Safely say
goodbye
to your
medicines
Lotions and potions and
pills. Oh, my!
Chances are you have
them stashed in drawers
and cabinets all over your
home—lots of prescrip-
tion and over-the-counter
remedies, many of which
you no longer need or use.
If that’s the case, there’s
good reason to get rid of
them. When medicines are
past their expiration date,
they may not work well.
Some may even become
dangerous.
You shouldn’t just toss
old medicines in the trash,
though. Children might get
ahold of them, or an adult
might get them and use
them illegally.
For proper disposal:
1
Read the label or in-
formation that came with
the medicine. It may of-
fer instructions, such as
to flush it down the toi-
let. This method of dis-
posal isn’t recommended
for most medicines. For
some, though, it’s the saf-
est option.
2
See if there are drug
take-back programs in
your area. These allow you
to bring unused medi-
cine to a central location
for proper disposal. Your
pharmacy may have in-
formation about these
programs. Or visit
www.deadiversion
.usdoj.gov
.
3
If there are no disposal
instructions or nearby
take-back programs, take
the medicine out of the
bottle and mix it with
something undesirable,
like kitty litter or coffee
grounds. Then put the
medicine in a sealable bag
or other container before
placing it in the garbage.
If you have questions,
talk to your pharmacist.
Sources: Institute for Safe Medication
Practices; U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Enjoy germ-free good eats
Tips for buying and prepping fruits and vegetables
Tasty tomatoes. Mouth-
watering melons. Succulent
strawberries.
Fruits and veggies come
packed with flavor—and
nutrition. But they can also
harbor harmful bacteria
that may make you sick,
such as salmonella and
E. coli
.
Help protect yourself
and your family from food-
borne germs and illnesses
with these safety tips.
At the store or market
●
Avoid buying bruised or
damaged produce.
●
Buy only the amount
of produce you'll use in a
week.
●
If you buy precut pro-
duce, be sure that it has
been refrigerated or sur-
rounded by ice.
●
Put produce in one bag
and meat, poultry and fish
in another.
In the refrigerator
●
Keep perishable pro-
duce in a clean refrigerator
at 40 degrees or below.
●
Refrigerate all precut or
peeled produce. If you cut
or peel it yourself, make
sure to get it in the refrig-
erator as soon as possible,
or within two hours of
prepping it.
●
Store produce away
from meats that may drip
juices.
In the kitchen
●
Wash your hands be-
fore and after handling
produce.
●
Wash all produce un-
der running water, but
skip the soap, detergent
and commercial cleaners,
which are not needed or
recommended.
●
Use a produce brush to
scrub firm produce.
●
Dry items with a clean
towel or a paper towel.
●
If the package says the
produce is prewashed, you
can use it without washing
it again.
●
Try not to use the same
cutting boards and utensils
for meat, poultry and fish
that you use for produce.
●
Cut out damaged or
bruised parts of any pro-
duce before cooking.
●
Wash countertops, uten-
sils and cutting boards with
hot soapy water after pre-
paring fruits and vegetables.
Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics;
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services; U.S. Food and Drug Administration
F
rom the start, your baby needs lots of love, lots of feedings, a lot of diaper changes—and
a little bit of tummy time.
Babies spend much of their time sleeping, which means spending most of their time
on their back. But tummy time is important too. In that position, babies can practice
lifting their head, which helps them strengthen their neck and arm muscles.
Start out with just a few minutes of tummy time a few times a day. Increase the time
as your baby gets used to being on his or her tummy. You can:
●
Place your baby on a clean blanket on the floor. Put a toy or two nearby to catch your baby’s
eye. And get down at eye level yourself—your baby will love the interaction.
●
Put your baby tummy-down on your own stomach or chest as you recline in bed or in a chair.
●
Support your baby’s head as you hold him or her across your lap, tummy down. You can use
your legs to gently rock your baby side to side or up and down.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; March of Dimes
Make a
splash for
safety
It keeps you cool when
summer sizzles, and it’s
a splash-filled blast with
family and friends. But
whether you’re at a back-
yard pool or an ocean
beach, there’s a serious side
to water that deserves a
great deal of respect.
Following these expert
tips and reminders can help
reduce the very real risk of
drowning and help keep
everyone safe around water.
Keep a watchful eye on
kids.
Take care to avoid dis-
tractions, such as cellphone
calls, when children are
in or around water. They
need adult supervision at
all times. In fact, the lit-
tlest ones should always be
within arm’s reach.
Teach swimming skills
and rules.
Give serious
thought to enrolling your
children in swimming
classes. Make sure kids
always ask permission
to go near water. Even
good swimmers need
supervision.
Fence your pool.
If you
have a home pool, it needs
a proper barrier to discour-
age unsupervised kids—
children can wander into
danger in mere minutes.
Swim where it’s safe.
Swimming at beaches,
lakes or rivers can be safe
in designated areas with
lifeguards. Obey any beach
hazard warnings, and un-
derstand the dangers of rip
currents and what to do if
you’re caught in one.
Always wear life jackets
in boats.
Kids and inexpe-
rienced swimmers should
also wear life jackets any-
time they’re around water.
Don’t swim solo.
It’s
safer to swim with a part-
ner, regardless of your skill
level.
Sources: American College of Emergency
Physicians; American Red Cross; Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
e ip side
Babies need time
on their tummy
2
T H E S A M A R I T A N
L A T E S P R I N G 2 0 1 4
N E W S , V I E W S & T I P S
S A M A R I T A N H E A L T H
