Texas Forest Country Living

Warm days mean picnics, ballgames and outdoor adventure. Unfortunately, all that sun and fun can introduce a greater risk of skin woes for you and your family.

“Whether you’re playing catch in the backyard or pitching a tent in the woods, you can help prevent certain issues from occurring, and if they do, be prepared by having a remedy on hand that can offer your family instant healing and relief from itching, burning and discomfort,” says Dr. Angela Lamb, dermatologist.

With that in mind, here are some tips to prevent and treat the itch and irritation of the season:

Cover Up

More bare skin means more risk for bug bites and stings, and exposure to rash-causing plants such as poison ivy and poison oak. When possible, wear long sleeves and pants. Loose-fitting, light colors can keep you cool on warmer days, even when covered up. When you get home, check clothes for ticks before heading inside.

Be Aware

Be savvy outdoors and teach your family to avoid poison ivy, oak and sumac. If you spend time in areas where these plants grow, cover up and avoid contact. When you get home, be sure to wash skin and clothing that may have been exposed to the sap of these plants.

Ensure your yard drains properly during and after rain and empty kiddie pools and other standing water. Proactive steps such as these will prevent mosquitoes from making your yard a breeding ground.

Treat Ailments

Even with preventive measures in place, bites, stings, scrapes and allergic reactions do happen. Make sure you’re prepared to treat discomfort.

For bites and stings, Dr. Lamb recommends a counterirritant such as After Bite, which stops itch and offers a skin protectant for temporary relief and faster healing. The kids’ formula is a gentle alternative for young ones or anyone with sensitive skin. Both contain soothing baking soda and offer an easy-to-apply, portable remedy for bites from a wide variety of insects.

For instant and permanent relief from itching and pain associated with hives, rashes and redness, insect bites, minor scrapes, and allergic reactions from poison ivy, oak and sumac, Dr. Lamb recommends a new steroid-free anti-itch product for the whole family called The Itch Eraser. It is offered in a maximum strength gel and spray with antihistamine as the active ingredient, or a sensitive cream formula with baking soda for those who have sensitive skin. All three contain Vitamin E and Tea Tree Oil to heal and moisturize the skin while reducing redness and inflammation.

So, get the bikes dusted off, the baseball mitts oiled and the camping gear out of the garage — family fun this season is all about taking advantage of the outdoors. But don’t let skin irritations get in way of your good time! Take precautions and arm yourself with treatments for all your skin problems.

(StatePoint)

“In general, we found that the risk of CVD increased as the average weekly working hours increased,” write Sadie H. Conway, PhD, of University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, and colleagues. They note that among full-time workers, CVD risk appears lowest between 40 and 45 hours per week.

The researchers analyzed the relationship between work hours and CVD using data on more than 1,900 participants from a long-term follow-up study of work and health. All participants had been employed for at least ten years. During the study, a physician-diagnosed CVD event—angina, coronary heart disease or heart failure, heart attack, high blood pressure, or stroke—occurred in about 43 percent of participants.

Risk of CVD events increased by one percent for each additional hour worked per week over at least ten years, after adjustment for age, sex, racial/ethnic group, and pay status. The difference was significant only for full-time workers, not part-timers. Among those who worked more than 30 hours per week, risk increased as weekly hours approached 40, but then decreased again between 40 and 45 hours per week.

Beginning at 46 hours, increasing work hours were progressively associated with increased risk of CVD. Compared to people who averaged 45 hours per week for ten years or longer, overall CVD risk was increased by 16 percent for those who worked 55 hours per week and by 35 percent for those who worked 60 hours per week.

While previous research has suggested increased CVD risk with longer working hours, the new study is the first to show a “dose-response” effect. Dr. Conway comments, “This study provides specific evidence on long work hours and an increase the risk of CVD, thereby providing a foundation for CVD prevention efforts focused on work schedule practices, which may reduce the risk of CVD for millions of working Americans.”

Newswise —