5 Ways to Stay Safe and Healthy on New Year’s Eve
It feels like the whole year flew by! Now, 2019 is here, and I’m sure you’re ready to party and celebrate the New Year with friends and family! Well, before you get ready to make your New Year’s Eve plans, you need to remember that it’s important to stay safe and healthy to start off 2019 right! Here are 5 tips from the doctors at South Coast Medical Group OC.
Don’t Drive Under the Influence
This should go without saying, but you should NEVER drink and drive. Unfortunately, people do this all too often. If they are lucky, they get home safe and without hurting anyone. We have lost far too many people to drunk driving accidents. Please, call and Uber or Lyft or party with a designated driver.
Also, remember that driving buzzed is still considered drunk driving. Alcohol isn’t the only thing you should be avoiding before driving though. If you smoke or consume marijuana or marijuana-laced products, that is also going to impair your ability to drive a car. If caught, you can still be charged with driving under the influence of a substance.
Everything In Moderation
Even if you aren’t driving, pace yourself. Everyone loves a good party, and that includes drinking. Just be sure you don’t drink too much or you will end up as many people do in emergency rooms or urgent care centers. These people drink so much alcohol that they need their stomachs pumped to avoid severe alcohol poisoning. Also, alcohol can dehydrate the body, so be sure you drink plenty of water. You should also be careful not to overeat during New Year’s Eve as eating too much food can be a recipe for making yourself sick, especially when combined with drinking too much alcohol.
Personal Health and Safety
Parties, alcohol, and celebrations mean one thing: people are more likely to have sex. Just remember to wear protection and to keep your personal safety in mind. If you are going home with someone that you don’t know well, be sure to let some trusted friends know where you will be, and check in with each other to make sure you are safe. If you are at a bar or club, be sure to watch your drink, or make sure that your friends keep an eye on your drink if you use the restroom.
Careful on the Roads and Sidewalks
Be aware of your surroundings if you are on sidewalks during New Year’s Eve, especially if you are going to be in downtown areas or places you aren’t familiar with. Avoid dark alleys and unlit areas. If you are driving, be sure to avoid any drunk drivers on the road and to call 9-1-1 to report any drunk drivers or drivers who seem to be having problems controlling their vehicles.
Say No to Fireworks
Everyone loves a good fireworks show! Unfortunately, not everyone is a pyrotechnics engineer. It’s best to leave fireworks to the professionals and enjoy a show put on by your city or a local organization with trained specialists. Every New Year’s Eve, emergency rooms and urgent care centers all over the country see patients that resemble 4th of July victims, because of their burns. If the patient is lucky, they will only have a small first degree burn on their hand or elsewhere on their body. If the patient is unlucky, they could even have second or third-degree burns, lose an eye, or have severe wounds that will require surgery. Things usually become worse when alcohol, drugs, and fireworks are combined together.
We hope that these tips can help keep you safe this New Year’s Eve. We plan on enjoying the holiday, and we hope you have a safe and fun time too. If you are seeking a new doctor for the New Year or want to get an early start on your New Year’s Resolutions, we welcome you to come in and see us. We’re going to be the best decision you will make all year. With over 19 years of experience in Aliso Viejo, you can’t go wrong with becoming one of our many happy patients.
