Spring Safety
Joe Giesy REPORTER
Issue date: 3/2/10 Section: Features
Every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention out of Atlanta releases health and safety tips for making spring break safe and enjoyable.
The tips that were released in April and currently featured on the CDC's Family Health Web page are limit alcohol, be active, plan a successful trip, protect yourself, watch your step, know the ropes, protect yourself from the sun, eat healthy, be smoke-free, and get help.
Plan a successful trip
For those who will be leaving the Youngstown area, remember that underwear and a contact lens case aren't the only important items you'll need. Get any prescriptions filled before leaving to ensure that proper medications are at hand while traveling.
When traveling abroad, the CDC suggested getting all the proper vaccinations and making sure to have health insurance that covers going out of the country. Also, be wary of local cuisine as some developing countries may have unfamiliar customs and diseases.
Limit Alcohol
Binge drinking is defined as the consumption of five or more alcoholic drinks by a man or four or more alcoholic drinks by a woman. It is twice as likely to happen among men. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion suggested two drinks for a man or one for a woman who wants to drink in moderation and is of legal age to do so.
Some of the immediate health risks of alcohol listed by the CDC are unintentional injuries, violent behavior, risky sexual behaviors, birth defects among pregnant women and alcohol poisoning.
Protect yourself
Abstinence from sex is the best method in preventing sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, but for those who will be engaging in sexual behavior over spring break, the CDC suggested using latex condoms to lower the associated risks.
Becoming the victim of sexual violence is another risk. The CDC defines sexual violence as "sexual activity where consent is not obtained or freely given." Precautions should be taken to avoid sexual violence. Traveling in well-lit areas with trusted friends, being aware of surroundings and avoiding situations that could pose harm are just a few of the ways to do this.
The tips that were released in April and currently featured on the CDC's Family Health Web page are limit alcohol, be active, plan a successful trip, protect yourself, watch your step, know the ropes, protect yourself from the sun, eat healthy, be smoke-free, and get help.
Plan a successful trip
For those who will be leaving the Youngstown area, remember that underwear and a contact lens case aren't the only important items you'll need. Get any prescriptions filled before leaving to ensure that proper medications are at hand while traveling.
When traveling abroad, the CDC suggested getting all the proper vaccinations and making sure to have health insurance that covers going out of the country. Also, be wary of local cuisine as some developing countries may have unfamiliar customs and diseases.
Limit Alcohol
Binge drinking is defined as the consumption of five or more alcoholic drinks by a man or four or more alcoholic drinks by a woman. It is twice as likely to happen among men. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion suggested two drinks for a man or one for a woman who wants to drink in moderation and is of legal age to do so.
Some of the immediate health risks of alcohol listed by the CDC are unintentional injuries, violent behavior, risky sexual behaviors, birth defects among pregnant women and alcohol poisoning.
Protect yourself
Abstinence from sex is the best method in preventing sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, but for those who will be engaging in sexual behavior over spring break, the CDC suggested using latex condoms to lower the associated risks.
Becoming the victim of sexual violence is another risk. The CDC defines sexual violence as "sexual activity where consent is not obtained or freely given." Precautions should be taken to avoid sexual violence. Traveling in well-lit areas with trusted friends, being aware of surroundings and avoiding situations that could pose harm are just a few of the ways to do this.
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