Healthy Holidays: 6 Tips to Help Avoid Getting the Holiday Bah Humbug This Christmas by Joyce Knestrick, CRNP, FAANP

It’s way too easy to get sick around the holidays. Most of us have learned the hard way that the most wonderful time of the year is also the most germ-infested. It’s a double whammy, really. Not only do we break a lot of the hygiene rules that we so diligently follow the rest of the year, but we also tend to let self-care fall to the very bottom of the over-extended priority list. Here are my six tried-and-true tips to keep you from being the Grinch who got everyone sick this season: 

• Get your flu shot. It decreases your risk of getting sick by about half.

• Wash your hands. Wet, lather for 20 seconds and rinse.

• Sleep. Being run-down is practically an invitation to get sick.

• Skip the mistletoe. Close encounters are festive, but they spread germs, so embrace sparingly.

• Exercise. Regular activity prevents sickness.

• Eat well. It’s the season of indulgence, but mix in some crudité, too. 

‘Tis the season to spread holiday cheer, not germs! Try these basic stay-well strategies to make it through the holidays sniffle free. The healthier, the merrier!

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