The following tips can insure a safe time.

Grilling Tips:

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics mentions these barbecue safety tips:

• Buy two sets of grilling tools. Use one for raw meat and one for cooked meat. Also, use a meat thermometer to test that you cook the meat until done.
• Grill lean meats to avoid flame flares caused by fat drippings.
• Don’t allow your food to become charred. Some studies show there is a link between charred meat and cancer.
• Let your meat marinate for a few hours before cooking to help reduce the chances of charring.

Scuba Diving Tips

The American Academy of Family Physicians wants you to know that diving without training can raise your risk of problems including dizziness, chest pain and shortness of breath.

More serious medical problems can include decompression sickness (the “bends”). They offer these general guidelines for safer scuba diving:

• Don’t push yourself beyond your comfort level and always stay within your dive plan.
• Slowly and gently equalize the pressure in your mask and ears as you descend and ascend.
• Educate yourself on local dangers, such as currents, tides and dangerous marine life.
• Always dive with a buddy and stay calm; turn to your buddy if you need help.
• Always use the proper equipment.
• Make sure your doctor says it’s safe for you to dive.
• Never drink alcohol before a dive.

Source: women’s health dot gov, a program of US Dept of Health and Human Services

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recently came out with a “Get Your Plate in Shape” Campaign for 2012 National Nutrition Month.

Here are their tips from the campaign to shape your plate:

• Think about what you are putting on your plate.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Choose “reduced sodium” or “no salt added” canned vegetables.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains.
• Switch to fat free or low fat dairy products.
• Eat a variety of proteins such as sea food, nuts, beans, lean meat, poultry and eggs
• Cut back on sodium, solid fats and sugary drinks.
• Enjoy your foods but eat less.
• Be conscious of calories.
• Use a smaller, plate bowl and glass.
• When eating out, choose lower calorie options.
• Write down what you eat and keep track of what you eat.

For more eating tips, go to www.eatright.org

In addition to watching what you put on your plate, the Academy offers the following exercise guidelines:

• Children and teens need to get 60 or more minutes a day of physical activities.
• Adults need two hours and thirty minutes a week of activity that requires moderate effort such as brisk walking.