When planning your holiday meals this season, you may have keep in mind friends or family members with a food allergy or intolerance. Allergic reactions might include itching, abdominal cramps, drop in blood pressure or trouble breathing. Learn how to avoid cross-contamination when cooking and how to manage food allergies on our health topic page.
Keep utensils and cooking surfaces clean and separate raw meats from other foods. Cook meats to the recommended internal temperature to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat. Chill raw foods and cold items so that no bacteria grows. If you leave food out, discard after two hours sitting at room temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that is most commonly experienced during the fall and winter months. Symptoms of SAD include low energy, social withdrawal, and trouble sleeping. Increasing Vitamin D or using light therapy are common treatments for SAD.
Lyme Disease or Flu?
Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bite of an infected tick. It can be hard to diagnose because it’s symptoms are often flu-like such as headaches, fever, and body aches. So how do doctors test for lyme disease? Typically a simple blood test is administered, but in some severe cases a cerebrospinal fluid test is needed as well.