FitSugar

When Is a Fever Too High?

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:49:00 PST

With the nasty flu bug making its rounds, there's only so much eating healthy, getting enough rest, washing your hands, getting a flu shot, and avoiding germs one can do. If you're unlucky enough to get the flu, your body will hike up your body temperature to boil away all those germs. So is there a point when your temperature can get too high?

When you get the flu, a sudden high fever is totally normal, and it can get as high as 104° F and last for three to four days. The best thing you can do is to rest and drink plenty of fluids, since a fever can cause you to become dehydrated. Don't attempt to cool off your skin with cold packs since they'll just make you shiver, which will end up raising your body temperature. Instead you should alternate between taking Tylenol and ibuprofen every four hours to help reduce your fever. Alternating these meds will help to prevent accidental overdose, and sometimes the combination of the two will be more effective in bringing down your fever. But if your fever persists for more than five days or goes over 104° F, call your doctor and get some medical advice immediately.

Sage Tea to Ward Off a Cough

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:00:48 PST

Some of you might remember that my aunt has a thing for conjuring up herbal remedies, like her cold-fighting ginger tea. So when I got hit with a nasty fever last week, I called dear ol' auntie first.

After I described my ailment, she said one word: sage. I was skeptical, mostly because I have never been a huge fan of the pungent, peppery herb. But since sage has been a longstanding healing plant, I whipped up my aunt's recipe. Not only was my cough suppressed, I could actually breathe for a few hours! Give this tea a try the next time you're feeling sickly.

To see the recipe,

Not as Average as You Think

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:00:34 PST

It used to be that when I got sick, a temperature reading of 98.6°F was enough to persuade me that I didn't have anything serious. But a recent article in the New York Times says that 98.6 isn't so average after all. Suddenly what I thought was my safe zone is just slightly off.

Although resting body temperatures vary between individuals, a study found that on average it's 98.2°F - not 98.6 as once believed. The results of the study also show that body temperatures increase over the course of the day.

This seems pretty minor, I mean what's a few tenths of a degree? Not much, until you consider that with every decade our body temperature declines, as well. This becomes even more of an issue among the elderly. A study confirms that many nursing-home patients with serious infections had temperatures below 101°F, which is usually where concern comes in relation to temperature reading. And their temperatures remained below 101°F even though they had an increase of 2.4 degrees or more, which can be indicative of a serious fever.

In light of these new findings it seems like a good idea to check your temperature on a series of "well" days. That way, you have a sense of what your average body temperature, which can be used as a gauge to measure yourself against when you're sick. I know I will definitely be doing this.

Beyond that, I think this article is also a good example that regardless of what a measuring instrument may say or not say about your health, it's good to listen to your body. If you feel like there's something serious going on, never hesitate to call your doctor.

How Do You Take Your Child's Temperature?

LilSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:30:31 PST

'Tis the season for cold and flu and weary mamas are celebrating by monitoring their tot's temperature more than ever. From the dreaded rectal method to the easy arterial swipe, there's more than one way to take your child's temperature. Most mommies have a preferred method - what's yours?

Baby Wellness: Call the Doc For Infant Fever

LilSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:00:15 PST

Worry comes with the territory of being a new mom. While not all fret-worthy things warrant a call to your lil one's pediatrician, an infant's fever is nothing to chance - especially during flu season. According to the Mayo Clinic:

Mild fevers are common and usually harmless, but it's important to keep an eye on the thermometer. Contact the doctor if your baby is younger than age 2 months and has a rectal temperature of 100.4 F or higher or if your older infant has an oral or ear temperature of 102 F or higher.

So be sure to keep an eye on your bundle of joy's temperature. You can usually tell by touch if she is hotter than normal, but a rectal temperature will give the most accurate reading. As always, if you're unsure, best practice is to call the doctor.

Source

Home Remedies: Cold and Flu

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:00:00 PST

The colors of Autumn might be lovely, but a few things about the season actually bring me down. I am talking about cold and flu season. If you're unlucky enough to have come down with some bug, you might be able to soothe some of your ailments with ingredients you have in your pantry. Prevention has listed some home remedies for common cold symptoms, and here are the highlights.

Soothe that sore throat: Mix six pressed garlic cloves with hot water, and gargle with this garlic tea twice a day, for three days. The warm liquid soothes inflamed tissues, while the garlic has antimicrobial properties that fight pain-causing bacteria.

Bring down a fever: Try drinking linden flower tea. It controls your body temperature by stimulating the hypothalamus, and also dilates your blood vessels and induces sweating. Pick up the dried herb at a health food store or herb shop. Steep one tablespoon of dried linden flower in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Stash makes a linden flower tea, too. Drink this tea three to four times a day. If your fever is over 102° F, take a tepid bath to cool off the body.

To see how you can dull your hacking cough with a few sweet things, just

read more. Suppress a cough: Eating a bit of dark chocolate can help your cough. Theobromine, a compound found in chocolate, has been found to be even more effective than codeine for suppressing coughs, and it won't make you drowsy or constipated. You can also tame your cough with honey. Before bed take two teaspoons of honey and take 500 mg of Ester C 30 minutes prior to lying down to quiet your cough and give your immune system a little lift. If you have any home remedies for cold symptoms, please share them in the comment section below. Source

The Skinny On: Peppermint

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 17:29:06 PST

Two of my favorite treats are a hot mug of peppermint tea and a cold dish of peppermint ice cream. I must also say that candy canes receive an honorable mention.

Peppermint has long been grandma's answer to belly aches and you know what? She was right on target. Peppermint calms the belly and stimulates digestion. It is often taken by folks with Irritable Bowel Syndrome to lessen the syndrome's irritating symptoms like bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

More than just a tonic for your tummy, peppermint is also an expectorant and a decongestant. It may offer some relief for mild asthma attacks, lessening bronchial constriction and making it easier to breathe. Peppermint promotes sweating, which could possibly help regulate body temperature during a fever, which is good news during cold and flu season.

Medicinally, peppermint is available in many forms: tea, tinctures, capsules, creams, ointments, or essential oil. It is generally considered safe when used properly.

FYI - Peppermint is YumSugar's secret ingredient this week. If you have a recipe that includes peppermint, you should definitely stop by and share it with her.

What's the Deal With: Being Ill and Working Out

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:15:00 PST

Since cold and flu season started a lot of folks have asked me if they should work out if they're sick. Well, a good rule of thumb when figuring out the answer is the neck check. Exercise is generally considered okay if your symptoms are all above the neck - sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, congestion. Light cardio might actually help reduce these symptoms and give your immune system a little boost.

But if your symptoms are below the neck like fever, chest cough (with lots of phlegm) or nausea you should probably choose your couch over kick boxing. Exercising can make those symptoms worse.

So check in with your self and listen to what your body says. If you are just tired or in the throes of PMS a work out could really do you some good.

How to Adjust Your Tax Withholding

Kiplinger — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:14:10 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Political theater over whether or not to extend the 2% payroll tax holiday has overshadowed the fact that most workers can do more to reduce the amount of tax withheld from their paychecks than anything cooked up in Washington.

The power-to-the-people ploy? Using a W-4 form to put an end to overwithholding from your paychecks. First, let's set the stage. Even as anti-Washington sentiment rises to a fever pitch, most middle-class Americans continue to allow the government to claim more than its share every single payday. The proof: In 2011, 109 million of the 145 million individual tax returns filed called for refunds. That's 75%. The average refund last year: $2,913. That's significantly more than even the highest-paid worker gets from a 2% payroll tax holiday.

Yes, we love our tax refunds. But we ask this simple question of those of you who get refunds year after year: Doesn't it make more sense to get your money when you earn it?

If you agree with us that the answer is a resounding "yes," we have good news. Unlike stubbornly high unemployment, it's easy to fix overwithholding. All you have to do is file a revised Form W-4 with your employer. The information on that little form determines how much federal income tax is withheld from your checks. The more "allowances" you claim on the W-4, the less income tax will be withheld.

Read on for more.

What to Expect When You're Expecting Set Visit: Elizabeth Banks on Her Fake Bump and Personal Baby Joy

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:05:11 PST

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood will share the big screen in the upcoming comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting, which follows different mothers-to-be as they prepare for the arrivals of their bundles of joy. Cameron Diaz, Brooklyn Decker, Anna Kendrick, and Elizabeth Banks are among the famous ladies who strapped on fake baby bumps to portray different kinds of pregnant women, and Banks's character, Wendy, doesn't exactly have an easy time of it.

I visited the Atlanta set of the film last year, where Banks was shooting a climactic scene in which her character addresses all the woes of pregnancy - in an auditorium with a rather large audience. The hilarious meltdown, which you can see in the opening of the trailer for What to Expect When You're Expecting, includes harsh truths like "I'm calling it: pregnancy sucks." It was great fun to see Banks film the passionate speech again and again, especially since the funny lady mixed up her one-liners from one take to another. What was even more interesting was seeing all of the extras who played the audience members, since the group of women was a mix of actual pregnant women and women rocking fake baby bumps.

I chatted with Banks about her own experience filming the movie, and she revealed that she actually felt like she was in her own little movie, since she doesn't have much screen time with her costars. Banks was refreshingly honest about not having any parenting tips and also admitted that though welcoming her son, Felix, has brought her a great deal of joy, it hasn't changed her stance on how she feels about kids in general. Here's more of what Banks had to say about pregnancy and motherhood:

What inspired you to take this role?
Elizabeth Banks: I cried when I read the script. It has a really great ending: at the end of the movie, everybody has a baby! It really is just a very relatable story for everyone: anybody who is a parent, has considered being a parent, has a baby, whatever. It's just very universal, what happens in the film. We really explore so many great storylines and different paths to getting a child. I had a unique path to getting my son, so I understand how everybody's path to their child is different.

How does it feel to wear the bump?
EB: It's sweaty! [Laughs] I think it's probably a decent approximation; it weighs a good 10 lbs. The boobs weigh about 6 lbs. They are really unbelievable. It's fun. It definitely makes you sit and walk in a totally different way. As an actor, it's a great prop.

How did you change when you became a mom?
EB: I get drunk much faster and easier, and it's a big problem, so I can't go out very much. I find that I underestimated the amount of joy. I'm really learning about my capacity for joy through my son.

To see what Banks had to say about baby fever and her parenting tips, just keep reading.