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The official holiday season is right around the corner, and while it’s a joyful time, there are many things we do during the holidays that are toxic.
We eat too many heavy, salty meals, drink too much alcohol, forgo our normal exercise routines, forget our medications and delay medical care due to the busyness of the season or our travel plans.
Over the next three months, thousands of patients around the country will experience what doctors refer to as “holiday heart,” or heart failure triggered by eating too much salt or too large a meal.
There is also substantial evidence to suggest not only physical stress but emotional stress can precipitate cardiac conditions.
If you are a cardiac or ER nurse, you are probably already aware that the three most common days for fatal heart attacks are Christmas Day, December 26 and New Year’s Day.
A multitude of factors play into the “Merry Christmas coronary” and “Happy Hanukkah heart attack” phenomenons. Follow these tips (and encourage your patients to do so) to avoid heart problems this season:
1. Eat sensibly. Limit yourself to just a few indulgences during the holidays, and push the plate away when you’re full.
2. Exercise regularly. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can help — and a brisk walk after dinner may even aid in digestion!
3. Drink responsibly. Sip just one glass of wine per evening, and don’t go overboard at a holiday party. Pouring five or six glasses of wine (or downing five beers) in one sitting negates the potential health benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation.
4. Plan some time for yourself. With so many events to attend and family members to shop for, it’s easy to become overwhelmed during the holidays. Be sure to schedule some downtime, whether it’s simply watching a favorite movie with your best friend or getting a massage.
5. Learn coping strategies that work for you to manage the added holiday stress. Try taking deep breaths when you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, or go outside for a few minutes to clear your head.
