It’s already November, and the holidays are approaching at an alarming speed! Everyone is about to get a lot busier in all aspects of life! With so much to prepare, first for Thanksgiving and then Christmas and New Year, it is inevitable that something will fall by the wayside. Don’t let your health be the first casualty. Here are a few tips from your local family owned pharmacy in TN to help you stay in good health this holiday season!
1 - Wash Your Hands
It’s already flu season, and one of the most effective ways to stop the spread is to wash your hands often! Use soap and clean running water, making sure you wash them for at least 20 seconds each time to eliminate germs. It is particularly important to wash your hands before and after handling food, before you eat, after touching animals, after sneezing or coughing, and after going to the restroom.
2 - Stay Warm & Dry
As the weather starts to get cooler, make sure you are prepared! This can be especially important if you are traveling out of state for Thanksgiving to a different climate! Have appropriate outdoor clothing and dress in light, warm layers. Keep some gloves and waterproof boots handy if you need to be out in the rain or snow. Keeping warm and dry can help you to prevent colds.
3 - Give Up Smoking
Why wait for New Year’s Eve to quit smoking? You already know how much damage it is doing to your health, so while we are working on having a healthy holiday season, why not commit to quitting now? Your local family owned pharmacy in TN can help you with advice and aids to make giving up smoking easier. Ask us about patches, gum, and lozenges to help curb the craving.
4 - Fasten Your Seatbelt
The holiday season usually means a lot more travel. Whether on road trips to see family and friends in different parts of the country or just a bunch of extra trips to the grocery store or the mall, make sure you fasten your seatbelt on every trip. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 3 hours drive or a ten-minute trip to the store. Buckle up every time - the number of car accidents increases around Thanksgiving. It is crucial to ensure that children are strapped into the appropriate car seat for their size, age, and weight.
5 - Don’t Delay Exams & Screenings
When life gets busy, it is easy to push aside those seemingly unnecessary appointments to make room for other tasks. You feel great, so why should you go for that breast screening or blood pressure check? The answer is that it is essential to attend such appointments if you want to stay healthy. Make sure you attend any screenings and exams you might need based on your medical history. Some things are worth making time for.
6 - Brush Up on Food Safety
Did you know that most outbreaks of Clostridium perfringens, aka food poisoning, occur in November and December? It probably has a lot to do with us cooking in larger volumes and dealing with more leftovers than usual. There is also the fact that we cook foods that are not in our every day repertoire, so we may be doing it incorrectly. The CDC has some great tips on cooking your turkey safely and storing your leftovers to avoid food poisoning.
7 -Eat Healthy
For many of us, the holiday season is all about excess, but for the sake of your health, it is important to try and be mindful of what you eat. Make sure you add plenty of fruits and vegetables to your plate and limit your portion sizes of foods high in fats and sugars. We all know that feeling after a huge Thanksgiving Dinner of being too full to move, yet we make those same mistakes every time. If you know you will overindulge, you might want to stop by your family owned pharmacy in TN before the big meal to pick up some indigestion remedies to ease that discomfort.
8 - Stay Active
As the days grow shorter and the weather turns colder, it is easy to stay comfortable and cozy inside! However, it is important to try and stay active over the holiday season, especially if you want to help burn off those extra treats! A good rule of thumb for most people is around 2.5 hours of exercise every week. That could be something as simple as going for a walk every day. Anything to get your heart pumping and your body moving!
9 - Get Your Vaccines
Get Flu season off to a good start by ensuring you and your family are vaccinated. Most people over the age of 6 months should be vaccinated where possible in order to help stop the spread of the Flu. You can get your Flu shot at Vaughn Pharmacy, your local family owned pharmacy in TN. You won’t need an appointment.
These are just a few of the tips your family owned pharmacy in TN has to offer for general health and well-being over the holidays. If you need more specific advice, don’t hesitate to visit us and talk to one of our friendly pharmacists.
Your Hometown Pharmacy Since 1966
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Vaughn Pharmacy is a local, family-owned pharmacy serving the community in Powell, TN. Specializing in providing personalized and attentive prescription programs to our patients, we believe you are more than just a number – you’re part of our family!
(865) 947-1581