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Staying Informed

Corona Capers

Corona Del Vista, 1501 Anza Ave., Vista, CA

The state of California passed a California version of the Corporate Transparency Act requiring corporations, even a non-profit corporation such as ourselves to file documents with the state. While the act was not passed with communities such as ours in mind, we wind up caught in its net. The purpose of the law is first to provide law enforcement, financial institutions, and regulatory agencies with critical information needed to expose and combat financial crimes. Second, by requiring companies to disclose their beneficial owners, the Act aims to deter individuals from using U.S. business entities as vehicles for illicit activities. This move towards greater transparency is not only about catching wrongdoing but also about preventing it by making the U.S. a less attractive jurisdiction for those seeking to hide their illicit activities behind corporate facades. Each Board member had to complete a form identifying ourselves which together with information about our corporation has been sent to Sacramento.

BE SURE TO JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, FROM 6 TO 9 OR LATER TO CELEBRATE THE ARRIVAL OF 2025. BRING AN APPETIZER OR OTHER FOOD TO SHARE AND YOUR BEVERAGE OF CHOICE.

Saturday, December 7, 2024

DATES TO REMEMBER

Wednesday, November 20: 10AM

Decorate Clubhouse for Christmas. Raise the outside tree of lights

Please come help us decorate. Clubhouse.10AM until done

Monday, December 2

Basket and other Raffle Donations deadline for Holiday Christmas Faire. Drop off baskets etc. at clubhosue, 10-2 PM or at Michele’s #95

Fill or help fill a basket.You may also donate $$ to purchase raffle items. Themes This Year

Italian Mexican Women Men

Wine and Snacks Beauty & Bath Cats& Dogs Homemade Mixed Foods Mystery/Misc. Abasket you choose and fill.

Empty baskets are available. Call Michele Werbeck (818-468-3430 Spc. 95) to sign up, donate, ask questions.

Tuesday, December 3:

Basket Wrapping Party at the Clubhouse at 10AM

Friday, December 6:

Bring donated baked goods, wrapped, labeled, and priced, to the Clubhouse betwern 4 and 7 PM. (Or earlier that day to #95, but call Michele first.)

Saturday, December 7:

Christmas Faire with Breakfast at 8-9AM (only) and Basket Raffle at 9:30.

Bake Sale from 8AM on.

Capers December 2024

A CHRISTMAS STORY

Pedro was a boy with eyes the color of dark amber that constantly twinkled with a joy he felt deeply in his four-year-old heart. He lived in a hovel of a house amid poverty that was felt keenly by his family at times, but that could not diminish the delight they took in each other.

There were days when beans were the only stable the family could afford, and yet, no one ever complained or thought themselves poor. Their neighbors were equally destitute, and perhaps because of that fact, the community banded together to help one another in times of crisis and need.

Pedro, although the youngest of four children, was called upon to do his quota of chores, and did them proudly. In fact, he was always clamoring to be given extra chores to do but his frail four-year-old body wasn’t willing to cooperate with his vision to serve. None the less, his capacity for laughter and mirth was infectious, and the family found themselves in a good mood because of it. Neighbors also loved coming over to visit because they knew he could lift their burdens, even if just momentarily, because he was the very essence of joy and love. No one ever entered his home without being royally greeted by him. This included hugs, kisses, and caresses. He was the community love bug!

His father died shortly after he was born by a hit and run driver leaving his mother widowed and responsible for the care of four children. She was an uneducated woman living in a smaller city in Mexico where work was hard to find for men, much less for women. So, she hired herself out as a cleaning woman. The pay was meager, but kept the family eating and together. The burden of working hard all day, and then taking care of four children left its mark on her. She was perennially tired from being underfed, and having to work for multiple people to make ends meet. She dreamed of working for only one family that would pay her a decent wage and allow her one day off a week. (Continued on page 5)

4 Capers December 2024

A Christnmas Story (--continued)

Her reputation as an excellent cook and superb housecleaner did not go unnoticed. There was a very wealthy woman living in her town that heard of her, and requested an interview with her. Pedro’s mother was both delighted by the opportunity, as well as apprehensive, because she could not leave four-year old Pedro alone in the house and always took him to all of her cleaning jobs. Would this woman be amenable to that arrangement? She put on her best dress, and polished her worn shoes until they shone, and with a beating heart and Pedro in tow, left for the interview.

The house was smaller than she thought it would be, but had a well-tended rose garden, and looked prosperous to her eyes. It was answered by the lady herself instead of a maid or other household help. She greeted Pedro’s mother warmly and looked down on him with a smile. He immediately took that as an invitation to give her a bear hug, and hugged her knees for all he was worth. He looked up at her with adoration and gave her a smile that would melt an iceberg on contact. She was a little taken aback at first, but then, burst out laughing in delight. She picked him up and got rewarded with a big kiss on each cheek. Pedro’s mother was mortified, and thought she lost any hope of getting the job given her son’s forward behavior. But the opposite was true. Pedro’s mother got the job because of him. And so started a love affair.

While Pedro’s mother cleaned the house, cooked, and ran errands, Senora Gonzales and Pedro became a duo of laugher and delight. His endless enthusiasm and kindness completely mesmerized Senora Gonzales. Even though he was only a child, he had a heart that understood the meaning of love and never withheld it from anyone. Senora Gonzales bloomed in his presence, and her laughter could be heard ringing throughout the house on a daily basis.

There came a day when she woke up and realized that she had never known such happiness as she was now experiencing with Pedro, and became panicked at the thought that she might lose him some day. She thought long and hard about it, and came to the conclusion that she would ask Pedro’s mother if she would give him up for adoption for a sum of money that would allow that poor woman to stay home and raise the remainder of her children in relative comfort.( Continued on page 8)

5 Capers December 2024

Corona Del Vista

A Christmas Story (continued)

Christmas was only two weeks away. Pedro’s mother knew there would be no money for gifts, or even a decent meal. She also knew the family’s lot would never improve because her ability to earn a better living would never change. She was tired, beaten down, and felt far older than her age. So, when the offer came, outrage and hope battled for dominance. Outrage at the mere thought that she could lose Pedro, hope because her remaining three children would have a much better life. What was she to do? Jobs were more difficult to get each day. Where could she get another one to feed her children if she lost this one? She asked for three days to think about it. The emotions that raged within her could only be understood by the mothers of this world. She cried herself to sleep every night. Pedro knew that something was seriously wrong and would not leave his mother’s side; comforting her with his hugs, bringing her cool water to drink, covering her with a blanket when he thought she might be cold. This only made matters worse for his mother whose heart was already broken in more pieces than could be pieced back together. But a decision had to be made, and so it was.

She faced Senora Gonzales with all the dignity and courage she could muster and said that, yes, she would give Pedro up for adoption, and then passed out cold. Little Pedro thought that she had died, and cried out, “No God, take me instead, take me! Let her live!” Senora Gonzales realized at that moment that she could never replace the love this child had for its mother, and to try would be a travesty for all concerned. So, once Pedro’s mother regained consciousness, Senora Gonzales looked deeply into her eyes and said, “I love Pedro, but taking him away from his family would not be in his best interest. Seeing him continue to live in poverty, is not in my best interest. So, here is my compromise. I will pay you a salary that will allow you and your family to live a comfortable life, and I will educate Pedro all the way through college. Is that agreeable to you?” Pedro’s mother could not believe her ears, but tried to find her tongue to say a fast yes before anyone could change their mind!

And so it was that two weeks before Christmas the lot of this family changed immeasurably for the better, and they had the best Christmas they ever had. And, yes, they shared some of their good fortune with their community who was always there to support them in the past. And Pedro? He continued to be a delight to all who met him, and in time, became a renowned physician who worked tirelessly for the poor, but was also revered by the wealthy for his gift to heal the body as well as the spirit –Izzy Iyer 8 Capers December 2024

Help! Save My Roof!

Hi CDV Family, It’s Ric at Space 20, once again. I shared a “Get to Know Your Neighbor” article last month. This month I would like to share an experience I had with our roof. It’s an Aluminum Roof (Most Older Homes have them) and once the rainstorms (Last Winter) got severe enough, we discovered we had a leak. It was minor; however, we knew if it was unattended, it would get worse.

So, I went up on my roof to investigate, what I found was the seams where overlapping aluminum was joined together and edges that were at the flashing had sealant that was old and deteriorating. Cracks appeared and letting water/moisture come through. As a “Temporary Fix”, I applied some sealer and reduced the leak to “Manageable”, however, once the weather cleared, I got down to the “Real Fix”.

Removing the old sealer and applying new sealers. As I worked, I found that some areas had sealer over sealer, which is not the correct way to solve the problem. I compared it to “Putting a Band Aid, On a Broken Arm”! By now some of you may be wondering “What’s Ric Talking About”. I’m simply talking about “Resealing your Aluminum Roof” and not spending Tens of Thousands Replacing it, that’s right, you heard me, over 10 Thousand!

Unfortunately, that’s what I heard one of my neighbors paid to put a new roof on their home, $12,500! And estimates were as high as $18,000. If I had only known, I may have been able to help them by offering my services to reseal their roof. The cost of materials would have been between $600 to $1,000 and labor would have been between $3,500 to $5,000. At worst it could have been around $6,000 total, but most likely not.

Bottom line, please don’t replace your aluminum roof before contacting me for a free evaluation/inspection of your roof. Even if you don’t hire me for my services, I’d like to help my CDV Family out by inspecting your roof, with pictures to show you, its condition. Again, even if you don’t use my services, you’ll know the condition of your roof and be able to make an informed decision on how to proceed and save thousands doing so, Thank you all and God Bless.

See the attached pics, Before, Clean-up, Prep/Reseal & After. More pics and info to share if you contact me. Contact Ric: 408-306-5554

Top Left: Before Top Right: Cleanup

Bottom Left: Prep/Reseal

Bottom Right: After

A

Few Christmas Symbols and Their Origins

(with thanks to Tina Donvito)

Christmas Trees–Evergreen fir trees are universal winter decorations: Pagans displayed the branches as a reminder that spring would come again. Romans placed them around temples to honor Saturn, the god of agriculture. But the first time the evergreen was used as a Christmas tree was either in Tallinn, Estonia or Riga, Latvia. (Each city says it is the true home of the first Christmas tree.) In the 16th century, German Christians brought the trees inside their homes as a Christmas symbol of everlasting life. When news spread that Queen Victoria had her German husband, Prince Albert, set up a Christmas tree in their palace, the practice suddenly became the height of Christmas symbolism in England and America.

Christmas Colors–The red poinsettia is the perfect plant for the holiday season—but why are red and green the Christmas colors, anyway? Green is easy to explain: Evergreen plants and trees have long represented the promise of the coming spring. The evergreen holly includes red berries with its green leaves, which could be a link between the red and green Christmas colors. But the real reason red is forever associated with Christmas is due to Santa Claus—or, rather, to artist Haddon Sundblom, who created our modern interpretation of Santa adorned in a red coat in 20th-century Coca-Cola ads.

Mistletoe–Norse mythology creeps into Christmas traditions to explain why we kiss under the mistletoe. According to legend, the gods used mistletoe to resurrect Odin’s son Baldur from the dead. So Baldur’s mother Frigg, the goddess of love, made the plant a symbol of love and vowed to kiss anyone who passed under it. The plant also ties into the holiday season because it can blossom even when it’s cold outside. During Christmas celebrations in 18th-century England, men were allowed to kiss any woman standing under mistletoe, and if the ladies refused, that meant bad luck. Fortunately that last bit is no longer part of the mistletoe tradition.

Stars–Along with Christmas tree lights and candles during the holidays is the Christmas star. According to Christianity, it guided the three wise men to baby Jesus. You’ll probably place a star on top of your Christmas tree or cut out cookies in the shape of a star. As with other symbols of light around the solstice, the star represents hope for all mankind during dark times. But the Star of Bethlehem may have been a real scientific thing: Every few hundred years, Jupiter and Saturn appear as one to the naked eye, a “great conjunction” that last occurred in December 2020. Some scientists theorize a planetary conjunction could have been what the three wise men saw as well.

Christmas Pickle– This symbol is not one I grew up with, but many stories of its origins are put forward. Some stories claim it’s a German tradition; others suggest it comes from a Civil War soldier who miraculously recovered after eating a pickle at Christmastime. Another story tells the tale of two boys who were killed and placed in a pickle barrel by an evil innkeeper until St. Nicholas came and found the boys and brought them back to life. But this story may have been taken from another tale of St. Nicholas saving two boys from a meat barrel — not pickles. The most plausible — and least exciting — explanation for the tradition is centered around money. German glassblowers were creating glass ornaments that were shaped like fruits, nuts, and possibly pickles. In the 1880s, the F.W. Woolworth Company began importing the German ornaments. It's thought that the pickle ornaments weren't selling as well, so a crafty salesman came up with the German tradition story to sell more. In any case, it is usually the last ornament to be hung on the tree hidden and even rehidden in its branches. On Christmas morning, the first person to find the pickle receives a prize or treat. What other story have you heard?

Candy Canes–These sugary holiday symbols have their origins in a bit of Christmas trivia you probably didn’t know: Legend has it they were first invented by a choir master to keep choir boys occupied during long Christmas services, and were made into the shape of a shepherd’s crook to symbolize Jesus as the shepherd of his followers. In some tales, the white of the candy cane represents purity, and the red the blood of Christ. In 1920s America, the treat began being mass produced, and a Christmas symbol was born.

A Few Funnies… PLUS

A friend sent me these funnies–hope you enjoy them.

Gas Pump Wisdom

Can you imagine wanting to make sure you drove by a certain gas station every day just to see the message on the chalk board? It's true – a gas station has become quite a landmark in Gauteng, South Africa because of its daily uplifting quotes written on a chalkboard. Some people say they deliberately travel this route just to read the quote to brighten their day.

" Don't let Yesterday take up too much of Today."

~Will Rogers

The lady behind these boards is Alison Billet who inherited the board from the previous owner, Dick Hutton 20 years ago when they bought the station. “We continued the tradition and it has become a landmark–more so now that it’s on social media!”

Capers December 2024

Find the hidden pictures shown below in the drawing to the left.

Puzzles and Word Games you

Castles Jolly Chapeaus

ARCHER ARMOR BARON

BATTERING RAM

BATTLE AXE CREST CROWN DRAGON DUKE

DUNGEON DYNASTY EMPIRE

FEUDAL FORTRESS GREAT HALL HONOR KEEP KINGDOM LADY LANCE LORD MAIDEN MANOR MOAT

NOBLE PALACE QUEEN REALM REIGN

ROYALTY

SERF SHIELD SWORD TOWER

TURRET WALL

Across 1.Goulash

5.Short quick run

9.Prefix with legal

10.Canyon effect

11.Coffee dispensers

12.Net lining of a hat

13.Self-control

15.Have a bite

16.Recuperative resort

22.Fertilizer chemical

23.Sing the praises of 24.Pride member

25.Director Preminger

26.Give for a while

27.Trawling equipment

Down 1.Egg on 2.Weight allowance

3.Coastal raptors

4.Bllighted area

5.Two-day Olympic event

6.Antioxidant berry

7.Give the cold shoulder

8.Romance

novelist Victoria

14.Scoundrel

16.Hockey legend

Bobby

17.Cleveland’s lake

18.Long, long time

19.Fill to the gills

20.Golf stroke

21.Commotions

The headline is a clue to the answer in the diagonal.

December Sudoku

How to solve sudoku puzzles

No math is required to solve a sudoku. You only need logic and patience.

Simply make sure that each 3x3 square region has only one instance of the numbers 1-9. Similarly, each number can only

appear once in a column or row in the larger grid. The difficulty on this puzzle is medium.

TRIVIA TEASER

Ports

1. Port au Prince is the capital of which Caribbean island? a-Haiti, b-Jamaica, cGrenada, d-Antigua.

2. A statue of Hans Christian Andersen's "Little Mermaid" is located at the entrance to the harbor of what European port? a-Odessa, b-Copenhagen, c-Amsterdam, d-Palermo.

3.Fort Sumter guards the harbor of which U.S. port city?a-Raleigh, b-Norfolk, c-Charleston, d-Annapolis.

4.In the novel Moby Dick, in which American port is the whaling ship Pequod based? a-Nantucket, b-Cooperstown, c-Mystic, d-Boston.

5. In 1620, the Mayflower departed for America out of what English port city? a-Liverpool, b-Plymouth, c-Roanoke, d-Belfast.

6.Whitney Port is the narrator and star of what MTV reality TV series? aBromance, b-Adventures in Hollywood, c-Tiara Girls, d-The City.

7.Port wine is produced exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern part of which country? a-Italy, b-Portugal, c-India, d-Finland.

8. What is the only African country with port cities on both the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea? a-Morocco, b-Egypt, c-Ethiopia, d-The Sudan.

9.Which prominent rock singer hailed from Port Arthur, Texas? a-Mitch Ryder, b-Tina Turner, c-Janis Joplin, d-Jim Morrison.

10. The German pocket battleship Graf Spee was scuttled in the harbor of what port after being blockaded by British ships in 1939?a-Galveston, b-Benin City, c-Port Royal, d-Montevideo.

The Lighter Side

IT's requirement

During a recent password audit, the IT discovered a new employee was using the following password:.

MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofySacramento.

When they asked why such a long password, she said she was told that it had to be at least 8 characters long and include at least one capital!

Fake definitions

Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon.

Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have.

Abdicate (v.), to give up hope of ever having a flat stomach.

Negligent (adj.), you absent-mindly answer the door in your nighty.

Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

Gargoyle (n.), an olive-flavored mouthwash.

Flatulence (n.), an emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.

Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

Rectitude (n.), The dignified demeanor assumed by a proctologist immediately before he examines you.

My living will

I told my kids that I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If it happens, just pull the plug. So they got up, threw away my phone and dumped out my wine.

Answer to 'Ports'

1-a, Haiti

2-b, Copenhagen

3-c, Charleston

4-a, Nantucket

5-b, Plymouth

6-d, "The City"

7-b, Portugal

8-b, Egypt

9-c, Janis Joplin

10-d, Montevideo

The Tardy Bagpiper

A bagpiper was asked to play at graveside services for a man who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be at a new cemetery and the newly deceased was to be the first laid to rest there.

But the bagpiper got lost and arrived an hour late. Finally he saw the backhoe and crew eating lunch at the site, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.

Walking up to the crew, he assured them that he was late but ready. He began to play and the workers gathered round him, teary-eyed, as the piper played his heart out.

At last the piper went to his car and overheard one of the workers say: Man, I never seen nothing like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for 20 years."

QUOTES

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas time.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas is forever, not for one day, For loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away,

Like bells and tinsel in some box upon a shelf.

The good you do for others is good you do yourself.

Norman Wesley Brooks in 1976

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveler, thousands of miles away, back to his own fireside and his quiet home.

Charles Dickens in 1836

The lights of the Hanukkah menorah that we kindle in our homes are a reminder both of the Menorah in the Temple of Jerusalem and the light that shines brightly within each one of us. For as it says in Proverbs 20:27, "The candle of God is the soul of man."

Libi Astair

December 2024 Calendar

GIVE THE GIFT OF SIGHT M0NTH

NATIONAL IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH.

1, ANTARCTICA DAY. The Antarctic Treaty signed by 12 nations on Dec 1, 1959.

1, ADVENT, FIRST SUNDAY.

1, WORLD'S AIDS DAY.

2-6, OLDER DRIVER SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. To empower older drivers and their families by bringing awareness to the steps between noticing a medical change that can affect driving to completely giving up the keys.

3, GIVING TUESDAY, 13th annual. Encouraging charitable activities.

3, ROCKEFELLER CENTER CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING. New York, NY.

4, SAINT BARBARA'S DAY. On this day, traditionally the feast day of Saint Barbara, a young girl places a twig from a cherry tree in a glass of water. If it blooms by Christmas Eve, she is certain to marry the following year. Saint Barbara was dropped from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1970.

6-8, DICKENS ON THE STRAND, Galveston, TX;. 51st annual.

6, NATIONAL MINER'S DAY. The day commemorates the worst industrial accident in American history, which occurred on December 6, 1907 in Monongah, West Virginia. 362 miners died in the accident.

6, NATIONAL SALESPERSON'S DAY.

6, SAINT NICHOLAS DAY. Santa Claus and the presentation of gifts at Christmas are said to to derive in part from this saint.

7, CHESTER GREENWOOD DAY PARADE. Farmington, ME.

7-8, ENGLAND: ROCHESTER DICKENSIAN CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL, Rochester, Kent.

7, NATIONAL PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY. (also date of Pearl Harbor Day).

8, PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK ESTABLISHED, 1906.

10, HUMAN RIGHTS DAY. Beginning of Human Rights Week.

10, NATIONAL DAY OF THE HORSE.

10, NOBEL PRIZE AWARDS CEREMONIES. Oslo, Norway, and Stockholm, Sweden.

10, RED CLOUD DEATH ANNIVERSARY, 1909. Leader of the Oglala Lakota from 1865 to 1909. He was one of the most capable Native American opponents whom the United States Army faced in the western territories. He led the Lakota to defeat the United States during Red Cloud's War, establishing the Lakota as the only nation to defeat the United States on American soil.

12, DAY OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE.

12, POINSETTIA DAY (JOEL ROBERTS POINSETT: DEATH ANNIVERSARY). Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the American diplomat who introduced into the US the Central American plant that is named for him.

14 - Jan. 5, 2025, CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT. Web: audubon.org/conservation/science/ christmas-bird-count.

14-28, HALCYON DAYS. Traditionally, the seven days before and the seven days after the winter solstice. To the ancients, a time when the fabled bird (called the halcyon) calmed the wind and waves.

15, COLD MOON. Full moon. The moon will be near the bright star Pollux. Native American tribes of New England and the Great Lakes because the nights have become long at this time of year. Also called the Long Nights Moon.

15, GONE WITH THE WIND PREMIERE ANNIVERSARY, Dec 15, 1939. One of the blockbusters of the 20th century, the film premiered this date in Atlanta GA. More than 300,000 people lined the streets to

catch a glimpse of the stars arriving at the premiere.

16-24, MEXICO: POSADAS. Dec 16-24. A nineday annual celebration throughout Mexico. Processions of "pilgrims" knock at doors asking for posada (shelter), commemorating the search by Joseph and Mary for a shelter in which the infant Jesus might be born. Pilgrims are invited inside, and fun and merrymaking ensue with blindfolded guests trying to break a pinata filled with gifts and goodies suspended from the ceiling. Once the pinata is broken, the gifts are distributed and the celebration continues.

17, WRIGHT BROTHERS DAY. (First powered flight in 1903).

20-31, CHRISTMASTIDE IN VIRGINIA. Jamestown Settlement, Williamsburg, VA, and American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, Yorktown, VA.

21-Mar 20, 2025, WINTER.

24, CHRISTMAS EVE.

25, CHRISTMAS

25-Jan. 2, HANUKKAH, THE FEAST OF LIGHTS. Begins at sundown Dec. 25. Festival lasting eight days commemorates victory of Maccabees over Syrians (165 BC) and rededication of Temple of Jerusalem.

26, BOXING DAY.

31, FIRST NIGHTS. Family-oriented, nonalcoholic community celebrations of the New Year, first observed in Boston, MA, in 1976.

31, NEW YEAR'S EVE. The last evening of the Gregorian calendar year, traditionally a night for merrymaking to welcome in the new year.

31, NYRR MIDNIGHT RUN. Central Park, New York, NY. 44th annual. Four-mile run through Central Park. Web: nyrr.org.

More deadly heart attacks occur on Christmas and

It is strange, but evidently true. There is a spike in deadly heart attacks during the holidays.

According to a study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, more cardiac deaths occur in the U.S. on December 25 than on any other day of the year, followed by December 26 and January 1.

New Year's Day

And here is one daunting fact: More serious heart attacks occur on Mondays than any other day, according to the British Cardiovascular Society. This year Christmas Day (December 25) falls on a Monday.

So, why is this so? Doctors and researchers have their suspicions.

Health in the News

American Stroke Association releases updated guidelines

But it is not just the U.S. One medical journal study found a 15 percent overall increase in heart attacks in Sweden during the winter holidays. Heart attacks spiked 37 percent on Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve), most often affecting people over 75 and those with diabetes or previous cardiovascular disease.

*People are busy. They ignore heart attack symptoms. Who wants to interrupt the party?

* People are traveling. And they probably forget to take their medications.

*They are eating a lot of fatty, sweet foods. And this different diet may cause blood pressure to rise and heart rates to increase. Alcohol is probably also a factor.

How to avoid holiday weight gain

From November to New Years, we are likely to be socializing and, according to both conventional wisdom and even some science, we are going to gain weight.

How much weight do people put on?

One National Institutes of Health study of 195 participants found that people put on about one pound and, more importantly, they didn't lose it during the year. Over time, that holiday pound adds up to a new belt notch.

*Sit further away from the buffet table to make seconds inconvenient.

*Consciously eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes to realize you are full.

*Drink water before you eat and during your meal.

*Mix drinks with zero-calories mixers like club soda.

The American Stroke Association has updated its Guideline for the Primary Prevention of Stroke, adding new recommendations for clinicians and patients. According to CNN, the new guidelines encourage healthy behaviors, weight management (including with the assistance of GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic), and recommends the Mediterranean diet for optimal heart health. Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability for Americans.

Physicians question widespread use of gabapentin

Gabapentin has become one of the nation's most commonly prescribed drugs in recent years, and some physicians are calling for greater scrutiny. According to the New York Times, nearly 6 million older adults were prescribed gabapentin, which was originally approved to treat epileptic seizures, for a wide array of conditions including arthritis, lower back pain, post-surgery pain, and fibromyalgia. Some physicians, however, believe that gabapentin is often inappropriately prescribed, and can lead to additional over-prescribing to manage the drug's side effects. The drug is also known to increase fall risk in some older patients.

Food recalls impact popular chain restaurants

To avoid that holiday pound (or two), think ahead about these strategies for making merry while avoiding scale shock:

* Resolve to stick with your ordinary portions of meat, veggie, and starch.

*Focus on visiting. Of course, that piece of pecan pie is probably never on your home menu, but if that is the treat you want, cut a small piece. If you are on a diet plan, remember that one piece of pie doesn't ruin your diet forever. Your job is to get back on your meal plan the next day.

Raw onions have been identified as the culprit in a recent deadly E. coli outbreak that has sickened dozens of people in at least ten states and caused one death. According to NBC News, grower Taylor Farms sold tainted raw slivered onions to selected McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC restaurants. The restaurants have all temporarily removed raw onions from their menus in the affected regions.

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