Indeed, we’re halfway through November, but this Health Tip recap is just as compelling fourteen days after October reached its finale. The month’s social media posts touched on dental hygiene, skin health, fall allergies, healthier holiday dining, and last but not least, Halloween food safety. We covered a lot over a long month.

Dental Hygiene 101

Brushing – 
· Gently brush your teeth on all sides with a soft-bristle brush and fluoride toothpaste. Replace your toothbrush every 2 to 3 months, if not sooner. 
· Use small circular motions and short back-and-forth strokes. 
· Brush carefully and gently alone your gum line. 
· Lightly brush your tongue or use a tongue scraper to help keep your mouth clean. 

Floss & Rinse – 
· Clean between your teeth with dental floss, pre-threaded floss, a water flosser, or a similar product. This removes plaque and leftover food that a toothbrush can’t reach. 
· Rinse your mouth thoroughly after flossing. 

Dental Visits – 
· Visit your dentist at least once a year for a checkup. 

Supporting Skin Health 

· While outdoors, especially for extended periods, use sunscreen and wear protective clothing, along with sunglasses. 
· Stay hydrated and try to maintain a balanced, nutritious diet, avoiding items that dehydrate or may challenge skin health. 
· Manage stress through different forms of exercise and relaxation techniques. 
· Moisturizing with lotions or ointments may help reduce skin dryness. 
· Check your skin often for any changes and consider visiting a dermatologist regularly. 

Fall Allergies

What Causes Them? 
Mold – Fall is when mold is more likely to grow and spread. Fallen leaves combined with rotting wood cause mold levels to peak in many areas. 

Smoke – Smoke is a known environmental irritant for many people. In some states, people burn leaves and other brush to clear their yards of natural debris. 

Ragweed – Ragweed allergy affects millions of people in the United States. Ragweed, unlike other pollen counts, tends to peak in September and starts in mid to late summer. 

Lessening Their Impact 
Keep Track 
Monitor mold and pollen counts on local l radio and TV weather reports. Know when pollen counts are highest and plan outdoor activities around it. 

Closed Up 
Keep windows and doors shut at home, work, or in the car to prevent allergens from getting inside unnecessarily. 

Shield Your Face 
Consider wearing a face mask or comparable protection when outdoors mowing the lawn, sweeping, or performing similar activities. 

Clean Up 
While being outdoors is usually good for your health, washing hair, clothing, and skin after working or playing outside can aid in easing the effects of allergens. 

Healthier Holiday Dining 

Control What You Can 
You may not be able to always decide what food is served, but you can try to meet certain challenges: 
· Try eating close to your usual times. If your meal is served later than normal, eat a small snack at your usual mealtime and eat a little less when dinner is served. 
· If you’re invited to a party, ask to add a healthy dish to the mix. 
· Eat slowly to promote better digestion. 

Beat the Buffet 
When you encounter a spread of delectable holiday food, you can still make healthy eating choices: 
· Have a small plate of the foods you like best and then back away from the buffet table. 
· Start with vegetables to take the edge off your appetite. 
· Avoid or limit beverages that are high in sugar. 

Remain Active 
You have a lot on your plate this time of year, which means physical activity is sometimes neglected. But being active is your secret holiday power; it can help make up for eating more than usual. Get moving with friends and family by taking a walk after a holiday meal or going for a bike ride in the morning. 

Keep Your Sleep 
Going out more and staying out later may result in having less sleep, which can make it harder to manage your mental and physical health. When sleep deprived, we sometimes eat more and choose high-fat, high-sugar food. Strive for 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. 

Halloween Food Safety

For the little kids (and us big kids): 

• Avoid eating candy until it’s been carefully inspected at home.
• In case of a food allergy, check the label to ensure the allergen isn’t present. 

Advise children not to accept - or eat - anything not commercially wrapped.

• Parents of very young children should remove any choking hazards such as 

gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys from Halloween treat-or-treat bags. 

• Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Discard anything that appears suspicious. 
• Unpasteurized juices and juices that have not been further processed are at higher risk of food-borne illness. Look for warning labels.
• Before bobbing for apples, reduce the risk of bacteria by thoroughly rinsing apples under cool running water. As an added precaution, use a produce brush to remove surface dirt. 

That wraps up another edition of Health Tip Recap, which has officially transferred to Tuesdays and is now titled Toward Wellness Tuesday. Join us next month for several weeks’ worth of Toward Wellness Tuesday posts! In the meantime, you can also check out the Health Tip Recaps for August 2024 and September 2024.