Keeping Yourself Healthy Through the Holiday Season
The turkey has been served and the holiday season has officially begun. Yay, socializing! Exactly what you’ve been craving, yet you’re feeling a bit queasy now. The aftereffects of gathering are starting to surface and half of the group you gathered with have come down with Covid.
Are social gatherings doomed? Must you turn down invitations because you don’t want to risk days in bed feeling miserable? Ughhhh.
Seasonal Woes
Life’s simple pleasures have become complicated and remain so in this post pandemic world. Beyond still dreading the C word, the usual seasonal conditions still exist. A cold is a cold, and we never really feared it.
A fever is usually something more dreaded: cringing, aching, draining. And the flu often knocks you out, with all of the above, and miserably keeps you in bed. No matter what form of seasonal woes you experience, you want it to pass quickly but better yet, you want to avoid it entirely.
So how do you battle through the winter and put up your best defense without sacrificing a most important aspect of your health, socializing?
10 Suggestions That May Help
Good Gut Health Is Good Immune Health
Don’t eat the things that disagree with you even if they’re all dolled up and festive. Holiday celebrations don’t mean you have to eat everything. Keep to the foods that make you feel good, and your body will do its best to keep you well.
Keep the Sugar Intake Down
It’s easy to take in a lot more sugar during the holiday weeks. Everyone’s baking, the stores are full of holiday specialties and the wine is flowing, but too much sugar intake will not only affect your blood sugar balance, but it will disrupt your immune system’s ability to function well. Fill yourself with nourishing foods so that you have less room for the sugary ones.
Try Bone Broth
Bone broth makes a good staple in your weekly eating plan in-between the socializing. It’s restorative, soothing, repairing and a great way to add key antioxidants like garlic, turmeric, ginger, parsley and others to up its value.
If you have a histamine imbalance, then stick to chicken stock rather than bone broth. The shorter cooking time eliminates the histamine that may cause problems but can be equally beneficial.
Include Fermented Foods to Your Diet
Add a couple of spoonfuls of fermented foods into your daily eating. Nourishing foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kefir add beneficial bacteria into your gut to help keep the bad bacteria out. Similar to bone broth, not great for those with histamine issues.
Take More Vitamin C
Increasing the amount of Vitamin C you take, with food or as a supplement, for a couple of days before a party or gathering is good for added support all throughout the winter season.
Drink Enough Water
Stay hydrated and perhaps begin your day with a warm cup of lemon and ginger tea. It’s cleansing and nurturing to your liver and entire digestive system.
Start a Breathing Practice
Deep breathing is so easy to do and so very beneficial for keeping your respiratory system clear and your body fluids moving. It’s also valuable for proper digestion, managing a chronic cough that you can’t seem to rid, and calming your nervous system as well. Learn how to get started.
Find Time to Relax
If your days are busy and you’re always running errands, find time to restore your energy before heading to meet others. Give yourself a chance to rejuvenate, and maybe that means saying no to an invitation if you feel exhausted.
For Safety, Test for Covid
Covid testing is simple and still should be recommended before going to a gathering. It shouldn’t be a big deal, and all should see how it can benefit and protect those who are most vulnerable. Suggest it at your next gathering.
Manage Normal Holiday Stress in Any Way That Suits You
The holidays can be as stressful as they are enjoyable. Remember it’s ok to step back and nourish yourself with what you need to keep the stress under wraps, so you can enjoy these weeks as they should be enjoyed.
I hope you find these suggestions useful. They are only suggestions however, and you should always consult your health care provider to understand how you can manage your individual needs and do what’s best for you.
Let’s have a Conversation:
Are you gathering with friends or family over the Holidays? What precautions have you taken to avoid catching a cold, the flu or Covid?
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