Staying Healthy During the Holidays!

The thrill and bustle of the holiday season can easily cause you to feel tired, stressed and run-down. The constant rush of gift shopping, guests, parties, and more in combination with the cold weather can cause your immune system to wear out and may lead to you getting sick. At a time of year where family, friends, and celebration are key, this can be the recipe for disaster.

Eating:

Eat healthy foods, not just junk food. Even though you are very busy, take some time to eat a more nutritious meal, full of vitamins and minerals. The extra fat and sugar in junk food can make you feel even more tired and will leave you feeling sick and still hungry.
If you're the type who snacks to deal with stress, avoid the sweets jar! When I was still in medical school, I would mindlessly munch on chocolate chip cookies. Neither my weight nor my personal well-being thanked me for it. You'll feel much more relieved and refreshed if you snack on healthy snacks like carrots, grapes, apples, raisins, and more. Keep in mind that even with these healthy snack alternatives, overeating (or oversnacking) is still disastrous. Your eating schedule will be thrown off, and you'll either undereat or overeat to make up for it.
Keep portion size in mind, and try to maintain relatively normal eating times (don't have dinner at midnight and breakfast at 3 pm).

Exercise:

Find time to go to the gym and exercise, or at least jog around the park once or twice. Don't use the excuse that you have no time. Exercise is essential at any time, but especially when you're stressed out.

If exercise seems impossible amidst the holiday rush, some simple stretching will keep you in touch with your body and provide some much needed releif.

Holiday Rush:

Shopping for presents is one of the most dreaded parts of the holidays. Trying to find the perfect gift for everyone is a daunting task. Shopping for long hours amidst crowds of like-minded people is a terrible drag on your immune system and health. Don't leave all your shopping for the last weekend. The crowds at the mall are beyond belief, and it is almost impossible to focus or be able to make your way through the shops. You'll lose energy and feel poorly.
Plus, crowds of people means crowds of germs. A lot of people get sick at this time of year, and can easily spread it to you.

Break up your shopping for several days, so it's not just one big rush. Shopping from home by using mail-order catalogs or the Internet is a great and easy way to save energy.

I always reccomend finding some private time for yourself to relax and unwind. Read a book, take a bubble bath, or just relax. All are great for your health.

The holidays themselves:

You're not a superhero. You won't be able to think of everything, so just relax. Trying to do everything will only wear you out. Attend only the holiday parties you really want to, not the ones you feel you are obligated to go to.

Extra tips:

Take a multivitamin daily, or per your doctor's reccomendation. This will supply you with any vitamins or minerals your hurried schedule is overlooking. Especially important is a Vitamin C supplement. Vitamin C provides a great boost to your immune system. If you don't really want to take a pill supplement, you can find Vitamin C in many fruits, including oranges, kiwi, apples, and more.

Get a lot of sleep and rest. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep a day, even if you usually sleep less. The stress and hard work will wear your body out.

When going outside, dress warmly, with a coat, hat, gloves, and more. A weakened immune system that gets chilled is more susceptible to illness.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the holidays are a great time of year and the stress doesn't have to pull you and your health down! With a few tips and precautious measures, you'll feel great and be able to focus on what's really important.