Hot Fitness Trends for 2013

     The start of each New Year presents a chance to change it up. If you’re tired of running around the neighborhood or hitting the gym, Meritus Health physicians and healthcare providers offer insight on the latest fitness trends.

A Team for Hazmat Spills

A photo from a drill, showing the
Powered Air Purifying Respirators and
 a decontamination tent. 

     You hear it from time to time: I-70 is shut down due to an overturned tractor-trailer and chemical spill. Most of us pay little attention to the incident unless it affects our commute. For first responders and Meritus Medical Center, a hazmat spill that involves contaminated victims triggers text messages and voicemails to members of its Hospital Emergency Response Team (HERT). 

     “Our hospital is well-prepared for hazmat incidents and goes well beyond national requirements for patient decontamination,” explains Josef Chlebowski, emergency response coordinator at Meritus Medical Center. “You get trauma services and an emergency response team under one roof at Meritus Medical Center.”

A Kickin’ Life Lesson

     A nurse, an emergency room doctor and three active kids. It’s a family that could easily be short on family time. But since January 2010, the Kotch family uses Tae Kwon Do, a form of martial arts, as a way to exercise and spend quality time together.

     Stephen Kotch, MD, medical director of Meritus Medical Center’s emergency department practiced martial arts in college so a light bulb went off when he saw an advertisement for a parent’s night out at a martial arts studio shortly after his daughter wanted to try something other than dance. The Kotch’s twin 13-year-old boys and nine-year-old daughter participated in a night of kicks, pizza and anti-bullying discussions—and the kids, especially their daughter, were hooked.

Women in Heels: What Your Feet Are Saying

     You may have heard the quote that a lady should always keep her heels, head and standards high, but if your feet had a say, they would ask for heels to be taken off the list! In the world we live in today, there are plenty of societal pressures for the modern woman to wear fashionable shoes to work or social events. In most cases that means squeezing into a tall pair of heels that leave your feet aching and blistered by the end of the day. However, what many women don’t realize is the long-term damage they may be causing to their feet.

Childhood Holiday Dangers

     Christmas trees, candles, ornaments, ribbons and strings of lights are all common, integral parts of the holiday season. But for kids, these items can also be dangerous. Children, especially those younger than age 5, can easily confuse exciting decorations as toys or something they can eat. Parents and guardians of children can make sure this holiday season is bright and safe with the following tips:

     Christmas Trees: A Christmas tree is a fun and classic decoration for the holiday season. If you decide to decorate with a live tree, make sure it is as fresh as possible so it is less likely to catch on fire. Also, keep the tree in a container with water, as you would a bouquet of flowers, and check often that there is plenty of water inside to keep it fresh.