Author: Peter Alexandrou

As a youngster I started working as a lifeguard during the summers. From there I developed a strong interest in lifeguarding and teaching first aid, which then led to becoming a certified instructor and examiner with the Canadian Red Cross and the Canadian Lifesaving Society.

After graduating from York University, with a B.A. in Kinesiology, I took a position with the Canadian Red Cross in Toronto as their Safety Services manager. After a few years I started a first aid and CPR training company, offering courses throughout the greater Toronto area.

Because I wanted to share all that I've learned, I decided to write a first aid manual. Be sure to check it out!

Do You Know How Many Calories You Are Eating?

10/28/24
Warning Signs of An Unsafe Workplace

10/26/24
11 Ways to Bike Ride Faster and Longer

10/16/24
Understanding Bicycle Braking Systems

10/15/24
Reasons Why Most People Don't Exercise a.k.a. Excuses!

10/12/24
Medication List and Information

10/09/24
What Are the National Lifeguard Service Course Requirements?

10/01/24
Swimming Starts: Practice Makes Perfect and Can Win You the Race

9/28/24
Stroke: Learn to Recognize One Because Time Is of the Essense

9/25/24
Biological Health Measurements: Definitions and Targets

9/14/24
Protozoal Infections: Prevention Is Easy and the Best Approach

9/12/24
Dangerous Chemicals in the Workplace: Take Precautions Before It's Too Late

9/03/24
Triathlons: It's Race Day, Be Prepared

9/02/24
Pedals and Cycling Shoes: These Shoes Were Made for Biking

8/30/24
Safety Working at High Altitudes

8/22/24
Teach Your Child How To Ride a Bike

8/20/24
Tool Safety: Even The Simplest Looking Tool Can Cause Severe Injury

8/19/24
Detached Retina: Can Now Often Be Repaired

8/18/24
Dangerous Bicycle Repairs: You're Risking Life and Limb

8/16/24
Heart Disease: It Manifests In Different Ways

8/11/24
Excavation Safety: Take Precautions When Digging At a Worksite

8/10/24
Sense of Smell: An Impressive Chemical Detector

8/04/24
Iron Deficiency: It's Fairly Easy To Avoid

7/31/24
Biking Essentials: What To Carry for Repairs and Safety

7/30/24
Car First Aid Kit: Handy in an Accident Until the Paramedics Arrive

7/25/24
Power Training: Combining Speed With Strength

7/14/24
When is the Best Time to Exercise?

7/12/24
The Reasons Behind Why You Trail Other Cyclists

7/07/24
Shock: Results in Possibly Fatal Low Blood Pressure

7/02/24
Need A Reason To Ride Your Bike?

7/01/24
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): You Could Save a Life

6/29/24
Bicycle Chains: Everything You Need To Know

6/24/24
Kidneys: You Can Live Without One, But Better Not To

6/21/24
38 Bicycle Tools for Any Repair Job

5/31/24
Cancer Fighting (and Causing) Foods

5/28/24
Automated External Defibrillation (AED): Truly A Lifesaving Device
Carbohydrates: Learn to Recognize the Good From the Bad
Bradycardia: Extremely Poor Blood Circulation Can Kill
Frostbite: You Often Don't Even Realize You Have It
Brain and Nervous System: It's Worth a Thought or Two
Vascular Bleeding: The Most Common Are Petechia and Purpura
Different Ways to Measure Fat Levels in the Body
What to Put in a First Aid Kit: Limited Space Means Planning Ahead
Fats: Types, Sources, and The Role They Play in Your Diet
Asthma Attack: What It Looks Like and How To Help
Cardiac Arrest: CPR Could Prevent Death
Types of Biological Hazards
Excavating Safely While Below Ground At a Worksite
An Overview of Erosive and Non-Erosive Gastritis
Using the Right Torque For Bike Repair and Maintenance
How to Measure Your Overall Level of Fitness
Integumentary System: It Is Only Skin deep
Window Washing Safety Checklist
Jaw Thrust: Best Suited When a Neck or Spine Injury Is Suspected
Diet Warnings: Believing the Hype Is Dangerous
Conventional Medicine: A Brief History
Nutrition and Diet Myths
Sport Enhancing Drugs
Do Athletes Need Extra Protein?
Convulsions: How to Use First Aid to Help
Fire Ant Bites: First Aid When Bitten
Explosives Safety in the Workplace
Pityriasis Rosea: Scary, But Usually Temporary
Bones: Names, Descriptions and Factoids
A Brief Look at Antibiotics
Emergency Bicycle Repairs: Brilliant Ideas to Get You Out of a Jam
Zoonotic Diseases and How Your Cat Can Make You Sick
Drugs and Cheating in Professional Bicycle Racing
7 Types of Heart Disease
Sense of Sight: A Quick Look
2 Types of Choking Emergencies and How to Help with First Aid
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)
Whey Protein: A Good Supplement To Food-Based Protein
Pressure Related Injuries: Most Commonly A Result of Not Following Diving Protocol
Energy Systems of the Human Body
Secondary Drowning: The Danger Exists And There Is Little Warning
Kinesiology: What Does It Mean?
Psychiatry and Psychotherapy: 1 Out of 3 Could Benefit
Warning Signs of a Sick Cat
Breathing and Circulation: A Quick Lesson On These Processes
Allergic Reactions to Latex Gloves: Immediately Seek Medical Help
Your Yearly Physical Check Up: A Checklist of Standard Procedures
When to Call EMS (9-1-1): When In Doubt, Call
Warming Up and Cooling Down Before and After Exercising
Questions to Ask Your Doctor or Pharmacist About Medications
The Immune System: The Never-Ending War That Keeps You Alive
Strength Training: Tips To Help You Achieve Your Goals
The Anatomy of Bicycle Wheels: Around and Around We Go!
Retirement Income Funds (RIF): Forced Withdrawals To Trigger Income Tax
Understanding Speech Defects Such As Aphasia, Dysphonia, and Stuttering
9 Types of Bicycles: A Perfect Pick for Every Pedaler
Workplace Safety Risk Assessment: Perform One Regularly
Returning to Play After a Sports Injury
Sense of Taste: 4 to 6 Tastes Depending On Who You Ask
Safety Equipment in the Workplace is a Must
Funny Workout Pictures
Bicycle Gears: Often Poorly Understood Making For a Tougher Ride
Tachycardia: Faster Heart Beat, But Less Blood Flow
Teeth: A Closer Look Out Our Pearly Whites
Heart Attack: When and How To Respond With First Aid
An Overview Of How the Cardiovascular System Works
Muscle Types and Their Function in the Human Body
Head Injuries: Don't Delay, Seek Medical Attention
The Psychological Challenges of Coping With a Traumatic Event
Medical Treatments and Cures: Changing Perceptions May Help Us All
Safe Exposure Limits For Different Substances in the Workplace
Tics (Habit Spasms; Tourette's Syndrome): Not Life Threatening, But Certainly Life Impacting
Blood Pressure: Too High and You Die
5 Common But Harmful Chemicals in the Workplace
How to Call EMS (9-1-1)
Muscular Endurance: It Takes Years To Develop
Anaphylactic Shock: Serious Condition That Can Come On Suddenly
Hypothermia: Tips For Preventing and First Aid For When It Happens
Basics For Your Medicine Cabinet
Walking to Lose Weight: Yes That's All It Could Take
7 Popular Diets Reviewed
The Reproductive Cycle of Cats
Extreme-Weather Safety: Don't Underestimate Mother Nature
Breaking Your Addiction to Sugar: It Might Seem Impossible, But It Isn't
3 Types of Skin Burns and How To Treat Them With First Aid
How to Safely Ride Your Bike In Traffic
Calculating Your Optimum Cycling Cadence
Bones and Joints: Quick Facts
Ride Your Bike Indoors Using a Turbo Trainer or Roller
Components: The Building Blocks of Every Bike
Maximizing Bike Rides To Lose Weight
Tires and Tubes: They Make the Bike Go Round
A Road Bike Fitting Will Maximize Performance and Comfort
14 Bicycling Mistakes: You're Guilty Of At Least One of These
Bicycle Cranksets and Chainrings: Round and Around We Go!
Extreme-Cold Safety: Excessive Heat Loss Can Be Life Threatening
Bone, Muscle, and Joint Injuries: How To Treat With First Aid
Stoma: Although Rare, First Aiders Encounter Someone With One
A Look at Common Physical Health Hazards in the Workplace
First Aid Barriers to Action: Don't Let Inaction Lead To Someone's Death
Large Machine Safety Checklist for the Workplace
Extreme-Heat Safety: Just Working Outside On a Hot Day Puts You At Risk
Machine Safety in the Workplace: Big or Small, Operate With Care
Ground Level Worksites Can Still Be Dangerous
Underwater Construction Safety: Unique and Increased Risks Abound
Viruses: Living Organisms That Invade Our Cells
First Aid For A Baby Stung By A Scorpion?
Hyperventilation: Too Much of a Good (Oxygen) Thing
Sprains and Dislocations: Everyone Has Had Them, But Many Treat Improperly
Triage: Maximizing Care With Limited Resources
Emergency Action Principles: These Will Maximize Your Efforts
Diseases and Infections: We Are Constantly Battling Viruses and Bacteria
Influenza a.k.a The Flu: The Virus That Everyone Knows About
Funny Dieting Pictures
Leukemia: Mild and Chronic Lymphocytic and Myelogenous Leukemias
Cardio Training or Weight Training: Your Choice Can Affect the Results
Bowlegs aka Genu Varum: Sometimes Self-Correcting
Ganglion Cyst: Annoying, But Thankfully Non-Cancerous
Aerobic Exercise Conditioning For a Longer and Healthier Life
Sense of Hearing: Just How Do We Hear Sounds?
Diabetes Explained: 2 Common Types and 1 That's Less Common
12 Types of Bone Fractures
Body Image and Perception: It's Usually Wrong
Barefoot Running: Does Running Without Shoes Make Sense?
When to Call a Doctor: Denial Can Lead to Death
11 Tips for Healthy Living: Small Things Can Make a Huge Difference
Competitive Swimming: Knowing the Race Rules is Critical
Ladder Safety: People Are Often Too Complacent
Metabolic Rate: A Key Metric for Weight Loss (and Gain)
New Or Experimental Medical Treatments and Therapies
Altitude Training: Getting a Performance Boost Has Its Risks
The Sense of Touch: Hardly Noticed, But Key To Our Survival
Swimming Drills: A Number of Ways To Perfect Your Stroke
Good (HDL) vs. Bad (LDL) Cholesterol: There Is a Significant Difference
Swimming the Breaststroke: Tips For Doing It Right
Why Diets Don't Work: Really They Don't
Working Safely with Compressed Gas in the Workplace
Legal Issues in First Aid: The Law Is (Mostly) On Your Side
Spinal Injuries: It's Worth Taking Extra Precautions
Vitamins and Minerals: An Overview
Ideal Body Weight: Is There Such A Thing?
Hemorrhaging: How to Apply First Aid
5 Exercise Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Workout
Maximizing the Benefits from Your Workouts
Organizing a Swimming Workout For Maximum Benefit
First Aid for Poisoning
Cardio-Cerebral Resuscitation (CCR): The New CPR?
Severe Bleeding: Take Immediate Action with First Aid
8 Ways To Lose Weight Permanently
Home Fitness Machines: Consider Your Options Carefully
10 First Aid Myths and Mistakes
First Aid For Snake Bites: Refuting The Advice of Movies
Blisters: The First Aid Is Counter-Intuitive
Understanding How Antioxidants Combat Free Radicals
Managing the Risk of Injury in the Workplace
Food Energy Sources: They're Not All Equal
Swimming the Butterfly Stroke: Difficult To Do, But Impressive Looking
Breathing Emergencies: Recognize the Signs of Respiratory Distress and Arrest
Fires in the Workplace: It's Easier To Prevent One Than To Extinguish One
Sport First Aid Kit: Keep It Stocked and Handy
Electricity Do's and Don'ts: How to Keep the Workplace Safe
First Aid for Electric Shock
Working Safely Above the Ground: The Higher You Are the Harder You Fall
Rapid Weight Loss: It Can Be Done, But It Likely Won't Last
The Atkins Diet Explained