Online CPR Certification Blog

Sometimes, the difference between life and death may be as simple as knowing the right first aid technique. This holds particularly true when lives are on the line, and you have no one to turn to except yourself in order to save someone.

In some cases, paramedics and emergency services can be miles away, and you simply do not have the time to wait for them. This is why knowing what you have to do will greatly help you in keeping someone alive till the professionals arrive and take over. Let us take a look at a really great first aid technique that you can practice and use as and when required.

An emergency situation can occur when you least expect it.  When disaster strikes, you will more than likely be called upon to help out. This may seem impossible at first. However, it is possible to deal with any disaster by following this checklist.

1.      Don’t Panic

Whatever the issue is, giving way to mindless panic will not help in the slightest. On the contrary, it can make an already bad situation much worse. Panic drives away all rational thought, and will prevent you from looking at a situation objectively. When you feel that you are being overwhelmed by panic, just take a few deep breaths and try to calm down. 

2.      Make Sure That You Are in a Position to Help Rather Than Hinder Rescue Efforts 

The age-old adage “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread” is as accurate today as it was when it was first coined. If you see guns being fired or a building engulfed in flames, there is no need to rush in like a comic book hero.  Always remember that the golden rule of responding to emergencies is to be the rescuer, not the rescued! Yes, it is difficult to stand by when the lives of your loved ones are on the line, but you will not be doing the EMRs any favors by increasing their workload. 

Everyone wants to live their life to the fullest and enjoy every bit of it. Unfortunately, it is easier said than done. This is why it is imperative that you take the trouble to follow these points to ensure that you can start living a healthy life.

1.      Exercise

This is one of the best possible ways of ensuring that you are able to live a long, healthy life. You don’t need to be a ‘gym freak’ in order to maximize the health benefits of exercise. On the contrary, you can easily gain many health benefits without overexerting yourself.

A brisk walk in the park every alternate day or taking the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator can also be a good way to burn those extra calories. Apart from that, a few hours of moderate exercise every week will help decrease your blood pressure and get rid of any excess weight. This means that you will become less susceptible to several chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart diseases.

Improving the quality of your life isn’t as difficult as many people think. All it takes is some active effort, dedication and commitment.

It sounds like hard work, but there are some simple and effective strategies that you can include in your daily life that will improve your quality of life. Here, quality of life doesn’t mean your living standard, but your happiness, health, leisure and vitality.

So, what are the things you can do to improve the quality of your life?

Let’s explore them together.

1.      Meditate Daily

Find some time for yourself each day. It can be anything, from 5 minutes to an hour. Spend this time alone with yourself and your thoughts. Meditate and reflect upon your feelings. Think about the decision you have made and the ones you are going to make in the near future.

Or, simply sit and relax. Clear your mind of all thoughts and meditate. This will give you a feeling of mindfulness that will keep you relaxed and at peace all day long. Once you make this a habit, you will see an improvement in the quality of your life.

Basic first aid knowledge is invaluable, not only for yourself but also for others around you. We all know and believe in the fact that first aid saves lives, then why is it that many people don’t take first aid training programs?

They are either too busy or they think that they know the basics already. Many people also think that accidents will not happen to them or those around them.

But, the fact is, accidents can happen anywhere. Hence, learning the basics of first aid and being equipped for first aid can save lives.

For many people, the phrase ‘living a healthy lifestyle’ can mean hours of strenuous exercise at the gym and eating only green, leafy vegetables for nourishment.  However, this is not always the case. Enjoying a healthy lifestyle is a simple matter of making certain life-changing choices.  These include the following:

o Move!

It is that simple. If you incorporate plenty of movement in your daily routine, you will eventually see positive results. This is what you can do to make your day more productive.

• Walking to your colleagues’ desks instead of sending e-mails
• Parking a couple of blocks away from your office so that you can walk to your destination
• Taking the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator
• Giving the hired help a day off so that you can indulge in a spot of spring cleaning
• Gardening
• Walking your dog or cycling with your children instead of watching endless re-runs on TV

Always remember that every little bit counts. If you are overweight, even losing a mere 10 percent of your body weight will mean a substantial reduction in blood pressure and heart diseases.

The elusive healthy lifestyle has hindered many people who want to become fit again. Because a healthy daily routine is so difficult to follow, many people take to fad diets in an attempt to cut weight quickly. In fact, many such diets are all the rage these days.

Basically, our sedentary lifestyle (along with a surfeit of junk food) has led to a widespread surge in obesity. And people all over the world are falling prey to various medical problems that are directly linked to being overweight. 

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to take the time out to indulge in a rigorous post-workday exercise regimen especially if you have already put in 10 solid hours of work at the office.

Racing into a burning building or a raging storm to save someone from certain death is a job for superheroes. Or, it’s a job for highly skilled and trained professionals who have the required fitness and equipment to get the job done.

However, this does not mean that if you’re neither of these, that there is nothing that you can do to help in an emergency. On the contrary, you can learn various activities for lifesaving that do not require peak physical fitness or years of dedicated training and experience.

o   Using Defibrillators

A mobile, hand operated automated external defibrillator (AED) can mean the difference between life and death for people who require immediate resuscitation. The modern AED device has been designed to be operated by individuals who do not have any training in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) techniques.

The ‘fountain of youth’ may be a myth, but nature has definitely endowed us with foods that are just as miraculous. There is no question that once you hit your 30s, your health starts declining in every way. Considering the extremely unhealthy lifestyles most young people have, an early diagnosis of diabetes or a heart disease doesn’t come off as a surprise.

The habits you form in your 20s are certainly going to reap the consequences in your mid-life. Many diseases can be prevented right in their tracks with the right diet. Most nutritionists and dieticians recommend achieving optimal health through your diet.

The foods you eat can have an unimaginable impact on your heart health and mortality. Here’s a list of the best foods to start including in your diet to ensure that your heart stays healthy and happy.

CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is arguably the single most important element of any first aid course that you may take in order to help people around you.

CPR can prove to be extremely useful for a broad array of medical emergencies ranging from drowning, all the way to myocardial infarction (heart attack). It can be used in an emergency situation where a patient’s heart has stopped, or where a patient cannot breathe on their own. 

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that everyone should always begin CPR with a series of powerful chest compressions.

As a matter of fact, it is far better to take charge and actually do something rather than looking on helplessly as a bystander in a critical emergency.  Here it is very important to understand that being fearful of your own lack of ability at making a difference should not hinder your CPR efforts.

After all, the person has already stopped breathing and taking charge and performing CPR can actually mean the difference between life and death!