Monday, December 09, 2013
Avoid the holiday hype and stress that comes along with it
The holidays are here and friends of mine are already feeling the stress. One even said, “I can’t wait for the holidays to be over.”
She said she wishes she could go back to a time when we were
children, unaware of the pressure to cook big holiday feasts, host or attend
numerous holiday parties, shop for the perfect presents for friends, family,
and co-workers, and more. Many of
us can identify with this feeling.
My primary care provider, Dr. Terry Baksh, recently told me
his patients present with an increasing amount of stress, anxiety and
depression as the holidays approach, especially his older patients. He suggests that we look for
signs of depression in our family and friends and perhaps spend more time with
them. They might also welcome being called more frequently.
Two things might help us focus our efforts on
de-stressing: prioritizing and
simplifying. Our intentions are
good; we tend to want to make everyone happy.
But we need to
accept that we can’t do it all. We need to write down the absolute “must do”
tasks, and cross off the “nice to do but unnecessary” things off our list.
My colleague Dr. Eric Sandberg of the Backus Center for
Mental Health suggests simplifying the gift giving and holiday hype. For
example, it doesn’t have to be a Currier and Ives perfect picture with dozens
of gifts under the tree. He had a great suggestion, one that worked for his
family: each family member gives
one — and only one — meaningful gift to each other.
Getting the family involved in purchasing and donating gifts
to one needy family, identified by the local social service agency, is a good
way to recapture the holiday spirit.
Many workplaces are foregoing the co-worker gift-giving
tradition and donating the money to their “adopted” family. Every day this month, The Day is
publishing “Make a Difference” on the front page describing a local person or
family needing some assistance for the holidays and how we can help.
With a little
less holiday hype and stress, we will be better able to focus on the true
meaning of the holiday season: thankfulness and gratitude for the blessings we
have been given.
Alice Facente is a community health nurse for the Backus
Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal
healthcare provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
Monday, December 02, 2013
Cinnamon and spice isn’t always so nice
I'm always happy when my kids come home from school excited
about something they learned. They asked if we had ground cinnamon. I thought
they wanted cinnamon on apple slices. Silly me. They told me they wanted me to do the “Cinnamon
Challenge,” to try and swallow a spoonful of cinnamon in 60 seconds without any
water. All the kids at school are trying it and it’s in YouTube videos.
I asked them
what happens to the people in the YouTube videos that have tried this
challenge. They explained that
they usually gag, cough, and the cinnamon comes flying out of their mouth or
nose like dust. They said many of
the people in the videos say it burns. “It’s pretty funny,” they said.
We watched a
YouTube video together. I asked them if it looks like he is having fun. He’s
gagging, coughing, he looks in pain.
I advised them to please NOT try this challenge/prank or any
other. I tried calmly, as calm as a mom who’s a nurse can be, to explain why
this challenge is so dangerous.
Ground cinnamon is made from tree bark and contains
cellulose fibers that do not easily break down. When a large amount of cinnamon
is placed in the mouth the individual will begin to gag, cough, choke, and even
vomit. Cinnamon can cause irritation to the throat and lungs if inhaled. The irritation
to the lungs may cause shortness of breath and trouble breathing. Even worse,
cinnamon in the lungs could cause pneumonia, a lung to collapse, scar tissue to
develop or permanent lung damage.
The “Cinnamon Challenge” is no joking matter. According to
the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the number of calls
received about kids doing this prank has increased dramatically, from 51 in
2011 to 222 in the last year.
I told my kids
I love a good prank, but not one that endangers their life or someone else’s. I
asked them to share the truth about this potentially dangerous challenge/prank
with their friends who may want to attempt it. Let’s all spread the word and encourage everyone to “just
say no” to the cinnamon challenge.
Lisa Cook is a community health nurse for the Backus
Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal
healthcare provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Cook or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
