Mosquitoes can be a real pain in South Florida. Look to one of our News Illustrated pages to help keep mosquitoes at bay, and summertime more enjoyable. The graphic includes information on:

• Mosquito repellents
• How to mosquito-proof your home
• Information on a powered bug trap, foggers & sprayers, insect zappers, ultrasound devices and citronella candles
• Tidbits on the mosquito

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With the recent news of two young girls passing from carbon monoxide, I thought it would be helpful to post a graphic with preventive tips.

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The swine flu has spread around the U.S. and the globe, but it may be stabilizing. A cautiously optimistic President Barack Obama voiced hope that this virus may turn out to be no more harmful than the average seasonal flu. Here's a map of where there have been confirmed cases and deaths from the swine flu.

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Worried about swine flu? Who isn't? The CDC and the federal government says the best course of action to ward off the illness to is to wash our hands, cover our mouths when we cough and sneeze and to stay home if we feel sick.

Sounds simple enough, right?

Not so fast! I discovered a survey back in 2007 that shows people aren't as mindful about washing their hands as you would think. In fact, the findings were just downright gross. So that got me wondering how much the public really knows about how much germs are in their environment.

Check out this old News Illustrated that details my findings and the survey I mentioned. There's some pretty interesting facts in here, as well as a nice graphic teaching you how to wash your hands properly.

So please ... pass the soap, and let's help stop the spread of the nasty germs!

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Last Sunday, we started our Best of News Illustrated series, a collection of graphics hand-picked by the staff on a variety of timeless subjects.

We specifically chose "Killer Tans" to kick off the series, since we're in the middle of Spring Break season. Appropriate since a trip down A1A in Fort Lauderdale will tell you that there's a lot of people who are getting their daily doses of vitamin D.

Renee Kwok's page was originally published in 2006. It's an oldie, but a goodie. And you may learn something new!

If you want more information, check out the Food and Drug Administration's site, as well as Tanning Facts and Tanning Truth.

Or, if you want a break from reading, check out the Sun-Sentinel's Spring Break gallery.

Enjoy!

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New Year's is around the corner, so get ready to start popping the bubbly, because it is going to be a whale of a new year! But wait! Don't drink to much because the inevitable hangover will be waiting for you the next morning. It is said that a hangover is mother nature's way of payback for a night of guzzling booze. Seventy-five percent of alcohol consumers have experienced a hangover at least once.

Here is a video that gives a glimpse of why you get a hangover after drinking too much:

Here is also a good article and video that shows a hangover remedy recipe.

Download this week's News Illustrated to read what causes a hangover and its symptoms. The page also gives you some remedies that might help you before, during and after you drink.

So if you drink this New Years' make sure you drink responsibly, and if you drink to much, be ready for a tough morning.

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Only 700 calories compared to the 3,000 caloried-meals most of us will be consuming this Thanksgiving. Check out what astronauts are eating to celebrate the holiday in space:

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It's time to stuff yourself with your favorite holiday foods and snacks. If you eat too much, check out our Holiday Exercise Calculator to burn off the calories:

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Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States and affects thousands of women every year. It is very important to check regularly for lumps and detect breast cancer early. Below is some information on how to check for lumps and what kind of lumps you may find.

For more information, visit the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month website.

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Laser correction surgery could be your ticket to perfect vision.

Click here to check out a video of how the procedure is done, provided by Millennium Laser Eye Centers.
UPDATE: You can download the News Illustrated graphic to learn more.

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You say tomato, they say no more salmonella , I say it's about time!

I knew something was up a month or so ago when I ordered a chicken club sandwich at the Cheesecake Factory and they told me they couldn't serve tomatoes. My husband didn't care, he hates them --- so we didn't give it another thought. Then news broke the next day that there's been a salmonella outbreak on tomatoes. Shocking.

So far, the Food and Drug Administration still hasn't figured out where the little germies came from, but there has been several hundred cases that have risen across the country since April. And now, after a recent trip to Chipotle, I found out that now jalapenos are having a little salmonella outbreak of their own. What's next?!!

Is it a weird coincidence that restaurants warn you of food-borne diseases before the FDA does?! All I know is the Cheesecake Factory has relaxed on their no-tomato policy for a couple of weeks. I guess it's only a matter of time (and lunch trips) before I find out about the next food recall.

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On Sunday, the Sun-Sentinel will feature a package on Brendan O'Toole, a young man who suffered from severe traumatic brain injury from a horrific car accident in September 2005. Staff reporter Tim Collie and photographer Susan Stocker spent time with Brendan's family to give you this heartfelt story about their hopes and struggles.

Above is the multimedia package with the story that features a powerful video of friends and family; copies of emails Brendan's mother wrote to friends chronicling Brendan's journey for the first few years after the accident; and an interactive graphic explaining the causes of traumatic brain injury.

If you'd like to include your story, feel free to comment at the Sun-Sentinel forum we set up for Brendan's story. Please note that all comments will be approved before they are posted.

If you want more information on traumatic brain injury, visit the Brain Injury Association of Florida or call their family helpline (800-992-3442).

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The most important skill you can learn this summer is how to swim.

Ten children have already drown in Broward and Palm Beach counties, younger than 13. With summer here and numbers climbing, now is a perfect time to focus on pool safety.

UPDATE: My News Illustrated page in Sunday's South Florida Sun-Sentinel shows how you can prevent pool tragedies by safe guarding your pool and home. In case you missed it you can download the pdf.

VIDEO SWIM LESSONS
Expert Village has a library of swim lessons that can be viewed for free.

SWIM LESSONS IN SOUTH FLORIDA
The American Red Cross offers Learn-To-Swim classes in most cities. Classes range from $29 to $70 depending on the number of sessions. Select Broward or Palm Beach county to download a PDF file with classes near you.

Have a safe summer.

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The FDA has issued warnings on certain tomatoes. Look to this Q & A for all your answers.

The FDA has information for raw produce and fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.
• Buying tips
• Storage tips
• Preparation
• Safety
• Q & A on fresh produce

At this time Florida tomatoes are not on the contaminated list.

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Mosquitoes can be a real pain in South Florida. Look to one of our News Illustrated pages to help keep mosquitoes at bay, and summertime more enjoyable. The graphic includes information on:

• Mosquito repellents
• How to mosquito-proof your home
• Information on a powered bug trap, foggers & sprayers, insect zappers, ultrasound devices and citronella candles
• Tidbits on the mosquito

> Discuss this entry

Since we are at the height of fire season, we thought we would give you another way to keep track of the smoldering state we call home.

The map shows current fires in red and fires from throughout the year in yellow. The USDA Forest Service creates these maps for the entire United States. They also provide maps of fires for various regions and some individual states like Florida.

We also have a Google map with active fires.

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CPR has just been simplified.

Watch this video for details on how to perform this easy hands-only CPR.

More information is available at The American Heart Association which has additional videos.

To see a step-by-step graphic also shows the procedure.

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