This year, holiday shopping, travel and gatherings with family and friends will be different. But people will still celebrate the holidays.

While you navigate the next few months and say goodbye to the year that was 2020, take time to prioritize your health, and specifically, your ostomy health. It's the best gift you can give to yourself and those you love.

A few tips to help you stay healthy and start 2021 stronger:

• Ensure your ostomy product is right for you. Ask yourself: Does my ostomy product still work for me? If the answer is maybe or no, it might be time to try something new. It’s easy to speak with a product specialist or ostomy nurse about your product. 
• Stay hydrated. You can't survive on eggnog alone. Drinking more water is one of the simplest ways to improve your health and well-being. Stay prepared and carry a drink with you if you are on the go. Learn more about healthy hydration here.
• What’s on the menu? If you’ve just recently had ostomy surgery, you might be leery about trying new foods that show up around the Holiday table. When trying new foods, start with small servings, chew your food well, and pay attention to your body’s response to these foods. Review more nutrition tips and tricks here.
• Insurance Deductibles. Consider how close you are to meeting your deductibles. Meeting your deductible is a great incentive to taking advantage of the health care services offered by your plan before everything resets on January 1^st. 
• Understand your insurance coverage. Let’s face it, health insurance can seem confusing. You may not be aware of services or benefits covered in your package. Contact your insurance company to learn more about offerings you can take advantage of before the year end. You can also contact your ostomy supplies retailer for an insurance evaluation to ensure you are making the most of your coverage.
• Flexible or Health Spending Account Balances (FSA, HSA). If your plan includes an FSA or HSA, your account balance is funded with pre-tax dollars, allowing you to save money on your taxes by reducing taxable income. Generally, FSAs require that you use those benefits within the calendar year, and benefits do not carry over. Some plans do offer a grace period after the year ends to finish spending your balance. Take the time to review your plan and remaining balance. Consider setting up an FSA or HSA for next year if you do not already have one.