TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Stay Healthy This Winter

ADVERTISEMENT

@tampatrib.com

Published: December 20, 2008

These days, you may be tempted to crank up that heater, even in Florida.

Before you do, check that you aren't accidentally exposing yourself to harmful carbon monoxide gas. Colorless, odorless and tasteless, carbon monoxide is an invisible threat that can make you sick. It can even be deadly, the American Association of Poison Control Centers warns.

Furnaces, space heaters, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves are all potential sources of carbon monoxide. Typical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include aches, dizziness, headaches and flulike symptoms. Follow these steps to protect yourself and your family:

•Have your furnace, chimney, fireplace, wood stoves and flues inspected. Take care of any needed repairs.

•Do not use charcoal grills indoors for cooking or heating, and do not use your oven for heating your home.

•Don't leave your engine running in an enclosed garage, even if the door is open. Install a carbon monoxide detector outside every sleeping area in your home.

To find a poison control center near you, call 1-800-222-1222, and go to www.aapcc.org for information about carbon monoxide poisoning.

Another Type of Danger

Is your local gym hazardous to your health? Possibly. According to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the gym can be a breeding ground for the bacteria that cause skin problems such as athlete's foot, ringworm and staph infections. To help keep you from getting any of these infections, sanitize all gym equipment before and after you use it. Yoga mats trap sweat that can turn into infection-causing bacteria, so invest in one of your own. Always wear flip-flops in the shower and locker rooms.

Most importantly, monitor your skin and visit a dermatologist if you have a persistent irritation or infection.

Don't Get Baked

The next month or so will likely be too cold for sunbathing, so if you're looking for that summertime glow, a tanning bed provides an easy treatment. Easy, that is, if you're looking to get as much as 12 times more ultraviolet radiation than you would annually get from normal sun exposure. That is how much radiation exposure the Skin Cancer Foundation warns that frequent tanners can get when using new high-pressure sunlamps.

Every year nearly 30 million people - 2.3 million of them teenagers - use tanning salons, the foundation says. But it is a bad habit to get into. One in five Americans develop skin cancer, with melanoma - accounting for 75 percent of skin cancer deaths - being the most deadly. First exposure to tanning beds in youth increases melanoma risk by 75 percent. So embrace healthy skin, wear sunscreen and walk on by that tanning salon.

The Washington Post

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT