Tag Archives: holiday health

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6 Tips for Healthy Holidays

We are right in the thick of the holidays now. Thanksgiving and Hanukkah have come and gone. Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s are nearly upon us.

While this is a time for love and laughter it is also a time for overindulging and too many sweets. With parties taking over your evenings and weekends, and the temptations of cookies and candy, it’s hard to stay on top of your health. Here are 6 tips for staying healthy during the holidays.

  1. Don’t go hungry.
    This is my number one rule at all times, not just the holidays. It is a huge mistake to go to a holiday party or a work function hungry. Go with a full stomach so you can graze and enjoy the food but not overindulge.
  2. Get your workout in.
    Be sure to get up and get your workout in early. It will help to kick your metabolism in to high gear and burn fat all day. This way you don’t have to worry about having a few cookies while out at night.
  3. Offer to bring a healthy dish.
    If you are going to a party where you are asked to bring something, bring something healthy. You can still bring your famous pecan pie, but bring something additional to balance it out. This way you know there is at least one option that’s good for you. Get creative; it’s easy to make little tweaks to make something more nutritious.
  4. Always have water.
    Water helps you feel full, but it also helps keep you hydrated to balance out any cocktails you may be indulging in. Drink lots of water with your meal, and be sure to have a glass between each alcoholic drink.
  5. Pay attention to your portion sizes.
    Don’t deprive yourself of your favorite holiday dishes, but do be mindful of portions. Portions are key when it comes to being sure you don’t over eat. Keep protein to the size of your palm, veggies to the size of your fist, carbs to the size of your hand cupped and sweets and sides to the size of your thumb.
  6. Don’t forget to enjoy.
    All in all, don’t forget the reason for the season. Obviously your health is important, but family and friends are important, too. Don’t beat yourself up for falling off track.

Wherever you are, whatever you are celebrating, I wish you a happy, healthy holiday season. Enjoy your time with friends and loved ones.

As you bustle about with travel or cooking or last-minute shopping, remember to find a quiet moment to breathe and put your feet up.

From my family to yours, Happy Holidays.

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3 Tips on Pediatric Care Over the Holidays

Little Boy And ChristmasEach new year, parents tell me stories of urgent holiday care for their kids. Examples have included how their toddler toppled over the Christmas tree (right into the piano), how their preteen slipped on an icy sidewalk outside the mall, or how their niece was singing “Let It Go” as Elsa and tumbled off their daughter’s bunk bed.

As a parent, I understand that many of the woes of childhood begin as “I have an idea” or a curious exploration of the world. While we don’t want to dampen that exuberance, it falls to us moms and dads to pick up the pieces when our children need urgent healthcare. But, finding pediatric care over the holiday season can lead to stress, lofty emergency room (ER) bills and last-minute changes in family plans.

First, it’s very important to understand what calls for a trip to the ER and what can be handled, usually at a lower cost, by a pediatric urgent care center. Here are a few instances where pediatricians will usually tell you to go right to the ER: broken bones requiring realignment, loss of consciousness or unresponsiveness, dehydration, gasping for air or hyperventilation, cuts that may call for sedation, fever in infants and seizures.

Next, I also want to offer up a few money- and headache-saving prevention tips:

1. Book your pediatrician now

A year-end checkup for respiratory ailments (especially if your child is asthmatic), earaches and scratchy throats is the best way to stay out of the ER for routine illnesses. Your pediatrician’s office can also answer your questions on their after hours care policies.

2. Refill prescriptions ahead of time

Whether flying, driving or entertaining in your home, reaching the bottom of a pill bottle can be frustrating when pharmacies are closed. Stock up to carry you through January, and ensure you have non-expired items like rescue inhalers and EpiPens® on hand.

3. Get your flu shots

Prevention is a worthy investment. Be sure you are current on your flu shots. We are well into the winter season, and no one wants to get or spread flu bugs. Many chain pharmacies are still running specials or offering store discounts.

Finally, I truly wish you a stress-free, ouch-free holiday season. May it be filled with more oohs and aahs than uh-ohs and whoas!

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30 Minutes for a Healthy Holiday Season

love, charity, holidays, children and people concept - smiling lI hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with loved ones and friends. The holiday season is officially upon us bringing with it the possibility of more germs, not to mention end of year health plan sign-ups and preparing for next year’s health care needs.

If it all feels like enough to drive you crazy, let me help you get through it all. Recently, I held a webinar called 7 Strategies to Keep Your Family Healthy this Holiday. Some of you let me know you couldn’t make it and because I know your schedule is probably jam-packed between now and the end of the year, I wanted to make it super easy for you to get this information.

This 30-minute webinar is now available as a recording. I will leave it up through the end of the year so you can watch it wherever you find a half hour—whether it’s your lunch break or at 5 a.m. before anyone else in your house is awake. You can watch it here.

At the end of the webinar I mentioned a coupon code making a special ebook set available—3 Easy Healthcare ebooks for $4.99. Included in the set are Before You Get Sick, Your Hospital Stay, and the What You Need First.

We have reactivated that coupon and will also make it available through the end of December. This coupon is basically getting you two free ebooks when you pay for one. Talk about a great holiday sale!

The free webinar recording and the coupon code will only stick around until December 31, 2015. Don’t miss it! Have a healthy holiday season.

Click here to watch the webinar recording

Click here to purchase the ebook set – enter coupon code NOV2015THANKS