The holiday season will be here quicker than you can say, “I can’t eat another bite.” By following some commonsense tips on healthy holiday travel, cooking, eating and gift giving, you can stay safe and healthy this holiday season.
Buckle 'Em Up
Properly installed and correctly used child safety seats decrease the risk of death by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers. Always keep infants up to age 1 and at least 20 pounds in a rear-facing seat in the back seat. Use forward-facing seats in the back seat for toddlers until they outgrow the height and weight limits (usually around age 4) listed on the safety seat. Never move toddlers from a safety seat directly into adult seat belts. Children should use booster seats in the back seat from about age 4 until age 8 or 4 feet 9 inches tall. Kids under 12 should be buckled up in the back seat. For information visit www.vahealth.org/civp/safetyseat.
Store and Cook the Turkey
Keep hot things hot and cold things cold. Store your turkey in the refrigerator at 40 degrees F or below, or freeze it to zero degrees. Don’t let the juices leak and contaminate other foods. Defrost in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, never on the kitchen counter. Wash hands, utensils, countertops thoroughly. Use a meat thermometer and cook a whole turkey to 180 degrees, a turkey breast to 170 degrees. Discard any turkey, gravy or stuffing left at room temperature for longer than two hours. For more food safety tips visit www.cdc.gov/Features/TurkeyTime.
Eat Healthfully and be Physically Active
Portion sizes and moderation are keys to maintaining a healthy weight. Eat only what you really want and keep portions small. Just taste the rest. Eat a light snack before going to holiday parties. You’ll be less likely to overeat. Choose beverages wisely: punch, eggnog and soda drinks can contain 150 to 450 calories a glass. Burn off holiday calories with a walk after dinner. For more information on nutrition and physical activity visit www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa.
Give the Gift of Health
This year give gifts that help the people on your list be more active, safe or prepared for emergencies. Pedometers, jump ropes and home smoke detectors will help keep your family safe and healthy all year long. How about an emergency preparedness kit with a flashlight, first aid supplies and batter operated radio. You can assemble the kit yourself from the Disaster Supply Kit Checklist on the Virginia Department of Health Web site. Go to www.vdh.virginia.gov/epr and click on “planning.