Music helps in healing

Music helps in healing

VILLA MARIA, Pa. — Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center will offer “Ancient Music – Modern Healing” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 7 with Jill Mattson. author of “Transformative Adventures in Sound.”

She will demonstrate and explain how the use of sound can improve your health, intelligence, emotional state of being, consciousness and energy levels.

The cost is $40 and includes lunch. Registration by May 21 is $35. For more information, call Cindy Wilpula at (724) 964-8920, ext. 3241, or send e-mail to cwilpula@humilityofmary.org.

Summer safety tips

The summer months bring some health risks, so the American Council on Science and Health created a list of tips for summer vacation:

Prevent accelerated aging and reduce the risk of skin cancers by using effective sunscreens and/or protective clothing. Make sure your product is not outdated. A tan may look good now, but your skin won’t as you get older.

Poison ivy, oak and sumac are widespread in the United States. Know where they’re found, how to identify and avoid them and the itchy blisters they cause.

Tiny deer ticks that carry Lyme disease are common in some areas. Know what they and their bites look like. If you’re walking in a suspect area, wear protective clothing, use repellent and check yourself and children carefully to avoid any bites.

Never swim alone, and know your limits.

Protective helmets are a necessity when cycling or in-line skating. Head injuries are major causes of death from cycling accidents.

If you’re allergic to insect bites or stings, wear warning identification and carry medication if necessary.

Know how to prevent and treat travelers’ maladies such as motion or altitude sickness and travelers’ diarrhea.

Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses that block 99-100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation.

Travelers should take any prescription medications in carry-on luggage and, if traveling out of the country, take a prescription along.

Avoid dehydration in hot weather by drinking plenty of fluids and taking breaks in cool spots when overheated. Be informed about the symptoms of heat stroke.

Picnicking safely

Because picnics are a fun way to spend time with family and friends, a licensed dietician with Ohio University’s wellness program, Well Works, provides some tips to keep the picnic safe and healthy.

Francie Astrom, dietician, suggests these tips to protect food:

Pack two coolers – one for foods that are ready to be served and one for the foods that need to be cooked. This eliminates juices from uncooked meat, poultry or fish from contaminating salads and desserts.

Cool beverages at home before packing them in the cooler. They will stay cold longer and be ready to drink when you arrive from the long trip and start to set up.

If there is room available, put all the coolers in the air conditioned car while traveling. At the picnic site, cover the coolers with a blanket or keep them in a tent to decrease heat from the sun. If you are at the beach, bury the cooler half deep in the sand to insulate it.

Marinate meat or poultry at home in the refrigerator, saving some unused marinade in a separate container to use at the grill. Don’t reuse the marinade from the raw meat because it may contaminate the cooked food. Don’t let meats, poultry or fish sit out while the grill heats up. Take them out of the cooler once the coals are white hot and ready.

When cooked meats are ready to serve, use a clean plate. Don’t reuse the plate that held the raw meat, which can contaminate the cooked food with bacteria.

As items finish grilling, place them on the side of the grill to keep them warm until ready to serve.

Keep coolers closed as much as possible, and if possible, use a bowl of ice to keep salads cold while serving, especially those containing mayonnaise or dressings.

Pack drinking water because some parks may not have safe drinking water. If you wash your dishes at the picnic site, it is a good idea to rewash them at home to decrease bacterial contamination.

Cooked and prepared foods do not last forever in the hot sun. Once food has been off the grill or out of the cooler for two hours, it should be put into the trash. One hour is the limit on days with a temperature above 90 degrees.

When packing the cooler, put in foods first that you want to take out last to keep from digging in the cooler and spilling food.

Look for containers for plastics, cans and paper to recycle those items at the picnic site or bring along several grocery store bags to separate the recyclable materials to take home and put into your own recycling bins.

Always pack a first aid kit and sunscreen.