Holiday Health Knowledge

Just read this interesting story from CBS website, clarifying the fact and fiction about holiday health related topics:

1. Most people gain 5-10lbs over the holidays - FALSE. The average weigh gain is actually about a pound between Thanksgiving and New Year.
2. Alcohol burns off in cooking - FALSE. You will not be able to cook or burn off all the alcohol.
3. You're more likely to die from a heart attack during the holidays - TRUE. The combination of stress and overindulgence may trigger a heart attack. Things that you can do: watch your stress levels, avoid excess alcohol/salt, take a break from shoveling snow, don't delay care.
4. Poinsettias are not toxic - TRUE. Poison Control Centers have reports of over 20,000 of human poinsettia ingestion with only minor side effects and no death.
5. Allergies hibernate in the winter - FALSE. Allergies don't hibernate in the winter.