Ahhh…the holidays are upon us.  For some this is the most joyous time of year with excitement running high about good food, family get-to-gethers, gift giving, sharing and taking time off.  For others it means the most stressful time with extra activities, mile-long to-do lists, and constant entertaining high on the roster of stressors.  But it doesn’t have to be stressful to the body nor the mind.  Here is what you can do.

Instead of over eating at parties because there is just so much good food that you can’t stay away from and load onto your plate, just sample all the goodies…it will add up to a nice size serving and you have the pleasure of enjoying all the foods without putting on extra pounds.

To avoid bingeing eat a little bit before you go to the party so that you don’t arrive starved. Are you afraid there won’t be any healthy food you enjoy and don’t know how to solve the situation without seeming to be impolite? Bring your own (preferably home cooked) food as a hostess gift.

Introduce some healthy dishes this holiday season in addition to the staples of holiday fare and cut out the richest foods. Another way of getting the traditional dishes and doing something for your health is to modify the recipes and to substitute the most harmful ingredients such as white flour, sugar and dairy with healthier versions like barley or oat flour, agave syrup or date sugar and rice, almond or other nut milk. Visit my website www.bbalanced.net for a delicious pumpkin pie recipe on the events page.

A great way of boosting your immune system is drinking a big glass of room temperature water with the juice of one lemon and one lime squeezed into it first thing in the morning.

When drinking alcohol, have a glass of water between each alcoholic drink to stay hydrated and minimize a hangover.

Don’t stress over spending money you don’t have just to satisfy everybody. Isn’t a smaller meaningful gift that comes from the heart more valuable than the latest high-tech gadget? How about quality time with loved ones, togetherness, laughing and maybe creating things together like baking cookies - healthy ones of course – playing games and enjoying each others’ company? These things have much more meaning (there is a connection between feeling good and being healthy) than the most expensive gift bought on the run in an over crowded mall, perhaps giving the buyer an ulcer due to too much stress. Could you really enjoy such a gift?

Holidays are a great time to practice lowering our expectations, especially for us “Type A” personalities. What if you didn’t have to have the perfect hostess gifts? What if you didn’t have to send holiday cards? What if you didn’t have to make sure Uncle Ned has the perfect seat at the dinner table? Ask yourself if the things you are breaking your back to do at the holidays are making the season joyful for you or not. Use this season to observe what’s truly important to you during the holidays, and commit to letting the rest go.

Slow down and get some rest. Take a walk on the beach, read a book, take a bubble bath, do whatever makes you feel relaxed. Nature slows down too and we should use that as a good example. Especially your adrenal glands will thank you.

Have a Happy, Healthy and Joyous Holiday Season,

Birgit Witherspoon, CHHC

Holistic Nutrition Consultant

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