Halloween, Alcohol And Sugar Overdose

Stay Sober(ish)

Are you already looking forward to sampling some of the many creepy but terrific-looking Halloween cocktails? Enjoying a drink or two is a great way to spice your Halloween celebration up, but make sure you don't get absolutely sloshed this night. 

Drunk driving is only one reason to stay sober. If you are going to drive, you should obviously do the right thing and make sure that you don't drink any alcohol at all. There are more drunk driving incidents than usual on Halloween night, so you should also be extra careful if you are a responsible driver. 

If you are enjoying an adult Halloween party and are not going to drive, you have no reason to show that level of restraint — or do you? You are probably going to have some of those nice jack-o-lanterns around your home. If you are drunk, you are much more likely to set yourself or your house on fire. What's more, you won't be able to react as quickly or as effectively. Consider having a "designated health and safety guard" even if you're getting together to get drunk.

Don't Overdose On Sugar

Americans will spend an estimated $2.3 billion Dollars on Halloween candy this year. It's no wonder most Halloween health tips are about candy consumption. Those tips are, of course, mainly aimed at parents — how can you help your children avoid overdosing on Halloween treats? If you are a parent yourself, and one who is already a veteran of previous Trick or Treat sessions? Then, you have probably discovered that raiding your kids' candy stash late at night is a great way to stop them from “poisoning their bodies with all that sugar”!

If you are a friendly neighbor, aunt, or grandparent, you'll have even more liberty to binge on the Trick or Treat candy you have left over after Halloween is over. You haven't got any children to share your treats with, so you'll have to get rid of it all by yourself, right?

Here's the thing: avoiding candy is not only for kids. Consuming lots of sugar in one go will give you an upset stomach and will do weird things to your blood sugar levels. At first you may feel hyperactive, nauseous, and even a little high. When the glucose is gone from your blood steam, you will feel tired. If you avoid a candy binge and have a few treats a day, perhaps at different times, your teeth may decay instead. Candy contains nothing that is actually good for your body, and it messes your metabolism up. Be warned.

Avoid Halloween Fires

We don't need to tell you that candles can cause a fire, but there is a little more to fire safety than that. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) advises folks who want to create that special Halloween atmosphere with a jack-o-lantern to use a flashlight or other battery-operated light source instead of a real candle. They also warn that any candle that you do light should be far away from doorways, and that kids and pets should be closely watched if there are candles around.

Don't think you are exempt — though tea lights can be quite safe if you follow some simple rules, decorations are still the first items to ignite in the majority of reported fires, the NFPA reports. Mind your ghost and witch decorations, watch out for dried flowers or pieces of fabric (including Halloween costumes that drag or wave behind you), and keep kids and pets within your sight.

Keeping your exits free from obstacles that could prevent people from leaving your house if a fire does break out is a sensible precaution all year round. Parents should also practice a fire drill with their kids and talk about fire safety quite regularly, and Halloween is a great opportunity to talk about staying away from candles and other possible sources of a fire, and to set up a fire routine in your house.