- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Climate Change Could Sting Allergy, Asthma Sufferers
- Air Quality Better in Northeast, Midwest
- Molecule in Skin May Link Eczema and Asthma
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Placebo Acupuncture Tied to Higher IVF Pregnancies
- Meditation, Yoga Might Switch Off Stress Genes
- Soybean Chemicals May Reduce Effects of Menopause
- ANIMAL CARE
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- Rest Easy. When It Comes to Swine Flu, Your Pet Is Safe
- Beware of Dog Bites
- BONES & JOINTS
- Heart Failure Raises Risk of Fractures
- Returning to the Road Tricky After Injury
- Extra Pounds in Mid-Life Affect Later Mobility
- CANCER
- Vitamin D Good for Breast Cancer Patients
- Sharing Cancer Info May Be Empowering
- Omega-3 May Safely Treat Precancerous Bowel Polyps
- CAREGIVING
- Caring for Aging Loved Ones Can Be a Catch-22
- Omega-3 Fatty Acid May Help 'Preemie' Girls' Brains
- Hospital Practices Influence Which Moms Will Breast-Feed
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Bad Marriages Harder on Women's Health
- Years of Exposure to Traffic Pollution Raises Blood Pressure
- Mercury in Fish Linked to High Blood Pressure
- COSMETIC
- Get Sugared!.... Its a sweet choice for hair removal
- The Acne Drug Accutane More Than Doubles Depression Risk
- Gum Chewing May Cut Craving for Snacks
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Sports Drinks May Be Tough on Teeth
- Gum Disease Treatment Doesn't Cut Preterm Birth Risk
- Biological Product Shows Promise Against Gum Disease
- DIABETES
- Strict Blood Sugar Lowering Won't Ease Diabetes Heart Risk
- Lifestyle Factors Tied to Older Adults' Diabetes Risk
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm Boosts Death Risk for Diabetics
- DIET, NUTRITION
- Memory Loss Help from Brain Supplement Prevagen
- Trans Fat Labeling Gets Tricky
- Atkins Diet Tougher on Heart After Weight Loss
- DISABILITIES
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Lead Exposure in Childhood Linked to Criminal Behavior Later
- What's Cookin'? It Could Be Air Pollution
- Gene Explains How High-Fructose Diets Lead to Insulin Resistance
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Green Tea May Ward Off Eye Disease
- Cases of Age-Related Farsightedness to Soar
- Time Teaches Brain to Recognize Objects
- FITNESS
- Exercise Cuts Lung Cancer Risk in Ex-Smokers by 45%
- When It Comes to Lifting, the Pros Have Your Back
- Fliers Can Keep Blood Clots at Bay
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Traditional Nonsurgical GERD Treatments Not Impressive
- Soothing Imagery May Help Rid Some Kids of Stomach Pain
- Peppermint Oil, Fiber Can Fight Irritable Bowel
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Afternoon Nap Might Make You Smarter
- The Brain Comes Alive With the Sounds of Music
- Pesticides and How to Affordably Eat Organic or Reduce Pesticide Consumption
- HEAD & NECK
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- E-Mailing Your Way to Healthier Habits
- Using Light Therapy to Silence Harmful Brain Activity
- Airport Full Body Scanners Pose No Health Threat: Experts
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Soy Protein Doesn't Lower Cholesterol
- Vigorous Exercise Cuts Stroke Risk for Men, Not Women
- Using Light Therapy to Silence Harmful Brain Activity
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Swine Flu Is Now a Pandemic Says W.H.O.
- Poor Restroom Cleaning Causes Cruise-Ship Sickness
- Dry Weather Boosts Odds of Flu Outbreaks
- KID'S HEALTH
- Traffic Seems to Make Kids' Asthma Worse
- Decline of Underweight Children in U.S. Continue to Fall
- Folic Acid Reduces Infant Heart Defects
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Whole Grains, Bran May Fight Hypertension in Men
- Lots of Sex May Prevent Erectile Dysfunction
- Drinking Green Tea May Slow Prostate Cancer
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Drink Away Dementia?
- Using the Mind to Heal the Heart
- Meaningful Conversations Boost Kids' Language Skills
- PREGNANCY
- Alternative Treatments May Boost IVF Success
- Music of Mozart Soothes the Preemie Baby
- Yoga's Benefits Outweigh Risks for Pregnant Women
- SENIORS
- Save Your Aging Brain, Try Surfing The Web
- Community Exercise Programs Boost Seniors' Strength
- Life Expectancy in U.S. Hits New High
Keep Fire Safety in Mind as You Celebrate
By eholistic.com Published: 12/29/2009
Candles glowing on beautifully set tables and yule logs burning make for a picture-perfect holiday setting. But all that heat also raises the risk of fires, experts say.
Alcohol and parties have the potential to make people less cautious about fire safety, said Dr. Roger Yurt, director of the Hearst Burn Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Every holiday season brings an estimated 47,000 fires that kill 500 people.
One of the deadliest causes of house fires are Christmas trees, which are cut early in the season, dry out and quickly turn into kindling. One in every 22 fires caused by a tree ends in death.
To minimize your risk, keep your tree well-watered, never place it in front of a door or a fireplace, and make sure the tree is at least three feet from other heat sources, such as space heaters or radiators, advises Nicole Leahy, manager of outreach and community education at the medical center.
Candles are another source of fire danger. Fires caused by candles quadruple during the holiday season, Yurt said. Keep candles at least three feet from curtains, holiday decorations and Christmas trees, and never leave candles burning unattended.
Decorations can pose their own risks. Place decorations away from space heaters and radiators and, when possible, use fire-retardant decorations. Test and inspect your holiday lights each year for frayed wires or bare spots in the insulation, and unplug the lights when going to sleep or going out.
Wires on lights can short, leading to fires. Use a surge protector and don't overload outlets when plugging in holiday lights and decorations.
Watch your children around the fireplace -- or better yet, wait until they are old enough to understand the dangers before lighting a fire.
When cooking, don't allow anyone within a three-foot "zone of safety" around the cooking area. Open burners, pot handles and oven doors all pose burn risks. Many serious burns on children occur when a cook drops a pot of hot liquid and it splatters.
When cooking, don't wear that blouse with the ruffled sleeves or toss your pot holder carelessly on the stove. Wear tight-fitting clothing to prevent the fabric from brushing against a heat source and keep paper towels and other flammable objects far from your burners.
SOURCES: New York-Presbyterian Hospital, news release, December 2009 Published on: December 25, 2009
