Keep your holiday season bright and cheery by making your health and safety a priority. Many take this time of year to get together with family and friends, looking forward to laughs, warm food, drinks, singing, and games. Don’t forget all the shopping, gifting, decorating, and traveling! With all the excitement, it’s easy for your health to fall toward the bottom of your list of priorities. Make keeping you and your loved ones safe and healthy a part of this holiday season.
- Wash your hands as often as possible to prevent the spread of germs. It’s cold and flu season. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Create friction between your palms, fingers, and wrists for at least 30 seconds to kill bacteria.
- Stay warm and dry. Keep your sweaters, jackets, umbrellas, and closed-toed shoes nearby. Even though the weather forecast these days is at our fingertips, it is undeniable that the weather can be unpredictable at times. Be prepared to dress appropriately.
- Manage stress. Whether you notice it or not, it seems as though time moves more quickly, and expectations are higher around the holidays. Take the time to make conscious decisions and accomplish tasks leisurely, focusing on one task at a time. Start with your breath – noticing how you breathe prompts awareness in all other areas of your life.
- Get enough sleep. With the holidays being predominantly busy, we have a tendency to lose more sleep during all of the excitement. In fact, there is so much going on, that we may not notice our fuel tank running on empty. Experience more restful sleep by turning away from your TV, laptop, phone, and other screens of the like for at least 15 minutes prior to bedtime. This allows the mind and body to prepare for sleep, which in turn signals the brain to release its natural amount of melatonin.
- Don’t drink and drive or let others drink and drive. Drunk driving endangers the lives of everyone on the road. Choose to make traveling safe for everyone this season by designating a sober driver or requesting rides through the Lyft and Uber apps.
- Don’t forget to fasten your seatbelt. Whether you or someone else is driving, buckle up children using the appropriate safety seats/belts, and put your seat belt on as soon as you get into any vehicle. Distance is no excuse; safety is the priority.
- Monitor children. Keep potentially dangerous toys, food, beverages, utensils, and other household objects out of children’s reach. Keep a close eye on children to protect them from drowning, burns, suffocation, falls, and other accidents.
- Practice fire safety. Residential fires occur more often in the winter months. Reduce the risk of fires by turning off stovetops, space heaters, hair tools, and blowing out candles while unattended. Have an emergency plan and practice it often.
- Get exams and screenings. Reach out to your health care providers and find out what exams you need and when to get them. Update your personal and family health history.
- Prepare and store food safely. Wash your hands and wipe down surfaces often. Avoid cross-contamination and cook foods at proper temperatures. Wait no more than 30 minutes to store and refrigerate leftovers. When food is not stored and refrigerated properly, bacteria begins to grow, spoiling the food.
- Be smoke-free. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. Smokers have great health risks, but nonsmokers are also at risk when exposed to tobacco smoke.
- Eat healthy and stay active. Eating fruits and vegetables helps lower the risk of certain diseases. Limit your portion sizes and foods high in sugar, harmful fats, and salt. Also, be active for 3 hours a week and encourage kids and teens to be active for at least 1 hour per day.
About the Author:
Brianna was raised in the Bay Area and received a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science as well as a Minor in Community Health from Hofstra University in May of 2016. Having spent internships in Neurological and Orthopedic Physical Therapy, she began working for BaySport the following fall as both a physical therapy aide and fitness specialist.
Brianna began traditional dance at the age of three and carried on as a multisport athlete into her collegiate career. Her athletic disposition led her to walk-on as a competitive team member of Hofstra’s Division 1, now 10x, National Championship Cheerleading program. This led her to work with various levels including, but not limited to, youth & collegiate athletes, geriatric & special populations, in addition to group exercise & corporate clients to help improve their skills and performance. She has also trained various members of her student body, faculty, and community in order to promote health and fitness education.
Her instinctive interest in biomechanics in conjunction with performance psychology, continues to peak as she now cross steps intently into corporate wellness & fitness. On a personal note. Brianna enjoys spending her free time practicing yoga, at the beach, hiking, traveling with friends or family, and cheering on her favorite Bay Area sports teams!
