Decreased level of consciousness or “DLOC” is one of the most common calls to EMS. DLOC can be caused by many things and for different reasons. What often is called “unresponsive” is actually DLOC. Victims with a decreased level of consciousness are not entirely unresponsive, but often their level of consciousness is decreased to the point that it appears so to the untrained eye. Often CPR has been started on victims with DLOC. This is not the appropriate course of action. If a person is breathing, that means that they have a working heart. This is true even if ...

In a basic life support class, students are instructed to call 911 or the workplace emergency number in the event of an emergency. It is the job of the 911 dispatcher to evaluate and prioritize the call based on the information received. When talking to an emergency dispatcher it is not always easy to remain calm depending on the circumstances. However, it is important to try and be as clear as possible with regards to the emergency that you have so that the dispatcher can send the most appropriate resources. In many U.S. regions, 911 is a public access number ...

Along with the notorious absolutes in life, death and taxes, stress is a fact of life. It’s relentlessly forces us to adapt to change, be it from external or internal sources. Like death and taxes, stress will not disappear. Therefore it’s imperative that we develop better ways to adapt. Now, it’s possible to do more than exercise, meditate and eat well to manage stress. ShenTrition (pronounced: shen-tri-shun) is a new supplement that supplies nature’s solution for stress—adaptogenic herbs. Adaptogenic herbs, or adaptogens for short, are a select group of herbs that provide a normalizing influence on the body, neither over stimulating ...

Before beginning any fitness program, you need to decide what it is you want out of it. Do you want to improve your appearance, your physical skills; build endurance, flexibility or strength; are you trying to lose weight? Make sure the activities that you pick meet the goals for what you want to get out of it. Set Yourself up for Success It’s important not to undermine yourself with goals that are too long-term or impossible to attain. For example; “I want to lose all my extra weight before summer” is too unrealistic; particularly if you have a great deal of weight to ...

Nutrient deficiencies appear to increase with age. Some colleagues at the University of Iowa looked at over 400 Iowans 79 and older living independently in rural areas and found that 80 percent reported consuming inadequate amounts of four or more nutrients. When declining energy requirements are not matched by decreased caloric intake then total body fat increases. The Atkins diet leaves your body shy on some important nutrients, such as vitamin B, and also is negative for vitamins A, C and D, anti-oxidants that slow the effects of aging and calcium. Once again the lack of exercise has to enter ...