Lifestyle Tips | Wiffen Financial

May

Stay Safe this Summer

David Banerjee got a big lesson in water safety when he was seven. On his first canoe trip with his father in Muskoka, ON, the canoe capsized, tossing both of them into deep water.

“I dog-paddled towards shore, and I assumed that my father knew how to swim because he was, after all, my father, and capable of anything,” says Banerjee, a Toronto teacher. “But my father had never had the opportunity to learn to swim properly.”

Fortunately, his dad was wearing a lifejacket, albeit an old one that barely supported his weight. Through sheer luck and the help of passing boaters, the pair was rescued.

“To the best of my knowledge, my father has never set foot in a canoe since,” says Banerjee.

Accidents like that occur all the time — sometimes with dire outcomes. Each year, more than 160 Canadians drown while boating, according to the Red Cross. But, as in this case, the simple act of wearing a lifejacket can help prevent a tragedy — as can a change in attitudes, says Shannon Scully-Pratt, water safety program representative at the Red Cross in Central Ontario. To begin with, she says, adults need to apply rules they enforce with their children to themselves. That means wearing lifejackets or personal flotation devices (PFDs) when boating or using pleasure craft. Taking steps to be safe in the heat through careful food storage and not taking chances in overheated vehicles are other ways to reduce risk.

Be safe around water

Teach kids about water safety. “Have your child ask permission to go in or near the water,” says Scully-Pratt. “Or tell children they can only go in if an adult is around. Guide them to make wise water decisions.”

Protect kids around water. Popping water wings on young children and heading off to relax on the cottage deck isn’t a good idea, says Scully-Pratt. Instead, have your child don a lifejacket or PFD if playing alongside or heading into the water. She suggests choosing red, yellow or orange personal flotation devices for young kids so that if they do fall into the water, they can be seen easily. And always keep within arm’s reach of a child near water.

Know the water. Water conditions can change year to year. Even if you think you’re familiar with the lake at your cottage, always check it first to ensure that water levels haven’t dropped, rocks haven’t been dislodged or debris such as fallen trees hasn’t appeared suddenly below the surface.

When boating, take precautions. Always have one lifejacket for every person in the boat, says Scully-Pratt — it’s the law. And be aware of weather changes. At the first sign of a looming storm, head for the shore directly. “Don’t wait until the storm hits,” she says, when getting to land safely may become difficult. As well, make others aware of your destination if you’re heading off in a boat. “Letting someone know where you’re going and how long you’ll be out can help to narrow down the possibilities, should the unpredictable occur,” says Lewis Smith, communications and media program co-ordinator at the Canada Safety Council in Ottawa.

Keep the heat at bay

Don’t leave kids or pets alone in your car. “Often, people are aware that cars can heat up quickly, but what they fail to realize is exactly how quickly that can happen,” says Smith. For example, the Canada Safety Council says that on a day of 35°C, a car exposed to the sun can hit temperatures as high as 50° C within 20 minutes. Smith says parents should never leave anyone in the car, even if they’re dashing into the corner store. Three minutes can easily become 20 minutes.

Protect your food. If you’re planning a picnic, hike or outdoor meal, ensure that your food is kept as cool as possible, or consumed quickly. Illness-causing bacteria such as salmonella can flourish when temperatures rise, so make sure to store meat or dairy-containing foods in coolers, insulated bags or on ice, or eat them quickly. (Find out more about summer food safety from Health Canada.)

Don’t ignore the sun. While sunburn can be a big concern — especially for your kids — beat stroke can be even more deadly. A condition brought on by high temperatures and too much sun exposure, it can cause nausea, dizziness, extreme thirst and headache, or worse. Wear a hat, stay in the shade as much as possible, drink lots of water and head to a cool place like a pool, mall or library if you don’t have air conditioning at home.

For more smart tips, read:

Original Source: Stay Safe This Summer, By Anna Sharratt, BrighterLife.ca

©Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2015

©iStockphoto.com/Yuri

Apr

Avoid risks of sitting: Stand up for your health!

By Anna Sharratt, BrighterLife.ca

Prolonged sitting can raise your chances of developing a serious illness — and it may take more than a once-a-week workout to reduce the risk.

Toronto lawyer Patrick Simon sits a lot. “I sit for 10 to 12 hours per working day,” says Simon, 38. “I try to take walking breaks, but often I will remain seated without getting up for up to three hours at a stretch, and sometimes even longer.” Read more

Mar

Travel vaccinations: What to know before you go

By Anna Sharratt, BrighterLife.ca

Alina Valachi hasn’t forgotten her last trip to Pakistan. “My husband contracted malaria two weeks into the trip,” she says. This was despite taking precautions such as spraying their room with pesticides, wearing long-sleeved clothing and applying mosquito repellent. “He was born and raised in Pakistan, and had never contracted malaria — he assumed that he had immunity to the disease,” she says.
Read more

Nov

A Breath of Fresh Air: Creating a Smoke-Free Reality

A nagging cough. Constant fatigue. Smelly clothes. Empty pockets. These are just a few reasons why most people want to quit smoking. More importantly, Tobacco-related illnesses kill more than 45,000 Canadians a year, a fact that also pushes a number of smokers to quit. But how do you get there when it seems impossible to do? After all, you may think cigarettes are your trusted friend, helping you stay calm, keeping your weight down and even helping you focus.

Stop! With the right resources and support, you can stop rationalizing and put together a plan for quitting and move towards a smoke-free vision of the future.

Excuse: I need to smoke in social situations.

Reality: Anti-smoking legislation in Canada has made lighting up in most workplaces, bars, restaurants, coffee shops and other meeting places a thing of the past. The truth is fewer people than ever are smoking, making it less of a social norm and easier for you to quit.Avoid situations that make you want to smoke—like going for a drink or spending time with smoker buddies—during your first weeks after quitting.

Excuse: Smoking helps me cope with stress and relax.

Reality: You may feel more relaxed but smoking releases “feel-good chemicals” from the brain that only last about 30 minutes. When the feeling slips away, you’re left craving another one.The bottom line? The nicotine in cigarettes is actually a stimulant and raises your blood pressure and your heart rate. You can release the same “feel-good” chemicals using other relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga or breathing exercises to cope with stress.

Excuse: If I quit smoking, I’ll gain weight.

Reality: When you quit smoking you may gain a little weight, as you’re likely to substitute cigarettes with food, but the health advantages of quitting are worth more than a few pounds. Think of butting out as your chance to start fresh and adopt a healthier physical routine. Not only will this help you quit—and stay smoke free—it will keep the pounds off, help improve heart and lung functions, relieve stress and cravings, and you’ll feel great about yourself.Instead of turning to a cigarette go for a walk, pop in a workout DVD or take a boxing class.

Excuse: It’s impossible to quit.

Reality: Nicotine addiction is both physically and psychologically addictive, which can make it seem like it’s impossible to quit. Keep reminding yourself of all the good reasons you should quit, like the 4,000 dangerous chemicals—including arsenic, ammonia and cyanide—that you breathe in with each puff. Or the fact that one out of every two smokers will die from tobacco-related illness. Thousands of Canadians butt out each year with help from family and friends.

Try going cold turkey, using nicotine replacement therapies, homeopathic options or talk to your doctor about the variety of choices available to help ease you into your smoke-free lifestyle. And remember: it takes many smokers more than one try to be successful so keep at it.

Excuse: Life won’t be enjoyable without cigarettes.

Reality: Smoking stinks—literally and figuratively. It robs you of your hard-earned money, chips away at your health and your physical appearance (think yellow teeth and fingers and more wrinkles). Look at all the non-smokers you know. Do they have a good time? Are they happy in life? The first few times you attend a party, take a stroll or hang out with non-smoker friends. At first it may be difficult, but after that, it will be smooth sailing. Learning to ride a bike wasn’t easy, but you toughed out the scrapes and falls. So challenge yourself once again and stick with your new and improved smoke-free life knowing the painful times will pass.

Excuse: The harm is already done.

Reality: It’s never too late to quit and reap the health benefits: Within eight hours of quitting, carbon monoxide levels drop and oxygen levels in your blood return to normal. Within two days of butting out, your chance of heart attack decrease and, you’ll be able to smell and taste better. Three days after your last cigarette, breathing gets easier and you’ll have more lung capacity. Two weeks to three months after that, lung function increases by 30 per cent. Six months after quitting, coughing, sinus congestions, tiredness and shortness of breath improve. One year later? Your risk of heart attack is cut in half. After 10 years, your risk of dying from lung cancer is halved. Once you’ve been smoke-free for 15 years, your risk of a heart attack is the same as a person who never smoked.

There are more than enough reasons to quit smoking. The question is why do you smoke in the first place? Fear and force of habit make it hard to imagine a life without cigarettes and can make you doubt your ability to stop. Don’t fall for the same old smoking myths and excuses; instead, step out of the haze and create your own new smoke-free reality.

© 2013 Shepell∙fgi. Material supplied by Shepell∙fgi, the leading provider of integrated health and productivity solutions that address the mental, physical and social health issues affecting the workplace. This content is meant for informational purposes and may not represent the views of individuals or employers. Please call your EFAP or consult with a professional for further guidance.

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