How Clean Are Your Hands?

Good Personal Hygiene Is Best Way to Fight Variant H1N1 Influenza

AMES, Iowa — Don’t bother with a paper mask. Practicing good personal hygiene is the best way to control the potential spread of variant H1N1 influenza — also known as swine flu, says Iowa State University Extension food safety specialist Sam Beattie.

And, it’s OK to eat pork, Beattie added. “Flu viruses are typically not spread through food very readily.”

Despite the name swine flu, pork is safe to eat —follow established cooking recommendations as usual. “Cook your pork to 160 degrees as you’re supposed to,” the food safety specialist said.

The new variant H1N1 influenza is spreading rapidly throughout the world, Beattie said, but he noted that every year in the United States “upwards of 60 million people are made ill from [seasonal] influenza. Upwards of 36,000 people every year die from influenza A, the seasonal one.”

Beattie added, “We’re not sure where this one [variant H1N1] is going yet. But we have to take into consideration that we do see influenzas come up and we do have ways to deal with them.”

As with any type of influenza, practice good personal hygiene to reduce the potential spread of the virus, Beattie said. Use a tissue when sneezing or coughing to prevent phlegm from getting into the air, then properly dispose of the tissue.

Beattie also recommends “proper, diligent handwashing” several times in a day, particularly after touching shared items such as ATM keyboards, handrails and door handles.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective against this type of virus, he said. “If your hands are clean without visible soil, use an alcohol-based sanitizer. That will kill the influenza virus.”

Also, use common sense, he said. “If you get influenza, don’t be a hero. Don’t go to work. Stay at home and limit contacts with others.”

The food safety specialist recommended that food service managers send home employees who show up for work with runny noses and symptoms of flu. Otherwise, “that employee could spread the flu to the restaurant clientele,” Beattie said.

Now, about those paper masks: A mask keeps the wearer’s body fluids from leaving his or her facial area, so a mask can limit virus spread if the wearer has a virus. Other than that, simple masks may not be very effective, Beattie said. “They’re not going to help if someone right next to you is breathing out lots of viruses. You may still get it because the simple masks are not made to filter out those virus particles. It would be better to avoid crowded situations where distances from one face to another are less than six feet or so.”

Only high end, respirator-like devices can filter out virus particles, he said.

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What's Up In The Garden

by Jackie Dohlman, Franklin County Master Gardener

Tips on Mowing the Lawn, Pinching Chrysanthemums, Planting Summer and Winter Squash, and Growing Gooseberries

How often should I mow my lawn?

Irrigation and fertilization practices, along with weather conditions, dictate mowing frequency. Kentucky bluegrass lawns should be mowed at the height of 2-1/2 to 3 inches in spring and fall. Set the mower blade to a height of 3 to 3-1/2 inches during summer. Mowing frequency is based on the growth rate of the turfgrass. As a general rule, never remove more than one-third of the total leaf surface at any one mowing. For example, if the lawnmower is set at 3 inches, the grass should be mowed when it reaches a height of 4-1/2 inches. In spring it may be necessary to mow every four to five days, possibly only once every one to two weeks in summer, with more frequent mowing again in the fall.

How often should I pinch my mums?

Pinch chrysanthemums two to three times from spring to mid-summer. Remove the stem tips when the shoots are approximately 6 inches tall. New lateral shoots will develop along the stems. Pinch again when these new shoots reach a length of 6 to 8 inches. Pinching can be done with your fingers or a pair of hedge clippers. Continue pinching until early July. Pinching results in bushy, compact plants with additional flowers.

When can I plant squash in my vegetable garden?

Summer and winter squash are warm-season crops. Plant squash after the danger of frost is past. In central Iowa, summer and winter squash can be planted in mid-May. Gardeners in southern Iowa can plant one week earlier. Plant one week later in northern portions of the state. Winter squash should be planted by mid-June. The last practical planting date for summer squash is mid-July.

What are the site requirements for gooseberries?

Gooseberries are hardy and easy to grow. Gooseberries perform best in moist, well-drained soils in partial to full sun. Avoid poorly drained, wet soils and hot, dry sites. To discourage fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew, select sites with good air movement.

Suggested gooseberry varieties for Iowa include ‘Hinnonmaki Red’ (medium-size, red fruit), ‘Invicta’ (large, pale green fruit), ‘Pixwell’ (small, red fruit), ‘Poorman’ (large, red fruit), and ‘Welcome’ (medium-size, red fruit). 

It's Monday, Now What?

Getting a Good Start to the Day

 Some mornings, it seems like you must have crawled out of bed on the wrong side.  Nothing is going right and you haven’t even left the house yet.

 If the morning is not going well, it’s a good idea to take a couple of minutes and regroup.  Often if you just continue the way things are going, you will wind up having a lousy day.  Pull out a chair, sit down and take a few deep breaths and consider the following ideas to help you get the day back on track.

Ø      Stop mentally berating yourself for the happenings of the morning.  Everyone has bad days.  Step back and find humor in your situation.

Ø      Take a short mental vacation.  Remember one of your “peak parent” moments (e.g. digging at the beach, dancing in the living room, cuddling at bedtime).  Or close your eyes and imagine you are relaxing on the beach, next to a mountain stream or at your favorite vacation spot.

Ø      Evaluate the remainder of your day.  Simplify as much as possible.  Eliminate bothersome tasks and focus if possible on completing a task that will give you a sense of accomplishment and control.

Ø      Reduce the noise, smells and the confusion around you.  Excess stimulus acts to intensify the stress.

Ø      Turn to written phrases and passages that provide you with meaning and inspiration.  Stand up and stretch your arms above your head.  Stretch left and hold 1-2-3-4.  Stretch right and hold.  Repeat several times.  After your stretch, wiggle your fingers and toes.

Ø      Go for a 10- to 15- minute walk.  Focus on the sights and sounds around you.

Ø      Eat a healthy lunch.  Skipping lunch because you’re behind will only make your mood and your problem solving ability worse.

Ø      Find a way to make someone else happy.  Doing for others has an amazing impact on our own sense of personal satisfaction.

Ø      Have a good laugh.  Pull out the latest comic page from the newspaper, look at a jokebook or visit a co-worker who is known for a fine sense of humor.

Ø      Avoid as much as possible negative people who will bring you down.  Instead seek out people with a positive outlook.

 Upon arriving home, focus your attention on relaxing and reconnecting with your family.

by Bev Peters - one of this county's best resources!  

picture by roy costello at flickr.com