Search Results for: blog burn basics

Burning Up the Calories with Boot Camp Fitness

If you think that you need to spend mega bucks getting in shape with a fancy gym membership, think again. A gym membership is a great luxury with all those great machines at your fingertips, but most of us do not have the extra dollars that it takes to maintain a gym membership. A fantastic way to burn up those calories in a hurry is simple, yet effective. Boot camp fitness. Boot camp fitness is just what it says. These are the exercises that have been used for years that give us the results that we want without spending a … Continue reading →

Ask a Health Blogger: Weak Leg

I was out walking yesterday, and my leg started to feel weird. Kind of achy, kind of weak, kind of tingly. It continued to bother me for the rest of the day. Whether standing or sitting, I still had that weird pain and numbness. What do you think this is? Should I call my doctor? Thanks for your question! I’m not a doctor, so please don’t take my word as law. But I did run your symptoms through the WebMD online symptom checker and one of the possibilities it came up with was a pinched nerve. A pinched nerve is … Continue reading →

Pizza Burn

If you’re the sort of person who can’t wait to dig into that steaming slice of pizza or hot beverage, you’re not alone. Enough people have burned the roofs of their mouths on hot foods that actual medical journals refer to the problem as “pizza burn”. Pizza isn’t the only culprit, but it is probably the most common offender. When that hot, melted cheese meets the roof of your mouth (also known as the soft palate), you can end up with pain, blistering, and sometimes dangling bits of flesh. Yuck! This mouth injury will heal on its own in a … Continue reading →

Mold Basics

I’m allergic to mold. Allergic enough that I can’t take penicillin when I’m sick — I break out in hives. I can’t even eat bleu cheese — it makes my mouth burn. Fall is one of my big allergy seasons thanks to leaf mold. Mold is a definite health problem for certain people. You may be more sensitive to mold if you: Have allergies Have asthma Have another lung or breathing condition Have HIV Are a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy Have received an organ transplant Have any other immune system suppression or issue Exposure to mold can cause a number … Continue reading →

Painkiller Basics

Not all over the counter pain medicines work exactly the same way. Here are some tips to make sure you take the right medicine for your body aches, headaches, and other pains. For sore muscles, sunburn, and arthritis pain, your best bet is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (also known as an NSAID). Ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are all NSAIDs. These types of painkiller block the body’s production of chemicals that cause swelling — and swelling is really the culprit for your sore muscles, sunburn, and arthritis pain. Fighting a headache? Look for pain pills that contain caffeine. Many people find … Continue reading →

Stir-fry Basics

We all know that stir-fry is a healthy way to eat, right? Plus it just tastes so good. To go along with my blog on stir-fry tips, here is a step-by-step of how to stir-fry. 1. Start with a wok or an electric skillet. I prefer the wok, but I haven’t been able to find an electric one since mine broke and so I’m making due with a skillet for the time being. 2. Select your meats and your vegetables. Slice, dice, and chop them all as finely as you can, putting them in separate piles or bowls before moving … Continue reading →

Pet Rats: The Basics

Not ready for a large, free-roaming pet, but don’t want something scaly or slimy? Pet rats can be a good compromise. Pet rats typically live between two and three years. Males (bucks) tend to be larger than females (does), but the average rat is between nine and eleven inches long in the body. A rat’s tail can add another eight inches of length! Several different varieties of rats are available as pets, including long-haired, short-haired, hairless, and even tailless! Rats are social animals, so it’s a good idea to keep them in same-sex pairs or same-sex groups. Males or females … Continue reading →

Treating Burns

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Minor burns (like first degree/superficial burns, or small partial thickness/second degree burns) can often be treated at home. The most important thing to do is stop the burning process! Put out any fire or flames — stop, drop, and roll if your clothes are on fire. Remove hot/burned clothing if possible. Stop contact with hot steam or a hot object; your reflexes make take care of this one. In other words: if you stay in contact with the heat, you will continue to burn. Next, you want to cool the injured area. Run water over the burn for at least … Continue reading →

Burn Basics

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I picked up a lovely fresh focaccia bread at the food store over the weekend and decided it would be even better served warm. So, I plunked it down on a pizza pan and stuck it in the oven for a few minutes to heat up. Brilliant, focused chef that I am, I reached out for the pan NOT with the hand that had the oven mitt, but with the one that didn’t. Instant burned fingers! Burns can be caused by more than just heat (or stupidity). Electricity, friction, chemicals, and radiation can also cause burns. Traditionally, the severity of … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Foot Pad Burns

A foot pad burn is something you can usually treat at home. How might a pet injure a foot pad? Asphalt roads can reach more than 140 degrees Fahrenheit on the hottest summer days. Walking on fresh tar or asphalt — which can reach over 300 degrees Fahrenheit. A curious dog or cat may burn his feet on a hot stovetop. An inquisitive cat may explore a candle or hot light bulb with a paw. If your pet has burned a foot pad, the first thing you should do is get the injured paw into cold water. And not just … Continue reading →