The holidays are a busy time, and though they are filled with fun and festive times of seeing family and friends, they can also be very stressful.
During the holidays, people tend to gain more weight due to being around all the delicious holiday foods and sweets! Not only that, but our immune systems tend to get run down during this time, due to stress, lack of sleep, and sugar.
But, if you put a plan in place, you can have a healthy holiday! Here are 8 ways to stay healthy.
Exercise.
With so much to do, it’s temping to put exercise by the wayside. Not only that, but colder temperatures make it more difficult to want to be outside.
However, exercise has so many benefits, including improved mood, better sleep, more energy, reduced risk of disease, and an improved immune system.
Especially this time of year, don’t skip out on those benefits! You could even get the family involved for a nice walk after Thanksgiving dinner, or meeting a friend to exercise and take a break from the bustle.
2. Limit sugar and simple carbs.
If you have a weight loss goal to reach, you may even want to cut out sugar altogether! But it is tough to completely avoid sugar and carbs, especially during the holidays.
Since I have a sweet tooth, one of my favorite ways to enjoy sweetness without the health detriments is to replace sugar with monk fruit or stevia. For me, this keeps all the enjoyment without the calories or health pitfalls!
3. Keep your supplements going.
With the busyness of the holidays, it can be easy to forget the habits that keep you healthy! For me, keeping up on my supplement regimen is important to keep me feeling my best.
One of my favorites is BioMS turmeric, which is up to 277 more absorbable than native turmeric.
4. Get sunshine.
Sunshine does so much for us, including naturally increasing our vitamin D levels. But when the days are shorter, it’s more difficult to get sunlight.
When the weather is nice outside, it's a perfect opportunity to get those rays!
If your vitamin D is low however, you may want to consider raising it using additional methods.
5. Enjoy time with family and friends.
Living in the moment is hard for many of us. We’re always wanting to look toward the next thing, the next goal, the next opportunity.
But as we know, life is lived in the present! Life is precious, and making memories with the ones we care about is so important.
Even still, there are relationships that are difficult, and the holidays tend to put a spotlight on these — especially if we have to see someone we don’t get along with or who has hurt us greatly in the past.
In this case, boundaries are an excellent remedy. Even if you can’t completely avoid the person or situation, you may decide to do things differently or say no to certain things that would place a significant emotional strain on you. Only you can decide how that will look for sure, and I have definitely had to make some tough calls myself. But, ultimately, it will not only help you in reducing stress, but it may help to get the relationship to a point of good terms. A great book on the subject is Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend.
6. Get enough sleep.
Although it’s a busy season, rest is important to be able to ward off colds and flus and feel our best.
Setting a regular bedtime, as well as limiting screen time, avoiding eating too late in the evening, and avoiding caffeine late in the day can help us make the most of our sleep time.
If you have been struggling with insomnia, you may want to check out our video course on how to get better sleep!
7. Consider cleansing.
Especially if you feel sluggish or have any digestive issues going on, it may be time to consider doing some kind of cleanse. Cleansing with an effective herb blend can help to normalize digestion, reduce fatigue, clear up skin issues, promote better sleep and more.
We are doing a December cleanse in our Facebook group, Fight Inflammation One Bite at a Time, and we are focusing on a powerful supplement a friend used to recover from Lyme disease. See more info here!
8. Practice gratitude.
Gratitude has been called “vitamin G” in some circles due to its powerful effect on outlook, as well as our health!
According to David DeSteno, PhD, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University in Boston and author of the book Emotional Success, “Making gratitude a daily practice is like taking a vitamin.”
For example, a 2015 study found that people who kept gratitude journals slept better and had lower blood pressure readings, while in a different study, people who wrote about what they were grateful for once a week reported feeling 25% happier, according to an article by Prevention.
How do you like to stay healthy during the holidays?
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