Tips to stay happy and healthy over the holidays

Catherine Dilworth staff writer

No one probably enjoys the holiday season more than children.

Your Health

Taking precautions to avoid sickness or accidents can help make sme their season is healthy and safe, too.

Kevin Tracy, a pediatrician with UC Davis Medical Group, says, ·'Unfortunately, burns are common injuries around the holidays, but you can take several steps to promote fire safety." Here are some tips:

Check or install smoke detectors on each level of your home, preferably outside each bedroom.

Make sure all extension cords are in good condition. Never run them under a carpet.

''Unsafe food handling is another cause of sickness during the holidays," Tracy said, "but most problems can be easily avoided by following a few guidelines."

Fully cook meats and poultry, md thoroughly wash raw vegetables and fruits. Bacteria are often present in raw foods. Wash your hands frequently, and make sme children do the same.

Never put a spoon used to taste food back into the pot without washing it.

Keep raw foods and cooked foods separate during preparation, and keep the utensil used to prepare them separate, too.

Thaw meat in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Never leave meat at room temperature for more than two hours.

"Holiday parties can pose safety hazards for small children," Tracy says. He also had some points to remember during these situations.

Clean up after your holiday party. A toddler can choke on leftover food or become dangerously ill on alcohol or tobacco.

Leave the sitter the phone number of the home you are visiting in addition to numbers for police, fire, poison control center and yom physician.

For additional holiday safety tips, Tracy suggests that parents check the American Academy of Pediatrics Web site at www.aap.org.

TIPS FOR SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAYS

This holiday season, don't let the spirit of giving lull you into giving bmglars, muggers and pickpockets a better chance to do their dirty work. Crooks love the holidays as much as everyone else, but chiefly because it's an opportune time for crime.

If You're Traveling

Get an automatic timer for your lights. Ask a neighbor to watch yom home, or better yet, contact the local Police and ask for the Vacation House Check Unit

Don't forget to have mail and newspaper delivery stopped. If it piles up, it's a sme sign you're gone.

If You're Out For The Evening

Tum on lights and a radio or TV so it looks like someone's home. Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave, even if it's just for a few minutes. Do not display gifts where they can be seen from the outside.

If You're Shopping

Stay alert and be aware of what's going on around you. Park in a well-lighted space, and be sme to lock the car, close the windows, and hid shopping bags and gifts in the trunk. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash~ pay with a check or credit card whenever possible. Deter pickpockets and pursesnatchers. Don't overbmden yomself with packages. Be extra careful with pmses and wallets. Carry a purse close to yom body, not dangling by the straps. Put a wallet in an inside coat or front pants pocket.

Simple things such as eating well and bundling up can keep you healthy this winter.

Criminals sometimes pose as couriers delivering gifts, and it's not uncommon for people to try to take advantage of others generosity during the holidays by going door-to-door for charitable donations when there's no charity in- volved. Ask for identification, and find out how the funds will be used. If you are not satisfied, do not give. Help a charitable organization you know and like instead. Last but not least, don't let holiday stress get the best of yom holiday spirit. Make time to get together with family, friends and neighbors. Think about reaching out in the spirit of the season and helping someone who's less fortunate or lonely.

Do your part to make the holidays a safe and happy time for everybody.