Feature Channels: Winter Holidays

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For 50 years, Wake Forest University has carried forward this rich Moravian service.

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Holidays with family can be dicey under the best of circumstances; but when children with special needs are involved, some care must be taken, said occupational therapy professor Dr. Varleisha Gibbs at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

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During the holidays, the very variety and complexity of foods served can make it difficult for someone with a food allergy to know what to avoid and what to try.

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While mainstream medicine recommends eating right, exercising and getting your flu shot to stay healthy during cold weather months, Eastern medicine takes this advice a step further.

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Spending less than one hour a day preparing food at home is associated with eating more fast food and spending more money eating out, finds new research in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Not having time available may be one of the most significant barriers to achieving a healthy diet.

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On Thanksgiving Day, good eating habits spiral out of control and exercise plans are thrown out the window resulting in undesired weight gain.

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Record-setting winter weather in the U.S. has led to lots of road condition advisories, but could there also be a slip and fall alert?

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As temperatures continue to plunge and snowfall levels increase across the tri-state region, a physical therapy professor at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia reminds individuals the exertion, cold weather, and slippery surfaces snow shovelers face in these conditions are a dangerous combination.

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Winter sports can be dangerous. Allston Stubbs, M.D.'s tips will help keep you injury-free.

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Winter time woes extend beyond cold temperatures and sometimes gloomy weather. Your skin can react negatively to the constant temperature changes as you move indoor to outdoor for daily living activities. Rita Pichardo-Geisinger, M.D., of the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center dermatology department, is part of an internationally renowned team of clinicians who provide quality care for patients. Pichardo-Geisinger provides tips that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine to help keep your skin and hair in prime condition. - Use a fragrance free soap – “Perfumes and additives can dry the skin which can lead to flaking and itching or exacerbate conditions like eczema.” - Use a moisturizing lotion after the shower – “When you apply a moisturizer to damp skin right after showering, this helps seal in water to prevent skin from drying out. A moisturizer helps to act as a barrier of protection for your skin. Look for one that has ceramides, a new technology that helps resto

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Temperatures in the next few days are predicted to be the coldest of the winter so far, and people using space heaters to get some extra warmth into their living and working spaces need to be aware of a potential “silent killer” inside their homes and offices — carbon monoxide (CO).

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The first Monday after the holidays can be a depressing time for people coping with post-holiday letdown or depression triggered by short days called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This year, First Monday will be especially blue, due to the added stress of the brutal cold in many parts of the country.

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SLU family physician says simple changes to lifestyle can relieve stress

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The holiday season is usually a time of joy but it also brings the potential for poisonings, according to the Drug and Poison Information Center (DPIC), a service of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. The following information includes safety hazards and precautionary ways to ensure that families have a safe holiday season. (DPIC is open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The center can be reached by calling 513-636-5111 or toll free at 1-800-222-1222.)

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During the holidays, the goal should be to set the course somewhere “between Hallmark and heartache,” a Vanderbilt psychiatrist says. In other words, don’t strive for the perfect (you won’t achieve it), and recognize and deal head-on with some of the stressors of the season.

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While it is true that suicide rates are actually lower at the holidays compared to other times of the year, the holidays can be a very lonely time for those with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. As a result, the hospital emergency department sees an increase in visits from people who have engaged in potentially self-destructive or depressive behavior. “For those who have no support system, no friends, family, loved ones or even coworkers, the holidays can prove very deadly,” said Mark DeSilva, MD, medical director, Emergency Department, Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, part of the Loyola University Health System.

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Saturday, December 21 marks the official start of winter and many states have already been pelted by a season of snow and ice. Broken bones from snowboarding and sledding top the list of common visits to the Emergency Department (ED) during the winter months. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-quarter of all emergency hospital visits are attributed to snowboarding accidents, and half of all cases were for broken bones and sprains.

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For many people, the holidays are a time for family, travel, gifts, food, stress -- and romance (for better or for worse). Mid-December through mid-February is considered a peak period for online dating, said Justin Garcia, scientific advisor for the international online dating site Match.com and faculty member at Indiana University's Kinsey Institute and Department of Gender Studies.

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The potential for misuse of prescription drugs and alcohol during the holidays increases because of social gatherings, tradition and travel, so public health experts at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington have a simple message: lock up your Rx drugs and be mindful of the amount of alcohol you consume and make available.

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Cornell Climate Center uses half century of data to predict best cities for a White Christmas and a dry New Year’s Eve

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Amy Tiemeier, Pharm.D., BCPS, associate professor of pharmacy practice at St. Louis College of Pharmacy suggests four easy resolutions for a healthier 2014.

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Will you be Naughty or Nice behind the wheel this holiday season? State Farm and KRC Research conducted an online survey of 1,000 U.S drivers over 18 years old and learned there’s room for improvement. According to the survey nearly two out of three (64 percent) U.S. drivers have experienced an act of aggressive driving six times or more in the past three months from another driver.

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On a campus where the average snowfall tops 200 inches, students celebrate their winter weather with a Winter Carnival every February.

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When it snows, most children have fun by engaging in snowball fights, sledding, building snowmen, and making snow angels. However, it is important for parents to prepare their children for the cold weather. Outside activities are wonderful as long as appropriate safety precautions are taken.

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With the excitement of the holidays, parents and relatives eagerly purchase the hottest toys and latest items for their children. But it’s during the hustle and bustle of the season that many fail to buy age appropriate gifts for their children, and they tend to disregard warnings on these toys and gifts to ensure they are safe. Doctors at the Comprehensive Children’s Injury Center at Cincinnati Children’s and the American Academy of Pediatrics give the following tips on toy safety this holiday season:

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Each new year brings family pledges of adopting a healthier and more active lifestyle. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages parents to help their kids learn to make healthier food choices and engage in regular physical activity by being a good role model.

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For many, the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year. Unfortunately, unwanted stress and depression can derail holiday cheer when trying to juggle all of the parties, family gatherings, shopping, baking, cooking and more.

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Snowplows are getting more intelligent this winter, thanks to a new digital intelligence system that equips them with custom sensors to measure road and weather conditions. The system, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and designed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, is intended to reduce accidents and save states millions in winter maintenance costs.

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This festive NASA Hubble Space Telescope image resembles a holiday wreath made of sparkling lights. The bright southern hemisphere star RS Puppis, at the center of the image, is swaddled in a gossamer cocoon of reflective dust illuminated by the glittering star. Hubble took a series of photos of light flashes rippling across the nebula in a phenomenon known as a "light echo."

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While the cold weather can discourage even the most motivated athletes, exercise science professor Heidi Freeman, PhD, at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia has compiled seasonal fitness tips to keep individuals fit, inspired, and warm during the winter months.

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Traveling long distances during the holidays -- whether by car, plane or train -- is a common custom for many Americans, but taking health precautions for the journey isn’t often at the top of to-do lists. Taking some simple steps to stay healthy while traveling can make the holidays more enjoyable and safe, according to a Mayo Clinic expert.

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The holiday season is here and families are gathering to spend quality time together. Families are often diverse and can include in-laws, step-relatives, relatives who are of a different ethnicity or religion, and unresolved sibling tensions. Trying to successfully interact with a diverse mix of family members can add stress to the holiday season.

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Whether it’s “A Christmas Story,” “The Santa Clause” or “Elf,” dads play a vital role in recent popular Christmas media. In real-life holiday scenarios, fathers do as well…and that’s true whether dads are merry makers or Christmas curmudgeons.

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As Santa puts the finishing touches on gifts for those on the nice list it’s important for parents to make sure wish list items bring joy, not tragedy, on Christmas morning.

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Saint Leo University Polling Institute conducted a national survey of 1002 adults between December 1-6 asking them about their preferences for sending holiday cards, receiving holiday cards, gifts received and holiday shopping.

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Children around the world look to Santa Claus as a model of good behavior. But can this sleigh-riding bearer of goodies also be a model good health habits for adults?

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Summer allergies are over but winter allergies are in full bloom, says Joseph Leija, MD, allergist at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital who performs the official allergy count for the Midwest.

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Cinnamon, nutmeg and marshmallows provide more than a taste of holiday spice or a sugar rush. They are the ingredients for recipes for trendy risky games played by many to disastrous consequences. “The envelope is always being pushed to create something new that will get attention, potentially create a drug-like effect and can pass under the radar of law enforcers,” says Christina Hantsch, MD, toxicologist, Department of Emergency Medicine at Loyola University Health System.

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Arizona State University Associate Professor and family therapist Larry Dumka offers insight into making the most of the season by focusing on things that really matter to you and those you love.