Staying Healthy This Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, the weather gets colder, food gets heavier and typically our exercise comes to a standstill. It is very easy to get derailed from healthy habits in the midst of the holiday rush. Here are some tips to make this holiday season a healthy one.

Healthy Eating

• Make A Plan: Does Aunt Janice make a to-die-for Death by Chocolate cake? Or is Bob’s friend bringing cronuts from the new, swanky bakery? Choose indulgences ahead of time to prepare for deluge of sweets and heavy dinner options this holiday season. Make a plan to navigate the dinner table and it becomes easier to stick to a healthy lifestyle without giving up the foods associated with family holidays.
• Full Flavor: The American Dietician Association recommends using low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth in your mashed potatoes to add flavor and cut back on added butter or margarine.

· The Skinny on Skin: Whether you prefer white or dark turkey meat, go skinless. Just 1 ounce of skin contains 80 calories and 2 grams of fat.

• In the holiday spirit: Beer and wine flow at holiday parties. One common strategy for holiday anxiety is to rely on alcohol. But Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Health, reminds us that alcohol itself is a depressant and abusing it can leave us feeling worse. Grab a co-worker and make a designated driver plan.
• Information Overload: If all else in your healthy habit plan fails, picture it. According to the USDA, half your plate should be filled with vegetables and fruit, one quarter filled with lean protein and one quarter whole grains. For a visual reminder of a healthy plate, check out My Plate on the USDA’s website.

Get Moving

• Getting Your Sweat On: When exercising in the cold, dress in three layers. Start with a lightweight, wicking, base layer. Then, go for a mid-weight fleece snug enough to prevent pockets of cold air but does not restrict your movement. Finish with an outer shell to block the wind and elements. Don’t forget to cover areas prone to frostbite like your ears, ankles and wrists.
• Plan a post-meal walk: Suggest a post-meal walk or touch football game. Getting others to join will make exercise social and more importantly, difficult to bail. It may even give you a chance to catch up with your hipster cousin and get some music recommendations.
• Blue Christmas Breather: Sticking to healthy habits will not only prevent holiday weight gain but also will help manage stress and depression associated with the holidays. The Mayo Clinic recommends taking 15 minutes to yourself without distractions to clear your mind. Find what works best for you like taking a walk, deep breathing, stretching or meditating.

Before You Hang Those Lights

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates 15,000 injuries involving holiday decorating were seen in emergency rooms nationwide during November and December 2012. In 2012, the most frequently reported holiday decorating incidents seen in E.R.’s involved falls (34 percent), lacerations (11 percent) and back strains (10 percent).

• A Minute Reading a Ladder Warning Saves You Three Hours in the E.R. Check out CPSC’s OnSafety blog, “Ladder Safety 101,” for tips to prevent ladder falls this season.
• Use lights that have been tested. Select lights tested for safety by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Intertek (ETL) or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
• Early Bird to the Tree: If you are buying your Christmas tree early this year, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, its needles are hard to pull from branches, and the needles do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles. Finding fresh tree will help prevent fires.
• Faking it? Look for the label: “Fire Resistant” on artificial trees. Although this label does not mean that the tree will not catch fire, the label does indicate that the tree is more resistant to catching fire.

Follow these tips and ensure you have a safe, happy, holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving from Doctors Express.

Dr. Kristina Orio is a board-certified emergency physician at Doctors Express, an urgent care clinic serving Waltham, Burlington and its surrounding towns. It is one of 12 clinics in the urgent care network.