Drinking and Driving: Tips for a Safe Holiday Season

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Safety

Now is the time of year that holiday celebrations begin in earnest. When families, coworkers, club members or friends get together, there is sure to be a wide range of alcoholic refreshments.

It’s also a time to make smart choices about drinking and driving. With national strict enforcement of drunk driving laws, lower legal limits for consumption of alcoholic beverages and lack of driver education about acceptable drinking limits while driving, here are some guidelines to help: (more…)

Fire Safety: Holiday Edition

Nov 30, 2012 | Safety

Happy Holidays, everyone! This is a wonderful time of year when people celebrate and decorate their homes for the upcoming festivities. However, please remember to follow these steps to ensure the safety of your family and friends:

Candles

If you are going to be lighting candles in your home, keep them away from anything flammable. For example, if you place a candle in the windowsill, make sure your window shades or curtains are not close to it, or they may catch fire.

Lights

Hanging up Christmas lights is always fun, but they should be inspected before they are used every year:

•  Check the wires and plugs for signs of wear and tear; if they’re frayed, don’t use them.
•  Check bulbs for cracks or missing bulbs, and make sure the plug is also free of damage.
•  If hanging lights outdoors, make sure the package states that they are for outdoor use; do not use indoor lights for outdoor decoration.

Trees

If using a pre-lit artificial tree, inspect it for the same issues as Christmas light wires. If the tree is real, keep it hydrated. Dry trees have a higher potential for catching fire in the home due to heat given off by the lights attached to them.

Remember to be safe this holiday season and inspect all equipment before use.

Smoke Detectors In The Home

Nov 1, 2012 | Safety

Guest post by Miriam Bennison, Fire and Safety Assistant

Ever notice everywhere you go there are smoke detectors? Ever wonder if you should have one in your home and if so how to operate it? Allow me to assist you in determining the best method to protect you and your family regarding smoke detectors. (more…)

Is Organic Food Better?

Oct 24, 2012 | Diet and Nutrition, News, Safety

This guest post was written by Simone Walters, MS, RD.

Since I am a registered dietitian, one of the most popular questions I get asked is, “Is organic food better for me?” My usual response is that the way to better health is to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, organic or not.

No Significant Difference in Nutrition 

A new review of the published literature sheds some light on this very question. The authors found that for produce—fruits, vegetables and grains—there was no significant different in vitamin levels of organic items compared to conventionally grown items. They also found that detectable pesticide residues were significantly less likely to be found on organic produce compared to conventionally grown produce.

What do these results mean for the average consumer? The question of whether organic food is better for you is usually coupled with cost concerns, because, in general, organic produce can be more expensive than their conventionally grown counterparts. However, the most recent data indicates that in terms of nutrient content, organic and conventionally grown produce are equivalent. So from a health perspective it may not be worth the added costs for organic produce.

What About Pesticides?

There are, however, other reasons that consumers choose to purchase organic produce, and the fact that they tend to have lower quantities of detectable pesticide residues compared to conventionally grown produce is one of them. This finding, however, may not be as significant as it initially appears to be. First of all, it means that organic produce still contains pesticide residues, just less often than conventional produce. Secondly, the levels of residues found on organic and conventional produce generally are well below upper limits set by government organizations. In other words, exposure at these levels is less than what has been shown to cause adverse health effects. For anyone who still has concerns about pesticide residue levels on produce, I would advise to thoroughly rinse all produce before consumption both to help reduce residue levels before consumption and as a basic hygiene measure.

Bottom Line Advice

In light of these results, it is my opinion that if you’re trying to adopt healthier eating habits, consuming more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, organic or not, is definitely a step in the right direction.

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