December 2003 Health Report

Holiday safety tips for your home

Here are some safety tips to keep you and your home safe during the holidays.

• To keep your tree from becoming a tinderbox, cut one inch off the trunk to help absorb water, and remember to add water frequently. A six-foot tree requires one gallon of water every two days.
• Do not place the tree near floor heaters, fireplaces or other heat sources.
• Use miniature lights with cool-burning bulbs, and make sure they are UL-listed. Do not string more than three strands of lights together.
• Turn off the holiday lights before going to sleep, or if you're leaving your home for more than a few minutes.
• Install a smoke detector (or put new batteries in your current one) and test it.
• For outdoor decorating, use only lights specially designed for outdoor use. The same goes for extension cords.
• Avoid overloading wall outlets and power strips.
• Never use candles, even on artificial trees.
• After the holidays, dispose of the tree properly. Do not burn in the fireplace.

—adapted from the Children's Safety Zone section on the Swift Office Solutions Web site

Manage your energy before you burn out

Energy management will be to the '00s what time management was to the '90s. You may be organized five times over, but if you're lethargic when you show up for work, what's the point? Here are a few tips on using your energy appropriately.

• Go to bed early and wake up early.
• Go to sleep and wake up consistently at the same times each day.
• Eat five or six small meals daily.
• Eat breakfast every day.
• Eat a balanced, healthful diet.
• Minimize simple sugars.
• Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day.
• Take short breaks every 90 minutes during your workday.
• Get some physical activity daily.
• Do at least two cardiovascular interval workouts and two strength-training workouts a week.

And, finally, ask yourself this question every six months: Why am I doing this job? If you don't know the answer, you're most certainly living life without the most significant energy source of all: the energy of the human spirit.

—adapted from Men's Health

Stress busters for the holidays

Appropriately enough, December is National Stress-Free Family Month. Here are some helpful hints to reduce stress during what should be a fun and relaxing time.

For parents:

• Recognize the signs of stress, such as irritability and anxiety. Avoid these by putting yourself in control of things instead of just letting them happen.
• Allow yourself to say “No.” Be realistic about what you can and cannot do during this busy month. Don't feel obligated to attend every holiday party or make 1,000 cookies from scratch for your church group.
• Watch your diet. It's very easy during this time to overindulge in holiday treats. Sugar overload will make you sluggish, and the stimulating effect of caffeine may make you overanxious.
• Exercise. Not only will it combat those extra calories you're consuming, it will also relieve tension and provide relaxation.

For kids:

• Provide structure during the day while the kids are out of school, such as a set “quiet time” each day.
• Establish clear guidelines. Manage their expectations about what they'll get before heading out to the mall or grandma's house.
• Watch their diet, and encourage at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day.

—adapted from ParentingWithoutPressure.com

Is your forgetfulness an early sign of dementia?

Seeing their parents getting older, many baby boomers worry that their own forgetful behavior is an early sign of senility. There's a big difference between the two. Here are a few comparisons.

• Normal: You try to recall a name but can't, and you end up remembering it in the middle of the night.
• Abnormal: Your father wants to know a name, then a few minutes later forgets he ever wanted to know the name.
• Normal : After a hard day at work, the phone rings and you forget that you've left dinner on the stove and it burns.
• Abnormal: You can't seem to do basic chores that you've done all your life, like vacuuming or watering plants.
• Normal: You get in your car and you can't recall the exact location to a place you haven't gone to lately.
• Abnormal: You get in your car, can't recall the exact location, and then forget where you wanted to go.

—adapted from the National Institute on Aging