Alright, it’s the night before Thanksgiving.
How do you keep yourself out of the emergency department and at home with your family? 9NEWS Medical Expert Dr. Comilla Sasson is here with 9 tips to keep you safe this Thanksgiving holiday.
1) Don’t push it too hard at the Turkey Trot.
It’s estimated 1 million Americans will run or walk in one of the 1000+ Turkey Trot races. We are going to do this tomorrow as a family. Just make sure you don’t pull a hamstring or go for that PR if you haven’t been running or working out. But it is a fantastic way to get your day started. And, we know from research, if you work out in the morning, you are more likely to eat better throughout the day.
2) Stress-related issues
The holidays are a stressful time of year. Cortisol levels go up and can impact your heart, brain and other vital organs. Find a way to delegate or share the hosting responsibilities with others. And find time for yourself to do something to relax or take your mind off things.
3) Burns
There are typically losts of burn injuries Thanksgiving weekend. Clean the area with cool water and then put an ice pack on it immediately. Make sure the area is completely cleaned. Use some ibuprofen or Tylenol for pain. If you have a large burn area, burns on the hands or face or are a child/older adult, you may need to come to the ER.
4) Overzealous turkey-carving injuries
If you are going to cut something, make sure you set it down and use the proper type of knife. Consider an electric carving knife for the turkey. If you have a cut, put pressure on it immediately and ice if you can. Bleeding eventually does stop. But, if it doesn’t, then you may need to join all the other folks waiting to get stitched up in the ER.
5) Food poisoning
We see a lot of folks coming in with vomiting and diarrhea from bad food on Thanksgiving. Partly, this is because you may start your Thanksgiving festivities at 1 p.m. and leave your food out until 7 or 8 p.m. when the last visitors go home. All foods that are refrigerated or heated should not sit out more than 2 hours. There is a danger zone between 40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit where the bacteria rapidly multiply. And don’t forget the meat thermometers for your turkey, hams or whatever meat you are cooking. Although the pop-up thermometers are nice, they are not very reliable. You need to be able to check the temperature of the turkey in at least 2-3 places (in the thickest parts of the bird).
6) Cut and chew your food.
Cut those pieces of meat into smaller pieces, and make sure you chew your meat fully before you swallow. And, make sure you know the Heimlich maneuver, CPR and basic first aid just in case.
7) Too much salt
A lot of family and friends have congestive heart failure and other heart conditions. All that gravy, stuffing, turkey and added salt to the food can set off your fragile grandma’s heart failure. So, keep a close watch eye on her to make sure she sticks to the lower-sodium foods.
8) Alcohol-related injuries
What’s a family event without some drinks? DUIs are highest during the Thanksgiving weekend. CDOT will increase DUI enforcement Nov. 16-26. More than 600 people were arrested last year during this time. Use a taxi, Lyft or Uber if you are too impaired to drive.
9) Depression
The holidays can be a very lonely time of year for people. It can also be difficult for people to get out, especially if they are older. Find a person who may be by him or herself this holiday and reach out. It is so important!
Happy a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday!
Follow 9NEWS Medical Expert Dr. Comilla Sasson on Facebook and Twitter. Have a question for Dr. Comilla? Email her at c.sasson@9news.com.