Staying Healthy Through The Holidays

Do the holidays have you jumping for joy or running for the nearest exit? Labeled as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” the holiday season can be stressful and overwhelming for some. If you are in need of a vacation to refuel after all that joy, how about trying something different this year? Staying anchored amidst the peripheral chaos will not only keep you healthy, but also give you a chance to enjoy in the merriment.

Here are some simple things to keep this year’s festivities filled with glee.

1. Exercise. Moving the body helps to mobilize stagnant energy. Inducing a heart rate response helps delivery of oxygen to those much deprived sedentary tissues. Plus, it keeps the waistline in check. If you are able to maintain your regular schedule of workouts, fantastic! If not, try using resistance bands at home. Ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes before bed provides enough resistance training to keep your muscles from winter atrophy.
2. Meditation. Studies have shown just three minutes of mind-stillness is enough to lower cellular inflammation significantly. One of my go-to meditation apps is ‘Insight Timer’.  It is a free download that offers 24,000 meditation options ranging from two minutes up to three + hours.  Set your alarm clock five minutes earlier than you would normally get up and head to your favorite spot. Set a timer. Turn on your favorite music or have no music at all and just let your mind get lost. Don’t stop any thoughts, emotions or feelings that arise. Let them come to the surface and just observe. Go deeper into your diaphragmatic breath as each inhale/exhale brings you to a place of calm.  Once the timer goes off, you get to choose if you are done or if you want to continue longer. There is power in stillness.
3. Increase protein. With so many tempting processed foods surrounding us this time of year, even the most disciplined cave to the pressures of home baked goods. We all know how we get when we eat too much sugar – crabby, anxious, irritable, depressed, fatigue, joint pain, swelling – and this is all before the weight gain even starts. Do yourself a favor. You know what the outcome of a sugar splurge is going to feel like. So don’t go ALL the way there. Yet, you don’t want to deprive yourself of the simple pleasures in life. You can have your cake and eat it too, but in smaller quantities. If you know you are headed towards the dessert table, load up on high protein meals prior to start of the party. High fiber, high protein snacks curb cravings while making you feel fuller. Stock your pantry this season with nourishing snacks like dates, nuts, fruits, cut meats, pre-made protein shakes (my favorite) or anything else you find nourishing and satisfying and eat it thirty minutes before partying it up.
4. Water. We all know water helps with satiety, but more importantly water’s function is to keep the cells operating fully and completely.  As our body begins to acclimate to the cooler temperatures, it is vital that we become more diligent with water consumption. Regulating our internal thermostat causes dehydration even before the onset of symptoms. All it takes is just a little effort to see how easy drinking water actually is.  To make the process a little easier, use water bottles with clear markings so it takes the guess work out of the equation. For those that don’t enjoy the taste of fresh water, add fresh fruits through an infuser to sweeten the deal.  Recommended intake is ½ oz per body weight in pounds/day.  Set phone reminders. Having an alarm go off every 15 minutes is surely an annoying way to keep anyone on track. Don’t underestimate the importance of staying hydrated.
5. Relax. I often tell my patients, “Let’s work really hard the first 11 ½ months of the year so when these last two weeks roll around, we can play.”  Come on guys.  Isn’t life stressful enough as it is? Why do we want to make the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” like all the other stressed out days? Family can be stressful. Cooking can be tedious. Hosting can be exhausting. Sleep can be deprived. Weight can be piled on. House can be random chaos. But soon everything will go back to its organized, fast-paced, hurried, no-time for each other life. Let it go. The pie doesn’t have to be perfect. The decorations don’t have to be like HGTV paid you a visit. Just breathe and remember holidays are of course about celebrating family and the joys in our lives, but it is really about celebrating YOU. It is an opportunity to reflect on who you have become this year and who you are becoming into the next. It is about all that you have learnt and all that you have released. It is about slowing our heart rate and pausing with each breath. Take the pictures. Eat the food.  Enjoy the moment. You know why? Because January 2^nd is right around the corner and we will soon be back on this hamster wheel in a game we call ‘life’.

Wishing you and your families a most joyous holiday season. May 2020 be a year of healing, happiness and prosperity!

Dr. Raman’s Concierge Medical Practice is focused on holistic care and good health maintenance. For more information on healthy eating habits and achieving and maintaining OPTIMAL health,  CONTACT our office today to schedule your appointment. You can also learn more by following Dr. Raman on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest.