The holidays are a time for gathering with your family and friends, feasting on homemade goodies and preparing for winter's onslaught. But, it's also time for being conscious of potential holiday health hazards.

Try these tips from Texas A&M University’s Health Science Center to deal with everything from allergies to alcohol so your holidays can wind up joyful and enjoyable.

Don't get SAD

While the holidays are full of cheer and merrymaking, you can also lapse into loneliness, sadness, anxiety and depression. Seasonal affective disorder—ironically known by the acronym SAD—is a mood disorder linked to seasonal variations of day length. Symptoms can begin in the fall, usually peak in the winter and subside in the spring, says Dr. David J. Earnest, a neuroscience expert at Texas A&M's medical school in College Station.

Women are at much higher risk—they make up 70 percent to 80 percent of the cases, he adds.

As seasons change, your "biological internal clock," which regulates your body's circadian rhythms is altered due partly to sunlight pattern changes. As a result, your normal daily schedules may get out of sync with your biological clocks. Disturbances in circadian rhythms also play a role in diabetes, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular problems, he warns.

Short days and less light in the winter means night-time levels melatonin, a sleep-related hormone, are produced for longer periods, perhaps bringing about depression symptoms. Doctors often prescribe phototherapy or bright light therapy for SAD sufferers, an hour's walk in winter sunlight is just as effective, Earnest suggests.
 
Watch what you eat

An entire day of holiday feasting can result in more than just a full stomach or heartburn: it can trigger gastroesophageal reflux disease, better known as GERD, a backflow of acid into the esophagus. Everyone experiences this intense feeling at some point, usually as heartburn, but its persistence may be a sign of GERD.

Dr. Donald Rawls, who specializes in internal medication, nutrition, and gastrointestinal problems,  recommends:

•  Eating smaller meals;

•  Avoiding excess alcohol;

•  Staying away from acidic foods and juices;

•  Elevating your head four to six inches from the bed and avoiding eating and drinking within two hours of bedtime if you're experiencing GERD symptoms.

Keep tabs on blood sugar

For those with diabetes, the holiday months can add additional stress, inches to the waistline and, unfortunately, high blood sugars. Remembering the basics of meal planning and staying active will enable you to sail through beyond New Year's, says Rachel Villarreal, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator.

Among her recommendations are:

•  Watching portion sizes;

•  Identifying holiday foods, such as stuffing, rolls, sweet potatoes, corn, tamales and seasonal desserts, that contain carbohydrates to better manage blood sugars;

•  Maintaining consistent and desirable levels of blood sugar by eating the same time each day;

•  Enjoying a small snack if a normal meal is delayed;

•  Exercising;

•  Monitoring your blood sugar more often each day.

Chase away this holiday pest

People with asthma and allergies face unique health challenges during the winter holidays. Advance preparation and preventive planning can make it much more enjoyable, says Dr. David Weldon, who directs a university-related allergy lab.

One important step is to take your medications. Secondly, determine if any family members or friends have allergies and prepare "safe" foods accordingly. Check restaurant menus, and have an epinephrine injection kit available in case of a reaction.

"For those with food allergies, a good rule of thumb is, 'If in doubt, don't eat out,'" Weldon says. "This especially holds true during the holidays when you don't always know what's in prepared foods."

Other tips include:

•  Dusting off old or used holiday decorations;

•  Limiting or removing scented candles, potpourri and other similar items;

•  Avoiding mountain cedar Christmas trees and pine-scented sprays.

Watch your booze

As with any time of the year, alcohol moderation is the key. Alcohol depresses your inhibitions and leads you to do things you otherwise wouldn't normally do, such as overeat and make a jerk of yourself, says Dr. Robert Wiprud, a Texas A&M family-medicine expert.

Of course, he warns, women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant should avoid booze, which can interfere with growth and development of the fetus. Ditto for people diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, seizure disorders or on medications, especially for anxiety and depression, he adds.

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.