Holiday Stress

I was going to write an entire post about dealing with stress during the holiday season, but then I saw exactly what I was going to say printed in my church bulletin.

Dealing With Holiday Stress

Levels of stress increase during the holiday season, as people tend to overextend themselves and commit to doing more than they possibly can in the limited time they have. This season is stressful even if what people commit themselves to are events that should be enjoyable, such as attending parties and visiting family.

The causes of stress are plentiful -- but with a little planning and some tips from the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service, the holidays can be much less stressful.

-- Don't commit to more than you can handle. If there is not enough time in which to do a project, decide not to do it. Make sure to balance your obligations with things that you want to do. Plan your time and stick to your plan.

-- Maintain your health. Monitor what you eat and drink, make sure you are getting enough sleep and stick to your exercise program.

-- When shopping, stay within your budget so that gift giving does not become another source of stress. Plan in advance when and how you will do your shopping. This way, you are less likely to be overwhelmed.

-- Acknowledge feelings of grief and loss if they exist. If you are separated from family or friends or have suffered a loss in your family, realize that the feeling of loss in normal. Allow yourself to express this grief and emotions.

-- Avoid unrealistic expectations. Don't be so critical of yourself or others if things fail to go as planned. Remember, too, the magic of the holidays will probably not solve your personal or family problems.

One more note from me. Remember to keep your focus on the real meaning of the season and you're bound to have a happier holiday.

Food Safety Tips

I know it's not a pleasant topic, but foodborne illnesses can quickly change a happy holiday gathering in to something memorable for less-than-pleasant reasons. But following safe food handling practices will lessen our chances of getting sick during the holidays.

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, typical symptoms of foodborne illness include stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, which often start a few days after consuming contaminated food or drink. The symptoms usually aren't long-lasting in healthy people — a few hours or a few days — and go away without treatment. But foodborne illness can be severe and even life-threatening to those most at risk, FDA officials say. Those most at risk include older adults, infants and young children; pregnant women; people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or any condition that weakens their immune systems.

The following is some food safety tips from the FDA. Most of us already follow proper food handling procedures, but it can't hurt to get a reminder:

1. Clean: The first rule of safe food preparation in the home is to keep everything clean.

* Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food. (Just Mom has Just Son sing "Happy Birthday" slowly while washing his hands.)

* Wash food-contact surfaces (cutting boards, dishes, utensils, countertops) after preparing each food item and before going on to the next item.

* Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water and use a produce brush to remove surface dirt.

* Do not rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking. Washing these foods makes it more likely for bacteria to spread to areas around the sink and countertops.

2. Separate: Don't give bacteria the opportunity to spread from one food to another (cross-contaminate).

* Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood and their juices away from foods that won't be cooked while shopping in the store, and while preparing and storing at home.

* Consider using one cutting board only for foods that will be cooked (raw meat, poultry, and seafood) and another one only for ready-to-eat foods (such as raw fruits and vegetables).

*Do not put cooked meat on an unwashed plate that has held raw meat.

3. Cook: Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria.

* Use a food thermometer to make sure meat, poultry, and fish are cooked to a safe internal temperature. To check a turkey for doneness, insert a food thermometer into the inner thigh area near the breast of the turkey but not touching bone. The turkey is done when the temperature reaches 180ºF. If the turkey is stuffed, the temperature of the stuffing should be 165ºF. Make sure oysters in oyster dressing are thoroughly cooked.

* Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating.

* Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. When making your own eggnog or other recipe calling for raw eggs, use pasteurized shell eggs, liquid or frozen pasteurized egg products, or powdered egg whites.

* Don't eat uncooked cookie dough, which may contain raw eggs.

4. Chill: Refrigerate foods quickly because harmful bacteria grow rapidly at room temperature.

* Refrigerate leftovers and takeout foods within two hours.

* Set your refrigerator no higher than 40ºF and the freezer at 0ºF. Check both periodically with an appliance thermometer.

* Never defrost food at room temperature. Food can be defrosted safely in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.

* Allow the correct amount of time to properly thaw food. For example, a 20-pound turkey needs two to three days to thaw completely when thawed in the refrigerator. If a turkey is not properly thawed, the outside of the turkey will be done before the inside, and the inside will not be hot enough to destroy disease-causing bacteria.

For More Information, visit http://www.foodsafety.gov/ or http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/.

Other numbers to know:

* FDA Food Information Line: 1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366)

* USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854)
TTY 1-800-256-7072

What's In Your Medicine Cabinet?

Many of us check the expiration dates of grocery items before serving it, but do you also check the expiration dates on the over-the-counter medicine you've purchased for your family?

I make it a habit of thoroughly organizing our medicine cabinet -- actually a shelf in one of our hall closets because humid conditions could speed up how quickly medicines lose their effectiveness -- each time we have to reset our clocks. That's when I check expiration dates and make a list of what items we'll need. I also quick-check our medicine shelf each time someone in this family gets ill, which seems to be at least once a month.

I don't remember when I started checking expiration dates on medicines. I just remember I started doing that after I took some expired pain reliever for a fever. I didn't have a violent reaction to it, thank goodness (probably because it had only been three months since it expired), but the ibuprofen I took didn't help relieve my pain at all. Since then I've become more vigilant in checking our health supplies.

In addition to checking expiration dates for oral medication, I also periodically check expiration dates of ointments I keep in the house, such as Co*rtaid and Neo*sporin.

So what should you keep in a medicine closet? The following is a list of recommended items from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. I keep my medicines and my first-aid supplies in separate plastic bins. I also keep my child's medicines in a separate basket.

--Analgesic (relieves pain)
--Antibiotic ointment (reduces risk of infection)
--Antacid (relieves upset stomach)
--Antihistamine (relieves allergy symptoms)
--Syrup of ipecac (induces vomiting) PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST BEFORE USING THIS.
--Decongestant (relieves stuffy nose and other cold symptoms)
--Fever reducer (adult and child)
--Hydrocortisone (relieves itching and inflammation)
--Antiseptic (helps stop infection)


--Adhesive bandages
--Adhesive tape
--Gauze pads
--Tweezers
--Thermometer
--Calibrated measuring spoon
--Alcohol wipes
--Disinfectant

Always remember to read label instructions before taking or giving any medication. If in doubt, call your pharmacist or your physician. Just Mom is not a doctor. I just play one at home.