Wellness Wednesday

We are offering safety tips so everyone can enjoy this celebration, whether you are going to a place to celebrate, going door-to-door for trick-or-treating or attending a community wide event.

Safety Tips for Drivers

• #1: Be alert for trick-or-treaters and other pedestrians.
• #2: Slow down and scan the road. Remember: Slower speeds save lives.
• #3: Watch for young trick-or-treaters in unexpected places. Children may be unaware of traffic and dart into the street unexpectedly.
• #4: If you see a drunk driver, contact law enforcement.
• #5 Turn on headlights early in the day to spot kids from further away, especially in inclement weather
• #6 Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• #7 Eliminate any distractions inside your vehicle so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters

• #8: Carry glow sticks or flashlights, use reflective tape or stickers on costumes and bags, and wear light colors to help kids see and be seen by drivers.
• #9: Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating.
• #10: When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Choose face paint over masks when possible. Masks can limit children’s vision.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians

• #11: Before festivities begin, create a “buddy system” to get each other home safely and prevent walking alone.
• #12: Follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals.
• #13: If possible, cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Look for cars in all directions, including those turning left or right.

Safety Tips for Attendees of Halloween Parties

• #14: Before drinking, choose a designated driver, or schedule a ridesharing, ride-hailing or taxi service.
• #15: If you drink, do not drive for any reason. Even a small amount of alcohol can affect driving ability.

Safety Tips for Hosts

• #16: Be responsible and take action to make sure guests get home safely.
• #17: Prepare to call taxis rideshares, provide sleeping accommodations, or — if you’re sober — drive guests home yourself.
• #18: Collect car keys from guests who are drinking.
• #19 Provide non-alcoholic beverage options.

Let's take the precautionary steps to prevent dangerous and life-threatening fires.  According to the National Fire Prevention Association, the winter months see an increase in home fires, deaths and injuries. These are the months when we turn on the heat to keep our homes warm.

• Make sure your heating source is well maintained. Whether it's a fireplace, wood stove, a furnace or electric heat, check the equipment before using or have them serviced.
• Don't store items near your heating source. Boxes, clothes, and other fuels may ignite if they are close.
• Make sure draperies and furniture and other combustible items are kept far enough away from a heating source.

3 Common Causes of Fire

1. Kitchen - It's important to not leave burners or grills unattended. Make sure to use proper equipment and to keep dish towels, clothing and other items away from heating elements and open flame. Keep pets secured away from the kitchen, especially when you're not home. They can inadvertently turn on burners.
2. Candles - Never leave a burning candle unattended. As an alternative, use battery-operated candles for ambiance.
3. Smoking - Unattended cigarettes or overly full ashtrays start fires. Curious children might play with matches or lighters. Keep them well out of their reach.

More National Fire Prevention Month tips

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE LOCATED AT HOME AND WORK?
Get a fire extinguisher and make sure it's not outdated. Most fire extinguishers have an expiration date. Place one on each floor of the house and work location and in garages, too.  The National Safety Council recommends this acronym, PASS, to remember the steps of how to use a fire extinguisher.

Have an escape plan. We practice fire drills at school but practice them with your family and make sure everyone knows where to go depending on where the fire is in the home. Have at least two ways to get out of the house, too. Set a meeting place for everyone.

In the event of a fire, do not try to salvage items before leaving. Personal effects can be replaced, but lives cannot. Instead, keep valuable documents in a fireproof box for recovery later.

​Unroll the mat, unroll the mind, unroll your worries.​
 

Yoga is popular for a good reason: there are some scientific based benefits of yoga

1. short article from John Hopkins: 9 benefits of yoga​
2. short article from Healthline: 16 benefits of yoga​
3. video from Medical Centric: 3 minute video of yoga benefits

Since we remain busy with work and family for most of the year, everyone needs a vacation to relieve themselves from the daily stress of life. Adventure and travel encourage creativity, endurance, fun, and play. Travel is great for your mental health.

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca

1. A different environment may help you relax enough to be able to fall asleep, stay asleep and feel rested upon waking.
2. Travel reduces job burnout.
3. An escape from tedious or mundane routines allows you to see new sights, hear new sounds, experience the new to stimulate different parts of your brain and boost your mood.
4. Research supports the link between travel and happiness, by providing a mood lift.

Need some ideas for a close-to-home American Adventure?

1. Huron Clinton Metroparks
2. 103 State Parks in Michigan
3. Fairs & Festivals in August in Michigan
4. Publications such as Little Guide Detroit, Metro Parent, Detroit Metro Times, BLAC Detroit

Why are these numbers important 7 and 24?  Make it a conscious effort to practice self-care. You're bound to find one idea from this list of 99 Inexpensive Self-Care Ideas. Self-care can be something to do at home, a hobby, taking care of your body and/or your mind.

Summer and the outdoors go hand in hand. However you need to watch out for sun exposure.
Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide: Watch this 2 minute video: Iconic 5 Word Phrase From Australia. (In the US, you can check the UV Index at EPA UV Index.)

Are people of color at risk for skin cancer?  Yes, The Facts About People of Color & Skin Cancer Risk. 

Teachers were estimated to be two to three times more likely than the general population to develop a voice disorder. Certain factors, such as number of classes per week, noise generated outside of the school setting, and volume of voice while lecturing, were indicated to increase the risk of teachers developing a voice disorder. -- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Behaviors contributing  to voice problems:

• shouting
• talking loudly over noise
• coughing
• throat clearing
• poor hydration

Implement practices to reduce vocally traumatic behaviors:

• drink plenty of water
• talk at a moderate volume

WATER DRINKING TIPS

Recommendations on the right amount of water intake range from 2 quarts 2 liters per day to “whatever it takes to pee pale" (see chart below).  Sipping your water throughout the day and evening is much more beneficial than trying to drink a lot all at once.

If you weigh

• 125 lbs: aim to drink 62 oz (about 2 quarts)
• 150 lbs: aim to drink 75 oz (about 5 pints)
• 200 lbs: aim to drink 100 oz (about 3 quarts)

People have different internal sensations of thirst. If your voice is working well, you may already get enough for your own system. If you notice signs of vocal fatigue increasing the amount of water you drink is a simple first step. As always, use common sense. If you have heart or kidney problems, or other concerns about fluid intake, talk to your doctor before making drastic changes.

Ice-cold drinks used to be forbidden. However, research has shown that it doesn’t matter whether you drink cold, hot, warm, or lukewarm beverages. Drink whatever temperature you like, what feels best on a particular day. The main thing is to get plenty of fluids on a regular basis.

Wellness Wednesdays is one of the ways we are promoting well-being, which is the ability of individuals to address normal stresses, work productively, and realize one’s highest potential. We have to be aware of our mental health.

Some facts you may not know about mental health:  

Resources are available. Phone Numbers are at the bottom of this document:  

"Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: They feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored."  Anne Lamott

Why reading is important to your mental health: Mental Health Benefits of Reading Books. We spend a lot of time advocating for our students to read. You must read, too!

Click here: Slideshow of 7 Reasons Why Reading is Important for Children and Adults.

Governor Proclamation on Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), developmental disabilities are defined as impairments in physical, learning, language or behavior areas and include

• Autism spectrum disorders
• Cerebral palsy
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Learning or intellectual disabilities
• Hearing loss
• Vision impairment
• Other developmental delays

This is a nationwide event to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities and address the barriers that those with disabilities face. Inclusion is necessary since about 15% of the world’s population lives with a disability. We need to understand the relationship between the way people function and how they participate in society and making sure everybody has the same opportunities in every aspect of life to the best of their abilities.

More information about what how you can participate can be found here: National Disability Awareness Month.