Home safety

There are lots of things we can do to be safe at home; taking preventative measures is smart.

This home safety checklist from FEMA is a good place to start.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers safety alerts, guides, posters, brochures, handbooks and other materials here, covering electrical safety, safe cooking, indoor air pollution, smoke alarms, and more.

For books at the Library, try The home security handbook: expert advice for keeping safe at home (and away) by Lynne Finch or Survival mom: how to prepare your family for everyday disasters and worst-case scenarios by Lisa Bedford.

Stress awareness

The Cancer Support Community offers Mindfulness Practice: Managing Stress
With Present Moment Awareness on Monday, August 1 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Learn to relax and stay in the moment using mindfulness meditations.  The session will include information, strategies for integrating mindfulness into your day, and a practice.  It is open to anyone affected by cancer (patients, family and friends, bereaved).

Contact the Cancer Support Community at here.
314-238-2000,  or sign up online

Reminder on sleep

Sleep is too important to forget about, so here is a gentle reminder.

Ariana Huffington has been making the rounds of talk shows and radio programs, promoting her (relatively) new book on the importance of sleep.  Have you checked it out?  The Library has it in 4 formats (print and audio, and ebook and eaudio).

This article has a video of Huffington talking about sleep, as well another video with Russell Foster, who talks about why we sleep.  Learn fascinating tidbits about what the brain does during sleep, including information processing and memory consolidation.  Did you know that some parts of the brain are more active during sleep than while awake?

Sweet dreams!

Shoot for the Moon!

As mentioned in this post last month, the Cancer Moonshot has commenced.  That single day in June was neither the beginning nor the end of the Moonshot.  The Summit was one day in a project that started with the President's State of the Union on January 12, 2016, and will continue for the rest of the decade.

For more information, check out this infographic from the Mesothelioma + Asbestos Awareness Center!  To learn even more about the moonshot and how it impacts rare cancers click here.   

Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go is a new augmented reality video game for smartphones that gets players out and about.  In the game, based on the Japanese cartoon franchise that was popular in the 1990s, players track down and capture Pokémon characters using the cameras and location tracking on their smartphones.  Different Pokémon live in different places, so players have to walk around to find them.  Once caught, Pokémon can then be trained and used to battle other Pokémon.  Because it sends players trekking through their neighborhoods and cities, it can be a fun way to increase physical activity.

Plain language and health literacy

Plain language is so important in health situations, it's the law!*
*for federal agencies; usage by health care providers may vary

What is Plain Language?

Plain language (also called Plain English) is communication someone can understand the first time they read or hear it.  Language that is plain to some people may not be plain to others. Written material is in plain language if those who read it can:

• Find what they need;
• Understand what they find; and
• Use what they find to meet their needs.

No one technique defines plain language. Rather, plain language is defined by results—it is easy to read, understand, and use.

In the area of health care, providers should encourage patients to ask questions and understand the answers.  Questions like:

• What is my main problem?
• What do I need to do?
• Why is it important for me to do this?

The Health Literacy section of plainlanguage.gov has helpful tools to translate doctor-speak into plain language, the Saint Louis Public Library has helpful books and databases to look up information, and your friendly librarians are here to help you find drug and disease information that makes sense to you.

On medical billing

Ever had a moment of frustration with medical insurance?  Here's an article from a health care provider's perspective.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July, readers!

For a healthy, fun time outside today, remember to:

• apply sunscreen
• drink plenty of water
• wear bug repellent

Put your additional suggestions in the comments!