Steps to prepare for severe winter
LANSING — With the arrival of winter weather, Michigan residents are encouraged to make emergency preparedness a priority.Severe winter weather poses health and safety concerns with extremely cold temperatures, freezing pipes, potential propane shortages and power outages. The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland...10 healthy dessert… and they’re tasty too
A sweet tooth is meant to be satisfied—yes, even if you're watching your weight. Dessert, after all, is one of life's pleasures and deprivation typically backfires. It doesn't have to be a high-calorie, high-fat disaster, either: The trick is making smart choices and substitutions. "Take advantage of foods that are naturally sweet...Five practices to prevent the sun from damaging your skin
Nothing is more important than protecting your skin at all times during the summer. While the sun’s rays can be comforting and refreshing, they can also damage your skin if you do not take appropriate precautions. The summer is a great time to be outdoors and active, but it is always important that you take the sun’s strength...Swimming safety tips for the summer season
Swimming is a great recreational sport that people of all ages can enjoy. But it’s important to know how to be safe while you’re in the water. Here are important swimming safety tips you should be aware of before you head out to the pool or beach:Make water safety your priority• Swim in designated areas supervised by...First West Nile virus activity of 2014 detected in Michigan
LANSING —The first West Nile virus (WNV) activity for Michigan this summer has been identified in a mosquito pool from Saginaw County. With this activity prior to the holiday, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) is urging residents to apply repellents during peak mosquito biting periods such as dusk and dawn and to drain...Identifying as Muslim on resumes may lead to fewer job opportunities, survey says
Recent college grads, take note: Mentioning a campus religion group on your resume — particularly a Muslim club — may lead to significantly fewer job opportunities.Two new sociology studies find new graduates who included a religious mention on a resume were much less likely to hear back from potential employers.The studies used...7 reasons why it’s good to speak another language
It's one of life's truths: Being bilingual or multilingual can only be considered a good thing. The ability to travel seamlessly in another country; to interact with people you wouldn't otherwise be able to communicate with; to really understand and immerse yourself in culture, whether it be your own or another's; and on the most...Summer safety tips for kids
We hope that everyone enjoys this special time of year, but we want to also remind parents that there are potential dangers during the summer months. It’s important to be aware of what they are. The more information one learns about how to prevent illnesses and injuries, the less likely they will occur.There are many areas to cover...Stop mosquito breeding with proper yard drainage
As you enjoy time outdoors, it’s important to remember that warmer weather means prime mosquito breeding season in outdoor areas around your home and yard.With the risk for mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus (WNV), families are being urged to take preventative steps to protect themselves, such as by using mosquito repellant and...Cooking with frozen meat common in Arab and Chaldean households
A local Iraqi woman made several pounds of potato chop and put them in her freezer for her family to eat over the next few months. DETROIT — It is common for many Arab and Chaldeans to have two or three freezers at home. In addition to the freezer in their kitchen, some keep one in both the garage and basement....vBlue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan recognized for excellence in diversity management for fourth consecutive year
DETROIT – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is once again the only company in the state to receive top regional honors on DiversityInc’s Top 10 Regional Companies list for diversity management. For the fourth consecutive year, the Blues edged out over a thousand companies for a spot on the coveted list, which recognizes...Stressful relationships may raise risk of death
NEW YORK — Worries, conflicts and demands in relationships with friends, family and neighbors may contribute to an earlier death, suggests a new Danish study.“Conflicts, especially, were associated with higher mortality risk regardless of whom was the source of the conflict,” the authors write. “Worries and demands were...Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan marks 10 years of grants to strengthen safety net programs
DETROIT — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan continues its efforts in supporting free health clinics throughout the state of Michigan by announcing the opening of its 2014 grant funding program. Through its Strengthening the Safety Net grant program, free clinics through Michigan are encouraged to apply for a grant of up to $15,000...Tips for healthy and safe swimming
LANSING — Every year, thousands of Americans get sick with recreational water illnesses. To protect Michigan residents during the holiday when swimming is common, the week before Memorial Day is recognized as Recreational Water Illness and Injury (RWII) Prevention Week.Have your eyes ever started to sting and turn red while you...Texting improves link between sick teens and doctors
NEW YORK — Adolescents with chronic diseases who were allowed to text their doctors were better equipped to manage their own healthcare and more likely to request help at the first sign of problems, a new study found.“Give them a voice, and they will talk,” said lead author Dr. Jeannie Huang. “And that’s really what we want......
Suicide: The warning signs
Suicide has been recently described as an "epidemic." But what goes on in the mind of a person in the time leading up to his suicide attempt often sounds similar to this: "If you don't matter, what does matter? Nothing matters. What are you waking up for? It's so agonizing to wake up in the morning, why bother doing it? End it. Just...The Five reasons people attempt suicide
The one question everyone has asked without exception, that they ache to have answered more than any other, is simply: why? Why did their friend, child, parent, spouse, or sibling take their own life? Even when a note explaining the reasons is found, lingering questions usually remain: yes, they felt enough despair to want to die, but...
Four things that may help you maintain digestive balance
March 27th, 20140 Around this time each year, New Year’s resolutions get lost amidst busy schedules and unexpected obligations. Even if your resolutions are a thing of the past, it’s possible to get back on track by identifying easy to follow changes that don’t require huge alterations in lifestyle. Sherri Shepherd knows a thing or two...Take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes
LANSING — In support of Diabetes Alert Day on March 25, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) is encouraging Michigan residents to take and share the Diabetes Risk Test for the health of themselves and their loved ones. In Michigan, an estimated one out of every 10 Michigan adults have been diagnosed with diabetes (about......
Regularly sleeping too long may indicate a health problem
We get it: Sleep is good for us. The National Sleep Foundation regularly campaigns “to celebrate the health benefits of sleep,” and experts have been boosting sleep’s values as no less important than proper diet and exercise.Insufficient sleep has been linked to stroke, obesity and heart disease. But sleeping too much may also be...Hand sanitizers… 8 reasons you should think before using them
Hand sanitizer is a boon for many. All you have to do is take out this little bottle of this viscous liquid, squeeze a bit on your hand, rub them together and you are good to go.Hand sanitizers, as the manufacturers say, kill 99.9% bacteria. And it is true, they do. But, the reason it was invented was to use them when one has little or......
Flu is hospitalizing and killing more young adults this season
Influenza is killing more young and middle-aged adults this year than usual, in part because they’re less likely to be vaccinated, federal health officials said this month.More than 60 percent of those killed or put into the hospital by flu so far this season have been aged 18 to 64, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says....Selfless love turns off brain’s reward area, researchers say
While general feelings of love activate the same reward areas of the brain as cocaine, selfless love shuts that area down, CBS News reported."When we truly, selflessly wish for the well-being of others, we're not getting that same rush of excitement that comes with, say, a tweet from our romantic love interest, because it's not about......
