The Christmas season brings cooler weather, which is ideal for wearing cozy clothes and drinking warm beverages. It also means getting invites to holiday parties, where you can enjoy delicious food and occasional holiday drinking. However, the lower temperature and overindulgence in these festive activities can affect your health and well-being. In some cases, they may lead to symptoms that may prevent you from fully enjoying the season’s merriment.
If you want to ensure you have a happy holiday celebration, watch out for these common ailments during the Christmas season and understand the best ways to avoid them.
Common Cold
While you can get a cold any time of the year, it’s very common during the cooler months. That’s because your body isn’t as effective at fighting viruses when cold air enters your nose and upper airways. As such, you’re more susceptible to getting sick from respiratory viruses. Some symptoms of the common cold include a runny nose, sore throat, sneezing, headaches, sneezing, and body aches.
While there’s no cure for the common cold, you can recover from it within seven to ten days. If you want to feel better faster, rest and drink plenty of fluids. Meanwhile, to alleviate cold symptoms, you can take paracetamol, decongestants, or throat lozenges. You can buy these medications from any physical and online drugstore Philippines location.
If you want to reduce the chances of catching a cold, stay away from people who are sick because the illness is airborne and highly contagious. In addition, because cold viruses can live on your hands, you can protect yourself by frequently washing your hands with soap and water. It will help reduce the chances of getting sick, so you won’t miss out on any holiday gatherings.
Flu
Another contagious respiratory illness is the flu. Similar to a cold, the flu is more apparent during the Christmas season due to the cold air and your body’s reduced capability to fight off viruses. Compared to the common cold, however, the flu is worse and the symptoms may feel more intense. It can also lead to more serious complications like pneumonia.
If you catch the flu, you may experience symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, runny nose, headaches, and body aches. The best way to relieve these symptoms is to rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take medications like paracetamol or ibuprofen. In more severe cases, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to reduce the duration of the flu, its severity, and the risk of developing complications.
Acid Reflux
In the Philippines, attending holiday parties is practically synonymous with feasting on scrumptious foods like lechon, queso de bola, and numerous desserts. However, overindulging can take a toll on your body. Eating large quantities and fatty foods with little to no rest in between can lead to ailments like acid reflux.
Acid reflux is the backflow of your stomach’s contents into your esophagus. When this happens, you may experience the feeling of heartburn or a mild burning sensation in your chest after meals or when you’re lying down. For quick relief, you can take antacids that will help neutralize your stomach acids. They’re available as over-the-counter drugs so you won’t need a doctor’s prescription to purchase them.
If you want to avoid the uncomfortable symptoms of acid reflux, avoid overeating and binging. Instead of eating several large meals, eat five or six small meals a day. At parties, eat smaller portions and select healthier alternatives like lean meats and vegetables. Also, don’t force yourself to eat more out of respect for the host; simply decline in a polite manner and leave it at that.
Intoxication
Aside from overindulging in holiday foods, it’s also common to have one too many drinks at Christmas celebrations. While you want to participate in the merriment, excessive consumption of liquor and other spirits can be harmful to your health. You can become intoxicated and experience symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, as well as loss of control over body movements and mental functions. As a result, you put yourself at risk of falls and related injuries.
That said, it’s best to know and stick to your limits when drinking anything alcoholic. This way, you can manage its effects on you and avoid getting intoxicated. If you’ll be driving, cooking, doing manual labor, or operating machinery, refrain from drinking liquor. This way, you can avoid putting yourself and other people at risk.
Food Poisoning
The Christmas season can be a very busy one. On top of your responsibilities at home and work, you may have several holiday parties to go to and presents to buy. As such, you may not have ample time to ensure that your food is safely and properly stored, prepared, or cooked. This may put you at risk of food poisoning and experience symptoms like nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, and fever.
To avoid such an ailment, cook chicken, beef, and pork dishes thoroughly. You should also wash raw vegetables and fruits before eating them. in addition, maintain proper cooking hygiene in the kitchen to prevent cross-contamination.
Being aware of these common health issues during the Christmas season allows you to have a better understanding of their causes and how to best avoid them. This way, you can stay healthy and enjoy the festivities. If you experience any symptoms of these conditions, apply proper first aid methods and consult your doctor immediately if you don’t notice improvements.
