Preparing for Summer Storms

The storms last weekend reminded us all of the power and severity our summer weather can bring. Tornado warnings and flash floods can cause serious damage to our homes and businesses. There are some things we can do to be prepared for emergencies. Most of us wait too late to think about preparations we could make. According to AmerenCILCO, here are some items you can gather now to help prepare your family for any emergency, at any time:

• Emergency phone numbers-doctors, etc.
• Flashlights and fresh batteries
• Extra keys for your home and car
• Battery powered radio and clock
• Supply of bottled water (one gallon per person per day)
• Non-perishable foods that don’t require heating
• Blankets, bedding or sleeping bags
• First-Aid kits and medications
• Hand operated can opener
• Special items for infants, the elderly or family members with special needs
• Hand tools, such as a screwdriver, scissors, duct tape, plastic utensils, paper plates, waterproof matches, and household bleach
• Identification and copies of prescriptions and important papers
• Extra cash, since an extended electrical storm might prevent you from withdrawing money from automatic teller machines or banks.

If bad weather is on the way, you can take these additional steps:

• Turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment-especially sensitive electronics
• Turn you refrigerator to its coldest setting and leave the door closed (don’t forget to turn the setting back when the storm is over!)
• Place those important documents in a waterproof storage container.
• Fill your vehicle’s gas tank
• Bring lawn furniture or other lightweight objects inside
• Don’t forget your pet! Have clean food, water, collar and leash and a pet carrier handy.

Get Fit & Stay Active @ Your Library!

Did you know the library an exercise group that meet on a weekly basis?

Every Monday & Friday morning at 9:15 am we have an adult yoga class. Participants stretch and workout to "Yoga for the Rest of Us."

In addition to our exercise class the library also offers several yoga, aerobic, cardio and fitness VHS and DVDs to checkout for free. If you are looking for something specific, simply ask one of our staff members and we will see if we can borrow it from another library for you.

Are you in the mood to try a new diet? We have a wide variety of diet books including diets for specific health conditions such as diabetes, pregnancy and heart disease. Eat your way to a better you!

Our staff is here to help you. If you need a book, video or movie on fitness, dieting or general health let us help you find the perfect item for you. The library can be an invaluable resource when it comes to your health and fitness.

Cold vs. Flu

As a library, we are a center for providing our patrons with accurate information. We felt the need to write a blog about H1N1, seasonal flu and colds to try to debunk some of the myths, misinformation, hype and panic-inducing emails that are out there. The following information was gathered from reputable sources and there are links to the referenced information throughout the blog. Please feel free to leave any comments you may have. Thank you.


Know the Difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms – (printable PDF)

Symptom	Cold	H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
Fever	Fever is rare with a cold.	Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.
Coughing	A hacking, mucus producing cough is often present with a cold.	A non-mucus producing cough (dry cough) is usually present with the flu.
Aches	Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.	Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.
Stuffy Nose	Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.	Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.
Chills	Chills are uncommon with a cold.	60% of people who have the flu experience chills.
Tiredness	Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.	Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.
Sneezing	Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.	Sneezing is not common with the flu.
Sudden Symptoms	Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.	The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.
Headache	A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.	A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.
Sore Throat	Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.	Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.
Chest Discomfort	Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.	Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

~ Information provided courtesy of the Alliance Library System (ALS).

The only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is to spread the awareness.


Rear Admiral Anne Schuchat of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) was on "The Dr.s" television show, October 26, 2009. She said that one of the biggest warning signs that you need to speak about with a physician is when a person is sick with flulike symptoms, gets better, then gets sick again. They could have pneumonia following the flu and that is what seems to be causing the most complications. Furthermore, she discussed the effectiveness and safety of the H1N1 vaccine. According to Schuchat, the vaccine is just as safe and effective as the annual flu vaccine. She also added that if we'd have known about the H1N1 strain sooner it would have been incorporated into the current seasonal flu vaccine and there would not have been all the misinformation floating around about it.

Pregnant Mothers:
It is very important for pregnant women to get the H1N1 and Seasonal Flu vaccines. During pregnancy a mother's immune system is weakened so the body doesn't reject the fetus, plus the body is under added stress working to support two lives. According to the CDC, the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines are safe for pregnant mothers and their unborn babies.


Breastfeeding While Sick:
According to the CDC's website, it is ok to give your baby breast milk while you are sick. The antibodies your body is producing to fight illness are passed on to your baby. It is recommended that you express your milk and have someone who is not sick do the actual feeding. If you cannot do this, you should put a blanket over your arm (which you have been told to cough/sneeze into) and wash your hands thoroughly or use an alcohol based hand rub before each feeding. Also, try not to cough or sneeze into the babies face.

Since this is a new virus, we don't know yet about specific protection against it. Mothers pass on protective antibodies to their baby during breastfeeding.  Antibodies are a type of protein made by the immune system in the body.  Antibodies help fight off infection.


Where to find the FACTS!
There are so many panic inducing emails and forwards flying around. Ignore all the "he said he heard she read" and go directly to the facts!

• www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/ - Visit the CDC's 2009 H1N1 Flu page for the most up-to-date information on the H1N1/Swine Flu.
  
• www.flu.gov also has lots of information on when to visit your doctor.
  
• www.medlineplus.com – MedlinePlus is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. You can search their site for information on flu or other illnesses and health conditions.
  
• http://blogs.webmd.com/focus-on-flu/?ecd=ban_cdc1_cdc_cdc-flu-cb – The CDC and WebMD team up to answer questions about the flu season.

What should you know about flu antiviral drugs? At this time there are no studies suggesting harm to pregnant women or their unborn babies if she takes antiviral medicines.