Health
Combat the Christmas blues with these holiday health and wellness tips
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
The Christmas season is supposed to be a joyous time of year — but not everyone can or will have the holiday spirit.
Illnesses, loss of family members or friends, financial stress, loneliness or other worries can become the Grinch that steals Christmas joy for many.
The “Christmas blues” or “holiday blues” are described as temporary feelings of anxiety and depression that occur around the holidays, due to extra stress, unrealistic expectations or sentimental memories associated with the season, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
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During this time of year, some people might be at risk for feelings of sadness, fatigue, tension and a sense of loss, NAMI notes on its website.
Seasonal factors may affect people’s mood quite seriously. Decreased sunlight, an increase in alcohol consumption at holiday parties, changes in diet, the over-commercialization of the season or not being able to see family or friends may all be factors.
It’s not uncommon to experience feelings of sadness during the holidays. There are several things you can do to help combat those negative feelings. (iStock)
It is important to note that these moods are temporary, experts say.
“A mood such as a ‘blue mood’ is a passing phenomenon,” Dr. Mark Sirkin, a clinical psychologist in New York, told Fox News Digital.
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Sirkin, an associate dean of health professions at Long Island University, said there are things people can do to turn that “down” feeling around.
- Ways to combat the Christmas blues
- Ways to treat yourself during the holidays
- Ways to budget for the holidays
- What to know about feelings of sadness versus mental illness
1. Ways to combat the Christmas blues
“Distract yourself, try to focus on happier thoughts and images, do something enjoyable, preferably with others. These are all good ways to ‘treat’ a blue mood,” Sirkin said.
With social media extremely prevalent today, many people fall into a trap of comparison. This is especially true during the holidays, when people post pictures of their Christmas festivities.
“For every smile or laugh in a TikTok picture, there is a lot of reality that you don’t see,” said Sirkin.
Scrolling on social media can be detrimental to your mental health. Save your own piece by trying to limit screen time. Instead, fill your days with activities that you enjoy. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
Research shows that, for some people, constantly looking at the pleasures of others might actually make them feel bad, said Sirkin.
“Stop! Change the channel!” advised Sirkin. “Call a friend, and have a real conversation. Everyone has ups and downs — you, your friends, even those annoyingly happy people on social media.”
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He added, “Don’t focus on what you think you don’t have. Focus on what’s good.”
“Everyone has ups and downs — you, your friends, even those annoyingly happy people on social media.”
Doing something for others during the holiday season can brighten your mood, the psychologist said.
One simple way to do this is by donating to a local toy or clothes drive. Donating an item to help someone in need can fill you with pride and joy during the holidays.
Simply dropping off a product at a toy drive can increase your holiday spirit by doing something for another. (Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)
Additionally, there are many volunteer opportunities during the holiday season, like a food drive. Look around in your area for volunteer events that you can take part in to help those who are less fortunate.
2. Ways to treat yourself during the holidays
While the holiday season is a time for giving, it is also important to treat yourself.
Make sure you are giving yourself grace and treating yourself to activities that you enjoy, say experts.
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Among Sirkin’s suggestions are to reward yourself with a nice dinner or some other treat.
“I put on the fire, watch a movie and pour a nice glass of wine to give myself a boost.”
Also, challenge yourself and say, “Why shouldn’t I be happy?” and “I deserve to be happy.”
While the holiday season is a time for giving, don’t forget to focus on your own happiness and well-being, too. (iStock)
Margaret Palermo of Huntington, New York, agreed with the notion of treating yourself during the holidays.
“I put on the fire, watch a movie and pour a nice glass of wine to give myself a boost during the holidays,” she told Fox News Digital.
With the fire ablaze and wine in hand, pop on a festive flick.
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If you need a laugh, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “Elf” or “Christmas with the Kranks” are all good options.
If you are in the mood for a classic, “The Polar Express,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas” or “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” are some ideas.
Choose a festive flick to watch during Christmas to help you get into the spirit of the season. (iStock)
Another suggestion from Sirkin is to interact with others.
“They are my family — friends that are family — and I enjoy being around them. They help me feel a bit happier.”
“Resist the urge to isolate yourself or crawl into a corner. Interacting with others, especially people with whom you have deep relationships, such as family, is a great way to get out of your funk,” he said.
Louise M. of Long Island, New York, said she makes plans with friends to celebrate during the holidays, now that she does not have living family members.
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While it does not replace her memories of Christmases past with her family, she can still create nice seasonal memories with friends, she said.
“They are my family — friends that are family — and I enjoy being around them. They help me feel a bit happier.”
Being surrounded by others during the holidays can help fill you up with love and happiness. (iStock)
Inviting friends over for a night full of holiday dishes, Christmas cocktails and maybe even a Secret Santa gift swap can help combat the holiday blues.
Exercise is another way to help battle the holiday blues, according to health experts.
One woman enjoys walking around her neighborhood and looking at the holiday decorations and lights when she feels the holiday stress taking over.
Taking a brisk walk or riding a stationary bike indoors can get that blood and “feel-good” hormones pumping.
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This can help improve moods, physical therapists told Fox News Digital.
A woman in Annapolis, Maryland, told Fox News Digital she enjoys walking around her neighborhood and looking at the festive decorations and lights when she feels the holiday stress taking over.
Many houses go above and beyond with their holiday decorations each and every year. (iStock)
If it is too cold or dark outside for a walk, she said she hops in the car, puts on some holiday music and looks at holiday lights throughout her town.
Many houses throughout the country have extravagant displays that can be fun to check out with hot chocolate in hand.
Some houses take their Christmas decorations very seriously, with lights flickering to the beat of holiday music passersby can play on their radio. These neighborhood light shows can help get you into the holiday spirit.
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Practicing meditation or mindfulness can also help, according to Sirkin.
“This is an increasingly popular and verified method of getting out of a bad mood,” Sirkin said.
Listening to a festive playlist as you look at holiday decorations can help fill you with Christmas joy. (iStock)
“Just sit: You can count your breaths, count to 10 over and over, or any other way you’d like to focus your mind. There are some good apps out there you can put on your phone,” he said.
“People should understand the difference between feeling sad and dealing with a mental illness.”
YouTube is another great resource to turn to if you need guided meditation.
3. Ways to budget for the holidays
Some health professionals said that people can avoid stress caused by excessive holiday gift spending by setting a budget and sticking to it.
Christmas can put people into loads of credit card debt. A thoughtful gift does not mean an expensive one. Do not spend outside your means.
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The weeks or months you will endure in debt will add lots of stress to your life beyond the Christmas season.
Write down everyone you need to buy for, and create a budget for each person. Once you find something you want to buy, do not purchase it right away. Do research first, and see if there is a sale going on at another store to make sure you are getting the best deal possible on your item.
Christmas shopping can be a source of stress. Create an organized budget for all those you’re shopping for, and conduct thorough research to ensure you’re getting the best price for the items you want to buy. (iStock)
When it comes to Christmas shopping, try to start as early as possible. This will give you the optimal time to seek out the deals. You won’t have to worry about the huge crowds seeking last-minute gifts as Christmas nears.
Once Christmas is over, the last thing on your mind is next year’s festivities. That said, the earlier you start putting aside money for the holidays, the less financial stress you’ll be hit with during the season.
One method to consider is putting a very small sum of money aside for Christmas throughout the year. Whatever amount you have saved in December will be your budget for Christmas.
4. What to know about feelings of sadness versus mental illness
People should understand the difference between feeling sad and dealing with a mental illness, Sirkin noted.
“If you think you might have a mental illness — if you have regular thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself, if you think you may harm yourself or others, if you can’t function at home or work — these are all signs of serious mental illness,” he said.
“You should seek out professional help, beginning with your physician or trained mental health professional,” he added.
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A new injectable therapy is showing positive results in reducing melanoma throughout a five-year period.
The personalized mRNA cancer therapy, called intismeran autogene, combined with the cancer immunotherapy drug KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), is a collaboration between Merck and Moderna.
The results from the phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 27.
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After about a five-year follow-up, the combo drug was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone.
The researchers analyzed data from 157 patients with high-risk stage 3 and 4 melanoma whose cancer had been removed via surgery. The participants were split into two groups — one received the combo therapy and the other only received pembrolizumab, according to a press release.
The therapy was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone after a five-year follow-up. (iStock)
The findings revealed that the combination group saw benefits that were “sustained and durable over time.”
Intismeran autogene is designed using mutations identified in a patient’s own tumor, with the intention of teaching the immune system what the cancer looks like so that it can recognize and attack it.
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According to the researchers, intismeran is “well-tolerated” with a “manageable” safety profile.
The most commonly cited side effects of the personalized mRNA vaccine plus KEYTRUDA were fatigue, injection-site pain, chills, fever and headache. The researchers reported no new long-term safety concerns and no severe vaccine-related adverse events.
The combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study — the final confirmation stage.
Patients with late-stage melanoma have a “significant risk” of cancer recurrence, according to an expert. (iStock)
In a Merck press release from January, Kyle Holen, MD, Moderna’s senior vice president and head of development, oncology and therapeutics, noted that this data highlights the “potential of a prolonged benefit … in patients with resected high-risk melanoma.”
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“We continue to invest in our platform in oncology because of encouraging outcomes like these, which illustrate mRNA’s potential in cancer care,” he said.
Dr. Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, also commented that for many patients with stage 3 or 4 melanoma, there is a “significant risk of recurrence following surgery.”
Researchers confirmed that the combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study. (iStock)
“As such, demonstrating the longer-term potential of intismeran autogene and KEYTRUDA to reduce the risk of recurrence for certain patients with melanoma is a meaningful milestone,” she said.
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The company cited encouraging five-year follow-up data and pointed to upcoming late-stage INTerpath trial results with Moderna in several hard-to-treat cancers.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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