30-second lifesaver
This week’s tip comes from Dr. Eric Collins, Addiction Psychiatrist and Physician-in-Chief at Silver Hill Hospital, a Connecticut-based mental health facility.
Put the brakes on someone drinking and driving
“Telling someone directly that you are concerned about their drinking can be challenging, but if a friend or loved one is determined to drive after drinking, be direct but calm and reasonable. Start with: ‘I care about you, and you may hurt yourself or someone else. You should not drive.’ If they get in the car to drive, calmly explain you are serious. Even a DUI conviction is less destructive than a manslaughter or another conviction.”
Scary stat
38 percentof Americans feel less informed about the Affordable Care Act over the past month, a month after the start of open enrollment, according to Consumer Reports. They created www.HealthLawHelper.org to help people make sense of the new law.
New Year’s fitness
Get a leg up on your resolution with these fitness happenings.
- Start your 2014 on the right foot — literally (or your left foot, if you’re a lefty) — at the New York Road Runners’ annual Midnight Run sponsored by Emerald Nuts. The all-night party begins with a costume contest, dancing and fireworks before segueing into a four-mile run in Central Park. Sign up at www.nyrr.com.
- The JCC (334 Amsterdam Ave., 646-505-5708) will host an open house from 10 a.m.-6 pm., featuring Zumba, indoor cycling, nutrition consultations and more.
- Alvin Ailey’s “Get Fit in ’14” program kicks off Jan. 2; participants can take 14 classes in 14 days for the price of 10 classes. All dance levels are welcome; sign up at www.aileyextension.com.