Health tips to keep you in full swing during the holidays
BY DR. JOYCE JOHNSON
For many people, the holiday season brings a combination of excitement and apprehension. Ironically, the festive time of year can be very stressful. Year-end deadlines at work, long lines at the mall, planning for guests to visit your home and traffic congestion due to bad weather can all add up to some pretty tough times. Luckily there are some things you can do that can immediately help everyone cope with these pressures and turn the holiday season into a more fun-filled event.
Put a hold on overindulgences
In the hustle and bustle of everything we need to do, eating at regular times seems to be forgotten. Try to eat every 2-3 hours, which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with 2 snacks in order to keep your blood sugar levels balanced and your mood happy. Always ensure you have a balanced intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats (olive, coconut and fish oils), lean proteins (wild fish and organic chicken) and legumes, whole grains (brown rice and quinoa) and healthy snacks (nuts and seeds). Although cookies and cakes have a way of grabbing our attention this time of year, try to limit your consumption of sugar and alcohol.
Foods high in fibre such as legumes, whole grains, seeds, fruits and vegetables are great at keeping you feeling full and balancing your blood sugar levels. High fibre foods can help prevent hunger and overindulgence at holiday parties and other events.
Lastly, it’s important to consume water throughout the day. Water is extremely important for improving energy, preventing headaches and regulating our appetites. It is also needed by fibre to work properly in our bodies.
Boost immunity
Stress has a huge impact on our immune system. We always seem to get sick after a big event, during a busy time at work or at home. Your stress hormones (adrenalin and cortisol) can directly inhibit the immune system and your susceptibility to illness rises. Despite your effort to eat well and rest, that sore throat or cough may start to creep up on you.
Consider these natural remedies to keep yourself healthy this holiday season:
- Garlic has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, and immune boosting properties.
- Vitamin C rich foods have a reputation for supporting the immune system and strengthening the body in times of stress.
- Oregano Oil has potent antimicrobial actions (carvacrol and thymol), so will be effective against bacteria and viruses.
- Echinacea may help to prevent a cold, shorten a duration of a cold and decrease the severity of symptoms.
Sweat it out
It is important to make some time in your busy schedule to get in some physical activity. Even 15-20 minutes a day of rigorous walking with some stretching can help you recharge, elevate your mood, and burn some of those extra calories. Remember it is all about moving, so any type of activity will be helpful.
Shut-eye
For many families, the best time to get things done is after work and after the kids go to bed. However, many nights without enough sleep can depress our immune systems and decrease our energy levels. It is really important to maintain your sleep schedule and try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night. If possible, try to be in bed by 10 p.m. each night.
If you have difficulty falling asleep, consume foods that help to promote sleep:
- Cherries provide a natural source of melatonin—a hormone that controls our internal clock to regulate sleep. When cherries are not available, dried cherries or cherry juice (tart) are good substitutes. Eat one hour before bed.
- Bananas provide potassium and magnesium—which are natural muscle relaxants—and contain L-tryptophan which converts to serotonin and melatonin.
- Scottish or Irish oatmeal triggers a rise in blood sugar, which in turn triggers insulin production and the release of sleep-inducing brain chemicals. Oats are also rich in vitamin B6—an anti-stress vitamin—and melatonin.
- Melatonin is ideal to ingest just 30 minutes before bed to help improve your sleep.
Breathe and plan it out
Shallow breathing can create tension and exhaustion, whereas deep breathing can melt away stress, improve energy and help you to relax. If you have so many to-do items whirling around in your head, make a list and devise simple ways to tackle each item. Driving around without a plan will create more stress, and cause you to spend more money and leave you overwhelmed.
Be realistic about what you need to accomplish and delegate where possible. Happy holidays!
