Category: Uncategorized

Avoiding Anger

Is anger contagious?

According to sociologists, moods can be transferred through brief interactions. A quick interaction can often reveal if someone is in a good or a bad mood. These small exchanges can have a cumulative effect, shifting both your own mood and the moods of those around you.

Recent research by sociologist Nicholas Christakis demonstrated this. “We were able to show that as one person became happy or sad, it rippled through the network,” Christakis says.

Interestingly, digital interactions can have the same effect.

A study that tracked the news feeds of Facebook users confirmed this. “We found that when good things were happening in your news feed — to your friends and your family — you also tended to write more positively and less negatively,” says Jeff Hancock, a communications researcher at Stanford University.

The takeaway? Digital communication is a tool that can spread negativity or positivity, depending on what you choose to focus on and share.

The Importance of Green Spaces

A new study from Denmark shows that living near a forest, park or other green space can protect mental health.

Amazingly, children who grow up near these natural, outdoor surroundings may have a 55 percent lower risk of developing mental health issues as adults. A correlation has been shown between the amount of time spent living near nature; the more time, the stronger the protective influence of green spaces.

Th exact interaction between mood and green spaces is unclear, but most people report feeling calmer and refreshed when outdoors. Studies have demonstrated that children who play outdoors display improvements in impulse control and attention span.

Factors such as lifestyle and finances can make visiting green spaces challenging, but motivation can usually overcome these obstacles. Local parks and walking and biking trails can provide free, healthy and local green spaces.

Tips to Avoid Food Poisoning

Compiled from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

  • Wash hands with soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, particularly raw poultry and meat
  • Wash fruits and vegetables before cooking/ eating
  • Clean counters with hot, soapy water
  • When cleaning surfaces, use disposable paper towels rather than sponges, which can harbor germs
  • Use a food thermometer when cooking meat to ensure that it’s fully cooked
  • Refrigerate perishable foods within two hours (or within one hour during warmer weather)
  • Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator, not on the counter

The Health Benefits of Swimming

Research shows that swimming may be the perfect exercise for the elderly.

The benefits of exercise—increased strength, flexibility, improved health—are also accompanied by some risk, especially for the elderly. High-impact sports can lead to injuries, muscle strain and over-exertion.

In contrast, swimming is a low-impact sport that most people find relaxing. Researchers have also discovered that swimming can actually improve balance and coordination. Because swimming requires coordination of the upper and lower body, it improves standing balance.

Joining a swimming league at a community center may be a good place to start. Other options include joining a water aerobics class or setting up a schedule for swimming laps.

Christmas Tree Safety

Most people have started to put up their beautiful Christmas trees. This is a lovely time of year and one that holds a lot of powerful and special memories for so many. But it can also be a time fraught with dangers. Christmas trees, with their lights and their height, can pose dangers for little people. It’s very important to know how to keep your children safe around the tree and what to look for this holiday season. Watch this video for some important advice:

A Thoughtful Approach: The West Lake Landfill

It’s always important to keep our fingers on the pulse of how waste management is handled and how landfills are dealt with. The West Lake Landfill, for instance, has had a situation where the EPA is continually considering how best to clean up the site which has low-level radiologic material that was dumped there illegally in the 1970s. The West Lake Landfill is incredibly well monitored and over $200 million has already been invested to solve the problem here and at the Bridgeton Landfill.

The good news for the West Lake Landfill is that no one – none of the state, local or federal agencies – have found that the site poses a risk at all for the public’s health. This is not the case in other locations like at the Coldwater Creek site.

As recently explained by guest columnist state senator representing eastern St. Charles County Bill Eigel at the St. Louis Past-Dispatch, “It is important to note that the two sites are not the same, although some protesters and politicians have used photos, illnesses and data from the effects of Coldwater Creek and said they were from the West Lake Landfill. Again, no local, state or federal agencies have found that the landfill has had a negative effect on the health of area residents. In addition, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution when dealing with these types of sites containing our country’s legacy waste. Remediation at Coldwater Creek is occurring because of the type, location and intensity of the materials in that area. Disturbing the soil at West Lake Landfill is actually more dangerous to our local communities than leaving it where it is.”

He explains why a permanent cap is a much smarter and safer solution and it’s certainly worth paying attention to arguments of esteemed people such as Eigel.