Idaho has seen some record lows and tremendous snowfalls, which some of us are ecstatic about!  (Ignore the naysayers....winter is necessary and not so evil.)  Being prepared for the cold and keeping yourself, family, and friends safe and healthy is very important.  Below listed is information regarding preparation for the winter season, feel free to pass on!

Winter storms and cold temperatures can be hazardous, but if you plan ahead, you can stay safe and healthy.

• Prepare your home and cars.
• Prepare for power outages and outdoor activity.
• Check on older adults.

Although winter comes as no surprise, many of us are not ready for its arrival. If you are prepared for the hazards of winter, you will be more likely to stay safe and healthy when temperatures start to fall.

Remember to plan for pets also!

Preparation for daily activities:

• Stock food that needs no cooking or refrigeration and water stored in clean containers.
• Ensure that your cell phone is fully charged.
• When planning travel, be aware of current and forecast weather conditions.
• Keep an up-to-date emergency kit, including:

1. Battery-operated devices, such as a flashlight, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio, and lamps;
2. extra batteries;
3. first-aid kit and extra medicine;
4. baby items; and
5. cat litter, ice melt, or sand for icy walkways and in your vehicle in the event of getting stuck

• Protect your family from carbon monoxide.
• Keep grills, camp stoves, and generators out of the house, basement and garage.
• Locate generators at least 20 feet from the house.
• Leave your home immediately if the CO detector sounds, and call 911.
• Keep weather appropriate clothing available and extras for layering
• Extra Blankets for power outages
• Emergency lights/Candles for power outages

Preparation for your Vehicles:

• Get your car ready for cold weather use before winter arrives.
• Service the radiator and maintain antifreeze level; check tire tread or, if necessary, replace tires with all-weather or snow tires.
• Keep gas tank full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
• Use a wintertime formula in your windshield washer.
• Prepare a winter emergency kit to keep in your car in case you become stranded. Include:
• blankets;
• food and water;
• booster cables, flares, tire pump, and a bag of sand or cat litter (for traction);
• compass and maps;
• flashlight, battery-powered radio, and extra batteries;
• first-aid kit; and
• plastic bags (for sanitation).
• Snow thrower clearing street
• When planning travel, be aware of current and forecast weather conditions.

So I have read many recipes for DIY Perfume after running out of my stock of commercially manufactured favorites, most of which I don't find terribly reliable or effective.  I'm also getting away from chemical based items as much as possible.  So out of pure intrigue and trial I started mixing my own Essential Oils w/Jojoba Oil in a roller bottle and....AMAZING.

1 oz Roller Bottle, glass
5 drops of Natures Oil Lavender
5 drops of Natures Oil "Purification Blend"
2 Drops of Natures Oil Lime
Fill  remainder of bottle w/Carrier Oil (I use Jojoba Oil)

Shake

Rub on wrists, along collarbone, and dab behind ears.

A few people I talked to didn't think that blend would be good, but it is pleasantly refreshing and calming.  
Jojoba Oil is a mild moisturizing oil, Lime for a bit of a pick-me-up, Purification for anti-microbial and invigorating, and Lavender (as much as this seems to go against the other 2) I use to help calm my anxiety.  The mix works well, isn't over-powering, and is an inexpensive and natural alternative to commercially manufactured perfume.  

Be prepared....!!!!

You never know when a knee will get scraped, bee stings happen, sunburns are painful and can have long-term effects.

Take time to either purchase a first aid kit or revamp an old one.  Always remember that most everything will eventually need to be replaced, whether it be from use or age.  It is highly recommended to evaluate your needs when purchasing first aid kits.  Are you adventurous or a home body?  This will determine if you need a basic bumps and bruises kind of kit or will you need something that could provide for a possible trauma injury and rescue?  Make sure your needs are met and the possibility of having to provide for more than one person  

First Aid Kits should be stocked for your home, automobiles, ATV/UTV's, camp trailers, horse trailers, and whatever possible situation you may find yourself in.  Also remember your pets, they can be hurt also and they may need assistance.  Items to clean and bandage wounds or stablize a hurt limb.  Always a good idea to have emergency water packets and a small bag of animal food packed.

Be Safe & Have Fun!

-KTS Staff

As April rolls around, it's the perfect time to remember that your pets rely on you for their  health and safety needs. 

Some Veterinary clinics, pet stores, local animal shelters and training centers offer classes in pet first aid and other various pet related classes.


The top 6 primary pet concerns are as follows:

• pets can be lost or injured due to open doors and windows at home or in vehicles
  
• warm weather can cause heat stroke or death, while cold weather can cause frostbite and hypothermia
  
• extreme weather conditions can cause animals to become lost or injured
  
• pets not fed and hydrated properly or kept up on shots can suffer from serious health issues
  
• poisonous plants, chemicals in the home, medications,  many human foods are toxic to our pets
• choking hazards from toys or household items

Recommendations for a Pet First Aid Kit

• Muzzle or strip of fabric to prevent biting (in cases of severe pain during treatment but only when there is no injury to the throat or neck, vomiting, or difficulty breathing)
• Leash
• Pediatric digital rectal thermometer plus water-based lubricant
• Oral syringe
• Tweezers
• Saline eye wash
• Epsom salts
• Rubber gloves
• Mild soap
• Cut- and wound-care items: hand sanitizer, antiseptic (povidone-iodine) solution such as Betadine, elastic or ace bandage, stretchable gauze, gauze pads, non-stick bandages, non-scented sanitary pads (for heavily bleeding wounds), first aid adhesive tape, blunt scissors

Warm Weather Issues

With the excitement of warmer weather, also comes the chances for heat stroke in animals when they don't have access to water and a cool place to rest. Leaving your pet in a car for even a few minutes can result in tragedy.  Be sure your pets have plenty of ventilation at home as well as water  and a cool place to relax away from the heat.  


HOW TO KEEP YOUR PET HEALTHY

Pet owners can follow these important steps to help keep their pet healthy:

• Give pets plenty of exercise.
• Make sure they have plenty of fresh, cool water.
• Make sure they get regular yearly checkups with their veterinarian, and are up to date on vaccines, especially rabies.
• Get pets spayed or neutered.
• Keep dogs on leashes outside – another animal may be too much temptation
• Know how to perform CPR and provide basic first aid until veterinary care is available

EMERGENCIES AND YOUR PET

Don’t forget to include pets in planning for emergencies in your home or neighborhood:

• Make plans to take your pets with you if you have to evacuate.
• Most Red Cross shelters cannot accept pets because of health and safety concerns and other considerations. Know which friends, relatives, hotels, boarding facilities will accept pets in an emergency.
• Assemble an easy-to-carry kit with emergency supplies for pets: Leashes, harnesses and/or carriers
• Food, drinking water, bowls, manual can opener
• Medications and copies of medical records
• Current photos of the pets

ASPCA Poison Control Center 24-hour hotline (1-888-426-4435)

Links to more information for pet health and safety 


http://www.redcross.org/news/event/April-Pet-First-Aid-Awareness-Month


http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/create-canine-first-aid-kit/


http://www.thesafedoghandbook.com/


http://www.amazon.com/First-Disaster-Response-Guide-Veterinarians/dp/1603440038/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301242575&sr=8-1

If you are trying to improve your health or drop a few pounds, think beyond superfoods and supplements, because this "super-drink" deserves your attention. The things we chew are not the only dietary factors that contribute to weight management, disease fighting, energy boosting and stress reducing. Consumed for thousands of years, tea has provided delicious medicinal benefits to many cultures around the globe. Studies show that the components found in such a small little teabag can do wonders for your health. Drink up - your overall health is about to get a lot better!

Tea can help you in maintaining a healthy weight. A 2011 study in the Journal Obesity found that mice fed a high fat diet and given compounds found in green tea gained weight at a slower rate than mice that were not fed the same compounds. The findings from this study suggest that green tea extracts may actually interfere with fat formation in the body. As a side note: green tea extracts should not be confused with bottled green tea drinks that may be full of added sugar. To get green tea extracts, opt for the real deal -- boiling water with a good old-fashioned teabag or loose tea!

Green tea may help you see better. The eye, like any part of the body, can suffer oxidative stress -- making it more prone to disease. What if you could just add some green tea to your daily diet regimen to combat this? A 2010 study found that components in green tea positively affected the tissues of the eyes, especially tissue related to the retina. Drink on green tea lovers and protect your precious eyeballs!

White tea can help you look younger! White tea has a very high polyphenol count (that means it's really good for you), which deliver fabulously gorgeous benefits! A recent study demonstrated that tea drinkers may have already found their fountain of youth -- in their mug! In the study, extracts in white tea inhibited wrinkle production by strengthening elastin and collagen -- two important factors in your chances of developing what both men and women fear the most -- fine lines and wrinkles. White tea can keep your joints younger too according to this 2011 study.

Black tea can help to reduce stress levels. Stressed out? A cup of black tea may be just what you need. One study found that black tea actually helped in reducing levels of the stress hormones in study participants. The fun does not stop there -- black tea showed yet another benefit related to stress: blood pressure. As stress goes up, blood pressure does too, putting us at risk for developing a heart attack or stroke. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that six months of black tea consumption lowered systolic blood pressure.

It may help you fight diabetes. A 2010 study reviewing a variety of caffeinated teas found that the caffeine in tea may help in reducing the overall risk of diabetes.

Tea can make your ticker stronger! One study found that green tea helped to improve endothelial function rather quickly after consumption but resist the urge to add milk to your tea if you are drinking for better cardiovascular health! That's because the caseins in milk may actually decrease the cardioprotective benefits you get from tea according to one study.

The tea-takeaway. You can use tea bags or go loose, drink it hot or drink it cold. Either way, tea is fabulous -- and so are all of its benefits. For all the tea veterans, keep drinking your way to good health! For those that have not yet embraced a tea-drinking habit, it's never too late to start brewing a batch! Explore the various types, flavors, and brands to find your tea-mate.

For more by Kristin Kirkpatrick, M.S., R.D., L.D.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-kirkpatrick-ms-rd-ld/


this article can be found at   
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-kirkpatrick-ms-rd-ld/tea-health-benefits_b_3504917.html


More links to articles all about the health benefits of tea!


http://www.healthcastle.com/tea.shtml


http://healthland.time.com/2012/09/04/13-reasons-to-love-tea/


http://www.today.com/health/top-10-health-benefits-drinking-tea-2D12052713