The Peoria City/County Health Department is reminding area residents that by following some simple ideas their holidays can be healthy and safe.
Greg Chance, Administrator at Peoria City/County Health Department, states, “Healthy habits can positively impact the health trends we see in Peoria County today. We can each do our part by following these 12 holiday health tips to create a safe and healthy community for all.”
1. Eat well – add more colorful vegetables to your meals, don’t overeat, don’t skip meals, give a fruit basket as a gift, encourage new moms to breastfeed infants
2. Prepare dinner safely – thaw turkey and meat in the refrigerator, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, cover and refrigerate leftovers within two hours
3. Wash your hands – use soap and scrub while you sing the birthday song twice, keep small hand sanitizers in the car
4. Get moving – take a family walk, try a dance class, buy skates or a bicycle helmet as a gift, tone your muscles by vacuuming grandma’s house once a week
5. Schedule your health and dental exams – get your kids shots up to date; get your flu vaccine now; if travelling, get your foreign travel shots; Get Yourself Tested for STDs
6. Practice healthy home safety – test your smoke alarms, practice your home fire drill with your family, get older homes tested for lead paint, give a smoke detector as a gift
7. Fasten seat belts while driving – get your child car seat installation checked, give grandpa a child seat for when he drives the child
8. BE SMOKE-FREE – ask others not to smoke around you and the kids, add the Tobacco Quitline 1-800-QUIT-YES number and draw a heart on your holiday cards
9. Don’t drink and drive – if you drink, practice moderation, use lots of ice or club soda and then call a cab; give a party hostess a non-alcoholic bubbly
10. Get plenty of sleep – missed sleep releases hormones that prompt eating and weight gain, watch out for hidden caffeine as in hot chocolate and tea
11. Manage stress and beat the blues – stay active but don’t rush, call a friend you haven’t seen in years, visit with an elderly neighbor, volunteer at a charity event
12. Be prepared – Make an emergency plan, assemble a kit for the home and the car, give hand-crank flashlight/radios as gifts
For more information on important public health issues, visit the Peoria City/County Health Department website at www.pcchd.org.