by Jeffrey Pearson, DO

Copyright Medical Economics Magazine (Avanstar Pub) 2013

Editor’s note: The holiday season is a time for joyful celebration. But for many, these last weeks of the year are also marked by overeating, illness and stress. In Part II of our series, our guest blogger, Jeffrey Pearson, DO shares his advice on how to stay healthy this holiday season. Dr. Pearson is a board certified Family and Sports Medicine physician. He can be reached at Graybill’s Medicine-in-Motion Office, 120 Craven Road, Suite 101, San Marcos CA, 92078. Telephone: 760-591-0955.

“I’m going to get sick”

To my mind, “Black Friday” (the day after Thanksgiving) signals the start of the busy season in my office. Suddenly, shopping malls across the nation turn into Petri dishes brimming with influenza and other contagious illnesses. And then there are food poisonings from ill-prepared holiday meals to consider. The very old and the very young are at greatest risk for these.

What to do?

Respiratory illnesses

• Wash hands! Wash hands! Wash hands!
• Get a flu shot. Flu season is just beginning.
• Wash hands! Wash hands! Wash hands!

Gastrointestinal issues

• Food safety must be ensured. Don’t eat anything that doesn’t taste right.
• Clean everything, especially hands and work surfaces. Do NOT wash poultry, though because that can spread the bacteria around.
• Separate raw foods and their juices from foods that don’t get cooked. Consider separate cutting boards along these lines.
• Cook safely. Go by measured internal temperatures – NOT by color.
• Refrigeration/freezing. Chill foods quickly to halt bacterial growth. Never defrost food at room temperature. Rather, defrost in the refrigerator or under cold running water (use immediately if this method employed).

Other issues

• Keep track of your prescription medication supply. Don’t run out of a necessary medication when you need it the most and the pharmacies are closed. Plan to get refills before you need them. This is especially true if you plan to travel over the holidays – for example, a type I diabetic wouldn’t want to get stuck in paradise without insulin.
• For urgent care and emergencies, know in advance what urgent care centers and hospitals are in your health plan, and find out which are open on the holidays should such a need arise.

Wishing you all a healthy, happy, and stress-free holiday season!

Watch for Part III of our series on Surviving the Holidays: “I’m So Stressed.”