The CDC says, “Brighten the holidays by making your health and safety a priority. Take steps to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy—and ready to enjoy the holidays.

1. Wash hands often to help prevent the spread of germs. It’s flu season. Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds.
2. Bundle up to stay dry and warm. Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: light, warm layers, gloves, hats, scarves, and waterproof boots.
3. Manage stress. Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and out of control. Some of the best ways to manage stress are to find support, connect socially, and get plenty of sleep.
4. Don’t drink and drive or let others drink and drive. Whenever anyone drives drunk, they put everyone on the road in danger. Choose not to drink and drive and help others do the same.
5. Be smoke-free. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. Smokers have greater health risks because of their tobacco use, but nonsmokers also are at risk when exposed to tobacco smoke.
6. Fasten seat belts while driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Always buckle your children in the car using a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt according to their height, weight, and age. Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip and encourage passengers to do the same.
7. Get exams and screenings. Ask your health care provider what exams you need and when to get them. Update your personal and family history.
8. Get your vaccinations. Vaccinations help prevent diseases and save lives. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year.
9. Monitor children. Keep potentially dangerous toys, food, drinks, household items, and other objects out of children’s reach. Protect them from drowning, burns, falls, and other potential accidents.
10. Practice fire safety. Most residential fires occur during the winter months, so don’t leave fireplaces, space heaters, food cooking on stoves, or candles unattended. Have an emergency plan and practice it regularly.
11. Prepare food safely. Remember these simple steps: Wash hands and surfaces often, avoid cross-contamination, cook foods to proper temperatures and refrigerate foods promptly.
12. Eat healthy, stay active. Eat fruits and vegetables which pack nutrients and help lower the risk for certain diseases. Limit your portion sizes and foods high in fat, salt, and sugar. Also, be active for at least 2½ hours a week and help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day.”

Reference: CDC

ENJOY YOUR THANKSGIVING!!

“All things in moderation, as the saying goes. The problem with the holiday season is that we often experience too much of a good thing. While stress itself is necessary for our survival and zest for life (researchers call this positive type of stress “eustress”), too much stress has a negative impact on our health, both mental and physical.”.

Love to Know (https://stress.lovetoknow.com under “Thanksgiving Stress Busters”.

“Its International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day.  Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the USA. The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men. Remembers 93% of adults surveyed in the U.S. think suicide can be prevented.”.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention-https://afsp.org

Our topic all weekend is the topic Suicide in America.

“Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It takes time. And a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with day one. Let the Great American Smokeout event on the third Thursday in November be your day to start your journey toward a smoke-free life. Lung cancer (both small cell and non-small cell) is the second most common cancer in
both men and women (not counting skin cancer1).”.

American Cancer Society-https://www.cancer.org

“Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causes many diseases, and reduces the health of smokers in general. Quitting smoking lowers your risk for smoking-related diseases and can add years to your life. Cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States. This is nearly one in five deaths.”.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

“Pancreatic cancer has often progressed to an advanced stage by the time it is diagnosed. Many patients come to NewYork-Presbyterian for pancreatic cancer care because of our innovative and aggressive approach. Patients who have been turned down for surgery at other centers have been successfully treated at NewYork-Presbyterian.

The care of people with pancreatic cancer is best handled by a multidisciplinary team of specialists with expertise in diagnosing and treating this disease and relieving symptoms. This is the approach we take at NewYork-Presbyterian.

NewYork-Presbyterian is home to two of the world’s most accomplished pancreatic programs.”

New York-Columbia Presbyterian Hospital Manhattan, NY

“Montefiore is a leader in diagnostic techniques, using cutting-edge fusion scan technology. With this imaging technique, we are able to assess the status of tumors both before and after surgical treatment more accurately than ever before. In addition, we employ state-of-the-art intra-operative imaging techniques that provide a clear picture of the tumor during the treatment itself, so that we can adjust our efforts as needed.”

Montefiore Hospital in Bronx, NY

“To diagnose pancreatitis and find its causes, doctors use your medical history, a physical exam, lab and imaging.   tests. Health care professionals may use lab or imaging tests to diagnose pancreatitis and find its causes. Diagnosing chronic pancreatitis can be hard in the early stages. Your doctor will also test for other conditions that have similar symptoms, such as peptic ulcers or pancreatic cancer.”.

MAYO CLINIC

“November is a month of empowerment, education and inspiration for communities far and wide who have been touched by pancreatic cancer.  In 2021 in the U.S., there will be an estimated 1,898,160 new cancer cases. Smoking is one of the most important risk factors for pancreatic cancer. The risk of getting pancreatic cancer is about twice as high among people who smoke compared to those who have never smoked. About 25% of pancreatic cancers are thought to be caused by cigarette smoking. Cigar smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco products also increase the risk. However, the risk of pancreatic cancer starts to drop once a person stops smoking .”

American Cancer Society

“This year’s flu season will be particularly brutal, experts say. Usually, flu seasons are easier to handle when some portion of the population has a natural immunity, due to getting infected the previous year. But since many Americans spent last fall and winter relentlessly washing hands and socially distancing, fewer people than normal got the flu. That means an above-average number of people are at risk now, especially as more Americans have let down their guard against Covid in recent months.  The best way to prevent getting the flu is to get the flu vaccine,”.

CNBC Make It (https://www.cnbc.com)