Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Spring wildfire prevention and protection Gail Ellis OSU News Oklahoma’s wildfire season runs from November through March when plant life and vegetation are dormant. What to know Dry air, low humidity levels and strong winds are the ideal conditions
for outbreaks that can occur any time of year but are historically prevalent in March, the windiest month of the year. Oklahoma’s wide, open spaces, particularly in the western part of the state, are what allow small fires to spread and grow quickly. Protecting land and property Communities are encouraged to participate in the National Firewise USA program, which educates residents
on how to protect homes and neighborshrubs or trees are a safe distance from hoods in areas at high risk of wildfire. the home and buildings. Landowners living in remote, rural areas Prune tree limbs to prevent fire should take the following precautions from spreading to the crown of trees. during wildfire season: Clean up other flammable items Survey the status of the home, oth- around the home and buildings, includer buildings and equipment. Determine ing firewood. Stack or store firewood a how the property can stand alone if fire safe distance away from the home. response is delayed or not available. Keep the area mowed down short See Wildfire on 7 and make sure any kind of flammable
Under the weather? A season-by-season look at how the atmosphere affects your body and health Anthony R. Wood The Philadelphia Inquirer, Tribune News Service If you’re feeling “under the weather” these days, you’re probably human. We all are feeling it, whether we’re aware of it or not. Our health remains tethered to the air and light around us, despite all the progress that has given us a certain insularity. The study of the atmosphere’s effects on our bodies is known as biometeorology, a science that has gone in and out of favor through the centuries. Hippocrates believed that weather and climate strongly influenced human health. Collecting weather data for health reasons was a major impetus for creation of what became the National Weather Service. Interest faded by the end of the 19th century with the broad acceptance of germ theory, but it has been making a comeback with concerns about the health impact of a warming planet. The discipline has suffered from unsupported claims and research limits: The body and the atmosphere meet at one of the most complex intersections of the known universe. But we can say with high confidence that weather and environment have powerful effects on our health and well-being. Here is a season-by-season look at some of the ways. Spring Ah-choooo! The pollen-allergy trilogy has begun with the trees, whose pollen will peak in April and May, and then be joined by the grasses and ragweeds. The traffic is heaviest when it’s warm and dry, with breezes on which the pollen can commute to the nostrils of the victims, setting off bursts of sneezing. Hope for rain, says University of Tulsa pollen expert Estelle Levitin, as pollen can’t fly when it’s wet. Experts’ advice: On heavy pollen days, the allergic should stay indoors if possible and keep the windows closed. If spending time outdoors, take a shower afterward and change clothes. Spring fever The warmth and light incite a certain exuberance that is often called “spring fever.” And while it isn’t in the Physicians Desk Reference, and it’s not a fever per se, it’s real. “Spring fever aptly describes a feeling that seizes you with its urgency and impulses,” says psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal, based in Bethesda, Maryland, who pioneered research on seasonal affective disorder. It is characterized by bursts of energy, evidently touched off by light-induced hormonal changes in our bodies.
Experts’ advice: For a small number, it can be a distraction that can lead to low productivity and can lead to exacerbating certain forms of depression. For the overwhelming majority, enjoy the hay out of it while it lasts. Disrupted sleep Sleep specialists warn that daylight saving time and later sunsets can be disruptive to our body rhythms. Experts’ advice: Try to keep sleeping hours as regular as possible, even on weekends. Arthritis Volatile spring weather and barometric pressure can aggravate symptoms for some arthritis patients. Experts’ advice: Keep joints moving with gentle stretches. Both hot and cold compresses can ease pain. Summer It’s the heat — and humidity Heat, one of the deadliest of all weather hazards, can be a tremendous physical challenge as blood flows to the skin and commands up to four million sweat glands to produce the salty fluid we call “sweat.” When sweat evaporates, it gives off a cooling effect, but if the air is too moist, the sweat coats the skin, a source of discomfort for most, but dangerous for people who are older or medically vulnerable. Experts’ advice: Acclimate yourself to the heat. Hydrate, with water, and non-alcoholic and caffeine-free drinks. Says Main Line Health internal medicine physician William Surkis, don’t be afraid to say, “Maybe this is not the best day to work out.” Sunburn Summer is the peak season for natural Vitamin D, courtesy of the sun – and for the ultraviolet radiation that medical research has tied to assorted long-term problems, including skin cancer, and damage to the eyes. In the shorter term, doctors say, UV rays can burn the skin – even through clouds — resulting in painful sunburn that goes away but may have lasting effects. Experts’ advice: Limit exposure to sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., keep body parts covered as much as possible, wear sunglasses, and use an SPF 30 sunscreen or stronger. Fall Seasonal blues The days get shorter rapidly in September and October, and it is natural to feel enervated, melancholy, and even a bit hungrier than usual. “It affects our entire physiology,” says Phyllis Zee, with the Northwestern University Medical Center. “We don’t think of ourselves as being seasonal creatures, but we are.” An estimated 5% of people experience seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression, and 10% to 20% have mild versions of SAD. See Health on 5
Bella Casey
Aloe vera and spider plants are two low maintenance plants that are easy for college students to grow and care for.
4 plants that withstand the lifestyle of a college student Bella Casey News and Lifestyle Assistant Editor
five plants that can be kept inside and will tolerate the lifestyle and schedule of a college student. Snake plant Snake plants are happy indoors or outdoors, College students’ and they require little care. free time is limited. Every Snake plants need water spare minute is occupied by only when the top two homework, class, friends inches of their soil feel dry. or work. Not everyone has Their long, skinny leaves time or money to care for grow straight up, not out, a pet. The happy medium: so they are easy to keep in a plant. Check out these small spaces such as college
apartments. Snake plants are happy to be kept in any amount of sunlight. Aloe vera The aloe vera plant can be used for more than medicinal purposes. They’re great for decorating. Aloe vera plants enjoy bright, indirect sunlight. They rarely need to be watered and need to be kept in dry conditions. Be careful not to overwater aloe vera. See Plants on 8