Category: Health

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Firefighters Wish You Knew These 10 Important Things

Firefighters have one of the toughest jobs on the planet – they put their lives on the line every single day to keep everyday citizens safe from a number of awful things that could happen.

So when they talk, we should pay attention. Period.

Here are 10 important things that firefighters think you need to know. Listen up…

1. It could happen to you.

House Fire Total Destruction in Unsafe Amsterdam New York 156 Guy Park Avenue

A lot of people think that fires won’t or can’t happen to them, and that can turn out to be a costly mistake. John V. Murray, the Chief Fire Safety Instructor for the Nassau County Firefighters Museum, said, “People have the mindset in many cases that fires will never happen to them. That can be a deadly assumption.”

2. If you don’t have one, you need one.

You must have a smoke detector in your home and/or business. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says that three out of five fire deaths in homes could have been prevented if a working smoke detector had been in the house.

It’s suggested that you have a working smoke detector on every level, and inside and outside of each bedroom. Also, remember to replace your smoke detectors every ten years.

3. You can get new stuff.

(Re-Edit) Quint 94 11-17-11

If there’s a fire, please, please remember to leave your possessions behind. Material possessions are important, but they can be replaced. Your life and your safety? Well, that’s another issue…

4. Smoke is more deadly than fire.

Richard Stack, captain of the North Attleborough Fire Department in Massachusetts, said, “A single breath of toxic super-heated smoke could definitely cost you your life. Most victims of structural fires die from asphyxiation rather than coming into contact with flames.”

5. Never enter or go back into a blaze.

(Re-Edit) 3 Alarm Building Fire 11-18-11

Once you escape from a fire, never, ever go back inside. Let the fire department do their job. This mistake often ends up with people dying. And if people or pets are trapped inside, let the firefighters know. That’s their job.

6. The clock is ticking.

Experts say that you really only have one to two minutes to escape a fire. That is enough time to get out, but you need to remain as calm as possible while leaving the structure to make best use of the time.

7. Two important points.

House Fire

Never try to hide from a fire or try to fight a fire on your own. Hiding is a terrible idea: escape should be the only thing on your mind. And never try to fight the blaze yourself. Escape, call the fire department immediately, and then they’ll get there ASAP.

8. DO take care of kitchen fires when possible.

Many fires start in the kitchen, so reacting quickly to a small fire in the kitchen can be crucial. Always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and remember, if a fire starts, PASS.

P – Pull the pin

A – Aim the nozzle toward the base of the fire

S – Squeeze the trigger

S – Sweep the nozzle from side to side

9. Make sure your address and house number is clearly visible.

Massive Condominium Complex Fire Prospect Heights Illinois 7-18-18 2681

This may seem inconsequential, but make sure your house number is easy to read on your house and your mailbox if it’s by the street. This will cut down on any confusion, which will in turn cut down the response time by firefighters and paramedics.

10. Close your doors!

Fires spread much faster based on how much oxygen they have, so keeping your doors closed while you sleep at night might end up saving your life one day. Fire professionals think it’s so important and such a good preventive measure that an organization has launched Close Your Door to educate the public.

Be safe out there and remember to follow these tips!

The post Firefighters Wish You Knew These 10 Important Things appeared first on UberFacts.

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Unusual but Handy Uses for Aspirin That You Might Not Know About

You probably know you’re supposed to break out the aspirin when your head is throbbing or when you have a toothache, but did you know there are a whole bunch of other things you can do with aspirin as well?

I’m talking about everyday things that you really might benefit from.

Here are 5 unorthodox ways you can use aspirin that you might want to consider.

1. No more pimples.

Zit.

You can crush aspirin and add a little water to create a paste that you can leave on pimples for a few minutes or even overnight. The aspirin contains salicylic acid – the primary ingredient in some acne creams – which removes oil and dead cells and will unclog pores. Not a bad hygiene hack, huh?

2. Stain fighter.

If you crush up three aspirin and add it to a half a cup of warm water, you can use that solution to fight stains on your clothing – especially stains from sweat and oil. The salicylic acid found in aspirin (it’s a handy chemical) fights stains just like the acetic acid found in vinegar, another useful stain fighter.

3. Works on calluses.

Callused

If your feet or hands have tough calluses, you can (once again) crush up aspirin and make a paste by combining some water and lemon juice. Rub the paste onto your calluses, wrap with a warm towel, and cover with a plastic bag. Let that sit for ten minutes, remove everything and then you can use a file to get rid of those pesky calluses.

Unless you want them around to keep on protecting your tender hands, of course.

4. Let’s talk about dandruff.

Having dandruff is embarrassing, and controlling it can be difficult. Well, here’s a remedy that you might not know about. Crush two aspirin and put it into the shampoo you use to wash your hair.

Leave it in your hair for a couple of minutes, then rinse it all out. Then wash your hair again with plain shampoo and make sure there is no residue from the aspirin left behind.

5. You could stop a heart attack.

heart attack anatomy

You might have heard this one before, but it’s worth repeating.

First of all, you should educate yourself about the warning signs for a heart attack. If you do think you are having a heart attack, chew on aspirin until paramedics arrive. Aspirin will inhibit the platelets that trigger the blood clotting, so you could buy yourself some very important extra time.

Get it? Got it? Good!

The post Unusual but Handy Uses for Aspirin That You Might Not Know About appeared first on UberFacts.

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How Does Fluoride in Tap Water Affect Your Health?

Adding fluoride to water supplies or fluoridation is a common practice. The practice started after studies showed that fluoridation could decrease the case of food decay. Ideally, adding fluoride to water is a way of curbing tooth decay. Strengthens the enamel and enhances the remineralization of teeth. It fights decay-causing bacteria and hence prevents and reverses tooth cavities. Remember, tooth decay is a common health problem. Adding fluoride in water was a simple way of improving the dental health of the population. Thus, individuals and families could, in turn, save their dental care costs. However, the ingestion of high amounts

The post How Does Fluoride in Tap Water Affect Your Health? appeared first on Factual Facts.

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A Former Executive of One of the Biggest Health Insurance Companies Talks About How They Lie and Trap People

In 2010, the Affordable Care Act – also known as Obamacare – became law. It not only got millions of people health insurance, but it also made that insurance more affordable to consumers.

Right?

According to former VP of CIGNA Wendell Potter, it’s not quite so straightforward. And we’ve got good reason to believe him – the insurancer’s former VP now considers himself a whistleblower against the industry.

It may seem strange that someone would go against the company they once worked for, but Potter has good reasons to take his stand. Medical debt and bankruptcy is an enormous problem in the United States, and the ACA hasn’t really helped.

The ACA was supposed to decrease the cost of health insurance and, eventually, medical debt. Unfortunately, a February 2019 study shows that levels of medical bankruptcy stayed roughly the same despite the reforms.

Here’s what Potter wrote about the subject.

As Potter explains it, the industry had to redefine “choice.”

He goes on to explain how health insurance companies manipulated perceptions of choice.

Potter explained how employer-based insurance really works.

Next, he admitted that the industry used gaslighting techniques.

Then he exposed some campaigns used to sell “choice.”

And there’s more.

He also explains why things are different now.

Then, Potter discusses one reason Medicare For All would work better for the public.

The last tweet provides useful guidance.

Whew! That’s a lot of great (though disheartening) information for anyone who wants to understand why the US healthcare industry runs the way it does.

What it comes down to, like always, is money.

Was there anything on this Twitter thread that stood out to you? Feel free to let us know.

The post A Former Executive of One of the Biggest Health Insurance Companies Talks About How They Lie and Trap People appeared first on UberFacts.

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American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

View this post on Instagram

Happy times ?

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.

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American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

View this post on Instagram

Happy times ?

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.

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Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans

I’m not looking forward to this one bit…

Alex Trebek has hosted the hit TV show Jeopardy! since 1984, and in those three-and-a-half decades, he’s become a beloved figure. His name and face are so synonymous with the television program, it’s hard to imagine anyone else hosting the show.

It was revealed last year that the 79-year-old Trebek has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and since then the public has been rallying by his side and hoping for a happy outcome as he has gone through multiple rounds of chemotherapy.

Trebek has said he doesn’t have a particular date in mind for his exit from Jeopardy!, but he added that when he leaves it will be “a significant moment for me, but I’ve kind of, in my mind, rehearsed it already. What I would do on that day is tell the director, ‘Time the show down to leave me 30 seconds at the end.’ That’s all I want.”

Trebek continued, “And I will say my goodbyes [and] I will tell people, ‘Don’t ask me who’s going to replace me because I have no say whatsoever. But I’m sure that if you give them the same love and attention, and respect that you have shown me…then they will be a success and the show will continue being a success. And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.’”

Here is the video of Trebek’s interview with Michael Strahan where he discusses his farewell.

We’re going to miss you, Mr. Trebek! Thanks for all the great entertainment throughout the years!

The post Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans appeared first on UberFacts.

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Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans

I’m not looking forward to this one bit…

Alex Trebek has hosted the hit TV show Jeopardy! since 1984, and in those three-and-a-half decades, he’s become a beloved figure. His name and face are so synonymous with the television program, it’s hard to imagine anyone else hosting the show.

It was revealed last year that the 79-year-old Trebek has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and since then the public has been rallying by his side and hoping for a happy outcome as he has gone through multiple rounds of chemotherapy.

Trebek has said he doesn’t have a particular date in mind for his exit from Jeopardy!, but he added that when he leaves it will be “a significant moment for me, but I’ve kind of, in my mind, rehearsed it already. What I would do on that day is tell the director, ‘Time the show down to leave me 30 seconds at the end.’ That’s all I want.”

Trebek continued, “And I will say my goodbyes [and] I will tell people, ‘Don’t ask me who’s going to replace me because I have no say whatsoever. But I’m sure that if you give them the same love and attention, and respect that you have shown me…then they will be a success and the show will continue being a success. And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.’”

Here is the video of Trebek’s interview with Michael Strahan where he discusses his farewell.

We’re going to miss you, Mr. Trebek! Thanks for all the great entertainment throughout the years!

The post Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans appeared first on UberFacts.

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Here’s How You Can Recognize the Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women

There’s a sad lack of knowledge and attention to the fact that women’s heart attacks begin and progress differently from men’s. We’re all shown the “typical” shortness of breath, pain the left arm, and finally in the chest…but if you’re a woman who thinks that’s how it’s going to happen for you, well, it could be too late to save your life by the time you realize you’re in trouble.

It’s important for everyone to know what they’re looking for when it comes to heart attacks in women – this is one of those things where your much better off safe than sorry – so here’s what happened to one woman when her heart went on the fritz:

Researcher Matthais Meyer seconds all of this information, and encourages women to stay in touch with how they’re feeling.

“Women and men have a similar amount of pain during a heart attack, but the location may be different. People with pain in the chest and left arm are more likely to think it’s a heart attack, and these are usual symptoms for men. Women often have back, shoulder, or stomach pain.”

Considering heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States, this is information we should all have and share – so pass it on.

The post Here’s How You Can Recognize the Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women appeared first on UberFacts.

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A Woman With a Sick Husband Talked About the “Cheapest” Health Insurance Plan Available to Them

It’s no secret that the United States has a very expensive healthcare system. Insurance costs can easily eat up or exceed a person’s paycheck, and there are over 100 million Americans struggling with medical debt.

That number is so enormous, it’s hard to even conceptualize, which is why we need personal stories to really feel the impact. Stories like this Twitter thread.

Lori, or @iCounterSpin, shared a screenshot of the costs of healthcare plans available to her sick husband. The reality is devastating: Lori’s husband needs to stay covered so he can stay alive. But how can they afford coverage with prices like these?

As you can see from the screenshot, the only plans available to her are not only expensive, but they involve sky high deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses as well.

Lori did everything she could to try to find ways to save. She tweeted out one her ideas:

Healthcare and illness are a sensitive topic in the United States today. Lori’s thread elicited plenty of responses from people who face similar struggles.

Others promptly tried to help her find solutions.

Another well-wisher tried to impart advice as well.

Others wanted to find ways to pitch in more directly.

People from other countries also showed their concern.

Though the subject of Lori’s thread was serious, she chose not to accept offers to start a crowdfunding page. Instead, she encouraged people to support presidential candidates that have discussed their desire to change healthcare policies in the U.S.

Airing out grievances can be a hit or miss on Twitter, but once again, people on social media showed that they have compassion and just want their fellow people to be OK. Good on Lori for sharing her story so others can understand how the backwards U.S. healthcare system truly affects people.

What are your thoughts on Lori’s thread? We’re all ears in the comments section!

The post A Woman With a Sick Husband Talked About the “Cheapest” Health Insurance Plan Available to Them appeared first on UberFacts.