pull
weeds,
not
Y~u Dig? muscl e s
Tending your shrubs can be a full-body
workout. So before you strain a muscle
yanking on a pesky plant, warm up
with the following stretches from
Paula Kramer, Ph.D., an occupational
therapist at the University of the
Sciences in Philadelphia. While
standing, reach for the sky with both
hands, then touch your toes. Next,
keep your legs still and twist your torso
left and right. Do each for 20 seconds.
● ● ●
health news
by Jane Bianchi
9LIE Notice
Waving Fourth of July sparklers,
catching some rays and grilling burgers
are fun ways to celebrate summer—but
they also up your odds of getting
seriously scorched. “If a burn causes the
skin to blister or tear, or is bigger than
your hand, go to the ER immediately,”
says Brent R. King, M.D., professor of
emergency medicine at the University
of Texas Medical School at Houston.
TREAT MILD BURNS at home by wrapping a towel around a
plastic bag filled with ice and placing it on the wound for 10 minutes.
Pain relievers, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, will ease discomfort. After
icing, apply an OTC anesthetic cream or antibiotic ointment. Then cover the
area with gauze or a bandage to prevent infection and speed healing.
Q& A
SAVE A LIFE
GIVE BLOOD
Why » Shortages occur most often
in the summer, when there are fewer
school-run blood drives.
How » Find a donation center near
you at givelife.org or by calling
1-800-GIVELIFE.
LEARN CPR
Why » The technique can double a
victim’s chance of survival.
How » It takes only 20 minutes to
learn with a DVD from the American
Heart Association (CPR Anytime, $35,
cpranytime.org).
Every now and then I leak some
urine when I cough, sneeze or laugh.
It’s embarrassing—what can I do?
Stress incontinence is actually quite
common—particularly among women
who’ve delivered children vaginally,
which can weaken pelvic floor muscles.
If you’re overweight, slim down.
According to a recent study, losing 8%
of your body weight (for a 150-pound
woman, that’s 12 pounds) can alleviate
the problem. Start doing kegel exercises
also: While sitting, squeeze your vaginal
muscles (like you’re trying to stop a flow
of urine) for 3 seconds, then relax for 3
seconds. “Do 10 at a time, and work your
way up to 50 a day,” says Leslee Subak,
M.D., a professor of ob-gyn at the
University of California, San Francisco,
and the study’s lead author. “Try kegels
when you’re at a computer, reading or
stopped at a traffic light.”
Photo (top): Reggie Casagrande/Getty Images. Illustration: Bee Murphy.
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