Hear from six Stony Brook Medicine experts discussing common concerns related to mental and physical health during the holiday season. From protecting children from injury and illness, to improving sleep, reducing stress and exercising mindful eating, there’s no shortage of advice from physicians on how to stay healthy during the winter months and beyond.
The Experts
Carl Kaplan, MD
Dr. Kaplan is the Division Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. In this podcast, he discusses how to keep kids safe during the holidays, including while at large family gatherings or unfamiliar places. Dr. Kaplan also shares helpful tips for traveling with children, including how to alleviate pressure on the ears while on an airplane.
Sritha Rajupet, MD, MPH
Dr. Rajupet is Chair of the Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine at Stony Brook Medicine. In this podcast, she discusses what vaccines children and adults should get to protect themselves from illness, including the flu, RSV and Covid-19. Dr. Rajupet also talks about how to prevent illness during the holidays with tips such as healthy eating and hand washing.
Mohammad M. Amin, MB, CHB, MD
Dr. Amin is a specialist at the Stony Brook Sleep Disorders Center in Smithtown and Stony Brook Neurosciences Institute. In this podcast, he explains how much sleep people need to remain healthy, which depends on your age. He also discusses how lack of sleep can affect various aspects of health. Dr. Amin talks about how melatonin gets suppressed in the body and impacts sleep, and tips for improving sleep with your diet.
Courtney Liebling, MD
Dr. Liebling is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Stony Brook University Hospital. In this podcast, she talks about what it means to have “holiday blues” and explains the symptoms of SAD (seasonal affective disorder). She also offers tips for alleviating SAD symptoms. Dr. Liebling recommends ways to combat stress and loneliness during the holidays.
Silvana Obici, MD
Dr. Obici is the Division Chief of Endocrinology at Stony Brook Medicine and her special interest is in diabetes and obesity. In this podcast, she discusses how to prevent the “downslide” in dietary habits during the holiday season. Dr. Obici talks about exercising mindfulness when eating and planning meals, focusing on portion control and opting for foods that are lower in sugar. She also recommends being aware of alcohol intake and sitting down to eat meals.
Edlira Tam, DO, MS FACC
Dr. Tam is a cardiologist and heart failure specialist at Stony Brook Heart Institute. In this podcast, she discusses holiday heart syndrome and what habits have a negative impact on heart health, including excessive drinking, stress and a sedentary lifestyle. Dr. Tam also talks about what precautions people with existing heart conditions should take during the holiday season and the warning signs of heart disease.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
Keeping Families Safe and Healthy During the Holiday Season
- 00:00: Introduction of Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Rajupet
- 02:10: When is flu season and should you get the flu shot?
- 02:50: How do you keep kids safe during family gatherings?
- 05:10: What to know about RSV
- 07:00: Should you get the Covid-19 vaccine this year?
- 07:55: Why the winter months cause more sickness
- 09:00: Tips for traveling with children
- 11:20: Preventing illness during the holiday season
- 12:20: Are Covid-19 tests still accurate and important to take?
Improving Sleep and Mental Health in Winter Months
- 13:40: Introduction of Dr. Amin and Dr. Liebling
- 15:15: Is “holiday blues” a real thing?
- 16:15: How much sleep do you need?
- 17:05: How does sleep deprivation affect your health?
- 17:55: What are the symptoms of SAD?
- 19:22: Is melatonin a good supplement for sleep?
- 22:40: What should you do to improve sleep?
- 24:50: How to combat stress and loneliness during the holidays
Tips for Healthy Eating During the Holidays
- 26:40: Introduction of Dr. Obici
- 28:00: How to prevent overeating during the holidays
- 30:00: How do people with diabetes eat safely this time of year?
- 32:00: How should people with digestive issues eat during the holidays?
- 34:15: Planning ahead for holiday eating
- 35:55: The 80-20 rule
Protecting Heart Health During the Holiday Season
- 37:15: Introduction of Dr. Tam
- 37:40: What is holiday heart syndrome?
- 38:10: Common holiday habits that impact the heart negatively
- 38:57: Does stress increase your risk of heart disease?
- 39:30: The impact of excessive alcohol consumption on heart health
- 40:20: What precautions to take if you have an existing heart condition
- 41:20: Does weight gain impact heart health?
- 41:55: Warning signs of heart disease
- 42:30: Closing remarks
