An article entitled "20 little

health hazards" in the latest Women's Day magazine

basically targets all the "oops" I have

experienced in the past six months. It's amazing I'm

still alive, given the fallout from such simple slips as

slicing a bagel the wrong way, wearing jeans that are too

tight and walking barefoot first thing in the morning.

Treacherous

bagels? According to Dr. Mark Smith an emergency medicine

specialist at Washington Hospital Center in Washington,

D.C., "...it's unbelievable how many bagel injuries

there are." I can relate. My left thumb still bears

a one-inch scar from the time I tried to slice a frozen

bagel in my left hand with a steak knife. The only thing

I cut was my finger.

If

squeezing into blue jeans that are too snug is a hazard,

then 99 percent of the female population of the country

is at risk. "Tight pants syndrome" is an actual

diagnosis for persons experiencing bloating, heartburn

and abdominal discomfort. And I thought it was the chili.

A doctor's remedy? Lose weight or buy loose clothing.

Gee, why didn't I think of that?

Now walking

around barefoot in the a.m. never caused me concern,

until I read, "walking without heel support RUPTURES

NEW TISSUE FORMATIONS." I'm slowly killing my feet,

and I never knew it. The solution? Slippers or shoes with

a small heel. Now does that include those cute little

satin boudoir shoes with marabou feathers?

Probably

the most inane annoyances mentioned included forgetting

to blink and blowing your nose. I never knew that I might

be at risk for "computer vision syndrome." Once

you start to concentrate on the number of times you blink

in a minute, the less you're likely to do it. Eye

discomfort can be simply relieved by focusing on a

distant object, like a fly strip, for a few moments to

rest the ole' peepers.

The most

alarming news of all concerns blowing your nose.

"Keep it to a minimum," warn the experts.

Honking your schnoz when you have a cold can actually

force bacteria into your sinuses. Eeeuuuuwwww! It's

better to relieve symptoms with over the counter

preparations than spend you day depleting a box of Puffs.

And there

you have it; the latest health warnings from the

frontlines. Buy a bagel slicer gadget, invest in a new

pair of jeans, slip on your slippers, blink, and whatever

you do, don't blow your nose. Be careful; it's a jungle

out there.

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