We all know that the holidays are a very busy time of year.

And if you follow me, you know that I am all about simplifying the holidays while maintaining the magic.

When it’s time to make the holiday dinner, we are often already exhausted and overwhelmed…not the best time to be cooking a difficult meal.

So simple but great ideas are like:

1.  Slow Cooker Roast Beef
2.  Parmesan Chicken Casserole
3. Christmas Chile Cheese Enchilada Recipe
4. Instant Pot Garlic Rosemary Pot Roast
5. Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Gravy Recipe
6. Slow Cooker Lasagna

Simply Well Balanced (25 Easy Non-Traditional Christmas Dinner Ideas – Simply Well Balanced)

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of your bronchial tubes. These tubes carry air to and from your lungs. People who have bronchitis often cough up thickened mucus, which can be discolored. Bronchitis may start suddenly and be short term (acute) or start gradually and become long term (chronic).

Bronchitis is more common in winter and often develops after a cold, sore throat, or flu. The main symptom is a hacking cough, which may bring up yellow-green mucus (phlegm).

Acute bronchitis, which often develops from a cold or other respiratory infection, is very common. Also called a chest cold, acute bronchitis usually improves within a week to 10 days without lasting effects, although the cough may linger for weeks.

Chronic bronchitis, a more serious condition, is a constant irritation or inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, often due to smoking. If you have repeated bouts of bronchitis, you may have chronic bronchitis, which requires medical attention. Chronic bronchitis is one of the conditions included in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

If you have acute bronchitis, you may have cold symptoms, such as:

• Cough
• Production of mucus (sputum), which can be clear, white, yellowish-gray or green in color — rarely, it may be streaked with blood
• Sore throat
• Mild headache and body aches
• Slight fever and chills
• Fatigue
• Chest discomfort
• Shortness of breath and wheezing

While these symptoms usually improve in about a week, you may have a nagging cough that lingers for several weeks.

For chronic bronchitis, signs and symptoms may include:

• Cough
• Production of mucus
• Fatigue
• Chest discomfort
• Shortness of breath

Chronic bronchitis is typically defined as a productive cough that lasts at least three months, with bouts that recur for at least two consecutive years. If you have chronic bronchitis, you’re likely to have periods when your cough or other symptoms worsen. It’s also possible to have an acute infection on top of chronic bronchitis.

When to see a doctor:

Contact your doctor or clinic for advice if your cough:

• Is accompanied by a fever higher than 100.4 F (38 C).
• Produces blood.
• Is associated with serious or worsening shortness of breath or wheezing.
• Includes other serious signs and symptoms, for example, you appear pale and lethargic, have a bluish tinge to your lips and nail beds, or have trouble thinking clearly or concentrating.
• Lasts more than three weeks.

Before you go in, your doctor or clinic can give you guidance on how to prepare for your appointment.

“CPI’s 5 Tips for Holiday Party Safety  

1. Keep Valuables Secure 
2. Monitor Alcohol Consumption 
3. Protect Your Property 
4. Manage Guest List Effectively 
5. Have a Plan for Handling Disruptions“

CPI (How to Host a Holiday Party Without Compromising Safety | CPI Security®)

• “U.S. prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is estimated between 2.4 and 3.1 million, with differing burden across groups.
• IBD prevalence and health care costs are rising.
• In 2018, the total annual U.S. health care costs for IBD were about $8.5 billion.
• Biologic prescription drugs have shifted the patterns of cost and service use.”

Cener for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC (IBD Facts and Stats | IBD | CDC)

“Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are both inflammatory bowel diseases with many similarities. Nevertheless, there are some key differences between the two conditions that affect how they are managed. Both Crohn’s diseases and ulcerative colitis cause digestive distress and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. However, unlike Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis is linked to a response of the immune system.

CDC states the following:

• “Influenza (flu) and the common cold are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses.
• Colds and flu share many symptoms, so it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone.
• Cold symptoms are usually milder than flu.
• Special tests can tell if a person is sick with flu.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/coldflu.html)

“Influenza has a long history of devastating epidemics throughout human history, most notably the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic which infected a large portion of the world’s population and caused millions of deaths; today, the influenza vaccine is crucial because the virus constantly mutates, requiring annual vaccination to prevent widespread outbreaks and reduce the severity of illness in individuals, especially those at high risk of complications. The flu pandemic lasts from 1918 to 1920. From spring of 1918 to spring of 1919, the flu causes more than 550,000 deaths in the U.S. and more than 20 million deaths worldwide.

In the fall of 1918 at Mayo Clinic, people with the flu and other contagious illnesses are cared for in the isolation hospital. Keeping patients with these illnesses isolated and keeping high standards of cleanliness likely prevented infections and saved lives.

 From 2020 Flu vaccines prevent about 7.5 million illnesses, 3.7 million doctor visits, 105,000 hospital stays and 6,300 deaths.”

MAYO CLINIC (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/history-disease-outbreaks-vaccine-timeline/flu)

“Flu viruses are divided into four types: A, B, C, and D. During flu season (October through May), you’ll mostly hear about flu A and flu B. Flu C viruses only cause mild illness in humans and are not linked to large outbreaks. Flu D viruses do not appear to infect humans at all and are mainly found in cattle.

Now that we know there are two main types of flu viruses that affect humans, you may be wondering: Which flu is worse, A or B? Answering that question starts with learning more about their differences and how they affect us.

While flu A and flu B both cause seasonal flu, there are several differences in terms of their structure, behavior, and who they impact.

Flu A is the more common of the two main flu types, making up about 75% of all cases.”

National Council on Aging – NCOA (https://www.ncoa.org/article/whats-the-difference-between-flu-a-and-flu-b/)