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8 Safety Tips For Hanging Holiday Decorations Without Injury

8 Safety Tips For Hanging Holiday Decorations Without Injury

Holiday lights and decorations put us in the holiday spirit, but the excitement can quickly extinguish if hanging them is not done safely. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says there have been 12,000 or more holiday-decorating emergency department visits each year in the U.S. since 2009. Here’s what you can do to get those holiday decorations installed safely and without injury.

Tip #1: Inspect the decorations before you hang them

Check the wiring of the holiday lights for cracked or frayed cords, missing lights, dead bulbs and other types of damage. If the product has been inspected for potential safety hazards, the label “UL” for the Underwriters Laboratory will be clearly displayed on the tag. A green UL mark means the lights are safe for indoor use only; a red UL means they are safe for indoor or outdoor use. Throw away any damaged strands. Before you move to the next steps, take a few moments to stretch your muscles to avoid injuries!

Tip #2: Clean your gutters and downspouts

Clear out any leaves, branches and other debris from nearby trees. Clogged and backed up gutters and downspouts can lead to water overflow onto your lights, causing an electrical hazard. This should be done before you install your decorations.

Tip #3: Secure your ladder

Make sure your ladder is secure and on level ground before you start climbing. Have someone be your spotter to hold the ladder as you climb up and down. This helps to minimize your risk of falls.

Tip #4: Don’t walk on your roof

Slippery shingles, angled roofs and water channels can make holiday decoration installation dangerous. Avoid the roof, or hire a professional with the proper tools and equipment to handle this for you.

Tip #5: Use plastic safety clips

Use plastic safety clips to secure hanging lights to the exterior of your home. They are both safe and affordable. Don’t hammer tacks or nails into the cord or use metal staples. This can damage wires and create small holes in the exterior of your home, giving rain and melted snow the opportunity to damage your home.

Tip #6: Use the appropriate extension cords

Heavy-duty extension cords made specifically for outdoor use are the safest ones to use for your holiday lights and decorations. Use no more than three sets of standard lights per extension cord to avoid overloading them.

Tip #7: Use ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs)

Plug all your outdoor lights and inflatable decorations into GFCIs. They will help prevent electric shock if different currents occur in the hot and neutral wires.

Tip #8: Take care of the cords

Place the cords against the house or other structures so they are not stepped on, walked on, mowed over or tripped on.

Live Well Chiropractic Center wants you to stay safe and avoid injury as you install your holiday decorations this season! If you are experiencing any pain, inflammation or soreness after putting up your festive décor, please schedule an appointment with us. We will help you stay healthy and pain-free so you can enjoy the holidays with your family and friends. Contact us today at 513-285-7482 to schedule an appointment, and be sure to check us out on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for our latest tips and updates!

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3 Healthy Holiday Desserts

3 Healthy Holiday Desserts

Eating healthily during the holidays is a challenge for even those of us with the staunchest nutritional goals. While it’s perfectly fine to indulge in a few full-calorie holiday treats, offering healthy options with meals makes it easier for everyone to fill up on healthy choices first. Last year we posted three recipes for healthy side dishes to serve with your holiday meal, and this year we’re tackling desserts. Here are three delicious desserts your family – and their health – will enjoy this holiday season.

Angel Food Fruit Cake

1 box Angel Food cake

1 pineapple, cored and diced

1-pint strawberries, washed and sliced

1-pint blueberries and/or blackberries, washed

¼ tub sugar-free Cool Whip

Prepare angel food cake according to package directions, but in a square cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a fork pulls clean from the center. Let cool and cut into squares. Top generously with fruit and a teaspoon of Cool Whip.

Chocolate Poms

The ingredients for this recipe depends on how many people you are serving, but it’s so easy to make that your kids can “cook” most of it. Each pomegranate serves two people. Slice it length-wise and save the seeds. Use a spoon to hollow out the pomegranate. Wash with cool water and pat dry. Scoop a sugar-free chocolate pudding cup into each half of the pomegranate. Top with a teaspoon of sugar-free Cool Whip and garnish with a generous tablespoon of pomegranate seeds. This is also a great dessert to serve Type II diabetics!

Apple Cake

1.5 lbs. Honeycrisp apples (Golden Delicious or Granny Smith are also good choices)

2 eggs (or half-cup unsweetened applesauce)

1 teaspoon liquid Stevia

Zest of 1 lemon, grated

1 cup white whole wheat flour, sifted

¼ cup Almond milk

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch pie dish with non-stick cooking spray, then coat with a light dusting of white whole wheat flour. Peel, core and thinly slice apples.

Combine eggs, Stevia and lemon zest and beat until creamy. Then add flour, baking powder and milk. Mix until well-combined. Add two-thirds of the apples to the batter and mix with a wooden spoon or a spatula. Place the batter in the prepared pan, then arrange remaining apple slices over the top of the batter. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until a fork pulls clean from the center. Dust with brown sugar after the cake is cool.

With chiropractic care by the experts at Live Well Chiropractic Center, you can expect to live your healthiest life, no matter the season. Call us today at 513-285-7482 or email info@livewellcc.com to schedule your consultation to learn more about the health benefits of our brand of chiropractic care. And don’t forget to check us out on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for more tips!

contact Live Well Chiropractic Center

Christmas Dinner Dishes

Three Healthy, Delicious Christmas Dinner Dishes Your Guests Will Love

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, it’s no secret that we pile on the calories. It’s estimated that on Christmas Day alone the average American will consume 4,052 calories. That’s double or triple your recommended calorie intake! And that’s not even including all the other social events during the season where we tend to overeat.

This Christmas dinner, why not consider making one of these three healthy alternatives to the usual dishes? You’ll be surprised how many of your guests will appreciate being served creative, healthy foods instead of the same old, same old.

Butternut Squash Soup

Are you always tempted to purchase one of those beautiful butternut squashes at the grocery, but aren’t sure what to do with it? Make soup! Soup is a great beginning to any meal, and it’s filling, so you’re less likely to overeat. Place a small bowl of the soup at everyone’s place setting and garnish with a sprig of rosemary or thyme. Let everyone finish before bringing out the other dishes.

To make the soup, peel the squash and discard the seeds. Cut the squash into one-inch cubes and set aside. Use a soup pot or Dutch oven to sauté a small diced onion, one diced carrot, and one diced rib of celery in two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the squash and six cups of vegetable or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until the squash is soft. Blend everything together with an immersion blender. Add a half a cup of 1% milk or plain plant milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

If you’re in a hurry or out of oven space, why not serve a cold salad? Forget the romaine. Try shaved Brussels sprouts! You can often find them already shaved or in a bag mixed with other hard cruciferous vegetables (like cabbage). Toss a pound of the sprouts or a bag of the veggies with the zest of one lemon, the juice of half a lemon, three tablespoons of olive oil, half a cup of walnuts (or other nuts), and three tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Let the salad sit up to 20 minutes before serving to soak in all of the dressing and to allow the sprouts to break down a bit.

Cauliflower “Breadsticks”

By now you’ve heard of cauliflower everything — potatoes, pizza crust, rice — why not add to that breadsticks? The concept itself is easier than you think. You make the crust like you would a cauliflower pizza, only instead of making it round, you bake the dough in a rectangular pan and slice it into smaller rectangle slices (think cheesy bread that you’d get from your local pizzeria).

Either rice your own cauliflower by putting one diced head into a food processor until fine or take a timesaving sort cut and buy the cauliflower pre-riced at the store. Cook the cauliflower (microwave is fine) until it releases most of its moisture — about 20 minutes. When it’s cooled, place all of it into a dishcloth and do your best to squeeze every last drop of water out of it. You want it to be as dry as possible. Then, add it to a mixing bowl with two eggs, one teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and a pinch each of salt and black ground pepper.

When combined, press the mixture onto a sheet of greased parchment paper on a baking sheet (don’t make them too thin). In a 450 degree oven, bake the sticks for 18 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove it from the oven and add a half a cup of your favorite cheese to the top (or skip the cheese for an even healthier version). Put back in the oven for another five minutes, cut, and serve.

Live Well Chiropractic Center focuses on our core values of healthy eating, exercise, and spinal health to help treat and prevent pain and injury. With chiropractic care from our clinic, you can expect to feel better. Call us today at 513-285-7482 or email info@livewellcc.com to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about the health benefits of our brand of chiropractic care.