February Newsletter

Understanding Epilepsy

Epilepsy. Something we’ve all heard of but in a lot of cases, don’t know much about. Despite it being one of the most common neurological diseases in the world, with about 50 million cases globally, it is still widely misunderstood by the public.

So, what is epilepsy? It is a common disease of the brain that affects people of all ages. It causes recurrent seizures, which range from mild to severe. In some cases, you may not even know if someone is having a mild seizure – it may only last a few seconds, however, a strong seizure may cause muscle spasms or muscle twitches and can last for a few minutes. Strong seizures may also cause confusion or loss of consciousness. It is a chronic disease, which means that there is no cure, but in many cases, it can be effectively managed with the right medication.

What to do if someone is having a seizure:

Ease the person to the floor and gently lie them on their side.
Remove anything that could obstruct their movement or hurt them, like furniture.
Loosen anything they have around their neck and remove eyeglasses.
Check for a medical bracelet.
Never leave the person alone. Sit with them until they are fully awake and able to communicate.
Offer comforting words and speak calmly.
Not all seizures require emergency medical attention, but they should be discussed with the treating doctor.
Time the seizure and seek medical assistance if it lasts for more than five minutes, or if it happens a second time.

DON’T ever do any of the following:

Don’t hold the person down or try to restrict their movements.
Don’t put anything in their mouth.
Don’t try to give CPR.
Don’t offer anything to eat or drink until the person is fully awake and alert.

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/epilepsy#causes-of-epilepsy

https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy-basics/what-epilepsy

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/epilepsy-first-aid-and-safety

https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/about/first-aid.htm

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It’s the month of love! Wondering how to make a romantic dinner for two on a budget? Here’s how to plan a cozy dinner at home:

Create a special atmosphere with a few simple decorations like tea light candles, rose petals and some hand-picked flowers from the garden.
There’s no need to buy a fancy-schmancy bottle of booze at an exorbitant price. Look for cocktail or mocktail recipes that you can rustle up with what you already have in the cupboard.
Plan your menu around pantry staples that you don’t have to go out and buy, like deviled eggs, pasta alfredo, and ice-cream.
Be creative! A meal doesn’t need to be elaborate to be good. Make a salad dressing using herbs from your garden or bake some funky cupcakes that you can personalise.

Cleaning up your home and your neighbourhood

Reversing the damage that has been done to our environment seems like a big task! And it is. So big that it seems impossible, right? Look at it this way. None of us can change the world. But if each one of us made a concerted effort to instil positive changes in our immediate environment, like our home and our neighbourhood, the change would be massive. None of us are too small to make a difference.

LEARN HOW TO MAKE ECO-BRICKS