“Is your car ready for winter travel? It’s not too late to winterize your car. Check out these car care tips to prepare you for winter driving:

We all know in many states this winter so far has been nothing but for some areas in the U.S., just take Boston, but know winter isn’t over and February hasn’t even hit yet!  The CDC recommends the following to stay safe and healthy in the winter:

“Winter storms and cold temperatures can be dangerous. Stay safe and healthy by planning ahead. Prepare your home and vehicles. Prepare for power outages and outdoor activity. Check on older adults.

Although winter comes as no surprise, many of us may not be ready for its arrival. If you are prepared for the hazards of winter, you are more likely to stay safe and healthy when temperatures start to fall.

Prepare Your Home

Staying inside is no guarantee of safety. Take these steps [PDF – 344 KB] to keep your home safe and warm during the winter months.

• Winterize your home.
  • Install weather stripping, insulation, and storm windows.
  • Insulate water lines that run along exterior walls.
  • Clean out gutters and repair roof leaks.
• Check your heating systems.
  • Have your heating system serviced professionally to make sure that it is clean, working properly, and ventilated to the outside.
  • Inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys.
  • Have a safe alternate heating source and alternate fuels available.
• If you do not have working smoke detectors, install one inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. Test batteries monthly and replace them twice a year.
• Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning emergencies.
  • Install a battery-operated or battery backup CO detector to alert you of the presence of the deadly, odorless, colorless gas. Check or change the battery when you change your clocks in the fall and spring.
  • Learn the symptoms of CO poisoning: headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.

Prepare Your Vehicle

Get your vehicle ready for cold weather use before winter arrives.

• Service the radiator and maintain antifreeze level.
• Check your tires’ tread or, if necessary, replace tires with all-weather or snow tires.
• Keep the gas tank full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
• Use a wintertime formula in your windshield washer.
• Prepare a winter emergency kit to keep in your car in case you become stranded. The kit should include:
  • Cell phone, portable charger, and extra batteries.
  • Items to stay warm, such as extra hats, coats, mittens, blankets, or sleeping bags.
  • Food and water.
  • Booster cables, flares, tire pump, and a bag of sand or cat litter (for traction).
  • Compass and maps.
  • Flashlight, battery-powered radio, and extra batteries.
  • First-aid kit; and
  • Plastic bags (for sanitation).

Prepare for Emergencies

Be prepared for weather-related emergencies, including power outages.

• Stock food that needs no cooking or refrigeration and water stored in clean containers.
• Ensure that your cell phone is fully charged.
• When planning travel, be aware of current and forecast weather conditions.
• Keep an up-to-date emergency kit, including:
  • Battery-operated devices, such as a flashlight, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio, and lamps.
  • Extra batteries.
  • First-aid kit and extra medicine.
  • Baby items; and
  • Cat litter or sand for icy walkways.
• Protect your family from carbon monoxide (CO).
  • Keep grills, camp stoves, and generators out of the house, basement, and garage.
  • Locate generators at least 20 feet from the house.
  • Leave your home immediately if the CO detector sounds and call 911.

Take Precautions Outdoors

Outdoor activities can expose you to several safety hazards, but you can take these steps to prepare for them:

• Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: wear a tightly woven, preferably wind-resistant coat or jacket; inner layers of light, warm clothing; mittens; hats; scarves; and waterproof boots.
• Sprinkle cat litter or sand on icy patches.
• Learn safety precautions to follow when outdoors.
  • Work slowly when doing outside chores.
  • Take a buddy and an emergency kit when you are participating in outdoor recreation.
  • Carry a cell phone.

Do This When You Plan to Travel

When planning travel, be aware of current and forecast weather conditions.

• Avoid non-essential travel when the National Weather Service has issued advisories.
• If you must travel, inform a friend or relative of your proposed route and expected time of arrival.
• Follow these safety rules if you become stranded in your vehicle.
  • Make your vehicle visible to rescuers. Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna, raise the hood (if it is not snowing), and turn on the inside overhead lights (when your engine is running).
  • Move anything you need from the trunk into the passenger area. Stay with your vehicle unless safety is no more than 100 yards away.
  • Keep your body warm. Wrap your entire body, including your head, in extra clothing, blankets, or newspapers. Huddle with other people if you can.
  • Stay awake and stay moving. You will be less vulnerable to cold-related health problems. As you sit, keep moving your arms and legs to improve circulation and stay warmer.
  • Run the motor (and heater) for about 10 minutes per hour, opening one window slightly to let in air. Make sure that snow is not blocking the exhaust pipe—this will reduce the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

Be ready to check on family and neighbors who are especially at risk from cold weather hazards: young children, older adults, and the chronically ill.

If you have pets, bring them inside. If you cannot bring them inside, provide adequate, warm shelter and unfrozen water to drink.

No one can stop the onset of winter. However, if you follow these suggestions, you will be ready for it when it comes.”

So be safe this winter by being prepared!

“January is National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month. Harsh winter days offer thrill-seekers a playground of opportunity to participate in extreme sports, such as snowboarding, skiing, heli-skiing, and snowmobiling. The high velocity, living on the edge sense of adventure makes these sports appealing. There are physical risks associated with such activities, injuries, especially concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Sports and recreational activities contribute to about 21% of all traumatic brain injuries among American children and adolescents.”

DOC Direct Orthopedic Care (https://www.directorthocare.com/january-national-winter-sports-traumatic-brain-injury-tbi-awareness-month/)

National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month, observed in January, is a time to increase awareness of winter sports TBIs, promote the need for a cure after a traumatic brain injury, and spur advocacy on behalf of those suffering with the emotional, financial and physical burden of TBI injuries.

National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month calls attention to the fact that, although sports injuries contribute to fatalities infrequently, the leading cause of death from sports-related injuries is traumatic brain injury. Sports and recreational activities contribute to about 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among American children and adolescents.

National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month is a public health and awareness campaign for highlighting the dangers of traumatic brain injury and the importance for taking precautionary measures when engaging in winter sports like skating, tobogganing and skiing. TBI stands for Traumatic Brain Injury which is a common result of injuries that involve the head. Every year, there are approximately 1.7 million head injuries in the United States according to the American Physical Therapy Association. More importantly, about 52,000 people die every year due to TBI. It is commonly caused by falling or crashing into another person or objects while skiing or skating. Many of these accidents lead to head injuries like concussions and traumatic brain injury.

The awareness campaign exists because TBI is usually misdiagnosed which often causes complications or the death of the patient. Thus, it is important to spread knowledge of the symptoms among medical professionals and the public. These symptoms may be experienced immediately after the accident or days/weeks thereafter.

Purpose of National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month

The Johnny O Foundation and others like it try to raise awareness of the health risks (specifically concussions and traumatic brain injuries) ordinary individuals and athletes face when they participate in winter sports. It also highlights sports safety and preventive measures for avoiding concussions and TBIs. The main goal of the public awareness campaign is to reduce TBIs in the country.

Here are simple tips for preventing head injuries when participating in winter sports:

• Wear approved, properly fitted and well-maintained safety equipment like helmets
• Stipulate safety rules like no direct hits to the head or other dangerous play
• Encourage safe playing techniques and encourage individuals to strictly follow rules of play during winter sports activities

It is also important to take immediate action in case of suspected concussion. Here are the steps that should be taken when a concussion is suspected during winter sports activities:

• The first step is to remove the individual from play.
• Make sure that he/she is evaluated by an experienced medical care professional in the evaluation of concussions.
• Inform the family/friends of the individual regarding the possibility of a concussion and give them informative materials about concussions.
• Keep the individual out of play until he/she has been thoroughly evaluated by an experienced medical care professional and given permission to return to play.

Conclusion

National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month is a reminder of the dangers of winter sports and the possibility of TBIs and other injuries. For such reason, it is very important to keep safety in mind and take the necessary precautions to minimize the risk of TBIs and concussions. It is also very important to be aware of the symptoms of a concussion and closely supervise someone who is suspected of a concussion or TBI.

“You can’t see, smell or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. In fact, the EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General urge all Americans to protect their health by testing their homes, schools and other buildings for radon.

Exposure to radon is a preventable health risk and testing radon levels in your home can help prevent unnecessary exposure. If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix the problem to protect yourself and your family.”

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency

“About 1 out of 100 Americans ages 12 years and older have hyperthyroidism.  Hyperthyroidism is more common in women and people older than 60.  You are more likely to have hyperthyroidism if you have a family history of thyroid disease, have other health problems like pernicious anemia or Type 1 or 2 diabetes, primary adrenal insufficiency, eating large amounts of food with iodine, uses iodine products and pregnant in the last 6 months.”

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hyperthyroidism#common)

“Both are disorders of the thyroid gland, but each are completely different in the affect on the organ causing opposite problems.

Confused about the difference between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism? You’re not alone. The similar-sounding terms can easily be mistaken for one another, but they have very different—actually opposite—meanings:

Hyperthyroidism (“hyper,” meaning “more”) is when there is too much thyroid hormone in the body.

Hypothyroidism (“hypo,” meaning “less”) is when there is not enough thyroid hormone in the body.”

endocrineweb (https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/hyperthyroidism-vs-hypothyroidism)

“January is National Thyroid Awareness Month. According to the American Thyroid Association, 1 in 10 people suffer from a thyroid disorder. They also found that at least 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime.

Did you know, more than half of the people in America that suffer from a thyroid disorder are undiagnosed? Raising awareness about the thyroid is important because it plays a significant role in the human body.

The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located just above your collarbone and in front of the windpipe. This gland controls numerous important functions in the human body.”

The Surgical Clinic (https://thesurgicalclinics.com/national-thyroid-awareness-month/)

“The damage caused by glaucoma can’t be reversed. But treatment and regular checkups can help slow or prevent vision loss, especially if you catch the disease in its early stages.

Glaucoma is treated by lowering intraocular pressure. There are treatment options.  Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eye drops. ”

MAYO CLINIC (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/glaucoma/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372846)

“Secondary glaucoma is the name used to describe glaucomas that occur as a side effect or “secondary” to another underlying medical condition or trauma. This differs from primary glaucoma, where there’s no identifiable cause for the glaucoma to develop. Even though the cause of primary and secondary glaucomas may be different, the increase in eye pressure and the resulting damage to the optic nerve are the same.”

Glaucoma UK (https://glaucoma.uk/about-glaucoma/what-is-glaucoma/secondary-glaucomas/)