Hints for a Healthy Happy Holiday
By Dr Jenna.
The holiday season is upon us again, they can bring so much joy but also many challenges, it is a time when we gather as family. It is also a time when we have high expectations to enjoy ourselves. Over the years I have found lots of things that you can do to try and avoid stress and illness over the holidays, starting to prepare and contemplate the holiday season helps you get ready. First step is to ponder on what usually happens during the holidays for you. Do you over indulge? Do you get lonely and depressed? Do you tend to go off your eating plan and eat foods that are unhealthy for you? Do you get overly stressed by trying to make everything perfect at the holidays? Does your family arrive and throw you into crisis? Watching the patterns of past holidays can help you plan a happier, healthier holiday this year.
Over eating is a common problem during the holiday season, this can lead to a number of problems including reflux, heart failure or even heart attacks. Eating too much can cause stomach upset and reflux. Instead of treating these with Quickeze or Gaviscon, put small amounts of the things you like on your plate and enjoy them, if you are still hungry then go back for seconds. Foods full of salt, such as ham or smoked foods can cause peoples blood pressure to go up or cause fluid to build up in the lungs that can cause shortness of breath. So eat foods lower in salt and drink plenty of water. Also adding in fresh fruits and veggies can cut down on the amount of salt we absorb. Over eating can also lead to heart attacks as it puts a stress on the heart. We are lucky to live in Australia where lots of amazing fruits are available at the holidays.
If you have problems with your blood sugar, such as diabetes or insulin resistance, keep your sugary foods to a minimum. Maybe decide what you really want, Pavlova or Trifle, and eat some of that but not everything. Eat things with cinnamon as it helps you metabolise your sugar and get more exercise to help the body burn the excess sugar you have eaten. It is not about depriving yourself but asking - what do I really want to eat?
In Australia it can be very hot at Christmas and this makes it really important to drink a lot of water. Alcoholic beverages can cause you to get dehydrated faster, so if you choose to have alcohol, space your drinks out with water, especially if you are out in the hot sun. Alcohol can affect the body’s sensor of heat and cold and of course, if you are in the sun: slip, slop and slap. I see many people’s holidays ruined by sunburn or heatstroke - sunburns can be dangerous and heat stroke life threatening.
Stress and depression can be a real problem over the holidays too, if you are going to find yourself alone at the holidays think about volunteering to help at a shelter or a community meal, I have done this and found it a great way to get in the holiday mood. If you get depressed over the holidays, work with your counsellor to finds ways to cope with the season. If your family stresses you out, then life coaching may be a great option to find successful coping strategies. Whatever you choose, find ways to make the holiday season joyful and healthy.
Happy Holidays to all of our patients and clients - I want to express my gratitude for making our clinic a success!
