Health Hazards of the Holiday Season

The holiday season and new year celebrations are just round the corner. However, the excitement and stress of preparation and celebration can lead to certain unwanted health problems. Here is a compilation of common holiday hazards to avoid by taking certain precautions.

At last, it's time for the long awaited holiday season merriment. There are a number of errands to do before the holidays begin, such as cleaning, shopping, decorating the home, and finishing work assignments. In the whole process, you are likely to put a lot of pressure on your health and fitness and ignore your personal safety. I am listing out some commonly occurring holiday health problems and issues that can mar your festive spirit.

Hidden Holiday Health Hazards

Work Assignments and Examinations: Stress
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Vve's parties are surely exciting. However, there is usually a lot of work to be finished in your office before the holidays start. As far as children are concerned, examinations are generally scheduled to take place right before the vacations begin. The haste to finish all the work early and the high anxiety levels to perform well in the examinations can take a physical and mental toll on adults and children alike.

✔ All I am suggesting is that you take one thing at a time. Avoid exerting yourself by trying to finish work and preparing for the festivities simultaneously.

Cleaning and Decorating: Wounds, Fractures, etc
It is time to clean your homes thoroughly at the onset of the holidays. The overall excitement of the festivities can make you negligent about the safety precautions while decorating the house. In case, you wish to climb and hang the decorations or clean the attic, make sure to use ladders and equipment that is safe for use.

✔ As a precaution, scrutinize all the fittings and bolts of the equipment. This will help you to avoid physical injury in the form of cuts, wounds and fractures.

Shopping: Stress
Holiday shopping and gifts are just unavoidable. It starts with plans for buying gifts for family and friends, browsing through the Internet for the best shopping deals, and visiting the malls during annual Christmas sales. These shopping activities may sound exciting but they are likely to cause severe stress and body ache. A traditional solution for this problem is to take a relaxing bath with Epsom salts after you return home from your long shopping spree.

✔ Doctors suggest consumption of a lot of water, juices, and green tea to reduce the stress level. Personally, I suggest you to carefully draw up a shopping list well in advance so that you do not miss out on any item from your shopping list.

Christmas Tree: Allergy and Skin Irritation
For some of you, Christmas can never be perfect without a bedecked Christmas tree in the living room. Yes, Christmas trees are surely a sign of festivities, but these trees are likely to trigger a lot of breathing and asthmatic problems if they stay inside your home for long. A freshly cut Christmas tree is likely to harbor considerable dust and mold on its needles approximately a week after it is erected. The needles are also likely to cause breathing problems and skin irritation to some people. The same applies to mistletoe too.

✔ I, therefore suggest that you purchase the tree a day or two before Christmas and dispose it off immediately after the festival time. Alternately, buy an artificial Christmas tree which can be erected and decorated to look like a real life tree. There are options to buy artificial mistletoe too.

Holiday Decorations: Allergy and Sore Throat
Do we really bother to carefully pack away the colorful tree decoration after each Christmas? Most of us don't! And all through the rest of the year, these decorations go on collecting dust and mites in some forgotten corner of the attic or the garage. Once the holidays approach, we start looking for the decorative hangings and unknowingly get exposed to the dust. The result? Dust allergy, running nose, sore throat, severe headache and watery eyes right in the middle of the celebrations!

✔ This problem can be controlled by playing safe and storing the decorations in a sealed bag in a clean cabinet. Make sure to cover your nose and mouth with a scarf when you open the bag to retrieve them. If they are washable, then wash them immediately in a solution of soap and warm water. If the decorations are delicate, then place them in the freezer for ten minutes to kill all the dust mites. Carefully clean away all possible dust from the decorations for your own safety.

Lights and Crackers: Fire and Burns
Fairy lights are usually suspended from the external roof of the house and are also hung on Christmas trees. Negligent handling of these electrical fittings can be a reason for house-fires and electric shocks. Similarly, firecrackers make for a lot of fun and entertainment while you celebrate and welcome the new year. However, unsupervised usage of crackers might cause burns and physical injuries to people watching the cracker shows.

✔ It is better to play safe and handle the electrical fittings and lights only if you have sufficient knowledge about them. If not, it is best to opt for help from an electrician. As far as crackers are concerned, follow utmost care when lighting them. Follow all possible safety precautions and keep your children at a safe distance when the crackers are lit.

Candles: Headache and Nausea
Aromatic candles available in the market are bound to add an amazing long-lasting scent in your house. However, these aromas are created on account of the toxic chemicals and poisonous substances added to the wax candles. Though pleasant initially, aroma candles can cause a lot of headache and nausea to people.

✔ An ideal way to overcome this problem is to use non-aromatic candles throughout the festivities. Also, make use of some safe room fresheners, potpourri, and fragrant fresh flowers all over your home.

Feast Food and Wine: Heart Problems and Weight Gain
A typical foodie is likely to starve himself so as to build up an appetite for the specially prepared Thanksgiving feast and Christmas feast. And on the day of the feast, this foodie is likely to binge 30% to 40% more food than his regular appetite. A typical feast comprises roasted turkey, beef, ham, roasted potatoes, cakes, puddings and wines. All of these, excessively add to the calorie intake of a person leading to problems such as poor digestion, acidity, heart burn, weight gain, rise in cholesterol and heart problems.

✔ The best bet is to eat in moderate proportions daily so as to control your appetite. Also, it makes sense to be calorie and cholesterol conscious and eat small proportions of food at least 4 times a day throughout the holiday season.

Sweets and Candies: Choking
Choking by consumption of Christmas sweets and candies is quite common among children who generally have a very narrow esophagus. The excessive temptation of eating sweets is likely to cause choking and respiratory problems in children which may mar the festive spirit at your home.

✔ It is best to monitor the quantity of sweets consumed by them all the time. Make sure to buy sweets and candies in smaller sizes that can be safely swallowed by your children.

Late Night Partying: Vehicle Accidents
Yes, this is the worst health hazard of the holiday season. Excessive drinking and late night partying is a likely cause of disastrous and fatal vehicular accidents. There is a notable rise in consumption of party drugs during this time which can cause drug addiction and severe damage to the body. There is also a steep rise in opting for unprotected sexual encounters during the parties and celebrations which are a likely cause of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

✔ Partying is definitely fun. However, one needs to exercise caution before following a path which can be fatal for you and your family. Trust your instincts and opt for utmost safety during the parties.
The holiday season calls for family reunions and cherishing the wonderful life that we have. It is best to carefully carry out all your festive plans and activities to keep the happiness and cheerfulness alive. So do take care of yourself and your family!

By Anuja Marathe Kanhere
Published: 11/28/2011 – Buzzle.com

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20 Ways to Lose the After-Holiday Weight

Guilty of overeating during the holidays? Here are 20 simple ways to beat weight gain.

1. Drink water. People often mistake thirst for hunger, so next time you feel like noshing, reach for water first. Drinking also helps you feel full. Some experts suggest sipping water (or iced tea) just before you sit down to a meal. Continue drinking as you eat to add volume and weight to your meal.

2. Set realistic goals. One or two pounds a week maximum is doable. Top weight-loss programs advocate stopping after the first 10 pounds and maintaining that loss for about six months before trying to lose any more.

3. Build in splurges. If you allow yourself to eat whatever you want for 2 meals out of every 21, you won't inflict enough damage to subvert your weight loss. And you'll feel less deprived.

4. Count to 10. Studies suggest that the average craving lasts only about 10 minutes. So before caving in to your urge, set your mental timer for a 10-minute time-out. Use the time to tackle an item on your to-do list; choose one that will give you a sense of accomplishment -- and get you out of the kitchen.

5. Eat more often. People who have kept their weight off for more than a few years tend to eat an average of five times a day. Light, frequent meals curb your appetite, boost your energy, improve your mood and even speed your metabolism, since the process of digestion itself burns calories.

6. Make weekly resolutions. Don't try to overhaul your diet overnight. If you make too many changes at once, chances are you'll get frustrated and throw in the towel. Instead, make one change, such as eating at least one piece of fruit daily, every week.

7. Start with 10%. People who start by focusing on achieving just 10% of their long-range weight-loss goal may have the best chance of ultimate success. Losing those first pounds yields the biggest health gains, too, since belly fat is usually the first to come off and is the most dangerous. 

8. Spike your meals with salsa. This spicy condiment can stand in for mayo to deliver plenty of flavor without the fat. Mix it with a bit of low-fat yogurt to make tuna salad. Spread it on a veggie burger, or serve it with chicken or fish.

9. Take one-third off. When you eat dinner out, reduce the temptation to clean your plate by setting aside one-third of your meal. Ask the server for a doggie bag, and take it home for lunch the next day. Try serving yourself one-third less at home too. This simple tactic could subtract more than 500 calories a day.

10. Go easy on the alcohol. Remember that alcohol is a source of calories. A 12-ounce beer has 150 calories; a 3.5-ounce glass of wine, 85. A margarita packs a bigger caloric punch. Even worse offenders are creamy cocktails, such as brandy alexanders and mudslides -- equivalent to drinking a rich dessert. The bottom line: If you're trying to lose weight, stick with water.

11. Write notes to yourself. To help you stay on track, post notes to yourself on the fridge and the pantry. Put up a little stop sign or make tags with questions like "Do you want this food enough to wear it?" and "Are the calories worth the consequences?"

12. Stay away from sodas. Soft drinks are a major source of empty calories in the American diet. We drink twice as much soda as milk and nearly six times more soda than fruit juice. But fluids don't satisfy your appetite as well as solids. A study at Purdue University found that when people were fed 450 calories daily as jelly beans or as soda, the soda drinkers gained a significant amount of weight, but the jelly-bean eaters compensated for the extra calories by cutting back on other food. So if you crave something sweet, you're better off chewing it than gulping it. If you're truly thirsty, reach for water or unsweetened iced tea instead of soda.

13. Don't just eat -- dine. Eating on the run or in front of the tube invites mindless munching. Instead, set the table every time you eat. Make a conscious choice to sit down and savor every bite. Placing a portion of chips on your best china helps focus your attention so you don't eat the whole bag. 

14. Up your protein (a little). Research suggests that protein prolongs the feeling of fullness better than carbohydrates or fats do. Studies in Scotland, Denmark, Sweden and England found that people who ate a high-protein breakfast or lunch were less hungry at their next meal. Protein also requires a few more calories to digest. Just don't go overboard. Stick to low-fat protein sources like low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese, low-fat soy drinks or snacks, or thinly sliced turkey breast.

15. Learn how to measure. It's easy to misjudge portion sizes. Pull out the measuring spoons and cups, especially for full-fat salad dressings, dairy foods and mayo.

16. Make smart substitutions. Look for nutritious low-calorie alternatives to sugary, high-fat treats. Try frozen grapes instead of candy. Use air-popped popcorn instead of oil-popped. Dip fresh strawberries in fat-free fudge sauce for a sensuous chocolaty treat.

17. Have a "party plan." When attending a party, offer to bring a plate. Arriving armed with chopped fresh veggies and a low-fat dip -- or any other low-calorie snack -- ensures that you'll have something to snack on without feeling guilty.

18. Think positively. Experts note that low self-esteem is a major cause of overeating. Train yourself to focus on your best points rather than your weak spots. Buy clothes that fit and flatter you at your current weight. Update your hairstyle and get a makeup consultation so you feel attractive today.

19. Give yourself a break. No one says you have to reach your goal without making mistakes along the way. Tell yourself you can succeed in losing weight by taking things one step at a time and starting fresh whenever you slip up. If you overeat one night, just get back on track in the morning by focusing on what's worked for you in the past.

20. Relax! Some people binge when they're stressed. A Yale University study found that women who secreted the most cortisol (a hormone released during stress) ate the most high-fat food after stress. The combination of cortisol and insulin prompts the body to store fat in preparation for possible starvation -- just what you don't need. If stress has a stronghold on your life, try learning yoga, meditation, or simple breathing exercises.

Source:  Reader's Digest