BODY. MIND. LIFE. NEWSLETTER December 2017
Safety first: Holiday decorations
Although decorative lights are great for getting your home ready for the holidays, they can also present a safety risk if they aren’t displayed and maintained properly. Here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that your home is safe during the holidays:
• When you’re buying decorations, always check to see if the product has a label that indicates that it has been independently tested by an organization like Underwriters Laboratories. • Inspect all lights before you use them. If you notice any damaged cords or plugs, discard those lights immediately. • Also, if you need to replace any bulbs, make sure that the lights are unplugged first. • Use a ladder made of nonconductive materials when you hang lights outside to reduce the risk of electrocution. • Check to see if your lights were designed for indoor or outdoor use. Although most decorative lights have basic waterproofing, indoor lights can present a serious risk of electrocution or fire if they’re used outside.
3 Charitable giving ideas for this holiday season
For some, the holiday season is synonymous with charitable giving and showing kindness to your friends, family and even strangers. With that season once again upon us, here are three best practices for charitable giving: 1. Consider what charity you want to help. Choosing a charity can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Think about what is important to you. Once you’ve identified the type of charity you want to help, you can use GuideStar, a website that provides as much information as possible about IRS-registered charities, to find nonprofits that support the causes that are important to you. You can enter in your location as well to find charities that are close to where you live or work. 2. Conduct a little research before you donate. Unfortunately, despite the fact that there are numerous charitable organizations, not all of them are as reputable as they may claim. In addition to researching the
charity on GuideStar, you can also look up your chosen charity on a website called Charity Navigator to see how the charity spends its money and uses donations.
3. Consider how you want to give. There are many ways for you to donate. Regardless of how you give or how many charities you donate to, you should keep in mind that there are processing costs associated with every donation that you make.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive, nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as professional advice. Readers should contact a health professional for appropriate advice. © 2017 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.
Body • Mind • Life Newsletter - December 2017
Old Fashioned Bread Pudding Makes: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS • 5 slices of bread • 2 Tbsp. butter • ¼ tsp. cinnamon • ⅓ cup brown sugar • ½ cup raisins • 3 large eggs • 2 cups nonfat milk • ¼ tsp. salt • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract PREPARATIONS Heat oven to 350 F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-by-9-inch pan. Spread butter on one side of bread slices. Sprinkle slices with cinnamon. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Dump bread, sugar and raisins into prepared pan. Blend eggs, milk, salt and vanilla together in a bowl. Pour over bread mixture in pan. Bake uncovered for one hour. Pudding will be done when a table knife inserted in the pudding comes out clean. Each serving provides 230 calories, 7 g of fat, 2 g of saturated fat, 300 mg of sodium, 8 g of protein, 36 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fiber.
Think Before You Drink: Holiday Drinks Calories per serving:
418 calories
246 calories
355 calories
406 calories
Tips for sticking to your diet during the holidays With so many social gatherings during this time, it can be difficult to avoid treating yourself when you’re offered good food and drinks. Whether you’re dieting or just trying to maintain your healthy lifestyle, fear not— you can survive the holidays and wake up on Jan. 1 without feeling remorse or guilt. Consider the following tips: • Eat before attending a party so you don’t arrive on an empty stomach and devour everything in sight.
• Pace yourself when drinking. Alcohol can be dangerous at holiday parties, as overindulgence cannot only cause embarrassment, but also pack on the pounds. • Eat slowly. Be mindful of every chew. It takes your body 20 minutes to realize when it is full. • Don’t feel pressure to eat leftovers. If you have an abundance of leftovers after hosting a party, don’t feel like you have to eat them just because you don’t want them to go to waste. • Practice self-control. For example, allow yourself one plate of food at a party, and promise yourself that you won’t go back for seconds.
Source: WebMD
Body • Mind • Life Newsletter - December 2017
December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
In recent years, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has created a robust toy safety system, by requiring testing by independent, third party testing laboratories around the world; enforcing stringent lead and phthalates limits for toys; imposing some of the most stringent toy standards in the world; and stopping violative and dangerous toys at the ports and in the marketplace before they reach children’s hands. These combined efforts continue to foster the confidence of American families as they prepare to shop for toys this holiday season. Safety tips to keep in mind this holiday season: Balloons Children can choke or suffocate on deflated or broken balloons. Keep deflated balloons away from children younger than eight years old. Discard broken balloons immediately. Small balls and other toys with small parts For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking. Scooters and other riding toys Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast, and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be worn properly at all times and they should be sized to fit.
Magnets High-powered magnet sets are dangerous and should be kept away from children. Whether marketed for children or adults, building and play sets with small magnets should also be kept away from small children. Check the label Choose age appropriate toys by reading the age label on the toy. Children younger than 3 should not have access to toys with small parts, which can cause choking. Also avoid marbles and small balls for children under 3. Once gifts are open: • Immediately discard plastic wrapping or other toy packaging before the wrapping and packaging become dangerous play things. • Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings. • Battery charging should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to young children. Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any mechanism to prevent overcharging. Toy Safety Guides The CPSC provides free safety alerts, guides, posters, brochures, handbooks and other materials which you can use to help spread consumer product safety information in your community. For more info please visit www.cpsc.gov
Body • Mind • Life Newsletter - December 2017
Did you know?
The first three (3) visits to a Primary Care Physician or Specialist per calendar year are covered by United Healthcare at 100%
On the AQUD Health Plan ( Low Plan) that you enrolled in through United Healthcare, the first three (3) visits to a Primary Care Physician or Specialist per calendar year are covered by United Healthcare at 100%. You have 3 free visits to use from December 1st – December 31st, 2017 and then an additional 3 visits to use in 2018. Keep in mind that your preventive services, including annual check-ups or child immunizations, do not count towards
your 3 free visits and are always covered at 100% when a diagnosis is not associated with the visit. So, if you’ve been holding off on going to the doctor, you may want to consider making the most of your free visits and scheduling an appointment before the end of the year. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Payroll and Benefits Department.
Upcoming Events Domestic: December 7th – Angelwood Holiday Party (Volunteers Needed)
International: January 4th – Toy Drive Drop Off
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