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Cruising & Caring for Health and Wealth

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By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

 

#TurksandCaicos, January 15, 2022 – As the cruising industry in Grand Turk continues to get back into full swing with an anticipated four cruises or more per week, Turks and Caicos Islanders who work in the industry will again be interacting with thousands of foreign nationals on a weekly basis.

Normally this would be a cause for celebration and it is, but with the world in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic and especially in light of the newest variant, the rules have changed.

As researchers find more information in regards to Omicron it is becoming increasingly clear that while the variant may be slightly milder than others its transmissibility is a major treat to populations, economies and health systems everywhere.

The following are tips that will help balance TCI tourism workers’ income and their safety, or as government often puts it, “lives and livelihoods”.

 

Prior Preparation.

Masks have become a part of life since the beginning of the pandemic, some wear them for safety, others because they are mandated. Nearly all of us have experienced that ‘oh no’ moment when we realize we’ve left our mask behind, it’s a funny anecdote to represent our new normal in theory.

In reality it can be dangerous, life threatening even, to be without protective measures especially for vendors who interact with international visitors all day long.

This means prior preparation is key. Outfit your stall with masks and the recommended cleaning agents, have extras on hand so you never get caught without. If possible put the required distance between your own stall and your neighbors. If possible create dividers for yourself and tourists that will allow you to interact safely. Place reminders in the form of signs around your stall so guests are not tempted to flout safety measures.

 

In the Moment

Cruise days can be hectic, there are so many people and so little time but as you rush to make your sales or braid hair it is important to keep safety protocols in mind.

Always maintain social distancing between yourself and guests, this is especially important in high volume situations like this as guests can be asymptomatic.

If you operate a business that will not allow you to do so e.g. hair braiding, keep your mask on at all times and insist that your guests do so as well.

Limit the amount of guests allowed in your space at once.

Establish rigorous and frequent cleaning protocols, as guests move around in their excitement they may forget to sanitize. Clean surfaces regularly with the recommended products to prevent lingering traces of anything dangerous.

 

Aftercare

When guests have departed and it’s time to close up shop don’t skip any steps that could undo a successful day of safe practices.

Wash your money, it may seem strange but bills are made from durable paper that is not susceptible to tearing or water-wear. Washing your bills and coins gently will not hurt them but will protect you from any lingering viruses. Clean regularly touched areas and items. Get tested regularly, that way if you do get infected you will be in the know early. If you feel ill, immediately self-isolate and test to confirm if you have COVID or not. Deep clean your stall regularly, disinfecting as many areas as you can.

Covid-19 has forced us into a new normal but Turks and Caicos Islanders are resilient, it is possible to balance safety and profit, remember to wash your hands and obey all the protocols so the TCI can come out of this Pandemic with as little losses as possible.

 

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Health

30 Facts About Your Heart

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As you go through your day, you probably don’t spend much time thinking about your heart and all that it’s doing. But let’s take a few moments to appreciate this life-sustaining organ in your chest.

Your heart starts beating well before you’re born and continues its rhythmic work until the day you die. That’s just the start (and end) of its amazing story, though.

Here are a few more heart-related facts, courtesy of cardiologist Brian Griffin, MD.

  1. Your heart beats about 100,000 times per day. During the average person’s lifetime, their heart beats more than 2.6 billion times. (Your pulse is a way you can feel your heart beating.)
  2. The beating sound from your heart — lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub — is from the clap of valve leaflets opening and closing.
  3. A typical human heart valve is about the size of a half dollar.
  4. Each minute, your heart pumps nearly 1.5 gallons (5.7 liters) of blood. That’s a pump flow rate that could fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in less than a year. (Talk about a gold medal effort!)
  5. Your adult-sized heart is about the size of two hands clasped together. A child’s heart is about the size of a single fist.
  6. Location is everything in life, right? That’s true for your heart, too. It’s located in the front of your chest, slightly behind and to the left of your breastbone. Your ribs offer extra protection for the vital organ.
  7. To make room for your heart, your left lung is slightly smaller than your right lung.
  8. Your heart weighs somewhere between 7 ounces and 15 ounces (200 grams to 425 grams), or less than a pound. The average male’s heart weighs 2 ounces (57 grams) more than the average female’s heart.
  9. For comparison’s sake, a blue whale — the world’s largest animal — has a heart weighing more than 1,000 pounds. A person could easily crawl through the aorta in that sized heart.
  10. The smallest animal heart can be found in fairyflies. You’d need a microscope to see the ticker in this tiny insect.
  11. Your heart works as a coordinated machine. The right side of your heart pumps “used” blood from your body into your lungs, where it refills with oxygen. The left side of your heart then pumps re-oxygenated blood back into your body.
  12. Almost every cell in your body gets blood from your heart. The outliers can be found in the corneas of your eyes.
  13. Your heart pumps blood through about 60,000 miles (96,000 kilometers) of blood vessels. To put that in perspective, this blood tubing system could circle the Earth at the equator TWICE.
  14. A female’s average heartbeat is faster than a male’s by almost eight beats a minute. The reason? Because their hearts are usually smaller in size, females need their hearts to beat more to pump the same amount of blood.
  15. A typical heart pumps approximately 4 tablespoons of blood with each beat.
  16. Your heart has its own electrical supply and will continue to beat even when separated from your body. This specialized network of cells is known as the heart’s electrical conduction system.
  17. Heart disease is the greatest single threat to your health and the leading cause of death globally. The good news? You can help manage your heart health through dietary choicesregular exercise and stress management.
  18. It’s true that some heart problems can be inherited. It’s also true that you can minimize their impact by managing blood pressure and cholesterol through a heart-healthy lifestyle. (See #15.)
  19. Runners have a 45% lower risk of heart disease or stroke.
  20. Cardiac health is an age-old issue, as evidence of heart disease has been found in 3,000-year-old mummies.
  21. Research shows that Monday — the start of the traditional work week — is the most common day of the week to experience a heart attack. It’s a phenomenon known as the “Blue Monday” effect.
  22. The holiday season is also heart attack season. More cardiac deaths occur on December 25 than any other day of the year. The second and third-deadliest days are December 26 and January 1.
  23. A joke a day may help keep the heart doctor away, as laughing can improve heart health by lowering stress and relaxing blood vessels. Happiness can lower your risk of heart disease, too.
  24. Why does the heart symbolize love? Probably because of the pitter-patter you feel in your chest when Cupid’s arrow strikes. (But in truth, your brain controls love — but that would make for a lousy Valentine’s Day symbol.)
  25. Despite your heart not being part of making a love connection, it can still be broken when relationships take a bad turn. An emotionally driven condition known as “broken heart syndrome” can temporarily weaken your heart muscle.
  26. Heart cancer is very rare because heart cells stop dividing in adulthood, making them more resistant to the sort of mutations that can lead to cancer.
  27. Modesty prompted the invention of the stethoscope, that iconic medical tool that healthcare providers use to listen to your heart. Before it existed, doctors had to press an ear directly to the chest of their patient.
  28. The world’s first “stopped-heart” surgery took place at Cleveland Clinic in 1956. Today, this type of surgery — which uses a machine to pump blood throughout the body while the heart is stopped during an operation — is commonplace.
  29. A cardiac surgeon at Cleveland Clinic pioneered coronary artery bypass surgery in the late 1960s. The surgery restores blood flow to areas of the heart using blood vessels transplanted from other parts of the body.

Each year, more than 2 million people around the world have open-heart surgery to address various heart conditions.

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Health

The new Galaxy Ring is a part of Samsung’s Vision for an Intelligent Health Platform

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Dr. Hon Pak, Vice President and Head of Digital Health Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics talks about Samsung Health platform and its newest addition: Galaxy Ring

Today, more than ever, people are defining their own wellness goals. From looking to stay fit or gaining more muscle mass, achieving better sleep, or caring for personal or family physical and mental health issues, everyone’s goals for better health look different. But one thing is common, the daily management and path towards these goals can be complicated and challenging, and most importantly, it is defined by you.

That’s why at Samsung, we’re working to empower more people to manage their health – and those they care for – their way, with a comprehensive, yet simplified approach to everyday wellness. Our vision is to improve the health of billions through connected care centered around the home by connecting devices, services and people – like only Samsung can.

 One of the biggest challenges the healthcare industry is facing today is fragmented data and how to bring it all together. Samsung is uniquely positioned to undertake this with one of the largest, most diverse connected device ecosystems. Now with Samsung Health, we’re connecting different devices and partner solutions within one cohesive platform, making it simpler to track health conditions on a Galaxy wearable.

By collecting data through advanced sensor technology, you’ll receive a deeper, more holistic understanding of your health with improved insights and integrated third party health data. And as always, your personal data on the Galaxy devices remains secure thanks to the Samsung Knox security platform.

Like any good data model, how you leverage the information is key. In this new mobile era of AI, Samsung is focused on remaining at the forefront of maximizing information. With the intelligence of AI, the most transformative technology of the century, users will receive more personalized insights and tailored health experiences through Samsung Health’s extensive global dataset from 64M monthly active users. And while every user’s wellness journey is unique, we believe they all start in the same way – by gaining a deeper understanding of their health through more comprehensive insights, spanning the longest time possible.

This is why we’ve continued to build a portfolio of tools that help track their health conveniently, continuously and accurately. This approach comes to life in our wearables portfolio with upcoming features like My Vitality Score[1] and Booster Card[2], combining more data with new intelligent analysis to deliver even more personalized and actionable guidance day and night.

With more data and greater intelligence, users will receive even more insights for preventative wellness end-to-end solutions, starting with sleep.  We’ve developed a variety of features that offer users a deeper understanding of their sleep quality and other aspects of their health during sleep. For example, the sleep apnea feature, which recently received De Novo clearance from US FDA, will detect signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea – and often undiagnosed and untreated – chronic medical condition, so they can address it with their healthcare provider.

This is just the beginning. We’re working with partners to connect these capabilities to real world solutions and services that expand access to healthcare in the home. For instance, you can create a more optimal sleep environment with a smart mattress that can fine-tune the ideal sleep temperatures for rest.

 Samsung recognizes that gaining a deep understanding of one’s personal health can result in significant long-term wellness benefits for our users. As we look to deliver on our vision of providing users with a comprehensive yet simplified approach to everyday wellness, we realize choice is a big factor. Obtaining accurate, detailed and advanced information on personal health conditions is the foundation of helping better track and action change. 

Mobile devices will become the primary access point for AI, and through Samsung Galaxy – with our broad and comprehensive product portfolio, heritage of innovation, and philosophy of open collaboration – we’re well positioned to accelerate its global expansion.  That’s why we’re thrilled to be introducing Samsung Galaxy Ring later this year – bringing Samsung’s accumulated innovations to the smallest form for comfortable 24/7 wear. As a new addition to our wearables portfolio, Galaxy Ring will offer users an all-new way to simplify everyday wellness, empowering them with greater insights and more ways to understand themselves day and night. With Galaxy Ring, users can embrace an unrivalled experience during every step of their wellness journey, all while being delivered in lockstep with Samsung’s broader vision for a more connected, integrated and seamless digital wellness platform.

 Samsung will continue to enrich and expand Galaxy AI experiences across our product categories and collaborations to bring forward mobile experiences that defy imagination. The launch of Galaxy Ring is just one of Samsung’s many initiatives that exemplifies this and delivers on our vision of improving the health and wellness of billions, starting at home, with you. Through the power of intelligence, partnerships and advanced technology, we’re helping more people better understand themselves and make the small changes that have a big impact, every day. With this, the power of Galaxy AI, and many more exciting health and wellness solutions and updates on the horizon, we can’t wait for you to see what we have in store.

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Caribbean News

The EU allocates millions to Haiti for Humanitarian aid.

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Rashaed  Esson

Staff Writer

 

#Haiti#EU, March 14th, 2024 – With the rapid increase in gang violence in Haiti further worsening issues such as food insecurity and the availability of health services, the European Commission has allocated 20 million Euros, that is 21 million US dollars,  towards humanitarian aid.

Credit: Habitat For Children Ministries,Inc.

This was reported by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Operations (ECHO) in a release on March 13, and they said the funding will facilitate humanitarian partners in addressing the urgent needs of the Haitian population including nutrition, water and sanitation and healthcare. 

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