FIRE: THINGS TO REMEMBER

1. Keep a fire extinguisher handy.

2. Keep matches, lighters and the like away from children.

3. Do not hang clothes over a hot stove, and make sure that your kitchen curtains do not get near the stove.

4. When lighting candles, make sure that no inflammable drapery or materials get near them.

5. Do not use inflammable cleaning liquids in a closed room or near a fire.

6. Ensure that cigars and cigarette butts are disposed of properly.

7. If your clothing catches fire, lie down at once and smother the flames by rolling up in a blanket, rug or overcoat, leaving the head uncovered.

8. When getting out of a burning building, or in helping someone else get out, remember that the best air is likely to be 3 or 4 feet above floor level, that leaving doors and windows open will create drafts and make the fire burn more fiercely, and that the air on the other side of the door that feels hot to the hand may be so hot that it will be fatal to inhale it.

9. Do not try to extinguish an oil or grease fire with water. Use sand or salt instead, to smother it.

TREATING A COMMON COLD

1. Try to have as much rest as possible. Adequate rest builds up resistance and hastens recovery.

2. Diet should be light and must include plenty of liquids like soup, water and fruit juices.

3. Have enough clothing on for warmth.

4. Keep dry and avoid exposure to the breeze.

5. Difficulty in breathing, sore throat and hoarseness accompanying a cold may usually be relieved by steam inhalation.

HOW TO HAVE A LIKEABLE PERSONALITY

1. Don’t express your opinion freely and unsought.

2. Don’t feel superior among your friends.

3. Once in a while, join friends or colleagues for lunch or snack.

4. Read the papers and be updated on the news that matter, so that you’ll be ready to converse with anyone at anytime.

5. Lessen the habit of borrowing.

6. Don’t be a “Dutch treat” addict.

7. Entertain once in a while, even if it costs money.

8. Don’t pride yourself upon your absolute frankness.

9. Be nice to children (not just your own).

10. Don’t keep people waiting when you have an appointment with them.

11. Dress appropriately on every occasion.

12. Never nurse grudges.

13. Do not say bad things against people behind their backs.

14. Be nice and patient to telephone operators and salesmen.

15. Keep your word. Never break it as often as you keep it.

16. Give only objective and constructive criticism. Choose words that are not demoralizing and degrading.

17. Give sincere compliments.

18. Listen when someone is talking, don’t interrupt.

19. Be genuinely happy for the success of your friends.

20. Smile.

SAFETY TIPS FOR LPG USERS

1. Have the installation of your LPG done by a contractor experienced on these systems.

2. Periodically examine the color of the flame. A yellow flame indicates poor combustion. Correct according to manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Use your eyes and your nose when detecting a leak in your LPG. Brush on a soap solution and look for bubbles in checking for leaks.

4. Do not look for a leak with a lighted candle, match or other open light.

5. Turn off the LPG at tank and vacate the premises once leak is detected.

6. Ventilate the house thoroughly if a leak occurs.

7. Call your LPG contractor or an experienced repairman to fix the leaks and other problems before using your LPG again.

8. Make sure that there is adequate air for combustion.

9. Don’t refill the storage tank after dark.

10. Don’t open the tank valves and allow vapor or liquid to escape into the air. Use gauge to check gas supply.

11. Don’t allow weeds and grass to grow or trash to collect around the supply tanks.

GET RELIEF FROM DYSMENORRHEA

Dysmenorrhea happens in a lot of women. Some even dread the days of the month when their period is due.

There are two types of dysmenorrhea.

Primary dysmenorrhea is hereditary and usually begins with the onset of menstruation (adolescence) and may lessen after pregnancy or with age. It is the cramping abdominal pain that lasts for several days during a woman's period. It may be accompanied by a number of related symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, cramps around the thighs, backaches, headache, bloating, diarrhea and even constipation.

Secondary dysmenorrhea develops later in life. Often, secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by fibroid tumors, a narrow cervix or endometriosis (the displacement of tissue from the uterine lining to areas elsewhere in the body).It is characterized by a kind of congested, dull pain that begins around two weeks before the start of your period. This kind of cramping is more common in women in their 30’s and 40’s and usually does not get better with age. It can be accompanied by bloating, weight gain, breast tenderness, headaches, lower back pain, and irritability.

Here are some tips that can help relieve some of the symptoms of dysmenorrhea:

An over the counter Ibuprofen or Mefenamic Acid. Ask tyour doctor for any contraindication if you have allergies or if you are taking other medicines.

Eat small frequent meals. Instead of eating three large meals, eat five or six small meals a day, about two and a half hours apart.

Have a low-salt diet to prevent water retention that causes bloating. Likewise, avoid alcohol to reduce headaches.

Exercise. This raises the levels of beta endorphins, which have a positive effect on mood and behavior. Try aerobic exercises like swimming, walking, bicycling, running and aerobic dance.

Take a warm bath. This relaxes the muscles and helps alleviate pain.

Relax. If possible, get a relaxing massage. Try the essence of chamomile or lavender oil.

Rest. Go to bed or curl up on the couch.

Apply a heating pad to the lower abdominal area.

Massage your lower abdomen with a very very light pressure.

Visit your doctor if excessive pain and cramping persists.

CARING FOR BED LINENS

We spend about 1/3 of our day in bed. This means that our bed should be comfortable for us to be able to get a good night's sleep and quality rest. Choosing the right bed linens is one step. Caring for these linens is another. Here are a few tips.

Read the care label and follow instructions.

Buy an extra set or two. This will enable you to rotate your bed linens and ensure that they are evenly used or worn.

Change your pillowcases and sheets weekly or every two weeks. Comforter, duvet, and quilts will only need to be laundered monthly.

A mattress pad between mattresses and sheets extends the life of both.

Buy pillow protectors to prevent frequent laundering of pillows.

Machine wash in warm water using a gentle cycle, then rinse with cold water. Do not overload the washing machine.

Use a mild detergent. Pour in the detergent to the water as the wash tub fills or dilute detergent with water, before adding in the linens.

Separate dark colors from the whites.

Avoid using chlorine bleach as it weakens the fabric and cause it to yellow. If white fabrics need bleaching, opt for an oxygen-based bleach.

Machine dry bed linens using low heat, if the care label says it's safe to do so. Otherwise, you can hang them to dry then iron press later on, while the linens are still slightly damp.

When ironing bed linens with decorative details, place it facedown on the ironing board over a towel and iron it, or place a plain sheet over the top of the detailed section and iron over that.

If the label says "hand launder," do so. Use gentle soap and rinse thoroughly in clean water. Do not wring. Hang to dry.

Store bed linens in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. If you are going to store your linens for a long period of time, wrap them in white cotton, old pillow cases or acid-free paper. Do not store linens in plastic bags or boxes, as this can cause permanent yellowing. Take out your linens from the cabinet/storage once in a while to let them breathe.