SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The holiday season is around the corner, and while that means fun get-togethers with family and friends, it also means hearty meals that can add up at the waistline. That's why health professionals and the American Heart Association are celebrating Eat Smart Day today, as well as the kickoff for Eat Smart Month.

Studies show that half the weight gain from the holidays sticks around until summer. Tiffany Krogstad, a dietitian at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, said it's important to remember what a balanced diet includes.

"Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy protein - including dairy, nuts, seeds, healthy fats," she said. "So the majority of the time, you are eating balanced meals, but then that gives you a time when it's OK to indulge in sweets or something that you typically wouldn't eat. But then, it's also important to watch your portion sizes."

Krogstad said eating breakfast can keep a person feeling full longer and slow them down during big meals, and adding herbs and spices such as garlic and pepper is a good way to avoid the salt shaker and decrease sodium intake.

Folks should reserve more indulgent meals for the holidays, she said, but it's also important not to focus on the bad if you stray from a healthy meal every now and then.

"It's a time to celebrate, and that's a social thing, and food tends to be a social thing," she said. "And so, I think that as long as you do everything in moderation and get back on track the next day, it's nothing to hang your head about."

About two in three adults and one in three children are overweight or obese. Eat Smart Month is part of the AHA's "Healthy for Good" movement, which focuses on eating smart, adding more color - such as vegetables - to meals, getting more exercise and making "being well" a priority.


get more stories like this via email

Holiday travel is in full swing and for many, so is the stress. The American Heart Association of Missouri has health tips for anyone with heart disease or other chronic health conditions.

Medical professionals emphasized holiday travel requires planning. They suggested starting with a checklist: Consult your doctor, stock up on medications and prepare any medical equipment.

Dr. Georges Chahoud, cardiologist with SSM Health and board president for the American Heart Association-Metro St. Louis, offered advice for travelers with pacemakers and similar devices.

"If they are traveling, especially on an airplane, they have to make sure that they have enough time because they have to go through a special security check, since they have those devices," Chahoud explained. "It's recommended that they don't go through the metal detector; they can be 'wanded.'"

The American Heart Association also noted flights over four hours increase blood clot risk, so wearing compression socks is recommended. Research shows 6% to 7% of travelers deal with some kind of illness during or after their trips.

In a Heart Association survey, 69% of respondents said they struggle with eating healthily during the holiday season.

Chahoud, who is regional director of the Heart Failure Clinical program at SSM Health-St. Louis and Southern Illinois, and director of Cardiology Services at SSM Health-St. Joseph Hospital in Lake St. Louis, emphasized the problem can be exacerbated if you are traveling.

"They may indulge more in alcohol use, which can induce some heart problems, especially with irregular heart rhythm and A-fib," Chahoud pointed out. "Diet is quite important for patients with heart failure, especially as it pertains to those patients that don't watch the salt in their food."

He stressed the importance of seeking immediate medical attention if you experience symptoms of heart issues, such as chest pain or shortness of breath. Check for medical facilities available at your destination and know your health insurance coverage.

Maryland is facing a significant shortage of behavioral health professionals and a new report from the Maryland Health Care Commission offered some suggestions to fix the problem.

All but two counties in Maryland are labeled as a partial or complete mental health shortage area. Years of underinvestment and high rates of burnout for behavioral health specialists has caught up with the state. The report found a 50% shortage in the number of professionals needed to adequately care for Maryland's population.

Tiara Fennell, assistant clinical professor and clinic director of the Center for Healthy Families at the University of Maryland-College Park, said behavioral health professionals have long been undervalued, which can lead to burnout. The COVID-19 pandemic, she added, is also partly to blame.

"A lot of it has nothing to do with their intent or their desire to help people," Fennell explained. "It's because of their desire to want to be able to take care of themselves. One of the major things that is a deterrent is people not getting paid enough."

The report showed 45% of behavioral health professionals currently working in Maryland are expected to either retire, leave the state or exit the profession in the next five years.

To tackle the shortage, the Maryland General Assembly passed a Behavioral Health Workforce Investment Fund in 2023 and commissioned a report on how to spend the money. The report recommended focusing on investments in behavioral health. It suggested implementing more "earn while you learn" programs, with paid apprenticeships, fellowships and stipends to lessen the costs of college. More flexible schedules and mentorship programs were also recommended to address the nonfinancial issues of burnout.

Fennell pointed out many behavioral health internships are unpaid and she believes efforts to increase pay and reduce work loads for these professionals will boost recruitment and retention.

"That would make a huge difference getting people interested in this type of work," Fennell contended. "Also, maintaining that workforce -- and having people want to be there long-term, and spend the majority of their employment history -- however long that will be, working in this space."

The Behavioral Health Workforce Investment Fund will allocate more than $148 million over the next five years.


get more stories like this via email

The excitement of the holiday season is celebrated with family get-togethers. But for Alzheimer's patients, large groups can produce fear and confusion. The disease causes brain cell deterioration and the ability to rapidly process information diminishes daily.

Macie P. Smith, a licensed social worker and gerontologist, advised paying attention to nonverbal cues when a patient appears agitated.

"If you're going to have a small, intimate gathering, I also recommend doing name tags," Smith suggested. "Go ahead and put the person's name and the relationship to the person on the shirt, so that way they won't have to guess and wonder and try to figure out who this person is. It just helps with the ease of engagement."

Reminiscing over the family photo album is a traditional holiday favorite. Despite the best intentions, Smith explained, asking an Alzheimer's patient to identify a relative can be frustrating. The questions cause them to use brain cells that are severely impacted and could produce combativeness and aggression. She recommended singing or playing music as better choices.

The Alzheimer's Association Illinois chapter reported 311,000 caregivers cook meals, assist with basic hygiene and monitor medication intake. The needs of patients are unpredictable, leaving them with sporadic break times.

Additional stress from gift shopping and work obligations underlines the importance for a caregiver to routinely nurture their physical and mental well-being. Smith advised using a calendar for scheduling enjoyable activities.

"I've asked caregivers, 'So, what do you like to do?' They don't know, or they don't remember, because they have been so engulfed with caring for someone else and depleting everything that they've had, they've lost a sense of self," Smith observed.

For unmanageable situations, Smith recommends contacting a professional respite care service through your local department on aging. The agencies offer vouchers to pay a certified person to sit with your loved one. Another choice is asking for help from a church member, trusted neighbor or a Medicare or Medicaid-funded adult day service.


get more stories like this via email