Labor Day Fun Sun and Safety

Labor Day is a great time for fun, getting in that last real summer weekend (though here in the South it's more like the middle of summer with an extra day off), and lots of outdoor play. While the beer and the barbecue (did I mention the beer?) is a lot of fun, don't forget your safety while you are having fun in the sun.

First, most of us remember the West Nile virus that was a newsmaker not so long ago. A word to the wise, West Nile peaks in September, so if at all possible, avoid mosquitos. They come out in force at dusk and dawn and love standing water, so to be super safe, avoid these times and areas. If you can't or don't want to, remember to wear your insect repellant. If West Nile doesn't scare you, just remember how annoying bug bites are and use this as your excuse to slather on the bug spray.

Like the mother I am, I am going to also remind you of another way to stay safe on labor day...wear sun screen! Especially as summer fades into fall, we need to consciously remind ourselves that yes the sun is still shining and yes, it is still harmful to spend all day in it with no protection.

In honor of the barbecues that will go on in countless households across America this Labor Day, here are some health tips for your food. Seriously, folks, wash your hands. It seems simple, doesn't it? So simple it almost appears to be unhelpful...well, take a minute to think about where your hand goes daily. How many times today have you scratched your nose, fixed your hair, or some other fidget that wasn't followed by hand washing. I'm not overly concerned with this, as long as you don't touch my food unless you've washed your hands!

Also, remember that to keep your Labor Day safe, raw meat can be dangerous. Don't let it touch other foods, make sure that it is cooked until the center is 155 degrees F. Nothing will ruin your fun weekend of fun, sun, and friends than running to the bathroom every ten minutes or worse, to the hospital. By the same token, make sure your cold food is cold! I have had bad macaroni salad before, and let's just say that it produces much the same effect as the uncooked meat.

This labor day have tons of fun, use this last weekend of the summer as a time of celebration, but don't forget to be safe while you do it. If you want safety tips for your boat, bike, swimming pools, etc., check out this website: http://www.cvshealthresources.com/topic/safeworklist