Stay Healthy This Holiday Season

The winter holidays are known to increase happiness, joy and cases of influenza. There are many factors that play significant roles in contributing to illness throughout the colder months of the year: numerous types of food, harsh weather, shopping stress, and increased personal contact with family, friends and strangers. Good health can be maintained easily by incorporating some simple lifestyle practices.

Dress Weather Appropriate
Layering clothing is perfect to protect the body during winter months. Adding and subtracting layers throughout the day and night to keep a healthy body temperature will fend off illnesses like pneumonia that build on harmful bacteria when the immune system is too weak to fight it.

Get Moving
Go out in the snow for some exercise. Let the cold air be a motivator for the routine daily walk. Continue exercising through the months, even though the weather is no longer ideal. When holiday shopping demands too much time, take advantage of that distant parking spot on the wrong side of the mall to get some solid exercise.

Always H2O
Winter brings dry months. Keep the body hydrated with water. Water can be warmed or chilled to suit individual tastes and can be very portable in bottles and reuseable personal drinking containers.

Keep It Clean
With dutiful shopping for the winter holidays, there is greater and more frequent contact with strangers. The winter holidays also bring family together. Using hand-sanitizer and using cleaning agents regularly will reduce the spread of communicable diseases. Keeping the living and working environments clean and smelling fresh will reduce stress by allowing the mind to psychologically acknowledge order and control over the environment.

Get Cooking
Prepare holiday food that is healthy by reading cookbooks from the local library or finding recipes on-line. Discover interesting ways to create traditional holiday dishes using natural, fresh ingredients that are good for the body. Refrain from over-eating at holiday meals. By taking an appropriate portion and eating slower, the body digests what it needs to satisfy hunger while the mind is pleased with savoring the delicious taste. Wait twenty minutes between the meal and dessert to make sure the body is ready to accept more food. Sometimes a taste of dessert is greater than a large slice.

Sleep
Sleeping is just as important as activity for the human body. The average adult requires a full seven hours of REM sleep each night. REM is the state of deep sleep where the mind is able to dream. Sleep deprivation can cause irritability, impatience and anger. These stressful emotions are not positive elements during a hurried shopping experience amidst pushy hurried shopping strangers, nor is it an appropriate state-of-mind for the company of friends and family. Get sleep to reduce stress, increase energy and enjoy the winter wonderland holidays.

The winter holidays are a hectic and stressful time where contact with others can weaken the immune system and cause illness. By maintaining fitness and wellness with these simple lifestyle reminders, the holidays can be enjoyed without getting a cold or gaining weight.