Storing Food in Time of Drought

Food prices will be going up because of the drought.

Now is the time to stock up on your pantry items before the prices go up.

http://preparednesspantry.blogspot.com/2012/08/storing-food-in-time-of-drought.html

Bears!

If you spend any amount of time camping or hiking, you need to know what to do if approached by a bear...or how to avoid meeting one.
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Campground and Picnic Area Precautions
http://usparks.about.com/od/backcountry/a/Bear-Safety.htm
Never cook or store food in or near your tent.
Hang food and other items with strong odors (ie, toothpaste, bug repellent, soap, etc.) out of reach of bears. Hang items at least 10 ft above the ground and. If no trees are available, store your food in airtight or bear-proof containers.
Change your clothing before you go to sleep; don't wear what you cooked in to go to bed and be sure to store smelly clothing along with your food/smelly items.
Keep the area clean. Be sure to wash dishes, dispose of garbage, and wipe down tables.
Burn garbage completely in a hot fire and pack trash out - don't bury it.
Backcountry and Trail Precautions

Don't surprise bears. If you're hiking, make your presence known. Make noise by talking loudly, singing, or wearing a bell.
If you can, travel with a group. Groups are noisier and easier for bears to detect.
Keep in mind that bears tend to be more active at dawn and dusk so plan your hikes accordingly.
Stay on marked trails and obey the regulations of the area you're hiking/camping in.
If you're hiking in bear country, keep an eye out for tracks, scat, digs, and trees that bears have rubbed.
Leave your dog at home!
If You Encounter a Bear…

Remain calm and avoid sudden movements.
Give the bear plenty of room, allowing it to continue its activities undisturbed. If it changes its behavior, you're too close so back away.
If you see a bear but the bear doesn't see you, detour quickly and quietly.
If a bear spots you, try to get its attention while it is still farther away. You want it to know you're human so talk in a normal voice and waive your arms.
Remember that a standing bear is not always a sign of aggression. Many times, bears will stand to get a better view.
Throw something onto the ground (like your camera) if the bear pursues you, as it may be distracted by this and allow you to escape.
Never feed or throw food to a bear.
If a Bear Charges…

Remember that many bears charge as a bluff. They may run, then veer off or stop abruptly. Stand your ground until the bear stops, then slowly back away.
Never run from a bear! They will chase you and bears can run faster than 30 mph.
Don't run towards or climb a tree. Black bears and some grizzlies can climb trees, and many bear will be provoked to chase you if they see you climbing.
If you have pepper spray, be sure that you have trained with it before using it during an attack.
If a Grizzly Bear Attacks…

Play dead!
Lie face down on the ground with your hands around the back of your neck.
Stay silent and try not to move.
Keep your legs spread apart and if you can, leave your pack on to protect your back.
Once the bear backs off, stay quiet and still for as long as you can. Bears will often watch from a distance and come back if they see movement.
If a Black Bear Attacks…

Be loud, waive your arms, and stand your ground.
Fight back! Be aggressive and use any object you have.
Only if you are sure the bear attacking is a mother who is protecting its cubs, play dead.
If you have pepper spray, use it. Begin spraying when it's within 40 ft so it runs into the fog. Aim for the face.
As with all trips, be sure to research where you are going and what wildlife is in the area. Preparation and knowledge is the key to ensuring a safe trip for you and yours. Keep an eye out for bear warnings and always talk to a ranger if you have questions or concerns.

National Knife Day

August 24th was National Knife Day. I remember as a girl scout long ago, how  at Girl Scout camp, I always wore my jackknife around my neck on the lanyard I made myself . I felt so prepared ...for anything.
It looked like this....

Click on link below to see another kind of knife.
August 24th was National Knife Day!

Insect Repellent Update.

A reader asked Dr. K today which repellents were safe and effective. His answer:

http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/repellent-74561-insect-safe.html

August 20, 2012 6:22 PM

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Dr. Komaroff

DEAR READER: The itch from mosquito bites — or the yuck factor of pulling a tick off your skin — can be irritating and unpleasant. But even worse are the illnesses that insects can carry, including West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis and Lyme disease.

Many people are just as wary of insect repellents as they are of bug bites. They worry that they are dangerous. But used properly, insect repellents are safe. The most effective ones are:

DEET. If you’re in an area with a lot of ticks or insect-borne illnesses, this is the repellent to use. It really gets the job done.

Lemon eucalyptus oil (or PMD, the man-made version) works nearly as well as DEET against both mosquitoes and ticks, but it shouldn’t be used on children under 3 years old.

Picaridin works well against mosquitoes, but much less well against ticks.

2-undecanone (IBI-246) is good for about four hours against mosquitoes, two hours against ticks. I recommend you avoid reapplying it, because too much exposure to these chemicals could be dangerous. So if you are going to be out for more than four hours, use one of the first three on this list.

IR3535 works for about two hours against mosquitoes and ticks. Again, I recommend you avoid reapplying it.

Permethrin works well, but shouldn’t be sprayed or rubbed on the skin — just on clothing or mosquito netting.

Other insect repellents on the market include citronella, catnip oil, bug zappers and ultrasonic devices. They may help a little, for a little while. But they can’t compete with DEET and the other repellents mentioned above.

A few safety tips for using insect repellents:

• Don’t use them on infants younger than 2 months old (instead, put mosquito netting over the baby carrier).
• Apply spray repellent outside so you are less likely to breathe it in (and won’t get it on household surfaces).
• Don’t spray a repellent directly on your face. Instead, spray it on your hand and rub some on your face. (Never put permethrin on your face.)
• Whenever you use insect repellent, always wash your hands well before eating. (That’s also good advice whether or not you’re using insect repellent.)
• Spray the repellent lightly (more is not necessarily better) on exposed skin and clothing. In particular, don’t overdo it with DEET. I had one patient who sprayed much more DEET than he needed on every square inch of his skin. He even sprayed it directly on his face, breathing it in as he did so. That patient had toxicity from DEET. Apply it lightly on the skin that will be exposed to insects and not covered by clothing.

Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. To send questions, go to AskDoctorK.com, or write: Ask Doctor K, 10 Shattuck St., Second Floor, Boston , MA 02115.

Read more: http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/repellent-74561-insect-safe.html#ixzz24By9ldKf
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MORE IMPORTANT TIPS HERE:

http://www.babycenter.com/408_when-can-i-start-putting-bug-repellent-on-my-baby_1368479.bc

Products containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) or picaridin are both recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for adults and children 2 months of age and older. Picaridin is a chemical that's similar in effectiveness to DEET, but it's odorless, lighter, and less irritating. (The CDC has also recommended oil of lemon eucalyptus, but not for children younger than 3.)

• Use a product that contains up to 30 percent DEET; higher concentrations aren't recommended for children.
• Apply the DEET product just once a day.
• Apply the repellent sparingly and only to areas of exposed skin, never under clothing.
• Don't apply repellents near your baby's eyes and mouth, or to cut or infected skin.
• Avoid your baby's hands because young babies often suck on them.
• Don't use DEET products near food.
• Don't use sunscreens that contain DEET.
• When you're back indoors, use soap and water to rinse the areas of your baby's skin where you applied the repellent.

You may want to try a natural insect repellent such as citronella, but read the label first to make sure that it's safe for use on babies. (Repellent products must state any age restrictions.) Natural repellents generally don't last as long as chemical repellents, so you may need to reapply frequently.

HYDRATION!

Perhaps the greatest outdoor danger in the summer is:  TOO MUCH SUN AND HEAT!

Stay safe during this heat wave!     Stay hydrated!

Dehydration can get bad enough to require hospitalization!    Stay hydrated!

You may wonder if water is better than sport drinks. Here is some great information on that topic!

One idea is to...

Make your own sport drinks! Why spend a dollar or more a bottle? Fill your own bottles with

your own homemade hydration drinks!

One simple recipe if you want to make your own hydration or sport  drink:

• 70% water
• 30% orange juice
• small amount of sugar or honey to your energy and taste needs
• pinch of salt (sodium is good, great if you can get some with potassium also)

This mom made her own homemade gatorade for her little boys who play sports outside in the hot sun alot and so get dehydrated quickly.

You can invent your own recipe. Just be sure you have some sodium in your drink, and some sweetener/ carbohydrate.

some folks fill a bottle half way with their water or sport drink and then before leaving the house, add liquid to the top. This way you do not have a totally solid mass in your bottle when you want to start drinking. It is said cold water is absorbed better by the body.

Heat Dangers

NOW is the time to stay indoors a lot...especially during daylight hours! August seems to me to be the hottest month of all here in the high desert.

If you have to go out or really crave to go on a walk...know how quickly you can get dehydrated or get heat exhaustion, etc.

The following tips are from this site:

http://hiking.about.com/od/Safe-Summer-Hiking/a/Safe-Hiking-In-Hot-Weather.htm

You can click on the above, or read it right here:

Hydration

On hot days, your body can lose large amounts of water through perspiration. The general rule is that you can sweat roughly a quart of water every hour—and even more when hiking uphill or in direct sunlight. Hiking at higher altitudes will also accelerate the loss of body fluids. In arid climates, you may not even notice how much you’re sweating because of rapid rates of evaporation. And as you perspire, you also lose vital minerals from your system.

Proper hydration is essential to the health of the body’s organs, including the brain. Dehydration can lead to impaired brain functioning, which then results in confusion and impaired judgment. Blood can also thicken, forcing the heart to work harder.

• Start the hydration process before you go out. Begin to hydrate a couple of hours before you hit the trail.

• Pay attention to your body. There’s a difference of opinion about whether you should only drink when you’re thirsty or drink before you start getting thirsty.

Many hiking sources suggest that you may experience a lag between when your brain tells you that you need water and when your body actually begins to require more fluids. More recent studies suggest that you should trust your body to let you know when you need to drink.

The key is getting to know your own body’s reactions. Personally, I tend to wait too long to drink, so I make it a point to remind myself to sip some water sooner rather than later on a hike. Especially on hot days.

• Drink frequently. Instead of guzzling a bunch of water all at once, take smaller and more frequent drinks of water.

• Cold water is best. Your body will process cold water more quickly. Fill up your water bottle or hydration system with ice to keep water cool for as long as possible while you’re out.

• No, beer doesn’t count. Alcohol can speed up dehyration because it’s a diuretic. So will caffeine-laden energy drinks.

• Check your urine. If you’re properly hydrated, you should be able to produce a large amount of light-colored, clear urine. If the urine appears dark and concentrated, you may be dehydrated.

Preventing Hyponatremia

Yes, you can drink too much water. On my first overnight trip into the Grand Canyon, our group was warned of a condition called hyponatremia. It can occur when hikers drink large amounts of water without replenishing electrolytes. That can cause blood sodium levels to plunge because too much salt ends up getting sweated out of the body. Hyponatremia is a potentially serious condition that can lead to seizures.

• Replenish With Electrolytes. In addition to restoring fluids, you need to maintain your body’s proper levels of sodium, magnesium, and potassium. Salt residue on your clothing or the inside of your hat is a possible warning sign of hyponatremia. So as you rehydrate, alternate water intake with consumption of fluids with electrolytes, such as sports drinks.

• Eat snacks with salt. Salt in foods can help restore sodium levels in the bloodstream. So in addition to drinking plenty of fluids on hot days, be sure to snack frequently on foods with salt, such as nuts, pretzels, and trail mix.

Preventing Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

Hot conditions can overwhelm the body’s cooling mechanisms. Heat exhaustion results from a combination of high body temperature and dehydration. It can lead to heat stroke, which is potentially fatal.

In the event of heat stroke, it’s critical that you lower the victim’s body temperature by immersing or keeping the person wet to increase evaporative cooling. The victim needs hospital treatment as soon as possible but shouldn’t be allowed to try and hike out on his or her own.

• Take breaks. Forget about setting any personal bests. Stop more frequently and for longer durations than you would on a cooler day.

• Look for shade. Get out of the sun as much as you can, both on breaks and on the trail. Especially when the sun is lower in the sky, portions of the trail may be shaded by trees or slopes.

Related Articles

• Running in Hot Weather - Running
• Beat The Heat
• Hydration — The Ten Essentials for Climbing Safety
• Take it Outside - Conditioning Your Body for Hiking
• Fill Up on Fluids - Pregnancy Nutrition

Storms Bring Blackouts

Yesterday, we had that big downpour in Victor Valley! My, it was a nice refreshing "cool down" for us!

But it did have some drawbacks.

Our daughter happened to be at Target on Palmdale Road here during the storm. Well, what happened was that while she was in the dressing room all the electricity went out. Since there was no electricity to power the intercom, the Target employees had to use their very loudest voices to tell the customers scattered all over the darkened store to leave. No transactions could take place, of course.

I am writing this post to remind you to check out your lanterns. If this blackout happened in your neighborhood at night, you would be plunged into darkness. Do you know where you keep your lantern? Are the batteries working? Solar lanterns are great! We have some in our home. I keep one on the top my chest of drawers.

Do you have a little flashlight in your purse? I do!

It came in handy once lately for not only me but my fellow staff members at the Family History Center. I I left the center to go down the hallway to the bathroom. I opened the door...it was pitch black.  For some reason, the lights in there were not working that day. So I went back to my purse at the center and got out my little flashlight and went back to the bathroom. This particular bathroom had its stalls beyond a second door and there was quite a distance to walk (past the sinks) to reach it. It would have been so frustrating, even dangerous to use this bathroom in total darkness. I was so happy I could share my flashlight with other ladies (both staff and patrons) that needed the restroom that day.

99 Cents Only stores carry some good styles.