Take an Active Holiday to Benefit the Whole Family
Last updated on July 5th, 2016 at 05:50 pm
There are many ways to get fit and have fun on holiday, from activity breaks to motivating your kids to get active.
One of the main excuses for not exercising is lack of time. But when you’re on holiday you’ve got plenty of time, so make the most of it.
A holiday is the perfect opportunity to get more exercise because you can be as active as you want.
A holiday that involves more than lying on a beach can be an incentive to get moving. The trip can leave you feeling rejuvenated, positive and full of energy.
“Holidays are a golden opportunity to get active,” says Robin Gargrave of YMCAfit, one of the UK’s leading trainers of fitness professionals.
“You may think that you want to lie by the pool all day, but that will make you more tired. You’ll feel more rested at the end of your holiday if you’re active.”
Active holidays are the perfect opportunity to get children moving. They may want to sit and play with their portable video game, but once you get them doing something they like and they make new friends, they’ll forget the video games.
“Holidays are a great way for kids to discover activities that they’ll like and will want to keep doing once they return home,” says Robin.
Taking part in activities with the children brings the family together and sets a good example.
You can opt for an activity-focused holiday, such as cycling, hiking or sailing, or choose a destination where you can do a variety of activities.
The most important thing is to do something you enjoy. The health benefits will be a by-product. “Choose something you’re going to like,” says Robin. “If you’ve never been on a horse before, why go pony trekking?”
Good Preparation
You may need to build up your fitness levels before your trip if your activity is physically demanding, such as skiing, mountaineering or windsurfing.
Start preparing for your trip 12 weeks before departure. “Start a conditioning programme to cope with the physical demands of the holiday,” says Robin. Read our guide to exercising safely and effectively.
“If all goes well, you’ll have a great time during your trip. On your return home, you’ll feel healthy and good about yourself. Your holiday can spur you to keep going.”
Preparation, selection of activities and safety are essential ingredients for a memorable active holiday. “Otherwise, it can put you off exercise in the long run,” says Robin.
Holiday Activity Ideas
Here are some ideas for making your holidays more active:
Camping and Hiking
Camping holidays are affordable, and most children love being outdoors. There are lots of opportunities for exercise, from raising a tent and gathering firewood, to nature hikes.
Volunteer Vacations
Whether planting trees or helping to build houses for underprivileged families, people who spend their vacation time helping others get much more than a physical workout.
Closer to Home
Be a tourist in your own neighbourhood. Exploring the museums, parks and historical sites near your home will be active and enriching. Head out to the countryside for hiking and biking fun, or take a day trip to a nearby city.
Camping Safety for the Whole Family
Last updated on June 6th, 2016 at 11:15 pm
A camping holiday can be great fun for all the family. Putting up your own tent is one of the least expensive accommodation options for a holiday.
Kids love the freedom of staying in a tent: sleeping under the stars, eating simple meals and enjoying the great outdoors.
To ensure your holiday under canvas goes smoothly, especially if it’s your first time in a tent, make sure you’re aware of how to stay safe on your camping holiday.
Campsite Cooking and Fire Safety
Fire is a significant risk when you’re camping. Camp fires, barbecues, gas canisters and camping stoves all need to be handled with care.
“Cooking on a camping holiday is completely different from cooking in your own kitchen,” says Barry Norris, technical information officer for the Camping and Caravanning Club. “You are in a much more confined area than at home, especially when the weather is bad.”
Norris says that cooking is best done outside and advises campers to ensure that any gas equipment is securely supported when it’s being used and kept away from children.
To reduce the risks of fire when you’re camping, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) advises holidaymakers to take some precautions:
- Assess the site before you pitch your tent. Ideally, be at your site before sunset so you can see what you’re doing and see where other campers have made fires or set up barbecues, stoves and heaters.
- Check that tents are positioned well apart from each other to prevent the risk of a fire spreading. Check the specific rules at your campsite. Some recommend that tents are pitched at least six metres (*about 20 feet) apart.
- Practise using your stove before you go on your trip.
- Cooking inside a tent is not advisable because even a fire-resistant tent can burn. There is also the risk of deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. Check out the Camping and Caravanning Club’s tips on carbon monoxide safety.
- Don’t change gas canisters or refuel petrol or meths-burning stoves inside a tent. Keep flammable liquids and gas cylinders outside the tent and away from children.
- Keep matches and lighters locked away and, where possible, out of the reach of children.
- Don’t use naked flames such as candles and lighters inside a tent. Use a torch instead.
- Don’t use oil-burning appliances in or around tents.
- Check the rules regarding open fires and barbecues at your campsite and make sure all fires, stoves, gas lamps and barbecues are out before you go to bed.
- Make sure you know about the fire-fighting arrangements on the campsite and where the nearest source of water is.
- Don’t smoke inside a tent.
If there is a fire in your tent:
- Get everyone out without delay – fires in tents spread extremely quickly.
- If your clothing catches fire, don’t run around as this will fan the flames and make them burn faster. Instead, lie on the ground as this makes it harder for the fire to spread. Smother the flames with heavy material (a coat or blanket for example) or roll around to smother the flames.
- Call the fire and rescue service and give as exact a location as you can. If you have a mobile phone, it may be able to give GPS co-ordinates.
Pitching Your Tent Safely
According to RoSPA, common accidents around tents include people tripping over guy ropes or treading on tent pegs. Give tents a wide berth when you’re walking around a campsite, especially when it’s dark.
RoSPA’s advice to campers is:
- If possible, choose a tent with guy ropes that are a bright colour or have fluorescent tags attached to them so people can see them in the dark.
- Practise putting up your tent before you go away so you won’t be stressed when you arrive at the campsite.
- Check that you’ve got all the equipment you need before you set off on your trip. That way, you won’t be tempted to improvise with other items that might not be suitable for the task.
- Don’t pitch your tent right under a tree or on the banks of a river or lake.
- Don’t obstruct walkways or tracks with your tent’s guy ropes.
- Supervise children at all times. Be especially careful on the first and last days of your holiday because children can easily wander off while you’re busy pitching or taking down your tent.
Packing Tips for Camping Trips
Barry Norris, from the Camping and Caravanning Club, advises people to do the following:
- Pack at least one torch (*flashlight).
- Organise your first aid kit.
- Buy sun cream. You spend a lot of time outdoors when you’re camping so you’ll need to protect your skin from sunburn. See how you can protect your skin in the sun.
- British weather is unpredictable so pack clothes for wet weather, warm weather and cold weather.
- The temperature drops at night so take a warm sleeping bag and enough bedding.
For more camping tips, especially for first-timers, see the Camping and Caravanning Club’s new to camping section.
Editor’s Note: *clarification provided for our US readers.
From www.nhs.uk
Summer Safety Checklist for Parents…From Our Top Paramedic
Last updated on July 31st, 2018 at 06:22 pm
School will soon be out, summer will officially be upon us, and the kids will be looking for things to do. All of these things are going to happen soon so it is time to break out the summer safety tip checklist to ensure that we not only have a fun summer but that we also have a safe summer. The two most common emergencies we encounter in summer time are heat related illnesses and water emergencies. Heat related illnesses can range from cramps and dizziness, to fainting and passing out. The key to heat illnesses is to stay vigilant with your kids and hydrate them. If you know they will be outside during the day, then they need to hydrate before, during, and after outside time. Stay aware of the signs of heat problems. Cramps, dizziness, dry red skin, and nausea are just some of the warning signs. If you encounter any of these heat problems with your children, please move them to a cool place with shade or air conditioning, and slowly cool them down with cool towels and water, and if the heat problems are causing your child severe problems, with breathing or blacking out, then call 911 immediately.
Water emergencies can range from falling off a boat to drownings in pools. The key to water safety and children is 100% focus with no distractions. Kids can drown in a very small amount of water and it can happen in what seems like a blink of an eye, so the best strategy is to never let them out of your sight when near or in the water. If your child does not know how to swim then swimming lessons can be a fun summer activity that lasts a lifetime. If you and your children will be on a watercraft of any kind, please remember to wear life-jackets at all times and obey the rules of the water. If your child is going to a summer camp with a pool or traveling to a pool then purchase them their own flotation jacket or shirt to take with them.
If your child is going to camp this summer, please take a little time and do your homework on the camp and its counselors. Finding out things like how many kids will be in the camp, what is the counselor to kid ratio, are all camp staff members certified in CPR, how is the camp set up? Is it near water? Etc. Asking questions like these will let you know how committed the camp is to your child’s safety. If your child is staying home during the summer, the questions are almost the same. Who is watching the child, do they know CPR, can they swim, will they have 100% focus at all times with your child, can they handle an emergency with your child like a fall or something more severe? Having an older sibling stay home and watch a younger one during the summer can both a blessing and gamble, so make sure everyone is clear about what is expected and what to do in an emergency.
The two things we always tell people are
– Nobody is drowning proof, and
– Hydrate hydrate hydrate.
Thank you and have a safe summer.
Beware the Power of Tools in Little Hands
Last updated on April 19th, 2016 at 01:19 am
Kids are fascinated by many things they see their parents do around the house. Things like cleaning, exercising, cooking, and painting just to name a few, but there are fewer things around the house that kids are fascinated by more than tools. Not just regular tools, not just big tools, any tools, and especially power tools. Many of us have taken the time to secure everything in our homes to make sure that the kids are as safe as they can be. But I bet if we look in the garage of most, if not all of us, we will find a battery in a charger that powers some sort of tool, and it will be in pretty close proximity to the tool it powers. Kids are curious and very fast learners. If your child has seen you clip that battery into the tool (like loading a clip into a handgun in their favorite video game or TV show), then there is a good chance they have already figured out how to do it themselves.
Gone are the days when all tools required an extension cord, now virtually every home tool has a battery pack you can charge and reuse over again. Just look at the ads on TV for the battery operated weed eaters, lawn mowers, chain saws, drills, nail guns, the list goes on and on, and this only makes turning on these tools kids find in the garage or tool shed that much easier. Non-power tools were estimated to have caused over 3000 injuries in children in the U.S last year, and power tools were estimated to have caused near 4000 injuries as well. What can we do? The answer like anything else is education and planning. If you have these tools in your home or on the property, please take the time and introduce the children to them and impress upon them how dangerous they are and how nobody ever touches them without an adult around. Much the same way you teach about weapons, scissors, and other dangers in the home, tools should be on that list as well.
Tool safety should be taught and emulated by adults. If you are going to teach your kids about tools then take the time and plan it right. Some things to think about are:
- Eye protection. This is always a must and if you don’t do it, they won’t want to do it.
- Proper setting. Make sure you are working in a well-lit, well ventilated area.
- Proper dress. Make sure kids learn about covering up for protection from debris. Eyes, head, arms, legs.
- RESPECT for the machine. Kids must understand they are working with dangerous tools.
- Proper footing. Please don’t have your child stand on a wobbly chair and try using a tool. Good footing is a must.
- Proper ways to hold and use tools.
- Proper cleaning and storage.
These are just a few of the things to think about when teaching tool safety. Kids are quick studies and teaching basic safety before an accident may prevent one from occurring. Some major stores like Home Depot and Lowes have great kids workshops that are free and allow the kids to get hands on with tools and start on the road to using and learning about tools. As is true with any dangerous items, locking them up is always best, but not always possible, so do your best to keep them out of reach of the children. And as a side note, beware the charging batteries. There are numerous reports of battery chargers overheating and catching fire. Please read the recommended times to charge the batteries from the manufacturer.
I hope this helps and I hope to see all your kids building great things in the future!
Be Safe!
Are Tanning Beds Safe? Kids Need to Hear that Research Says: No!
Last updated on July 31st, 2018 at 06:20 pm
Sunbeds give out ultraviolet (UV) rays that increase your risk of developing skin cancer (both malignant melanoma and non-melanoma). Many sunbeds give out greater doses of UV rays than the midday tropical sun.
The risks are greater for young people. Evidence shows that:
- People who are frequently exposed to UV rays before the age of 25 are at greater risk of developing skin cancer later in life
- Sunburn in childhood can greatly increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life
It’s illegal for people who are under the age of 18 to use sunbeds (in the UK – see end of article for US status*). The Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 makes it an offence for someone operating a sunbed business to permit those under 18 to:
- Use a sunbed at the business premises, including beauty salons, leisure centres, gyms and hotels
- Be offered the use of a sunbed at the business premises
- Be allowed in an area reserved for sunbed users (unless they’re working as an employee of the business)
The GOV.UK website has further details about the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010.
UV Rays from Sunbeds
Sunbeds, sunlamps and tanning booths give out the same type of harmful radiation as sunlight. UVA rays make up about 95% of sunlight. They can cause your skin to age prematurely, making it look coarse, leathery and wrinkled. UVB rays make up about 5% of sunlight and burn your skin.
A tan is your body’s attempt to protect itself from the damaging effect of UV rays. Using a sunbed to get a tan isn’t safer than tanning in the sun. It may even be more harmful, depending on factors such as:
- The strength of UV rays from the sunbed
- How often you use a sunbed
- The length of your sunbed sessions
- Your skin type – for example, whether you have fair or dark skin
- Your age
In 2006, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products concluded the maximum ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from sunbeds should not exceed 0.3W/m2, or 11 standard erythema doses per hour (erythema means reddening of the skin caused by sunburn). These 11 standard doses are the same as exposure to the tropical sun, which the World Health Organization (WHO) describes as extreme.
Damage from UV Rays
Prolonged exposure to UV rays increases your risk of developing malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.
You can’t always see the damage UV rays cause. The symptoms of skin damage can take up to 20 years to appear.
UV rays can also damage your eyes, causing problems such as irritation, conjunctivitis or cataracts, particularly if you don’t wear goggles.
Advice about Using Sunbeds
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued advice on the health risks associated with UV tanning equipment, such as sunbeds, sunlamps and tanning booths. They recommend you should not use UV tanning equipment if you:
- Have fair, sensitive skin that burns easily or tans slowly or poorly
- Have a history of sunburn, particularly in childhood
- Have lots of freckles and red hair
- Have lots of moles
- Are taking medicines or using creams that make your skin sensitive to sunlight
- Have a medical condition made worse by sunlight, such as vitiligo (a long-term skin condition caused by a lack of a chemical in the skin called melanin)
- Have had skin cancer or someone in your family has had it
- Already have badly sun-damaged skin
The HSE advice also includes important points to consider before deciding to use a sunbed. For example, if you decide to use a sunbed, the operator should advise you about your skin type and how long you should limit your session to.
Read more about the HSE guidance on the use of UV tanning equipment (PDF, 102kb).
Further Information:
- Are sunbeds safe to use during pregnancy?
- Skin cancer (malignant melanoma)
- Skin cancer (non-melanoma)
- Protect your skin and eyes in the sun
- News: Sunbeds ‘as bad as midday sun’
- Mole self-assessment
- British Association of Dermatologists: sunbeds
Editor’s Note: *clarification provided for our US readers. We are heading into Spring Break and Prom season – a time when many girls turn to tanning beds. This is information they really need to know.
- In 2014 the FDA issued new regulations for indoor tanning beds including strengthened warnings about the health risks and a strong recommendation that minors under age 18 do not use sunbeds
- In December, 2015, the FDA proposed a restriction against use of indoor tanning beds by minors
- 17 states plus the District of Columbia have passed legislation banning use of tanning beds by minors – with lesser restrictions existing in several other states
- Read more about tanning bed health risks and research from the American Academy of Dermatology
- This New York Times article from last year also provides a good overview of tanning bed issues
From www.nhs.uk
Spring Break By the Water? Boat Safety Tips You Need to Know
Last updated on March 7th, 2016 at 10:11 am
As this middle of the school year is upon us, so too is spring break. Spring break is a popular time to travel or to just stay home and spend time with the family. Many families choose to spend time on the water. Here in south Florida, and I am guessing everywhere there is accessible water, the activity level on the water gets very busy during spring break and with an increased level in boating, comes an increased level of emergencies, most of which can be avoided. If you are planning to head out on the water this spring break season, please take the proper precautions.
Here is a list of the most common things we see when emergencies happen on the water:
- Please have a working knowledge of how to operate a water craft before heading out. The first time you operate your new boat or jet-ski should not be on a major water holiday with your family on board.
- Your water craft should be checked before putting it in the water. You don’t want to get stuck in the ocean with no gas, a radio that does not work, and no lights. Please do not boat at night unless you are an experienced boater.
- There are coast guard regulations as to what specific items may be required in your state, such as life jackets or flares, so make sure to have all the necessary gear. Every passenger should be wearing life jackets! ESPECIALLY KIDS!
- No texting and driving. This is not just a slogan for cars. This applies to watercraft as well. Texting and boating is being linked to more and more boating accidents.
- No drinking and driving. This is linked to more water accidents than anything else. I get it, it’s a holiday, you are enjoying yourself, but save the drinking for when you get to where you are going and have a designated driver if you have to drink. By the way boating under the influence or (BUI) is the same as DUI in many states so something else to think about before drinking and driving on the water.
- And finally: Slow Down! Boats can go just as fast as cars, are just as deadly as cars, and are 10 times harder to control. Please slow down and enjoy the ride and make sure you and your crew arrive and enjoy your time together.
There are many more things that go into boating safety. The bottom line is that most or all of the things we commonly see causing emergencies on the water are preventable and should be done beforehand or decided on before leaving the dock.
Please be safe and have a great spring break!
