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s we wish each other health and happiness, let’s start by addressing some holiday health and safety concerns.
First, a few data points: during the winter holidays, people tend to go to the emergency room more frequently. Reasons vary from mundane to metaphysical.
• Auto accidents:
Some accidents stem from driving while tired or intoxicated; other causes include people traveling to unfamiliar locations and driving during winter conditions.
• Decorating accidents:
This Holiday Season,
Think Safety by Jennifer Webster
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 15,000 people visit the ER in a year for decorating-related mishaps. (That time frame includes Thanksgiving, but not New Year’s.) The most common culprit for injury? Falling from a ladder. Stepping on broken ornaments can also be a problem.
• Overeating:
A little extra turkey ... and dressing ... and ham ... and pie ... and you’re on the way to indigestion that can feel like a heart attack. It’s even called “heart” burn. But it’s not always a false alarm: For people who already have cardiac problems, a heavy meal can trigger angina and heart arrhythmia, according to a University of California physician.
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OutreachNC.com | DECEMBER 2016