Pro-tips for keeping safe and healthy this fall

With many families dealing with children going back to school in the midst of a pandemic, alumna Lee-Anne Lyon-Bartley shares some tips for staying healthy and safe this fall. 

Lyon-Bartley holds a bachelor's degree from Toronto Metropolitan University in Occupational and Public Health. She is a Certified Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and a Certified Professional in Food Safety (CP-FS).

Here are her top 5 tips:

One of the amazing things about Canada is that we have four seasons and every season brings opportunities for renewal and change. Let’s look at a few health and safety tips to keep in mind this fall.

1. You might feel strange about the upcoming time change.

The days are getting shorter and soon we will “fall back” for daylight savings time. The days after the time change have notoriously led to increased car and workplace accidents. The change can affect our sleep patterns, mood, appetite and more according to several articles and studies. To combat this change, consider exercising a few days leading up to the change and a few days after, get your rest and drink a good amount of water. Of course, these are good things to do any time of the year so if it’s not already part of your routine, use this change in seasons as a catalyst to change your routine.

2. Your safety is better when you check on the weather.

Every season change means a change in weather too and fall is a great time to adjust to the winter months coming ahead.  It’s a good thing we don’t just go from summer to winter overnight and we get a few months to readjust. Can you imagine if temperatures went from +25°C to -25°C overnight?  Mother Nature knew that plants, animals including us humans need time to acclimatize to the change and so she gave us fall. Use this season to prepare your home and car for winter. Start winterizing your home now instead of waiting for the winter weather to arrive and book your winter tire change appointments now since you have a rough idea when temperatures will drop consistently below 7°C.  

3. Take a break, explore and get outdoors.

Fall is a great time to enjoy the fall colours. Whether you choose to walk, run, bike ride or paddle, there is something about the fall colours that can be relaxing and give you a break from the everyday stresses. It’s good for your physical and mental health. You can check out www.FallRoutes.ca (external link, opens in new window)  for ideas and routes for different modes of transport.   

4. Foodborne illness can suck, so avoid the potluck.

Although entertaining might be a little different this year, many people will still find a way to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. Larger gatherings mean you might be cooking for more people than usual and you may ask your guests to bring food, but sometimes the meal can make everyone sick. One simple but effective food safety tip is to keep food hot in a pot or cold and on hold which means avoiding the temperature danger zone (4-60°C or 40-140°F). If you’re looking for more information, Health Canada has great tips for Holiday Food Safety. (external link, opens in new window) 

5. Let’s all behave to prevent a second wave.

As the temperature begins to drop, there is concern that the colder weather will bring the usual flu season and may increase the spread of COVID-19.  For everyone’s health and safety, as Peel Public health has been promoting, we all need to continue practicing the core four public health measures: stay 2 metres apart, wash our hands often or use hand sanitizer, wear a non-medical mask and get tested if you think you may have COVID-19. These measures should also help reduce the spread of seasonal flu as well.