackstrap molasses     1 tbsp.                       137

Broccoli, raw                  1 cup                        136

Soy flour                        1/2 cup                      120

Almonds                        1/4 cup                       100     

Broccoli, cooked            1/2 cup                        89

Soybeans, cooked         1/2 cup                        88

Parmesan cheese          1/2 cup                        86

Collard greens                1/2 cup                       74

Dandelion greens           1/2 cup                       74

Mustard greens              1/2 cup                        52

Kale                                1/2 cup                        47

Chick-peas                      1/2 cup                       40

A Guide to Calcium Needs

Age                                        Recommended 

                                             Dietary Allowance 

                                                  (mg) 

Children (1-10 yrs.)                     800

Teenagers (11-18 yrs.)             1,200

Adults (18 + yrs.)                         800

Pregnant & nursing women      1,200

Pregnant & nursing teenagers  1,600

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com

Calcium and Bones, Part 1

A lot of people assume that their bones stop growing when they become adults. This is not so. Bone tissue continuously dissolve and re-form.  One way to maintain strong bones is to eat foods rich in calcium.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, but your body cannot manufacture it. You have to get the calcium you need from your food.

The following are sources of calcium:

Food                          Portion                   Calcium (mg)

Swiss cheese                2 oz                           544

Provolone cheese         2 oz                           428

Monterey Jack cheese  2 oz                           424

Yogurt, low-fat               1 cup                         415

Cheddar cheese           2 oz                           408

Muenster cheese          2 oz                           406

Colby cheese                2 oz                           388

Brick cheese                 2 oz                           382    

Sardines                       3 oz                            372

American cheese          2 oz                           348

Ricotta cheese             ½ cup                         337

Milk, skim                     1 cup                          302

Mozzarella cheese        2 oz                           294

Buttermilk                     1 cup                          285

Limburger cheese         2 oz                           282

Ice milk                         1 cup                          274

Salmon                         3 oz                            271

(To be continued next week. – J.P.)

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com