The holiday season used to be a concentrated period in the last two weeks of December. Now, as soon as we hang up our Halloween costumes the Christmas lights are strung, the holiday shopping begins and the invitations roll in for holiday gatherings. Don’t get me wrong – I love a good celebration as much as anyone else, but between the indulgent meals, cocktails, parties, traveling and the financial pressure of gift-giving it can be challenging to stay healthy during the holidays.
A key part of staying healthy during the holidays is to support the immune system. When our immune systems are challenged and suppressed, we’re less likely to maintain our overall health. Most of the things we indulge in during holidays – chocolate, candy, processed foods, rich meals – are taxing for our bodies to process and hamper immune system function.
The immune system is mysterious to many people. It’s not like the liver or the heart or a specific organ that we pinpoint and describe. The immune system is more like a series of bits and pieces that work together to form a total body defense. Part of it is the glands in our neck/throat, armpits and crotch region, part of it is the lymphatic system that excretes wastes and runs side-by-side with veins that carry fresh oxygenated blood, a massive part is in the lowest bit of our small intestine and of course there is the part located in our bones where blood is made. The thing is, we need all of these bits and pieces to be nourished in order for the total system to do its job.
Unfortunately, there are many things we do during the holidays that kick this system while it’s down.
For more in-depth details about supporting the immune system, you can check out this post about 5 Ways to Prevent Colds and Flus and my Top 10 Cold and Flu Remedies. You’ll learn all about how diet, stress and lack of sleep kick our immune system down.
Stay Healthy During the Holidays
We’re all over the immune power right now as we slide on into the chaos of the holiday season. If we know that we’re going to be running a teensy bit wild health-wise, our best defence will always be preparedness.
There are a few super keys to ensuring health through holidays, and I want to make sure I have all of those bases covered for you. Today I’m focusing on the antidotes to the holiday season. If we know we’re going to splurge, how do we offset the indulgences?
1. Avoid Late Nights
The late nights are usually the toughest part of the holiday season because we’re sleeping (and eating) outside of our regular schedule. Consider these measures to offset this:
Start high dosing on your vitamin C. You can take anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 mcg. Remember to take it throughout the day – as vitamin C is water soluble, you’ll pee out what you don’t absorb.
Take some adaptogenic herbs like ashwaganda, rhodiola, maca and reishi.
Prioritize sleep whenever you can.
2. Skip The Sugar Overload
This one is easy. Don’t do it! Be selective about the treats you indulge in and choose wisely. This goes for cakes, cookies and booze!
Booze is optional, but if you are going to drink, stay away from the fancy cocktails and stick with red or white wine, or simple mixes.
Drink lots and lots of water to help stay hydrated. Sugar dehydrates us and can leave us craving more sugar. If you’d like to make water special, infuse it with herbs or fruit.
3. Move That Body
Thanks to the late nights and sugar indulgences, your energy levels might drop, leading you to wimp out on your regular physical activity. Don’t let it happen! Keep up with your physical health goals by taking on a group challenge or partnering with someone who will keep you accountable and committed. This way, even if you do indulge in late nights and extra food, your body will stay strong and it will be that much easier to get back to your regular routine in the new year.
Use yoga websites, online fitness classes, YouTube, a DVD series or simply go for a walk. Aim to commit to at least 30 minutes of movement a day, whether that happens in an airport or in your kitchen. Move and shake.
4. Keep That Gut Healthy
The core of our immune health starts in the gut. Make sure that in addition to supporting your adrenal glands through adaptogenic herbs and offsetting the effects of sugar with water, you’re also supporting the health of your digestive tract.
Handling energy vampires (you can encounter them a lot over the holidays!)
Taking care of your health through the holidays will help to bring down the stress levels associated with the holiday time.
6. Stick To A Routine
Don’t make the last six weeks of the year a no-holds barred bonanza where you forget all of the healthy habits you cultivated all year, like sleeping regularly, keeping digestion humming along, drinking clean water, exercising, meditating and breathing, practicing gratitude and of course, eating delicious and healthful food.
As much as you can, wake up, go to bed, eat, work and exercise at the same times each day. This can be tricky with holiday schedules, but do your best.
How we eat is equally important to what we eat. If we’re eating while stressed out, in the car, on the run, on the couch or not paying attention we’re more likely to overeat and feel terrible afterward.
Instead, cultivate mindful and conscious eating practices. Unhealthy eating patterns are often caused by tension and stress. When we experience stress or negative emotions, we lose energy. Unconsciously, we want to eat to replace that lost energy with food – especially comfort food. Simply noticing how we feel before we reach for that chocolate cake or third beer is the first step.
Take time with your meals and enjoy them at a table (the holidays are a perfect time to practice this!). Linger at the dinner table – not to eat more, but to spend more time chewing and savouring as opposed to gobbling. The more awareness we bring to what, where, when and why we are eating, the sooner great health will unfold before us.
9. Keep Good Company
The holidays are a tricky time when it comes to negotiating the relationships of those we spend this time of year with – especially these days when we have fewer options. We can’t choose our family but we can choose our friends. Though for many, spending the holidays with family is a joyful and easy time. If that’s not your situation, however, it’s important that you carve out time to celebrate the goodness of life with those of your own choosing. Spending time alone, can also be the best company of all, sometimes.
Holiday Party Survival Guide
*You may not be attending traditional family gatherings due to the current global circumstances; however, these tips can apply to small gatherings or small celebrations at home.*
Here are some ways you can navigate a holiday party:
Drinking is optional! Cranberry and soda is delicious. You can also make your own mocktails.
Eat a small, healthy snack before the party so you don’t arrive starving.
Get a plate! Take assorted appetizers onto your plate instead of grazing and picking throughout the party.
You’ll want to have friends around when you bake this nut-free, gluten-free and dairy-free gingerbread cake. Partially ’cause it’s nice to share, but also otherwise you’ll want to eat the whole thing.
I used to try to cut out everything to be healthy/lose weight. But you just end up feeling deprived or guilty. I love your advice to “limit” whatever you’re eating vs. cut-out-completely. Thanks for this thoughtful post Meghan.
Great tips! I love being cozy at home. I don’t schedule too many activities or parties. I respect my need to rest, nest and restore. Thanks for your tips!
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I used to try to cut out everything to be healthy/lose weight. But you just end up feeling deprived or guilty. I love your advice to “limit” whatever you’re eating vs. cut-out-completely. Thanks for this thoughtful post Meghan.
Great tips! I love being cozy at home. I don’t schedule too many activities or parties. I respect my need to rest, nest and restore. Thanks for your tips!