By Karen Kier

Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU HealthWise team

The 2018 release of The Grinch is the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time. The movie surpassed Home Alone and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000 release). Dr. Seuss’ 1957 book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" was the inspiration for many movie adaptations. 

Holiday movies started playing on television in October of this year. They are a major draw for viewers. Although there is no statistic on how many Christmas movies we will watch on average this year, there is an abundance of opportunities. The media releases suggest 170 new Yuletide movies were made this year with the Hallmark and the Lifetime channels accounting for 66 of them. 

Country music star, Blake Shelton and his mother, Dorothy Shackleford have worked together to produce Christmas movies for the Hallmark channel. The 2022 movie was the fifth installment of their series titled Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas. This movie premiered on November 26, 2022. 

With so many hours of Christmas movies available to watch, what is the harm? Christmas can be an ideal time to binge-watch movies. One after another! 

A 2022 study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found an individual is 35% more likely to get a blood clot known as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) if they watch television for 4 hours in a row than 2.5 hours in a row. This study evaluated over 131,000 adults over the age of 40 years. Interestingly, the most important aspect was the length of time sitting still and not one’s age, weight, gender, or level of overall physical activity. If you just came back from the gym or were working out, sitting for 4 hours increased your risk for a blood clot. 

In 2019, the average American watched 207.45 minutes of television every day or 3.5 hours. The good news is in 2022, the average has dropped to 181.7 minutes per day or closer to 3 hours per day. Regardless of the holidays and Christmas movies, make sure to keep moving!

Similar studies have found an increased risk of blood clots with a 4-hour airplane flight as well as long car rides. If you travel this holiday season, make sure to stop frequently to get up and move around. If you are sitting and do not have the opportunity to stop, keep moving your legs and arms while sitting. Stretch your muscles to keep circulation flowing. Wearing compression socks can have a benefit to decrease blood clots. Make sure to talk to your healthcare professional for advice when traveling long distances. 

Blood clots in the legs can sometimes be silent, but typically there are warning signs. If you have any of these signs, seek help immediately. If one leg is swelling or larger than the other, this can be a sign of a blood clot. Warm skin in the leg that is red or darker in color can be a sign. Any pain in the leg, which can include throbbing, cramping, or sore to the touch is important to have evaluated. Seeking professional treatment is very important because blood clots from the legs can break off and travel to the lungs or the brain. 

Keeping on the move is not only important to prevent blood clots, but it is a good way to work off the holiday calories. The typical Christmas feast tops in at 3000 calories. This is almost three times the normal daily intake of calories for the average person. 

Experts recommend planning some holiday menus with immune boosting foods packed with important vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and antioxidants. Such foods can include cranberries, apples, yogurt, nuts, sweet potatoes, eggs, milk, and tomatoes. Protein sources such as seafood and beef can provide zinc to boost the immune system. Plant-based proteins have been shown to have significant benefits for the heart and reducing blood sugar as well. 

The average American diet does not supply adequate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals. Ninety-five percent of Americans do not get enough vitamin D in their diet. While 84% have an inadequate intake of vitamin E. About 45%, do not get sufficient vitamin C and vitamin A. Studies show the combination of vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc have the best immune boosting effects at normal daily intakes. Mega dosing of vitamins is not necessary to achieve benefit. In addition, some fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D and E can be dangerous at excessive levels. 

Take care of your immune system by getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night, reducing stress, maintaining fluids, and eating healthy holiday choices. Don’t let the Grinch ruin your Christmas. 

Happy Holidays from the ONU HealthWise team!

ONU HealthWise is offering COVID-19 vaccines as well as flu shots Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are available. Clinics are Monday-Friday from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Please call the pharmacy for more information. 

ONU HealthWise Pharmacy
419-772-3784