By TAMMY BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette Publisher
Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025 — Welcome to a new feature on the Nelson County Gazette. My name is Tammy, and I am the wife of Jim, the editor. I will be sharing health information with you with a goal to help keep us all healthy.
A lot of what I will be sharing with you is common sense, and you may have heard it all before. But consider this — we are all getting older, and who doesn’t need the occasional reminder now and then?
I am open to comments and more suggestions on the topics printed and for other topics of your interest. Feel free to send your comments, questions and suggestions to me via email at tammy @nelsoncountygazette.com.
During December the most commonly reported holiday-related injuries include falls, cuts, back strains, and fires caused by Christmas trees or candles. Adding safety to you holiday checklist can help keep cherished traditions from turning into preventable emergencies.
Holiday Decorations
–When setting up holiday displays, make sure doors and passageways are clear inside your home. Avoid high traffic areas.
–When buying live trees, check for freshness. Needles should be hard to pull from branches and bottom should be sticky with resin.
–Keep all decorations, especially trees and lighted displays, away from heat sources.
–Be sure your Christmas Tree is mounted on a sturdy base.
–If using extension cords, ensure they are out of walkways to avoid trips/falls.
–Avoid open flames near the Christmas tree and place candles out of reach of children and pets.
Holiday Shopping
–Conserve energy and plan your trips. Instead of one big shopping trip, try to plan several small ones.
–Plan accordinaly make sure you have sufficient gas, have your glasses if needed for driving, and a fully charged cell phone.
–Walk with purpose and confidence. Know where you are going and stay alert to your surroundings. Ther is safety in numbers.
–If you use an assistive device when walking, keep it with you at all times. Stay on marked walkways and be aware of cracked or uneven pavement.
–Park in well-lit areas. Lock your vehicle and avoid leaving anything on the seats in plain view. Carry your keys in your hand and keep your purse/cash close to your body.
Online Shopping
— Online shopping is very popular; however, please be cautious of risks. Be sure you have a “security suite” installed and updated.
— Before entering personal or financial information for an online transaction, check for signs that the site is secure and encrypted.
— Never sent cash through the mail or use money wiring services.
— Print and save records for your online transactions.
— Review your credit/debit card statements as soon as they are received to make sure there are no unauthorized charges.
This information was complied from Health Pro Heritage publications.