Spring health & safety
Get Healthy
It’s Spring. Time to end your winter hibernation. The days are sunny. The weather is warm. It’s the best time of year to get outside, get active, and savor the flavor of fresh food.
Move More, Sit Less
You’ve been sitting around all winter under a blanket. It’s time to shed the covers, get up, and get the blood flowing again. Take a walk. Ride a bike. Hula hoop. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you’re out there moving your body, and having fun. You will feel happier, healthier, and more energized. Your body will thank you.
Eat Healthy Foods
Reintroduce your tastebuds with the sweetness of an orange or enjoy the crispness of a salad. Spring is the perfect time to pack a picnic or sit outside at a new restaurant. Your body will thank you.
Drink More Water
Our bodies are 60 percent water, and we need to keep hydrated in order to keep going. Replace that hot cocoa you drank in the winter to stay warm with a glass of water. Your body will thank you.
Be Ready for Bad Weather
Spring weather can be unpredictable. Without notice it can change from warm and sunny to windy and stormy. It pays to be prepared.
Thunderstorms. Tornadoes. Flooding. Spring brings it all.
If there’s a disaster and the power goes out, you need to be prepared to make it for the first 72 hours on your own. That means being ready ahead of time.
Have a safe place and know how to get there in a hurry. And make sure you have these items on hand:
- Weather radio, with extra batteries.
- Flashlight, with extra batteries.
- Water for three days. One gallon per person per day.
- Food for three days. Don’t forget a can opener and utensils.
- Sleeping bag and blankets.
- Emergency bag with:
- First aid kit
- Personal hygiene items
- Medicine
- Multipurpose tool
- Duct tape
- Cell phone charger
Don’t forget about your pets!
Dress for the Occasion
Being outside in the Spring creates a clothing challenge. Between the temperature fluctuations, the bugs, the rain, and who knows what, you have to be prepared. Check the weather before heading outside. Oh, and it also doesn’t hurt to keep an umbrella handy.
Mercury madness
Spring temperatures are anyone’s guess. It can be hot in the sun and cold in the shade. Layers of loose-fitting clothes work best, keeping you from both freezing and overheating.
Bites and Stings
Bugs and bees are just as excited about the warm weather as you are. And they’re hungry. Use insect repellant or loose-fitting long-sleeved clothes to beat the bites.
Slippery when wet
Spring is the wettest time of the year, so take extra precaution by wearing shoes with non-slip soles. Dew, rain, and mud are all invitations to making you fall in the Spring.
Dirty work
If you get the gardening or yardwork bug in the Spring, be sure and wear close-toed shoes, gloves, hearing protection, and eye protection.
Be Safe in the Sun
After being indoors all winter, the Spring sun can be extra harsh on your eyes and skin. Wearing light, loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts is a good idea, or lather on plenty of sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 15. And use the sun as a great excuse to go out and buy a fancy new hat or a stylish set of sunglasses.
