Annual eye exams. With insurance permitting, yearly eye exams are crucial in keeping your eyes and eyesight healthy. Undetected vision problems or prescriptions that are no longer useful can progressively worsen your eyesight if unnoticed, but with annual exams, the chance of your eyesight greatly depreciating is much less.

Always wear sunglasses – rain, snow or shine. UV rays can be a terror for your eyes, causing significant damage. By wearing sunglasses that protect your eyes against at least 98% of the sun’s rays no matter the season or weather condition, you eliminate a large portion of the damage UV rays pose.

Take care of eye gear – especially contacts. Properly caring for and cleaning your contacts and eyeglasses, you can eliminate the chance of contracting bacteria in your eye or suffering from an eye injury. Always adhere to your prescribed contact schedule and never fall asleep with your contacts still in.

Eat foods rich in Vitamin A, C, E and Zinc. Carrots aren’t the only food that you want to keep in mind when trying to keep your eyes and eyesight healthy. Foods like leafy greens and dark colored vegetables contain vitamins that can help you maintain the health of your eyes.

Following these simple health tips is easy, and it will be beneficial for the eyes and vision of your entire family, so make it fun while keeping your eyes on the prize.

The first step in choosing the best facility is determining whether or not your condition qualifies as an emergency. An emergency is normally described as a situation that is considered to be life threatening if not immediately taken care of, however, other situations that should be treated at the emergency room include:

• Severe chest pain
• Severe shortness of breath
• Excruciating abdominal pain following blunt force trauma or injury
• Uncontrollable bleeding
• Poisoning/ suspected poisoning
• Serious burns
• Inability to swallow food and fluids
• Seizures
• Paralysis
• Confusion or loss of consciousness following an injury to the head
• Exposed broken bones
• Fever over 102°F

For less serious conditions, urgent care or your family doctor are more suitable for treatment and are much less costly than emergency room facilities. Less serious conditions that should be treated at urgent care or your family doctor include:

• Ear infections
• Sprains or less serious bone fractures
• Sinus and respiratory infections
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Fever less than 102° F
• Urinary tract infections

If you find yourself or your family in any of the situations above, do not hesitate to visit the appropriate location to seek medical treatment to avoid further damage to your health.

*Please note: The information in this article should not be construed as medical advice.

1. Children should always have adult supervision. Never allow your children to hit the slopes or the ice without an adult accompanying them on the journey in case an emergency or injury occurs.
2. Map out your slope, or hill, before hitting it. Always make sure that the slope or hill you and your family are using is free of obstacles like trees, rocks or debris to prevent an accident from occurring.
3. Take turns and keep distance between sledders/skiers to help avoid collisions on the slope and reduce the risk of injury.
4. Always wear protective gear. Aside from the routine hat, gloves and thick socks to avoid hypothermia make sure that everyone is wearing suitable protective gear. Children under 12 should always wear a helmet when sledding, and everyone should wear a helmet when strapping on skis.
5. Never attempt to brave the hill headfirst; it’s just a recipe for disaster. Always sit with your feet first, so that you have control of the direction you’re going.
6. Only hit the slopes or hills in well-lit areas. Darkness creates potentially dangerous hazards, like being unable to see the direction you are going.
7. If you are a first time skier or snowboarder, consider taking lessons first. Experience is key in preventing injuries and accidents from happening.
8. If you are hitting the slopes or hills during the day, do not forget the sunscreen. Protecting you and your family from UV light is just as important during the winter.

For more information on winter activity safety tips, check out http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/wintsafe.htm.

Although it would be much safer to run and bike in the morning, many of us are hard pressed to change our fitness routine to a new schedule. Here are a few tips to help you stay out of harm’s way during your outdoor workouts throughout the winter:

1. Be visible for others. Always wear brightly colored and reflective clothing while running and biking outdoors at night. It helps make you visible for motorists and others. Try using blinking lights or a headlamp for areas known for heavy traffic.

2. Only venture out in well-lit areas. By staying in areas that are well-lit, you can avoid going unseen and bypass dangerous situations that arise during nightfall.

3. Keep your fitness adventures to familiar areas. During the winter, you should exercise only in areas that are familiar to you. By staying within familiar boundaries, you can help yourself avoid potentially unsafe situations, like potholes or bumps, which could cause injury. Always remain aware, even familiar areas can pose a threat at night.

4. Always carry your cell phone. It is always a good idea to carry your cell phone, along with a form of identification, while exercising outdoors at night, so that if an emergency does arise you have a way of seeking help. It is also a good idea to let someone know exactly what you are doing and where you are heading before going out to exercise in the dark.

5. Try having safety in numbers. By running with a buddy (or a few), you can make your nighttime run or bike much safer. Two or more runners are both more visible and help runners be more aware, and if a situation does arise, a group of runners provides more help.

Follow these few safety tips this winter to make your workouts safe but and productive.

Netflix

• For just $8.99 a month, Netflix provides instantly streamed movies through your televisions, Blu-Ray players and game systems, like the X-Box, PS3, or the Wii. Besides movies, Netflix offers their customers with a library of workout programs. With unlimited access, there are instant workouts for everyone from the yoga guru to the marathon runner. Ranging in length from just twenty minutes to an hour, the Netflix library offers variety and options that are easily coordinated with your hectic schedule.

Cable

• If you’re looking for something less expensive, you can look at other options. Several local cable companies offer fitness channels, like FitTV, that are devoted to fitness offering all day fitness programs and tips on staying healthy. They also offer On Demand services, which provide fitness programs that you are able to start, stop and complete at your leisure with no additional cost to your cable bill. In order to have certain channels and the On Demand services, you must be enrolled in the proper package offered by your cable company.  Check with your provider for more information.

Internet

• The Internet is another great place to turn for quick fitness programs. Websites, like www.exercisetv.tv and www.physicalfitnet.com, offer instant and free workout programs that can easily be fit into a crammed schedule. If you want to target your abs or if you want to challenge yourself in a Pilate’s session, these Internet alternatives are sure to offer exactly what you need.

Between Netflix, cable and the Internet, there are no excuses for fitting a quick fitness program into your busy schedule when you cannot make it to the gym. These easy options allow everyone to “Live Now” and stay fit all year long!

Like their owners, pets (specifically cats and dogs) need daily activity to keep them healthy and happy. Also like their owners, too many pets are overweight (35 percent of pets, according to some expert estimates). If you think having a chunky canine or a “fluffy” kitty is harmless, think again. Obesity in pets can shave years off their life spans and lead to serious illness, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Fortunately, working on your own and your pet’s fitness levels can be fun and invigorating for both of you. Here are some ways you can make it work.

Walking/jogging with your dog will give you both a great cardio workout. Before launching into this kind of routine, however, make sure your pet can follow commands like “Heel,” “Sit,” and “Stay.” Your pet should also receive adequate leash training beforehand. Consider the dog’s age and breed before pounding the pavement – too old or too young might mean the dog can’t keep up, and certain breeds like pugs may experience respiratory problems during exercise. Finally, consider the weather: hot weather means hot pavement, which can burn the dog’s foot pads, whereas ice might become trapped between your pooch’s toes during cold weather. Find more tips at CBS News’ website.

If long, steady jogging isn’t your thing, consider interval walking/jogging: changing your pace within your walk or jog can increase your heart rate and metabolism and increase your calorie burn. The same goes for your dog.

Games with tennis balls, Frisbees or other toys typically involve short bursts of running for your pet. Get in on the action! Instead of merely tossing a ball, race your dog to see who can retrieve it first. Or, play tag: “tag” your dog and run around your backyard. Your pup will certainly give chase, and in a matter of minutes your hearts will be pounding.

Squats and crunches aren’t out of the question, either. Work such moves into a game of fetch: Animal Planet’s blog “The Daily Treat” has some ideas how, as well as a few tips for cat owners, as well.

Maybe you already have an exercise routine with your pet. Tell us about it!