Safer Toys this Season Thanks to New Legislation
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, enacted in 2008, requires that toys and infant products are tested before they are sold. This mandatory federal standard has also banned toxic chemicals like lead and phthalates in toys. Each year, more than 3 billion toys and games are sold in the United States, with 65 percent of these sales occurring between the day after Thanksgiving and the day before Christmas.
What are the chances of contracting the flu this winter? Based on annual statistics of influenza cases, it seems nearly impossible to avoid the flu. Every year there are nearly eight million cases of severe illness related to flu and up to 500,000 deaths worldwide. Surprisingly enough, your chances are strictly up to you. Only you are responsible for giving yourself the flu or flu-like illnesses. Germs are on dirty hands and by touching your eyes, nose or mouth you infect yourself with these germs, that is why ‘hand-awareness’ is important.
Holiday Weight Gain May Last A Lifetime
The New England Journal of Medicine recently published findings that suggest holiday weight gain may be a factor in obesity and obesity-related diseases. Overweight and obese individuals are more likely to gain five pounds during the holiday season, as compared to the one to three pounds gained by those who are not overweight. Unfortunately, studies also show that the extra weight gained during the holidays is not lost throughout the next year. Researchers believe weight stability during the fall and winter months may prove useful as a strategy to prevent age-related weight gain.
Tips to Halt Holiday Weight Gain
Increasing physical activity is an effective method for preventing weight gain during the holidays (and throughout the year). Schedule fitness into your daily routine to avoid holiday weight gain; determine how much time you will realistically have for working out each day. If you do not have time for a full workout, simply reduce the duration of your exercise. It is much better to cut your fitness time in half than to completely eliminate it.
