How To Keep Yourself & Your Family Healthy This Holiday Season

Lists are always helpful this time of year. The holidays are obviously a busy time of year for so many of us. Keeping lists of all the groceries to buy, presents to pick out, etc. can be incredibly helpful for keeping yourself organized and on track through the holiday season. With this in mind, the healthcare providers at Abraham Family Medicine wanted to provide our readers with a list of our own. We understand that with so much going on during the holidays, it can be difficult to make your health and wellbeing a priority. However, it’s well established that the holiday season is one of the most common times people get sick due to all the traveling, stress, and large gatherings.

To help our readers hopefully avoid getting sick this year, we have created this checklist of holiday season health tips:

• Make regular hand washing a priority. We know that in the wake of COVID-19, people are washing and sanitizing their hands more than ever. But it’s worth reiterating that washing your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water for 20 seconds can effectively prevent the spread of germs associated with the flu, the common cold, and other seasonal health issues.
• Try to keep your stress in check. If you feel yourself getting overly stressed out, give yourself a break. We recommend talking to someone about how you’re feeling, connecting with the special people in your life that can help, and making sure to prioritize getting plenty of nightly sleep.
• Make sure your vaccinations are up to date. With all the talk of COVID-19 vaccinations in recent months, it’s important not to forget the importance of getting an annual flu shot this time of year. Doing so can help drastically decrease your chances of contracting the flu and getting seriously ill.
• Make healthy choices. Try not to overeat. We know this is easier said than done, but practicing some moderation can be incredibly helpful. Make an effort to eat some fresh fruit and vegetables during big holiday meals when you can and try to eat a light lunch if you know a big dinner is coming. Making sure to get exercise during this time of year is also incredibly important.

One excellent way to promote health and wellness this holiday season is to schedule an end-of-year annual check-up with your healthcare provider. It can be incredibly helpful and reassuring to step into the new year with a clean bill of health. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. We offer a wide variety of general healthcare services for people of all ages at our Snellville office, located very close to Grayson, Dacula, Lilburn, Lawrenceville, Lithonia, Loganville, and Stone Mountain.