As the saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” and that is true for navigating the holiday season of parties and festivities. It’s essential to enter the holiday season with a plan of mindfulness and moderation. If you go in with the right mindset, you can enjoy that half cup of rum-spiked eggnog without guilt or weight gain.  Part of successful planning is knowing some facts and stats about holiday food and alcohol consumption. For example, according to Harvard Health, by eating just 200 extra calories a day, you could pack on two to three pounds over the five- to six-week holiday...

During the season of giving, toy safety is crucial in protecting children and other gift recipients. To help remind all gift-givers to buy wisely, Prevent Blindness America has designated December as Safe Toys and Gifts Month. Parents and friends of children can take steps to facilitate safe gift-giving this season by making sure the toys they buy for young ones are appropriate and safe.  The Importance of Safe Gift-giving  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), emergency rooms treated about 224,200 toy-related injuries in 2019. Also, thousands of children 14 years...

The holidays can be a festive time for many family members and friends. However, many individuals are not so happy during these celebrations. According to a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) survey, 24 percent of respondents reported that the holidays make their mental health condition “a lot” worse, and 40 percent indicated “somewhat” worse. For people who suffer from a mental health condition, this time of year can be debilitating.  Causes of Mental Health Problems During the Holidays  The holiday season can be tough for anyone. The demands of gift-giving, decorating, planning meals,...

A potential gamechanger for the pandemic, Merck and Pfizer recently announced that each has developed an oral COVID-19 antiviral therapy and is seeking Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA. Pfizer's medication is called Paxlovid, and Merck's is molnupivravir. While vaccination remains the most important tool to curb the pandemic, these drugs could finally offer a viable treatment option for the infected.  Currently, limited treatment options are available. One such treatment, monoclonal antibodies, must be administered by IV or injection, requiring patients to travel to a hospital or infusion...

At the end of each year, we look forward to gathering with friends and family to celebrate the holidays. However, it is also the time of year seasonal influenza rears its ugly head.  Following a 2020 holiday season that kept many families apart, people are looking forward to enjoying a traditional holiday season. However, safety remains an outsized concern this year, and your best shot at protecting yourself and your loved ones is to get vaccinated against the flu.  This year, December 6-12, marks the start of National Influenza Vaccination Week. Getting this year’s flu vaccine is an excellent...