Mary's Tips For A Healthy Holiday Season
During the holidays, it is sometimes unthinkable to ask anyone to put yet ANOTHER thing on their “To Do List.” If you can read through the list below and choose one or two things that resonate with you, and maybe incorporate them during the next couple of months, who knows - they might become a part of your daily routine and the stress of the holidays might not take its toll this time!
Happy Holidays Everyone!
Mary’s Tips For A Healthy Holiday Season
Get plenty of sleep. Not allowing your body to rest and recuperate can be very stressful for your immune system. 8 hours per night is most widely recognized as the best amount.
Exercise or do a little yoga each day. Even going for a daily walk or completing a couple rounds of Sun Salutation may be adequate. This will reduce stress, improve cardiovascular function, help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your immune system, and help you fight off osteoporosis and diabetes.
Drink plenty of water each day. To figure out an adequate amount, divide your weight in half and that is the amount you should drink in ounces. Water is essential for most bodily functions.
Avoid sugar and other refined carbohydrates as much as possible. These include white bread, white rice, regular pasta, crackers, cookies, and most sweets. Excess sugar consumption robs the body of good health and feeds cancer cells. Substitute with brown rice, whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta. Limit sugar consumption at those holiday gatherings, and look for nutritious alternatives. Keep alcohol to a minimum. Alcohol does a lot of damage to your liver, plus it has a ton of empty calories you don’t need.
Avoid hydrogenated fats such as margarine. Read your labels when grocery shopping and beware of “partially hydrogenated oil.” These types of fats cause imbalances of fatty acids and impair normal liver and gallbladder function.
Eat at least 6 servings of vegetables per day, especially the dark green variety. Veggies are low in calories and have the fiber our digestive tracts need. Raw is best, followed by roasted or steamed. Canned and fried vegetables have very little nutrients left in them.
Spend some time each day focusing on your breath. If you needs some breathing exercises, contact me!
Know your limitations, as well as your boundaries. Don’t schedule more than you can handle during the day. Learn to either say “NO,” or delegate.
Take a “mini-vacation.” Get a massage, spend time listening to relaxing music, garden, cook, or even just stay home for a day. You don’t need to take a long, expensive vacation to get the benefits of “getting away from it all.”
Write down and repeat positive affirmations about yourself on a daily basis. Start a Gratitude Jar or a journal.
