Category Archives: Health Advisory

DOH: 12 stress-buster tips

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In this day and age, people deal with stress through different ways. Here’s a tip or two to help you beat stress everyday.

SELF-AWARENESS develop a habit of paying attention to your expressions of thought, emotions, and behavior, knowing yourself, getting in touch with your feeling, or being open to experience, the more you know yourself, the better you are at adapting life changes that suit your needs.

SCHEDULING: TIME MANAGEMENT optimize the time available to achieve gratifying results. Use time manager application or buy some notebook organizer.

SIESTA take a nap, short rest, a break or recharge your “battery” to improve productivity. It also helps relax the mind and body muscles.

SPEAK TO ME talk to someone when you feel overwhelmed or unable to deal with stress on your own. Venting can help you unload unwanted feelings.

SOUNDS AND SONGS (MUSIC) listen to relaxing and soothing music. It can relieve depression and increase self-esteem.

SENSATION TECHNIQUES (MASSAGE) indulge yourself with a whole body massage. It helps to soothe away stress unknotting tense and aching muscles, relieving headaches and sleep problems.

STRETCHING do simple movements to loosen muscles, lubricate joints increase body’s oxygen supply.

SOCIALS engage on fruitful activities that will develop your ability to deal with other people.

SMILE smile ka naman to release stress, calm you down, make you attractive, and make someone else happy.

SPIRITUALITY devote time to connect with yourself and to God, try medication five to 10 minutes each day and pray to Him for guidance.

STRESS DEBRIEFING submit oneself to a brief crisis intervention to talk about ones feelings and reactions to the critical incident.

SPORTS engage in playing sports like basketball, tennis, etc. to clear your mind and relieve stress.

Credit: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialDOHgov/

More dengue-carrying mosquitoes lurk at home

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CHILDREN are prone to get the dengue virus at home than when they are in school.

Citing studies done abroad, Dr. Eric Tayag, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health, said there is a higher risk of contracting dengue at home than in school.

He said that in the past, experts are pointing to schools as possible sources of dengue infection. But studies done abroad showed that houses are more at risk of harboring dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

Despite this information, Tayag said schools are not spared from cleaning their premises as there are potential breeding sites sitting around like water container and flower vases.

Tayag said schools should always be alerted about their responsibility in detecting signs and symptoms of dengue among students.

The school responsibility is to inform children, teach them what to look for so they can rid of possible mosquito breeding sites at home.

School personnel should be able to check students who may have fever or not feeling well so parents will be advised and if needed see a doctor immediately.

The health official recommends use of bed net, mosquito coil, and spray to protect oneself against mosquito bite.

He said the bottom line in dengue prevention is to remind the public to eliminate the breeding sites of mosquitoes and never ignore symptoms such as fever especially in children.

Dengue-carrying mosquitoes breed in clear and stagnant water.

WHAT TO DO DURING TYPHOONS OR HEAVY RAINS

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Image credit: N and People’s Tonight (June 30, 2015)

Image credit: N and People’s Tonight (June 30, 2015)

Typhoons and heavy rains may cause flooding which, in turn, can potentially increase the transmission of communicable diseases. These include water-borne diseases (e.g., typhoid fever, cholera, leptospirosis, and hepatitis A); and vector-borne diseases (e.g., malaria, dengue). Climate change affects the increase in the intensity of typhoons.

Water

  • Make sure drinking water is from a safe source.
  • When in doubt, boil water for 2 minutes or longer, or chlorinate drinking water to make it safe.

Food

  • Food should be well-cooked.
  • Leftovers should be covered and kept away from household pests.
  • Food waste should be disposed of properly.

Clothing

  • Keep yourself dry and warm.

Others

  • Consult a doctor at once if you, or any household member, have any sign or symptom of infection. This will help prevent the spread of infection in the evacuation area.
  • Common infections or diseases that may spread in an evacuation area include coughs and colds; acute gastroenteritis; skin and eye infections; measles; dengue; leptospirosis; and hepatitis A.
  • Do not allow children to wade in floodwaters to avoid diseases, such as leptospirosis.
  • Dispose all waste properly.
  • Maintain personal hygiene. Always wash your hands before and after eating and using the toilet.
  • Put safety first. Stay away from hanging wires and unstable structures.

Typhoons

  • Typhoons (tropical cyclones), also known as bagyo, hit the country around 19 times in a typical year. Typhoons bring strong winds and heavy rains resulting in flooding, great damage to crops, houses and buildings, and death due to accidents. Climate change affects the increase in the intensity of typhoons.

Coping with Typhoons Preparations for Typhoon

  • Tune into the radio or TV, or log on to the Internet, for regular updates on the weather.
  • Have an emergency kit ready. Fill a watertight box/container with canned goods, soda crackers, bottled water, and other ready-to-eat, non-perishable food items. Include a flashlight with extra batteries, transmitter radio with battery, mobile phone, blanket, and clothing.

During Strong Winds and Heavy Rains

  • Watch out for falling debris (roof tiles, signs, GI sheets, tree branches, etc.)
  • When inside the house or building, do not stay near the windows and watch out for broken glass.
  • Unplug all electrical appliances.
  • Do not get close to the riverbank or seashore.

During Floods

  • Evacuate to a higher ground.
  • Secure children on a higher ground or on a flotation device.
  • Wear a protective head gear or helmet while evacuating.
  • Use a rope to secure yourself.
  • Carry the elderly or sick on your back.
  • Watch out for open manholes or side ditches. Use a stick to check the safety around your feet when walking on flooded areas.
  • Call for Help Emergency: 911

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