Birmingham, Ala.-based Brookwood Baptist Health offered advice on how to beat unhealthy habits associated with the holiday season — especially those emulated in Santa Claus.
Here are five habits Santa has that Brookwood physicians are telling their patients to monitor throughout the holidays.
1. Overweight. Santa's large mid-section raises concern for heart and vascular disease and obesity, among other ailments. "I tell people that the holiday is a day, and there is nothing wrong with splurging on the day," Cameron Askew, MD, a bariatric surgeon at Brookwood, said. "What gets people in trouble is extending that out a week, two weeks and the entire month of December. I emphasize [to my patients] there is nothing wrong with splurging — but don't take home leftovers."
2. Poor knees and back. Activities straining knees and back — like slinging a bag of toys over one's back — can manifest in knee and back issues. Brookwood physicians recommend enrolling in a weight control program or, if needed, looking into knee replacement.
3. Cherry-red nose. Brookwood physicians say eczema, rosacea, wind burn or frost bite can turn a person's nose red. An annual skin cancer screening or dermatologist visit can help detect problems.
4. Carpal tunnel syndrome. Santa writes and types lengthy lists. If symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome arise, physicians recommend dictating text with speech-recognition software on computers or smartphones to decrease stress on wrists and hands.
5. Diabetes. A holiday diet consisting of cookies, alcohol and other sweets can greatly affect patients with diabetes, especially those who are overweight. "The weight impacts everything," Dr. Askew said. "It makes your joint pain worse, increases risk for diabetes, hypertension, multiple cancers and the reoccurrence rate of cancers. [Foods and drinks] that surface at the holidays can get people in trouble."