Help your kids get the maximum enjoyment out of Halloween and trick-or-treating by making sure they stay safe. Halloween will be significantly less fun for the kids if there are bumps, bruises, scrapes, cuts, or allergies involved. Read on for a comprehensive list of tips you can use to help your little ghouls and goblins have a safer Halloween.General safety
- Nobody should trick-or-treat alone. Ideally, one or more trusted, responsible adults should accompany a child, or group of children, as they trick-or-treat.
- Some trick-or-treaters may be old enough that parents feel comfortable allowing them to go out on their own, sans parents If that's the case, tell your children that it's important that they stay together while trick-or-treating. Parents should also know the route their kids will be taking while haunting the streets in search of candy. If you or another parent are not accompanying the children, you may want to consider giving them a cell phone and having them call to check in at predetermined times.
- Many towns have curfews on Halloween. Make sure you are aware of what your town's curfew is so that you and/or your children don't violate it.
- Remind your kids to not enter houses of people they don't know, don't talk to strangers, and that they should never get into a stranger's car no matter what that person might offer them.
- Tell kids to walk on sidewalks and to avoid walking in people's yards--there could be wires or ornaments that may pose a tripping hazard to your children. Encourage kids to stay in well-lit and well-populated areas and not go tromping off through fields, back alleys, or other shortcuts.
Costume safety
- Make sure your child can see clearly out of any mask they're wearing.
- Attach reflector strips to your child's costume for better visibility at night. Also consider incorporating a glow stick and/or flashlight into their costume.
- If your child's costume involves makeup, do a patch test a few days before Halloween to test for any skin reactions like contact dermatitis. Hypo-allergenic makeup is the best kind to use--and no matter what kind of makeup you use, make sure to promptly wash it off your child after he comes home from trick-or-treating Children who are prone to eczema should avoid wearing greasy face paints.
- If your child is asthmatic, make sure their costume has a deep pocket or involves a little bag in which they can keep a rescue inhaler. Being out in the cold air and running between houses can trigger asthma.
- Make sure there are no allergens lurking in your child's costume. If your child is sensitive to latex, make sure there's no latex in their costume. If your child is sensitive to metals like nickel, ensure that there is no nickel in the details of their costume--it may be hiding in things like snaps, belt buckles, tiaras, and costume jewelry.
Treat-related safety
- Do not let your child eat any treats from his trick-or-treating endeavors until you have examined those treats to ensure that they're safe.
- Bring a stash of safe treats--things that you have personally bought or made--along during trick-or-treating in case a child gets tempted and needs something to munch on.
- Discard any treats that are not sealed and/or are badly damaged. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.
- Take precautions if your child has allergies. Note that some "fun size" versions of candies have slightly different ingredients than their full-size versions. Always read the label on the treat to see what it contains; if the label doesn't list ingredients, go online to research it before letting your child eat it. Or, trade your child some safe treats, things you know for sure they can eat without an allergic reaction, in exchange for the treats you're not sure are safe for them to eat.
- If your child has allergies, carry antihistamines or an auto-injector of epinephrine with you while trick-or-treating in case your child comes into contact with a food that triggers an allergic reaction.
For more Halloween safety tips, visit Halloween-Safety.com. Health Advocate wishes you and your family a safe, happy and healthy Halloween!
Perhaps this year you don't want your child to have a bulging pillowcase full of hyperactivity-inducing candy. Or maybe he can't safely trick or treat because he has an allergy to nuts, which could be triggered when he approaches a well-meaning neighbor bearing Snickers bars. Maybe your kid is ill and can't go outside to trick-or-treat, or maybe your family doesn't trick-or-treat for religious reasons. It doesn't matter why you aren't going trick-or-treating...what does matter is that you and your family have something fun to do together on October 31. There are plenty of fun, healthy activities and treats that can help celebrate autumn and/or Halloween that don't involve trick-or-treating or tons of candy.Fun activities
- Have a movie night. Choose age-appropriate Halloween-themed classics like "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," "Hocus Pocus," "The Addams Family," or "The Nightmare Before Christmas," just to name a few.
- Plan a games night. Have your kids step right up and toss the rings onto the witch's broomstick, or pin the tail on the Halloween kitty. Play Halloween- or fall-themed Pictionary or Charades.
- Decorate pumpkins. Need a safe alternative to carving? Use permanent markers or paint to decorate your pumpkins.
- Have a fun evening out. Go on a hayride, navigate a corn maze, or walk through a spooky haunted house. Many of these activities are often run by organizations in your community, like local colleges and fire departments.
- An apple a day... Go bobbing for apples--then dip 'em in fat-free caramel for a sweet treat.
Healthier treats
However you choose to celebrate Halloween, we hope it's a happy and healthy one for you and your family!
It's National Bullying Prevention Month. Traditionally, bullying conjures up images of the school bully roughing up the “squirt” in the boys' bathroom. But did you know that bullying is not isolated to school hallways or playgrounds? An alarming 35 percent of adults have been bullied or are currently experiencing bullying. What’s even more shocking is that this bullying is happening at work.
While many adults push lawmakers to pass anti-bullying laws to protect children from being harassed online and in school, many of them are afraid to confess that they’ve been a victim of bullying in the office.
Bullying bosses is nothing new and many victims are keeping it a secret because they would rather not stir the pot for fear of retaliation. Unlike playground bullies who often use their fists to scare victims, workplace bullies generally use words to intimidate.
Any of the following behaviors can be regarded as bullying, including:
- Verbal threats/written threats via email
- Being humiliated in meetings among peers
- Criticism that is undeserved
- Exclusion from meetings or communication relevant to your job
Dealing with a workplace bully can be difficult and often causes work productivity to suffer. In fact, many employers are taking steps toward implementing anti-bullying measures because bullying is hurting the bottom line. It can cost a single business $83,000 a year as a result of absenteeism and stress-related issues, says Civility Partners LLC.
While employers are currently working toward resolving bullying issues in the workplace, it’s important that bullied victims take steps to stop the bullying as well. Whether it’s a peer or supervisor causing a hostile work environment, you have to do something about it.
Health Advocate provides the following advice if you feel you are a victim of a bully in the office:
- Your employee assistance program can help. Most individuals do not want to bring it up in the workplace for fear of word getting back to the bully; loss of job; or loss of promotion. Regardless of these feelings, talking to an objective third party who knows how to deal with these kind of issues will be helpful.
- Contact human resources. You don’t have to tell HR the name of the bully. You can explain that someone in the department has been bullying you repeatedly. It’s important to have a record on file as proof in case of retaliation.
- Confront the bully. Tell the bully how you feel and how unfair you are being treated. Stay as calm as possible when confronting the bully. It’s best not to yell or threaten. Often bullies are looking for this type of behavior because it will encourage them to come back for more.
- Be confident. Don’t feel intimidated or let the bully make you feel bad about yourself.
- Don’t isolate. Don’t be afraid to be yourself around your other colleagues. Keep your relationships with your workplace friends.
The emotional problems associated with bullying can really take a toll on one’s life. It’s crucial that you resolve the problem immediately. No one wants to work in an unpleasant environment. If you feel that you can’t stand up to the bully by yourself, make sure to get a third party involved, such as an advocate or seek help from your human resources department. If you’ve also been badly affected by the bullying at work, don’t be embarrassed to seek outside professional help. A family doctor can refer you to a counselor.
So you've made the choice--perhaps for health-related reasons, perhaps due to your personal beliefs--to go vegan. But when common sources of protein, such as poultry, meat and eggs, are off-limits, where do you turn to ensure that you're getting enough protein in your diet? (An adult male should get 56 grams of protein in his diet daily, while an adult female should be getting 46 grams in her diet each day.) Check out this list of protein sources that are acceptable on a vegan diet. Note that this list doesn’t include all vegan-appropriate protein sources—but it does list many of the largest sources of protein that vegans can have.- Get nutty. Nuts make good snacks and salad toppings, and nut butters are healthy and tasty on a variety of healthy foods, like whole wheat toast or celery sticks. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter have 8 grams of protein. 2 tablespoons of almonds have 8 grams of protein, while 2 tablespoons of almond butter contains 5 grams of protein. A 1/4 cup of cashews has 2.7 grams of protein.
- Eat your veggies. No wonder Popeye liked spinach so much--a cup of cooked spinach has 5 grams of protein. A cup of cooked broccoli contains 4 grams of protein, and a cup of cooked peas has 9 grams. A veggie burger has 13 grams of protein, and a veggie dog has 8 grams.
- Beans, beans, they're good for your...protein. Many beans and legumes are incredibly high in protein, with lentils emerging as the winner--1 cup of cooked lentils contains a whopping 18 grams of protein. A cup of kidney beans contains 13 grams of protein, a cup of cooked chickpeas or pinto beans has 12, and a cup of cooked lima beans has 10 grams.
- Good-for-you grains. Oatmeal makes for a hearty vegan breakfast--plus a cup of it contains 6 grams of protein. A cup of cooked quinoa contains 9 grams, and a cup of cooked brown rice contains 5 grams of protein. A cup of cooked bulgur--a wheat product--has 6 grams.
- The joys of soy. A 4-ounce serving of firm tofu contains 11 grams of protein. 6 ounces of soy yogurt contains 6 grams, a cup of soymilk has 7 grams, and a cup of cooked soybeans has 29 grams of protein.
- Don't forget the carbs. A bagel has 9 grams of protein, a 1-cup serving of spaghetti has 8 grams, and two slices of whole wheat breads have 5 grams of protein.
This list gives you plenty of tasty, healthy, protein-packed options. By eating a variety of these foods each day, you can maintain your vegan diet and also reach your recommended daily protein intake. Most of these foods can be found in your grocery store, but you may be able to find a larger selection of foods like soy yogurt, tofu, bulgur, and other less-common protein sources at specialty stores like Whole Foods. As always, if you have questions about nutrition, they're best directed to your doctor or nutritionist. Don't currently have a doctor or nutritionist? A health advocacy service can help (you may even have access to one through your employee benefits at work)--they can connect you to medical providers who meet your needs, are local to you, and who are in-network in your insurance plan.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an excellent time to discuss why having a mammogram is important for women. A mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast that is used to check for breast cancer.
Studies have shown that mammograms reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer for women ages 40 to 74, especially for women over age 50. All women over the age of 40 who are at average risk should have a mammogram every year. High risk factors can include having a mother, sister, or daughter who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Having dense breast tissue, early menstruation or late menopause, and other factors could put you at a somewhat higher risk of breast cancer. Only your doctor can determine whether your risk of breast cancer is higher than average, so be sure to consult with your doctor. If you are under 40 and have a higher risk of breast cancer, talk to your doctor about whether having a mammogram earlier is right for you; your doctor may recommend that if you are at high risk, get a yearly mammogram starting at age 30. The CDC says that it is possible for a mammogram to detect breast cancer up to three years before it can actually be felt. If breast cancer is detected early, treatment can be started earlier in the disease.
Sometimes women don't get a mammogram because they don't think it's necessary, they think they don't have time in their busy schedule to get one, they don't know how much it costs or if it's covered by their insurance, they don't have a history of breast cancer in their family, or they're scared to get a mammogram done. If you’ve been avoiding having a mammogram done for any reason, talk to your doctor about your concerns. Mammograms save lives, so please don’t wait—talk to your doctor to find out if you should be screened.
If you have access to an advocacy service such as Health Advocate through your employer, you can call that service to verify that your insurance benefits cover mammograms. Under the Affordable Care Act, mammograms and other preventive screenings are covered with no cost sharing for new health plans. An advocate can also find a doctor for you, set up an appointment for you to get a mammogram, and more.
Want to learn more? Check out the links below for resources on mammograms and breast cancer:
