Knowing how to stay healthy around the holidays is important because the end of the year is quickly approaching. This is a joyous time filled with holiday celebrations and end-of-the-year parties, but it’s also when people stress, overindulge, and healthy practices take a back seat.
Below are several ways to survive the holiday season while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Stay Hydrated During the Holidays:
Dry air, as we often see here in Arizona, dries out the mucous membranes in your body, which, in turn, allows bugs into our systems. Also, travelling via airplane, puts us at risk for getting ill as the inside of airplane cabins provides for low humidity at high altitudes. Hydrating also regulates your body temperature, lubricates your joints, and allows for transportation of nutrients.
Stay Active Throughout the Holidays:
Exercise is just as important during the holiday as it is during the rest of the year. Try to do something physically active 4-5 times a week. This will also allow the body to burn calories as our caloric intake increases. Find creative ways to incorporate physical activity, and even better, including friends and family as well.
Get Enough Sleep:
People have a tendency to wear themselves out during the holiday season. Not getting a good night’s sleep, puts one at risk for getting ill because you’ve worn down your immune system.
Practice Healthy Holiday Nutrition:
Eating healthy can be very challenging with the abundance of cookies and cakes and various other sweets everywhere we look. My advice is to eat junk food in moderation and make sure to incorporate the “good” foods including fruits, vegetables, protein and fiber, that allow your body function optimally.
Drink Alcohol Responsibly:
Alcoholic drinks go hand in hand with most holiday get togethers. When drinking alcoholic drinks, I recommend alternating between alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks. This will minimize the chance of a hangover the next day.
Manage Holiday Stress:
Stress is something that is unavoidable. Know your stress points then find ways of dealing with them. Deal with them by incorporating breaks when you’re in stressful situations. Also, do something you enjoy before and/or after dealing with stressful situations.
Make Time to Relax:
Relaxation is key during the holidays since so much of the holiday season is the opposite of relaxing. Find time to sit on the couch and read your favorite book or watch TV. This will balance out all of the busy activity.
Prevent Germs During the Holiday Season:
Washing your hands before and after eating, after using the restroom, and other times during the day, can help minimize transferring germs from someone or something to you. The holiday season is when colds and flu bugs are at their peak. Using hand sanitizer throughout the day is also helpful, but don’t use it as a complete substitute for handwashing. Hands should still be washed several times per day.
Following these tips on how to stay active around the holidays will help improve your ability to stay healthy during the holiday season so you can focus on enjoying the celebratory time, while still incorporating healthy behaviors.
Eric Ullman, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Owner of ReThrive Wellness, PLLC
ericullman@rethrivewellness.com
www.rethrivewellness.com