Holiday Heart Attacks: Not a Myth

The holidays are a time for celebrating and spending time with family and friends. It’s the most festive time of year – we decorate trees, light menorahs, share meals and smiles, and sing songs together.

However, did you know it’s also the time of year when heart attacks are most likely to occur? It’s true. Sadly, between Thanksgiving and New Years, there is a nation-wide increase in cardiac-related deaths.

There are a few reason why researchers propose heart attacks increase during the winter holiday season.

1. Weather: breathing cold air can constrict the blood vessels and therefore increase the pressure causing clots to form. However, there are still a number of heart attacks in warmer weather climates.
2. Emotional Stress: the holiday season can be a source of stress with family you do or do not want to interact along with or financial pressures with gifts and travel expenses.
3. Overindulgence: Poor eating habits, excessive alcohol or abusing drugs can lead to an increased strain on your heart.

Taking a Red Cross CPR class can help you learn how to care for a person having a heart attack and how to perform CPR for a person in cardiac arrest . Often, cardiac emergencies happen at home or the workplace, so the life you may have to save could be that of a friend or loved one.

We know that taking a CPR course during the Holiday Season may seem impossible – but if you have three minutes to spare, we have a “Learn Hands-Only CPR” video that can help…you can always make taking the full CPR course a New Year’s resolution.

Taste the Holiday Love from Atlanta Bread!

Banana Nut, Cranberry Orange, Blueberry, Mocha Chocolate Chip, Caramel Apple Crunch... Um. Can you say nom?

Atlanta Bread is donating $1 of every loaf of $6.99 Holiday Bread to the American Red Cross.

So taste the holiday love, Asheville. It tastes really good.

Your Atlanta Bread locations are at 633 Merrimon Ave and 484 Hendersonville Road.

Go Red This Black Friday!

Another Thanksgiving. Another dining table filled with loved ones and favorite family recipes. Another football game. Another family sweater photograph. Another Black Friday to stand in line hour after hour.

Which one of these things doesn't belong?

There's a way to give this holiday season that doesn't require a trip to the mall or an hour long wait in line. It's the American Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog and it's the perfect way to honor your friends and family with gifts that really matter.

Is you father a veteran? Consider ditching that Blu-Ray player for meaningful gift in his name: a calling card for members of our Armed Forces who are overseas, for example.

Do you have a family member who ever received aid from the Red Cross after a storm? Then consider honoring them with a gift that sponsors an Emergency Response Vehicle.

Have a kid in med school? Consider a nod to their future career by vaccinating children overseas in their name.

Yeah, iPods, Play Stations and Kindles are cool but consider giving a gift that really matters this holiday season.

It's Turkey (or Tofurkey) Time!

Oh Thanksgiving – time for friends, family, football, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and most importantly – TURKEY!

Although Thanksgiving isn’t until next week, we’re sure those of you who are in charge of this famous dinner centerpiece are madly looking at recipes, making multiple trips to the grocery store, and starting your prep cooking.

Did you know that the average number of house fires DOUBLES on Thanksgiving Day – cooking is the leading culprit of these fires…so you may not want to try and channel your inner Paula Dean, unless you’ve trained her well. One of the largest incidents of these home fires stems from the growing trend to deep fry turkeys. Deep frying seems like a good option because: 1) it takes a lot less time to cook the turkey than baking it and 2) you have a better chance of having a beautifully moist turkey; and if you’ve eaten your fair share of over-baked turkey, you may want to convert to the fryer.

To help you, our good friends at the Department of Homeland Security have some good advice for those attempting to fry turkeys

1. Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials.
2. Never use turkey fryers in a garage or on a wooden deck.
3. Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
4. Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
5. Never let children or pets near the fryer even if it is not in use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.
6. To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
7. Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
8. Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water do not mix, and water causes oil to spill over causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.
9. The National Turkey Federation (NTF) recommends thawing the turkey in the refrigerator approximately 24 hours for every five pounds in weight.
10. Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. If the fire is manageable, use your all-purpose fire extinguisher. If the fire increases, immediately call the fire department for help.

For the more visual learners, here is a video from State Farm of what can happen if you do not follow the proper guidelines for frying your turkey:

Downtown Mountain Mile: November 19

Looking for a way to hit the ground running this holiday season? We've got you covered.

On November 19, 2011, start the holiday season with a big finish in our 3rd Annual Downtown Mountain Mile. The one mile fun run and competitive race precedes the holiday parade so it's a chance to see and be seen in the Holiday Parade.



The theme at this year's downtown Holiday Parade is "Days Gone By." Runners and walkers are welcome to dress in costume to celebrate this theme or a more traditional holiday costume. But it's Asheville, why be traditional?

For more information, click here.
To register, click here or call (828) 258-3888, ext. 225.