Don’t Push Your Luck: How to Keep Safe on St. Patrick’s Day
By Sara Butler
Whether you’ve got any Irish heritage or not, on March 17 everyone is magically transported to the end of the rainbow to become Irish for a day. Most people celebrate with green beer and other shenanigans or tomfoolery, but there are some things done on St. Patrick’s Day that are the literal worst for your health and wellness.
Aside from avoiding that kiss on the Blarney Stone, what other activities need special attention on this day and, really, almost every day? Let’s look at a few things you can do to help keep you safe and healthy on St. Patrick’s Day so you don’t push your luck.
St. Patrick’s Day: A Brief History
St. Patrick’s Day originally was meant to observe the death of the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. However, over time the holiday has changed into a day to celebrate Irish culture. People eat special Irish foods, drink Irish drinks, dance, and wear a lot of green to avoid getting pinched! It’s really just a day for fun and food, but all of that can come at a price if you’re not careful!
Sláinte
In case you weren’t aware, sláinte is Irish for “cheers.” People toast a lot of sláintes for the holiday, which leads to a whole lot of imbibing. You already know that drinking isn’t good for your health, so we can just skip over that to discuss the consequences of all that drinking -- accidents!
St. Patrick’s Day is a dangerous day on the roads with a spike in alcohol-related car accidents and deaths. If you’re going to toss a few back with your friends this St. Patrick’s Day, have a designated driver or take a rideshare. That way you and those around you can have many more St. Patrick’s Days to be unofficially Irish.
It’s Shamrock (Shake) Season
There are all kinds of treats beyond green beer on St. Patrick’s Day -- including the (in)famous shamrock shake. This minty green milkshake has 73 grams of sugar. If you’re keeping track, that’s 17.5 teaspoons of sugar. The recommended daily allowance for sugar in your diet? Six teaspoons. So, you can see where that’s going. Kiss that shamrock shake goodbye for your health!
One Little Spark
Another common health hazard on St. Patrick’s Day? Burns, a type of injury you don’t want to take as a souvenir from your Irish-themed activities. But as the Irish say, burning embers are easily kindled.
Cooking is the primary way people get burned on this holiday. All that delicious corned beef and cabbage has to be made somehow, after all! But you can avoid a burn to commemorate this holiday by:
- Wearing loose-fitting clothing when cooking near an open flame
- Using potholders when removing hot things from the oven
- Using tongs -- your fingers do not count in this instance
- Not filling pots too full with liquid
- Keeping a fire extinguisher easily accessible in the kitchen
- Never leaving food unattended while grilling or frying
You can still eat like a king (or queen) on your St. Patrick’s Day, free from burns, by simply remembering those safety rules!
May the Road Rise Up to Meet You
If you’re going to be taking in some St. Patrick’s Day parades, then make sure to stay safe even if you’ll only be walking on the streets. Not only have parade floats killed people, but many drivers may be driving distractedly or under the influence, so you must pay special attention.
Make sure when walking that you stay on designated walkways such as crosswalks and sidewalks. If you’re at a parade, stay behind the barricades and never try to cross between floats. Remember, they have limited visibility and that giant leprechaun atop his pot o’ gold cannot stop on a dime to avoid hitting a pedestrian. Stay safe and use your best judgment when navigating foot traffic.
This St. Patrick’s Day, everyone at The Joint Chiropractic hopes you have a safe and fun day. Here’s to a long and merry one!
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.