prevention and fitness – Page 28 – watercress words by Dr Aletha

International Travel: Tips for Staying Healthy

Consider what you’ll eat while traveling. If you’re going to a country with an increased risk of traveler’s diarrhea, plan to eat carefully.

Hot, well-cooked food is usually safest.

Avoid eating foods from street vendors, unpasteurized dairy products, and raw or uncooked seafood.

Peel fruits yourself.

Drink water from commercially sealed bottles.

Or drink hot or carbonated beverages.

Avoid ice.

Use bottled water when you brush your teeth.

up close with llamas at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

(This post includes affiliate links, where a purchase might pay a commission to this blog, but cost you nothing extra. Thank you. )

Dehydration: Risks and Myths

In this New York Times article, health writer Jane Brody explains how much water we need to drink to stay hydrated; it may not be what you think. Click the link to read.

Your tap water is probably safe to drink, or you can use a filtered pitcher or device on your faucet. But if you prefer bottled water there are numerous choices ranging from cheap to expensive.

Why not commit to giving up tobacco use this summer? Here are

7 Surprising Reasons to be Smoke Free

In this post I remember how smoking has changed since I was a child. The health risk was minimized or even ignored. But that changed. Even so, it remains a leading cause of preventable illness. Here are resources for quitting .

Keep reading

by Aletha Cress Oglesby, M.D.

Exploring the HEART of a Healthy Summer

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Do you feel as angry as I do when you hear yet another news story about adults, usually men, who sexually abuse children and adolescents? Almost every newscast on television reports a new incident, if not nationally, but here in my own community. And I don’t live in a high crime area.

Even assuming that some,maybe many of the perpetrators are mentally ill, the numbers seem staggering. I wonder, how can our society do better? How can we adults protect vulnerable children?

Too many children are being abused; we need to protect them. — graphic from Child Sexual Abuse U.S. National Library of Medicine

Thankfully, smart people are working on solutions but in the meantime all of us who have children, grandchildren or other children in our care must do whatever we can to be the first line of defense.

One mother’s story

This article by Stacy Harrison ,who blogs at Revisions of Grandeur ,caught my attention. She recounts a time when her child might have become an abuse statistic but didn’t due to her vigilance as a mother. She thwarted a potential attack upon her son by

trusting her instincts
talking to her child
disregarding stereotypes and
being aware of where she was vulnerable

I encourage you to read her post and consider her suggestions for keeping our children safe.

Not My Child: Protecting My Son from a Sexual Predator

little boy in a hoody, looking out a rainy window

Photo by Juan Pablo Arenas on Pexels.com

little boy walking down a dirt road with a red backpack

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

“Sexual abuse can happen to children of any race, socioeconomic group, religion or culture. There is no foolproof way to protect children from sexual abuse, but there are steps you can take to reduce this risk. If something happens to your child, remember that the perpetrator is to blame—not you and especially not the child.”

At this link from RAINN, you’ll find some precautions you can take to help protect the children in your life.

How Can I Protect My Child From Sexual Assault?

young girl in bright pink boots next to a pink playhouse in her yard

Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

grayscale photography of young girl doing ballet

Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

“Stop It Now! has developed a warning signs tip sheet to help identify possible warning signs. Any one sign does not mean that a child was sexually abused, but the presence of several suggests that you begin asking questions and consider seeking help.”