MedClick

It is not too much of an exaggeration to say, your environment is your health.

So, to improve your health, see that your family's environment is a healthy one.

In addition to the environment we share, each of us lives in his or her own environment; which can have an effect on how long we live and how healthy we are. Here are simple but important steps that you and your family can take to make your environment a healthier one.

• Read the label on house and garden chemicals

  
  

Before you point that spray can, check if the directions or warnings have changed. Note in particular whether a product is for inside or outside use, and what protection (rubber gloves or respirators) are needed. What does the product do to birds, dogs and barefoot children?

• Turn down the volume

  
  

While occasional loud noises may just reduce your hearing temporarily, continuous exposures to very loud noises can cause permanent damage. Musicians know about efficient ear plugs that extend the life of their ears, you can buy them for your teens and for yourself.

• Place a carbon monoxide alarm in your home

  
  

Carbon monoxide from cars in garages, heaters and other home heating sources can be deadly. Of course you need one or more frequently-checked smoke alarms, in your home, but they won't alert you to carbon monoxide. For that, you need at least one carbon monoxide alarm. A few pounds, a trip to the hardware shop and a few minutes of installation are all you need to prevent a possible tragedy. Just make sure you buy one with an audible alarm - and make sure you know what it sounds like.

• Grow plants

  
  

Plants, including house plants, are not only nice to look at, there's lots of evidence they clean pollutants from the air.

• Put drugs, drain cleaners, and vitamins out of children's reach

  
  

The iron-containing vitamins that many women take, as well as prescription and non prescription medications such as Aspirin or Paracetamol, can be very dangerous for children, who may think they are sweets. Lock all medication in a cupboard out of reach. The same applies to detergents, drain cleaners and any other household chemicals.

• See if that 'cold' might be an allergy

  
  

You may think Johnny gets a lot of colds, but he may be allergic to dust mites, your cat or pollen.

• Remember that lakes and streams are not always pure

  
  

A crystal clear stream or lake may be a nice place to wade or swim but may harbour bacteria that can turn your stomach inside out. When you and your family walk in the country, take your own drinking water.

• Watch for lead, a continuing threat

  
  

If there's any chance a child in your family is being exposed to lead, a simple blood test can alert you before lead poisoning causes significant learning and behaviour problems. Sources of lead may include lead water piping in older properties and lead contained in exhaust fumes from vehicles. Good nutrition, including plenty of milk products and other sources of calcium, may offer some protection.

• Test for radon

  
  

Radon is a gas you can't smell in your home, but you can test for it. A naturally occurring gas that seeps out of rocks and soil, it comes from uranium buried in the earth and is itself radioactive. It is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer, especially among smokers. Your local council can tell you how to contact the Environmental Health Department.

• Wash your hands

  
  

Whether you've been sneezing, handling chicken or other raw poultry or meat, have been to the toilet or changed a nappy, washing your hands is the most common way to prevent the spread of germs and infection. In many of these situations, hand washing is the most important preventive measure you can take. It's as simple as that.

• Eat a good diet

  
  

Not just an apple but five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day may help keep the doctor, cancer and other disorders away.

• Take a vitamin

  
  

The government recommends all females of childbearing age take folic acid, one of the B vitamins daily to reduce the chances of having a child with a neural tube defect, a disorder which includes the deformity of the spine known as spina bifida. The vitamin is needed regularly, before as well as during pregnancy, and it's hard to get the amount needed from an ordinary diet.  Check your multivitamin has it included in the contents.

• You can't avoid all accidents, but you can minimise the results

  
  

Some good safety habits can save the lives and health of your family and colleagues. Injury preventing habits that athletes and regular people alike take: wearing bike helmets and other protective athletic gear, looking ahead of time for the fire exits in a theatre or hotel, checking your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at home to make sure they make an audible signal, can provide you with extra protection.,

• Stop smoking

  
  

A recent UK study found that cigarettes and alcohol are more dangerous than most illegal drugs including Ecstasy and LSD. And not only for the smokers themselves, but also those around them.        

• Beware the sun and the sunlamps

  
  

Sunlight in moderation is good for you, as it is the main source of the body's vitamin D - which is essential for your bodily immunity. However being over-exposed has inherent dangers. It is not just the temporary pain of sunburn you need to worry about. A youngster's burns may mean not only premature wrinkles but serious health problems years later. Ordinary skin cancers can usually be surgically removed without difficulty, but melanomas (malignant moles) can kill, if not identified at an early stage.