Why Are Some People More Likely to Get Bitten By Mosquitos?

And by "some people" I mean me. Why is it that an evening stroll leaves me feeling eaten alive while my companions are left blissfully un-bitten?

First of all, it's probably not all in my head (although it could be — most people are bad sources about their own mosquito attractiveness). Studies suggest that about 20 percent of people are "high attractor types" who are especially appealing to the female mosquitoes seeking out blood for the extra protein they need to lay eggs. Of course, not all mosquitoes are the same. There are 150 different species in the United States, each with their own blood-sucking proclivities. But since you probably won't know — or care — if the bugger biting you is Culex pipiens or Aedes aegypti, let's consider some of the more general properties that affect your mosquito appeal.

Clothing Color

It's true, mosquitoes have discerning fashion taste. Or at least, they're more likely to spot you as a target if you stand out from your environment. Dark colors, especially, will attract more of the insect.

Movement

Similarly, the more you move, the easier you are to identify as a living, breathing, vessel full of delicious blood.

Body Heat

Visual clues allow the mosquito to locate you from relatively far away, but as she approaches, it's your body heat that draws her in. This puts pregnant women, who average about 1.26 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than others, at a particular risk — a fact which has been substantiated by a number of studies.

Carbon Dioxide

This is another reason pregnant women are at a disadvantage. Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide using a special organ called a maxillary palp from as far as 164 feet away. Since everyone emits CO2 simply by exhaling, it comes down to relative amounts. Unfortunately for mothers-to-be, pregnancy causes women to emit 21 percent more CO2. This is also why kids are often safe from bites, when bigger, more CO2-emitting adults are around.

Alcohol Intake

On the flip side, pregnant women are (presumably) avoiding another mosquito attractor: alcohol.For More and Original Article 
Not sure what medicine to put on a mosquito bite? Become a Pharmacy Technician and learn what to recommend.

How to Safeguard Your Emotional Wellbeing

Emotional wellness is just one of the seven dimensions of wellness. Emotional wellbeing is the ability to know your feelings, accept limitations in yourself, gain emotional stability, and be comfortable with your emotions. It implies that you are able to express appropriate emotions, cope with stress, adjust to change, and enjoy life despite difficulty.


Achieving emotional wellness can be a difficult thing to balance. However, here are some tips to help you work towards being emotionally healthy.

Be self aware. It is very important to be aware of yourself. This includes knowing your strengths and weaknesses, understanding your emotions, and knowing your abilities. When you learn all these things about yourself, you are able to accept yourself and put limits on what you do. Then you are able to appreciate those limits, and you no longer have to compete with others strengths. You can also be better prepared for the roller coaster that the many changes of life bring.

Physical health. Taking care of your physical health is very important. Plenty of rest and a good diet can help to increase emotional stability. A good night's sleep requires 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Not getting enough sleep is the cause of many major health issues like heart disease and depression. 

For More and Original Article.
Learn what it takes to become a Health Unit Coordinator.

What You Can Learn from a Healthy Relationship

“Healthy relationship” seems like a clinical term. Like a tonic or a remedy, it gives the illusion of something used to cure the clinically insane and depraved.

But isn’t a relationship a sort of cure? Aren’t we all a little bit crazy? Isn’t love a medicine for our aching souls? Isn’t a healthy relationship the one tonic we can’t wait to drink?

Healthy relationships are, indeed, a type of medicine. They calm us and heal us. They teach us how to love and make us strong.

They are a healing elixir after all the placebos and toxins. They are the answer to all the unhealthy relationships we’ve been drinking for years.

So what do you learn when you’ve finally taken the right dose? When you’ve finally experienced what it’s like to be in something healthy and right for a change?

Like dying and being reborn again, you learn everything for a second time. You learn what love means and what it doesn’t.

For More and Original Article. 

Learn what it takes to become a Social Services Designee: Click HERE.

How to get a job as a pharmacy tech

There are several avenues job-seeking pharmacy technicians can take, including advanced certification programs for technicians who want to specialize in an area, such as drug therapy, pharmacy law or medical distribution. Johnston says students contemplating pharmacy school should consider part-time careers as technicians. “Before they commit to a six-year college education program, it’s always a great opportunity to get some experience and make sure that is a career path that you are interested [in],” he says. “And it also provides a great job while you’re in school, so you’re studying and learning that material in a practical setting as well.”

Interview Questions Submitted by Real Pharmacy Techs:

 

“Tell me about a time you had to take a leadership position.” (CVS Health)

“Tell us about a time when you had to explain something complex to a customer.” (UnitedHealth Group)

For the Rest of this original article.
Learn more about becoming a pharmacy tech.

5 Tips for Talking with a Person with Alzheimer's

Yesterday afternoon, I walked into Mary's spacious room. Mary is a woman who has few visitors and whom I've volunteered to spend a little time with every week. I greeted her, complimented her on her beautiful turquoise sweater and shook her hand.

Then I sat down at her little table that was overflowing with books, photographs, the newspaper and other items she wants to keep close at hand. I started off by picking up a small framed photo of Mary with her husband and three children -- two sons and a daughter.

"Tell me about your daughter," I said, using an open-ended question because they have no right or wrong answers. That's a tip I picked up from The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care by Virginia Bell and David Troxell.

"Oh, her name is Connie," she told me. "She has four children -- two boys and two girls."
She continued by giving me several details about Connie and her family.


For More and the Original Blog

Learn what it takes to become a Social Services Designee.

Essential Career Tasks You Should Do Monthly

Just like you’re supposed to periodically clean out your refrigerator or wipe down your mirrors, there are certain essential tasks you should perform at work every month.

However, unlike cleaning, these “chores” will help you boost your reputation at work, keep your hireability high, maintain your connections, and be more productive. When’s the last time you could say that about dusting the furniture?

1. Make sure you’re regularly talking to these five people. (Lifehacker)
   
2. Send a monthly newsletter to keep your connections strong. (Tim’s Strategy)
   
3. You should definitely have a formal check-in with your boss at least every 30 days. (Monster)
   
4. Try to schedule a regular lunch with your co-workers—it can actually do wonders for your career. (Good Magazine)
   

For the last three tasks.

Find out more about healthcare classes starting at WeCareOnline

The 5 Best Tax Breaks Uncle Sam Offers Moms and Dads

Parents are one of the best-treated groups when it comes to credits, deductions and other ways to reduce your tax bill. Here are five key tax breaks.

1. The Credit You Get Just for Being a Parent

The Child Tax Credit gives you as much as $1,000 per child to offset your tax liability, reducing what you owe dollar for dollar. To qualify for the credit, the child has to be a U.S. citizen age 16 or younger; a dependent on your tax return; and related to you by blood, marriage or adoption. You also have to provide more than half of the child's financial support, and the child has to live with you more than half the year. Finally, those whose adjusted gross income is above certain thresholds -- $75,000 for single filers and $110,000 for joint filers -- will see their credit phased out by $50 for every $1,000 in additional income above the threshold. The best part about the credit is that under certain circumstances, any unused portion of the credit can be refundable, allowing you to get a refund check even if you zero out your overall tax liability.

2. Get Help to Pay for an Adoption

If you're adopting a child, you know how costly the process can be. But the Internal Revenue Service has a substantial Adoption Credit you can take against your taxes to help you handle those costs.  

For More and Original Article

Learn how you can become a social service designee is at: http://wecareonlineclasses.com/

Top Things Moms Need to Do for Themselves

Today's parents have it easy, according to those who went before us. Modern conveniences like video baby monitors, iPads, double electric breast pumps, and toys that do just about everything for you are designed to make our lives easier. But we are also living in the age of the child-centered home, where so much of what we do is dictated by our children's needs. So much so that mommy guilt prevents us from doing so many of the things we would want to do — acts that seem selfish when there are kids in the picture. "Shouldn't you be spending quality time with your kids instead of going for a manicure?" a little voice in our heads screams. "Shouldn't you be spending that money on an educational toy instead of a double latte?" it says.

It's hard to drown out the little voice, but we're here to tell that it's OK to be selfish. It's OK to do things for yourself. It's OK to do something that doesn't benefit anyone but Mom. Here are 25 things you should do for yourself (maybe not all at once, but over time) and never feel guilty about.

1. Go out with the girls.
2. Hire a babysitter so you can get some sleep.
3. Keep the "good" cookies for yourself

For More and Original Blog.

Learn what it takes to become a CNA: Click HERE.

The Ten Commandments of Garage Saling

#1. If old tires or rims are sitting on the curb, drive on by. I’ve never even been tempted to buy anything at a sale that included these items. Go figure.

#2. Pay 10% of what you would pay for the item new. Unless you really, really like it.

#3. Don’t hesitate to strike up a conversation with the proprietor. This raises your enjoyment quotient, and if you later bargain—she already likes you. But don’t become a total schmooze. You have to live with yourself afterward.

#4. Always dicker with the price–unless the item is underpriced, then pay and drive away before the seller changes her mind.

For More and Original Blog.

Learn how you can become a certified nurse aide at: http://wecareonlineclasses.com/

Why More Employers are Hiring CMAs

Even before the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) adjusted the eligibility requirements for the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination to better meet the human resource needs of the health care environment, more employers of allied health personnel were preferring or even insisting that their medical assistants have the CMA (AAMA) credential. 

The CMA (AAMA) represents a medical assistant who has been credentialed by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants. Understanding why employers are aggressively recruiting CMAs (AAMA) is of the utmost importance for a medical assistant’s entry into and advancement within the allied health work force.

First of all, the United States continues to be one of the most litigious nations in the world. Disputes that used to be settled by discussion and mediation are now being referred to attorneys and are ending up in courts of law.

For the original article.

Interested in becoming a CMA?

5 Things Employers Don't Want You to do at Work

Here are five strategies for you to implement today so you can stand out at work and be the best health care employee your employer wants to keep.

Don’t skip breaks. How often do you hear yourself or others boast, “I worked straight through lunch again today!” or, “I’ve worked here twenty years and I never have taken a break!” Often we are so busy taking care of others that we neglect to take care of ourselves. I still remember working with a bulging bladder, without breaks or meals. In spite of our demanding work schedules, our managers and leaders do not want us to neglect caring for our own bodies, minds and spirits. Take 15 minutes two to three times a shift to get away, sit down, breathe deeply, relax a bit, read something inspirational or whisper a prayer. I know your commitment to your patients makes this difficult but it’s important to your survival. Ask a teammate to back you up while you take a break, then return the favor.

For More Tips and the Original Article

Interested in a career as a Health Unit Coordinator?

90-Year-Olds Today Sharper than Previous Generation

A large Danish study of nonagenarians finds that people born in 1915 not only lived longer than those born a decade earlier, but they also retained a higher level of both their cognitive and physical abilities.

To address the concerns of future care needs for the “Silver Tsunami,” a team of Danish researchers investigated the health status of seniors over the age of 90.  Using the Danish Civil Register System, the team identified all nonagenarians living in Denmark at the time that they were conducting their surveys. 

Two groups of nonagenarians were given cognitive and physical assessments. The first cohort included a total of 2,262 nonagenarians born in 1905. This cohort was assessed in 1998 when they were ages 92 to 93. The second group consisted of 1,584 seniors born in 1915, and were assessed in 2010 when they were ages 94 to 95. 

The 1915 cohort scored notably better on the cognitive test than the 1905 group, with a significantly higher proportion of participants achieving perfect scores (23 percent vs. 13 percent). The researchers also found that the odds of living to age 93 were 28 percent higher in the 1915 cohort than in the 1905 cohort, and the chance of reaching 95 years was 32 percent higher in 1915 cohort. 

The two groups recorded similar results in the physical performance exams, but the 1915 cohort scored significantly higher on tests measuring ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL).

For More and the Original Article

Know someone looking for a career in healthcare? See what we have at WeCareOnline.

Animals are Good for Your Health

Animal lovers have always known it. Now health researchers are confirming it: animals are good for your health.

Just 10 minutes of physical interaction with a beloved pet can lower blood pressure and increase finger temperature—both clear signs of relaxation—according to a number of research studies.
Benefits to people with high blood pressure have been documented as well. A recent study showed that pets can do what medicine cannot. It involved two groups of stockbrokers who were already being treated with ACE-inhibitor therapy.

The study found significant differences in their physiological reactions to stress tests. Those with pets were about half as reactive to stressors. This study demonstrates the health effects of pets in conjunction with medication. That's significant because it's well known that this type of medication plays an important role in controlling resting blood pressure, but does not control blood pressure related to stress.

Another study of people with borderline hypertension shows equally encouraging results.

For the Rest of this Original Article.

Learn more about how you can become a Mental Health Aide.

Can Artisans Remain Inspired in Senior Living Communities?

Dedicated quilter? Woodworker? Jewelry maker? While the majority of senior living communities offer a varied roster of activities so that residents can enjoy pastimes that suit their preferences, many aging adults have concerns that they won’t be able to find a community that truly supports their avocation or artistic interests.

What if you’re a theatre actor, but nowhere close to retiring from the stage? What if you’re a writer with no intention of putting down the pen just because you’ve reached retirement age? Seniors who want to downsize or who find themselves suddenly alone after years of marriage can find it daunting to think about trying to identify and nestle into a new community that sustains their longtime vocation.

For More and Original Blog.

Activities Directors are a great way to get into the health care industry. See what classes we have at WeCareOnline.

How to Eat Healthy When Eating Out

The new year brings a lot of resolutions and for most, getting healthy is typically at the top of the list. Even though the beginning of a year has quickly slipped out of your fingers you still have plenty of year left to meet any of you healthy living new years resolutions. We know you’re a busy individual and you enjoy dinner out. The problem is finding healthy alternatives or making healthy choices when you’re faced with so many delicious meal options. Here are some great suggestions for learning to eat healthy when dining out.

Choose Simply Prepared Meals

One thing that is often difficult to determine is the amount of calories that go into secret sauces, especially when the sauce involves butter, oil and/or sugar. You can eliminate these unwanted, uncountable calories by choosing plain versions. Stick to a protein that is either grilled, steamed, broiled or poached. Choose poultry that is skinless and preferably white meat. A grilled chicken breast makes a perfect choice. If you would like, you can ask for a side of sauce, such as BBQ, for dipping. Dipping actually uses less calories, as you are only putting a little bit on each bite, as opposed to coating the entire serving.

Swap Out Starchy Vegetables

Choosing different vegetables, as the ones most often offered, can help reduce the amount of calories you consume. Skip the French fries and/or baked potato smothered in bacon, cheese and sour cream. Instead, choose a steamed vegetable, such as broccoli and eat your baked potato plain.

For More Tips and Original Blog.

Learn about the healthcare career classes we have at WeCareOnline.

No Time for Exercise? Try These Tips

You found your keys. You found the motivation to clean out your closet. Now you’ve got to find 30 minutes in your day to get physically active — and there are plenty of easy, no-cost ways to do it.
Think you don’t have time? You don’t have to do all 30 minutes at once.

You’ll get the same benefits if you divide your time into two or three 10- to 15-minute segments a day.

“Building physical activity back into our daily lives is one of the great public health challenges of this century,” said Russell Pate, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Exercise at the University of South Carolina. “Our bodies were designed to be physically active, and they don’t do well with long-term exposure to sedentary living.  Lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.”

Here are some of Dr. Pate’s tips for getting active:

1. Get out the leash and walk your dog. It’s a great activity for both man and man’s best friend. Your heart — and your pooch — will thank you!
2. Take your child for a brisk walk. It’s an excellent way to get some one-on-one time (or one-on-three, depending on the size of your brood.) Spice up your routine by exploring new neighborhoods or turning your walk into a scavenger hunt.
3. Mall walk. Are you sweating (or shivering) at the idea of walking outside? Take a brisk stroll around your local mall instead. Window shop, people watch and give your heart a workout in a climate-controlled environment.

Read More and the Original Article.

Now is a good time to start classes to become a Restorative Aide.

10 Completely Creative Ways to Save Money

Why does it feel like everyone is broke this time of year? Is it because we just got done paying off the holiday bills? Or are we all really broke? Whatever the reason, now is as good a time as any to start saving money.

Oh, but you've tried that and it never works? Folks, I promise you that it's possible. If you really want to save money, you just have to be a little creative. Just check out these creative ideas that are guaranteed to keep the cash in your wallet:


1. Only run full loads. How many times do you run the dishwasher when there's still room for dishes or run the clothes washer for just a few towels? STOP doing that! Running full loads means running fewer loads overall -- saving you on your electric and water bills.

2. Use less. Whether it's the cleaning products you spray liberally on your kitchen counters or the coffee you load in the filter, try to use just a little bit less. You'll be surprised how it adds up ... and how much longer you'll be able to go before buying replacements.

3. Ask about sales. It's all well and good to read the sale circulars, but they only tell you what the sale is right now. If you're looking to make a big purchase, it's worth it to ask the salesman if they know of upcoming sales. One mom saved $300 on her laptop by going back the next day!

4. Pack lunch on weekends. We all know about packing lunch to take to work. But what about the weekends when you're running errands? You work up an appetite doing all that running, and it can be so tempting to just pop into the local pizza place for a slice ...

5. Save old clothes. Turn them into rags or napkins, and you will save a ton on paper towels and, well, napkins.

6. Become a swapper. Whether you throw a fashion swap for your girlfriends so you can all exchange the clothes you've gotten tired of or you trade babysitting services with another family in the neighborhood, it's the best way to get the things you need without spending a dime.

For more tips and the original blog.

Learn how you can become a Social Services Designee.

Tips for Dealing with Difficult Coworkers

If you have a job, chances are that you've come across at least one person with whom you've found working with difficult. Infact, most of us over the course of our careers will have encountered many of these difficult coworker types. I sure have! While working with difficult coworkers can be stressful and really take the fun out of our days, it's important to remember that dealing with these challenging personalities is unfortunately part of having a job. That is.. unless you work for yourself but that's a whole different story.

Read on because I am going to identify four types of difficult coworkers and ways you can deal with them.

Are your difficult coworkers making you pull your hair out at work?

1. The Grumpy Coworker

You know the type - they walk into work in the morning, don't say hi, won't even make eye contact with you or crack a smile. While we do not all have to be best friends at work, it is pretty awkward when you can't interact with these people the way you would with a normal person who will at least say hello. What to do:

• Try to find some common ground: There's got to be something - anything - that you have in common with this person and if you're able to find it, you just might be able to crack them. Maybe you and her have the same favorite tv show - you could ask her what she thought of last night's episode! Maybe you both have kids starting school this year - ask how that's working out. The point is to find something to get that person talking so she feels like you're both on the same side. She still might not say hello to you in the morning, but you might get a glimmer or a smile every once in a while that can lighten the tension. 

Read About the Other Three Types Here in the Original Article.

Know someone who's interested in starting a career in health care? Learn more about our open enrollment at WeCareOnline.

Are Women Aware of the Perils of Heart Disease?

The number of women aware that heart disease is the leading cause of death has nearly doubled in the last 15 years, but that knowledge still lags in minorities and younger women, according to a study.

Researchers comparing women’s views about heart disease in 1997 and today found that in 2012, 56% of women identified heart disease as the leading cause of death, up from 30% in 1997. Back then, women were more likely to cite cancer than heart disease (35% vs. 30%) as the leading killer; in 2012, only 24% cited cancer.

(In 2009, according to the the CDC, heart disease was the cause in 24% of women's deaths, followed by cancer in 22.2% of cases.) In 2012, 36% of black women and 34% of Hispanic women identified heart disease as the top killer. Those awareness levels were the same as white women had in ’97 (33%). Women ages 25 to 34 had the lowest awareness rate of any age group, 44%. The study, scheduled for publication in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal, showed barriers and motivators to engage in a heart healthy lifestyle are different for younger women, who also said their physicians were less likely to talk to them about heart disease.

"This is a missed opportunity," said Lori Mosca, MD, PhD, MPH, the study’s lead author and chair of an American Heart Association committee that produced the report, said in a news release. "Habits established in younger women can have lifelong rewards.

For the Original Article and to Read More.

Like to make a difference with a new career in the health industry?
See what we have at WeCareOnline.

Keeping Your Heart Healthy - Finding a Routine That Works

The hardest part of an exercise routine is getting started. 

Once you've established a regular pattern of exercise, you'll find yourself following it. So, how do you get started? Well, first of all, consult your doctor. Your doctor can recommend the specific kinds of exercise for your own individual needs. Generally, however, these guidelines should get you going.
First of all, exercise will only become a habit if it's fun! Pick something you will enjoy doing. If you like being with a group of people, try a team sport like basketball or soccer.

You don't have to be a super athlete. Anyone can exercise. Social activities like dancing and mall-walking are also good. If you're more of a loner, try bicycling or swimming.

Don't kid yourself. Be honest about what you realistically think you can do. If you have always hated to climb stairs, step aerobics probably isn't for you. Maybe a walk around the neighborhood would be more pleasant. Many people today are walking toward fitness.

Consider your current state of physical fitness. If you haven't exercised in years, you'll definitely want to start with some modest activities. As you get adjusted, you can increase your activity.
Consider your schedule. Are you a morning person? Then plan to exercise in the morning. If you're addicted to your snooze button, plan to exercise in the evening. Start with just a small block of time, maybe fifteen minutes.

For More Tips and the Original Article.

Now is a great time to learn what it takes to be an Activity Director.
See what classes we have at WeCareOnline.