It’s vacation season once again, and if you’re like many Americans you’ll be hitting the road for a little fun and adventure.  To get the most out of your trip, and to keep yourself as safe and sane as possible, you’ll want to keep the following tips in mind:

• Make a plan.  Plan your trip in advance.  While being a free spirit on the road can be fun, that doesn’t mean you have to leave the details to fate.  Gather maps and brochures about the places you’re going to visit.  Estimate your travel times and rest stops. And schedule the majority of your travel during daylight hours if possible.
• Set a budget.  Figure out how much you want to spend and does some research before you go, so you don’t end up paying more for hotels and fuel than you want to.  If possible, book your hotels before you leave.  To estimate fuel costs, go to http://fuelcostcalculator.com, which combines AAA’s daily online Fuel Gauge Report and the Environmental Protection Agency’s fuel economy ratings.
• Get your car checked.  Thinking of skipping that tuneup?  Think again.  It’s a minor task now that could become a major hassle once you’re on the road.  Use a service outlet you trust.  Buy or put together your own road safety kit.  Include items that help you deal with both car and personal emergencies (e.g., a jack, water and antifreeze, a flare, first-aid products, a blanket).
• Don’t overdo it.  Make sure you are properly rested before you set out for the day.  Take breaks where you can get out of the car and stretch.
• Check the weather.  Before you leave home, look at the forecast for the time and regions you’ll be traveling through.  Before you set out each day, check again to see if anything has changed.

• Avoid looking like a tourist.  Don’t leave maps in plain sight in your car, and don’t stand on a street corner gazing at a brochure in confusion.  Both advertise your vulnerability to anyone looking for an opportunity to take advantage of your situation.
• Drive the speed limit.  You don’t really gain much time by rushing, but you can get into situations that are undesirable when you’re hurrying and distracted.  Also, your fuel usage is more cost-efficient when driving the speed limit.
• And don’t forget to buckle up!

Live in rooms full of light.
Avoid heavy food.
Be moderate in the drinking of wine.
Take massage, baths, exercise, and gymnastics.
Fight insomnia with gentle rocking or the sound of running water.
Change surroundings and take long journeys.
Strictly avoid frightening ideas.
Indulge in cheerful conversation and amusements.
Listen to music.

–Aulus Cornelius Celsus, ca. 25 B.C.—ca. 50 A.D.

We can’t prevent all accidents from happening, but we can make smart choices about how we spend our leisure time.  If you’re the type of person who loves a little pavement adventure on your skateboard, rollerblades, or freestyle bike, you already know you can easily get hurt—if you don’t take proper precautions.  But have you stopped to consider the other possible consequences of your leisure-time injuries?

According to researchers at the Center for Trauma and Injury Prevention at the University of California-Irvine, the average cost per skatepark injury is about $3,200.  Medical costs are around $2,100, while lost wages run about $1,100.  Adults (over age 25) miss an average of 17 days of work from skatepark injuries.  Once man actually lost his job because his injury prohibited him from working for weeks; subsequently, without an income, he also lost his apartment.  Likewise, a piano and guitar tuner was fired for similar reasons when he fractured his forearm, the researchers report.  

Before you show off on your skateboard or skip wearing a helmet when rollerblading or biking, consider the impact any potential injury could have on your ability to maintain an income.  Don’t let a little fun become a life-altering event.

You know you’re supposed to wash your hands, but have you ever stopped to consider just how critical it can be?

You might be surprised to learn that in 1881 a few sets of dirty hands changed the course of U.S. history.

On July 2 of that year a gunman attempted to kill the 20th president of the United States, James a Garfield.  The would-be assassin shot the president twice, and one of the bullets lodged deeply in Garfield’s body.  A well-known surgeon was called, and he probed the wound with his unwashed finger in an attempt to find and remove the bullet.  Other doctors were brought in who also probed the wound with unwashed fingers.  They, like most doctors of the day, knew they should wash their hands, but they chose to ignore the practice.  The wound festered.

After more than 10 weeks of languishing, Garfield died—not from the bullet he had taken but from the subsequent massive infection that caused blood poisoning and eventually a heart attack.  Today, medical experts believe that had the president’s doctors not invaded the wound so aggressively with their unclean hands, Garfield would likely have survived the shooting.

A president paid the ultimate price because a few MD’s didn’t take the time to perform a simple, seemingly unimportant act.  The final insult: Garfield’s attending surgeons submitted a $91,000 bill for medical services rendered (that’s more than $1.8 million in today’s currency), and deemed it fair and reasonable.

Need a snack?  No problem, say the folks at the AARP (www.aarp.org), just keep it healthy.  If you watch what you’re doing, you can get some of the fiber and nutrients your body needs through your snacking.  You can also stave off some of those between meal hunger pangs that can cause you to overeat if you let them go too long.  Smart snacking could help you reduce your calorie intake if you eat smaller meals and use your snacks to keep you going in between.  Keep in mind that as you age your body needs fewer calories.

Here are come suggestions for healthy snacks:

• Fruit: fresh, frozen or dried.
• Raw vegetables cut and portioned in bags.  Try carrots, celery, red and green pepper.  You can dip them in low-fat dressing for a little extra zing.
• Whole-wheat English muffin with apple butter with a cup of herb tea.
• Slices of angel food cake with nonfat whipped topping.
• Whole grain crackers with reduced-fat cheese or peanut butter.
• Nonfat cottage cheese or yogurt with honey.
• A handful of nuts or trail mix.
• Hummus with whole-wheat pita bread.
• A smoothie (nonfat milk or yogurt blended with fruit).