Tip 1: Eat Healthy, Be Active. With the holiday season come holiday parties and big family meals that can tempt patients away from healthy eating and exercise patterns. To help, advise patients to stick to smaller portions of their favorite holiday foods; substitute fresh fruit for candy; limit consumption of fats, salt, and sugary foods and beverages; and get at least 150 minutes/week of physical activity.
Tip 2: Get your flu shot. According to the CDC, during 2017-2018 the flu vaccine prevented approximately 3.7 million flu-related medical visits, 109 000 flu-associated hospitalizations, 7.1 million flu illnesses, and 8000 flu-associated deaths in the US. The CDC recommends everyone aged ≥6 months get the flu vaccine. Educate patients on the benefits of the flu vaccine, which include:
- Reduce the risk of flu-related hospitalization for children and adults
- Preventative tool for people with chronic conditions
- Helps protect women during and after pregnancy
- Can be life-saving in children
- Decreases illness severity in those who get vaccinated, but still get sick
- Protects the people around you that are more vulnerable to serious flu illness (eg, babies, young children, elderly)
Tip 3: Keep the feast safe. Every year, it is estimated that 1 in 6 Americans get sick from eating contaminated food. Patients should be advised on simple steps to protect their health as well as the health of their loved ones while preparing and serving holiday meals. These include:
- Washing hands and work surfaces before, during, and after preparing food, and before eating.
- Keeping raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separated during preparation.
- Cooking food at the right internal temperature to kill germs; use of a food thermometer to check.
- Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours of buying or cooking.
Tip 4: Keep your hands clean. Evidence has shown that handwashing can help prevent 1 in 5 respiratory illnesses as well as 1 in 3 cases of diarrhea, so it is important that patients understand how and when to wash hands to stay healthy. Also, if soap and water are not available, patients can use alcohol-based sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol.
Tip 5: Outdoor safety. The holiday season is full of fun outdoor activities, but they also expose patients to several safety hazards. Patients can stay safe during all of their outdoor activities by:
- Wearing warm clothing, a wind resistant coat or jacket, mittens, hats, scarves, and waterproof boots.
- Dressing is layers to protect from hypothermia.
- Always carrying a cell phone and an emergency kit.
- Working slowly when doing outside chores.
- Sprinkle cat litter or sand on any icy patches.
- Taking a buddy along with them.
TIp 6: Cope with stress. The holidays are a busy and often stressful time of year, so patients may forget to take care of their mental health as well as their physical health. Learning healthy ways to cope with stress and getting the right support can help reduce stress, including:
- Take care of yourself (eg, eating well-balanced meals, getting regular exercise and rest).
- Share your problems and how you are feeling or coping with a parent, friend, doctor, or counselor.
- Take a break from what is causing you stress.
- Recognize when you need more help.
Tip 7: Travel safely. Whether a patient is traveling across town or across the world, they can ensure they have a safe trip by getting their car ready for cold weather before winter arrives; not drinking and driving; wearing a seat belt and always buckling children using car seat, booster seat, or a seat belt appropriate for their weight, height, and age; and wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle or skateboard. If they are traveling abroad, they should check health and safety risks at their destination and get vaccinated ~4-6 weeks before leaving. Traveling >4 hours can put patients at risk for blood clots, so advise them to frequently move their legs, know the symptoms and when to get help, and to speak with their physician if they are at risk for blood clots.
Tip 8: Prevent injuries. Ensure patients avoid common injuries by educating them to:
- Use step stools when hanging decorations.
- Leave fireworks to the professionals.
- Wear a helmet to prevent most serious types of head and brain injuries.
- Keep candles away from children, pets, walkways, trees, and curtains.
- Never leave fireplaces, stoves, or candles unattended.
- Do not use generators, grills, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning devices inside the home or garage.
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“The holiday season is a time to reflect on family and friends, but don’t forget to take time to care for yourself,” said US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert R. Redfield, MD, in a recent CDC press release. In the press release, the CDC gave their 8 tips on how to have a safe and healthy holiday season. What were they? In the slides below, get more details on the 8 tips you can offer patients to kick off a healthier holiday season.
