MS Hope Foundation

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving and Hanukkah will be here next week! his means that there will be so many tasks that would need attention, starting from decluttering the house and applying a fresh coat of paint to the walls (by hiring local painters found with the help of My House Painter), to decorating and organizing the indoor space. Honestly, this can prove to be quite a tumultuous time as individuals might have so much on their plate to attend to. As a result, people may resort to binge eating or eating at inappropriate times because they are stressed out dealing with holidays. Moreover, it’s really tough to make healthy choices during the holidays with temptations around every corner. Halloween starts the madness – oh those sugar cravings! – and it doesn’t stop until the New Year. If you’re like us, you might need a little help staying focused on good health over the holidays — so here are some great, simple tips from our friend and favorite acupuncturist and health coach Lynn Keating. (We’ll be posting these on our fridge!)

• Lose the leftovers. If you’ve still got leftover Halloween candy, consider making gift baskets for military members or donating it to food pantries.
• Keep a gratitude jar. Each day leading up to Thanksgiving (or perhaps from Thanksgiving to Christmas) allow family members (and houseguests!) to write down one thing they are grateful for and add it to the jar. Choose a night to sit down with everyone and share them. This helps to keep perspective as to what is truly important around the holidays — you might even make it a weekly thing!
• Treat yourself. Don’t forget Y.O.U. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but it’s important to remember to take care of yourself, too. Treat yourself to things that make you feel good: a pedicure, a good book, etc. Also, gift yourself a comfortable mattress so that you can have a fresh start every day. You can look for one online with max benefits such as an orthopedic bed or organic mattress (click here to learn more). If nothing else, schedule quiet moments in your calendar to have a few moments of peace!
• Get enough sleep. Try not to burn the candles at every end. Sleep helps restore your tired body and mind and it keeps your stress and blood-sugar levels in check, so make sure you’re getting enough. If you think you may have an issue with your sleeping habits, and you are finding it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep, then you may have a sleep disorder that you will need looking into by the professionals. They will run a sleep study to determine what the outcome is and how that can be dealt with. If you have questions such as “what does a sleep study entail?” And “how long is a sleep study?” Then you may want to go onto websites such as gwinnettsleep.com and others like them, to see what is available and how you can be helped.
• Move it. Keep your favorite form of exercise in your routine, even if you can only manage 15 minutes per day. Fifteen minutes is better than nothing, and you’ll likely go longer once you start. It’s easy to say, “I’ll start my exercise routine January 1st,” but think about how great you’ll feel – and how happy you’ll be – when you’ve taken care of yourself all throughout the holiday season and are not starting from scratch the first of the year.
• Get your greens. Bump up your servings of veggies and fruits. Some ideas: add raisins or sliced banana to your morning cereal, spinach or kale to your afternoon smoothie, frozen mixed veggies to your chicken noodle soup, or try these tips. This way you are still eating the good stuff and filling up on them will help you resist the sweets and sugars.
• Drink up. Eggnog, hot chocolate, spiced (and spiked!) cider are all tempting treats, but water is always your best bet for keeping calories down and blood sugar stable. If you’re attending parties and having a few more alcoholic beverages than usual, alternate each one with a glass of water or seltzer. This strategy slows down drinking and keeps you hydrated so you’re less likely to feel awful the next morning.
• Sip on citrus. Add fresh lemon to your water. Lemon aids digestion cleanses your system, boosts immunity, and reduces inflammation. Not a lemon fan? No problem. Spruce up your H2O with orange, lime, grapefruit, or cucumber! Not a fan of citrus fruits? No worries! Go for Liposomal Vitamin C health supplements which can have the same benefits as citrus fruits. (Note that you can learn about the benefits of liposomal vitamin c by checking out the website of Quicksilver Scientific.)
• Say no. It’s ok to say no — to events, to food, to drinks, etc. We are allowed to put our needs and ourselves first, especially when it pertains to our health and wellness. If you feel you have a lot of “obligations” this holiday season or are perhaps not spending the holidays as you would ideally choose, remember that there are plenty of days in the season so schedule time to do something you love or spend time with people who make you happy and laugh.

Above all, take care of yourself and enjoy the holiday season!

This article was written by Lynn Keating, Lac. CHHC

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