ATLANTA, Nov. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The holidays are a great opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends, to celebrate life, to be grateful, and to reflect on what's important. They are also a time to appreciate – and safeguard – the gift of health.
"The holiday season is a time to reflect on family and friends, but don't forget to take time to care for yourself," said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield. "We wish you a healthy and happy New Year, and send along some reminders on how best to keep you and your family well this winter."
Here are some holiday tips to support your efforts for health and safety during the season.
Eat Healthy and Be Active
It can be challenging to eat healthy and stay active during the holidays. Healthy eating is all about balance and moderation. Holiday parties and big family meals may tempt us away from our healthy eating habits. Allow yourself to have your favorite foods, but stick to smaller servings and balance them with healthier options. Choose fresh fruit as a festive and sweet substitute for candy. Limit fats, salt, and sugary foods and drinks.
Staying active can help you keep a healthy weight during the holiday season. Look for opportunities to work physical activities into your holiday: Go for a stroll after a family meal, take a walk at the mall, or dance to your favorite holiday music. Aim to get at least 150 minutes a week of physical activity. For example, that could be at least 20 minutes a day or 30 minutes five days a week. It's important to move more and sit less.
Get your Flu Vaccination
Influenza (flu) is more than a cold, or even a "bad cold." It can result in serious health complications like pneumonia, bacterial infections, hospitalization, or death. Few people get vaccinated against flu after the end of November even though flu activity peaks between December and February and can last as late as May. If you didn't yet get a flu vaccination this season, it's not too late! CDC recommends that everyone age 6 months and older get vaccinated now if they have not already been vaccinated this season.
Flu vaccination can reduce your risk of getting sick with flu and can prevent serious flu complications. The flu vaccine has other benefits, too, including being life saving for children, protecting pregnant women and their babies, and reducing the risk of heart attack in people with heart disease.
Food poisoning can ruin even the most festive celebrations. Each year, an estimated 1 in 6 Americans get sick from eating contaminated food.
Take simple steps to protect your family's health when you prepare and serve holiday meals such as:
Wash your hands and work surfaces before, during, and after preparing food, and before eating.
Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separated during preparation.
Refrigerate perishable foods, including leftovers, within two hours of buying or cooking.
Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs and to keep kids and adults healthy, especially during the winter months. Evidence shows handwashing can help prevent 1 in 5 respiratory illnesses like the cold or flu, so understanding how and when to wash hands is critical for staying healthy.
CDC's newest handwashing campaign – "Life is Better with Clean Hands" – includes resources and educational materials to help spread the word about the importance of healthy hand hygiene. If soap and water are not available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Start by wearing warm clothing, a wind-resistant coat or jacket, mittens, hats, scarves, and waterproof boots. To protect from hypothermia, don't forget to dress in layers. Additional safety precautions when participating in outdoor recreation include: always carry a cell phone, work slowly when doing outside chores, sprinkle cat litter or sand on icy patches, and take along a buddy and an emergency kit.
Have your heating system, water heater, and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year to keep your family safe from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Install a battery-operated or battery backup CO detector where it will awaken your family at night if the alarm is triggered. Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized.
Cope with Stress
Everyone—adults, teens, and even children - experiences stress from time to time. Feeling emotional and nervous or having trouble sleeping and eating can all be normal reactions to stress. Learning healthy ways to cope with stress and getting the right care and support can help reduce stressful feelings and symptoms. For more information, see Suicide Resources for articles, publications, and additional resources.
CDC works 24/7 protecting America's health, safety and security. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America's most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.