Just when you think your life couldn’t get any more stressful, the holidays arrive adding an additional layer of stress. Depending on how well you manage stress, the added responsibilities can have a long-lasting impact on the body and mind. It’s important to keep your physical, mental, and emotional states all in balance, as when one shifts out of balance, it will affect the other two. For example, ongoing emotional distress can inhibit one from exercising, affecting their physical body with colds/flu or worse.
To stay healthy & happy this holiday season I’ve created a little guide to help keep you in balance.
1.) Sugar. If you’re going to have some, take a B-Complex supplement, some chromium, and lots of vitamin C whenever you eat or drink sugar. It will greatly help to even out your mood and your blood sugar levels. Eat sweet stuff only when you are about to exercise and burn it off before your body stores it as fat.
2.) Stay Hydrated. Drink at least half your body weight in ounces. You can also eat your water by filling up on fresh fruits and veggies.
3.) Keep Moving. Exercise for pleasure. Try to move 30 minutes to 1 hour, 3 times per week. Walk, dance, play- just pick something you enjoy doing.
4.) Coconut Oil to Moisture the Skin. According to Ayurveda, coconut removes excess thirst from the body and nurtures the cellular system. While some ingest the oil, you can use it as a moisturizer for the skin and still receive all its benefits, as the skin absorbs all the beneficial nutrients. Coconut oil on the skin can form a chemical barrier to ward off infection and maintain a healthy immune system, soften skin and relieve dryness and flaking, and prevent wrinkles.
5.) Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics. Digestive enzymes can be helpful in combating GI problems such as indigestion, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. Digestive enzymes help keep your gut healthy and help to break down your food for proper absorption. Probiotics help maintain a healthy immune system by keeping and replenishing your bacterial flora in the body. Another alternative to help GI problems (or the body after drinking alcohol) is activated charcoal because it adsorbs toxins released in the body.
6.) Giving and Receiving. Most of the time we overgive and are not open to receiving, because it makes us feel uncomfortable. Allowing ourselves to receive can be more difficult, but once we realize that by receiving we are allowing for someone else to give, and begin to understand that the act of giving and receiving can’t be separated.
7.) Sleep. Sleep deprivation impairs the body’s ability to use insulin, the hormone responsible for keeping stable blood sugar levels. Most people need between 7-9 hours and chances are you already know what your number is.
8.) Indulge a Little. Give yourself a gift- be it a massage, or a piece of the best dark chocolate your money can buy and savor it (or make this delicious dark chocolate cherry almond bark recipe).