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Holiday stress, post-holidays stress, more stress — who has time for taking care of themselves and eating right? Follow these healthy winter living tips about diet, exercise, and lifestyle to stay healthy this season- and all year long!
Monitor Holiday Heartburn
Suffering from heartburn over the holidays? Try to enjoy your favorite holiday foods — but in moderation. No need to heap on the sweets (or go back for seconds and thirds!). Packing your stomach with food makes heartburn much more likely and that much stronger. Also, be mindful of which foods trigger you heartburn. Typical triggers include foods full of sugar and fat, such as apple pie with loads of whipped cream. Instead, try to eat foods with complex carbs like veggies and whole-wheat breads ( or at least have a smaller portion of dessert)! Ever had that lethargic feeling after dinner? Be careful! Taking a nap post-meal almost always guarantees you’ll have reflux. Instead, stay upright and mingle with friends and family. Exercising is a also a great way to prevent heartburn.
Cold Sores? No More!
If you find you’re apt to cold sores (or fever blisters) during the holidays, you may find yourself as your own worst enemy. Lack of sleep, too much alcohol or sugar, stress, and close physical contact, such as greeting distant relatives, can all contribute to cold sore outbreaks. Stay cold-sore-free by minimizing holiday goodies and maintaining a healthy diet. Also, be sure to get plenty of rest and sleep so your body’s immune system is working at its best. Wash you hands consistenly as well, especially if you have a lot of children in your home for the holidays. Kids can be germ factories! Be sure to minimize how often you share your food/ drink containers and utensils as well so you minimize your contact with foreign bacteria. Lastly, be sure to avoid kissing anyone with a cold sore, and don’t let them near yours if you have one, too!
Healthy Eating For Holiday Weight Maintenance
If you are trying to maintain a healthy weight, or lose weight, plan to be realistic rather than a slash-and-burn diet. A healthy way to maintain or lose weight is to consciously cut about 200 calories a day. This will give you healthy, slow weight loss. Also, periodically ban holiday junk food from the cupboards and replace sugary foods with those that boost fiber. For example, try to switch from potato chips to low-fat popcorn. Also, after holiday gatherings, send home sugary treats with friends and family so that they do not tempt you later. If you get those early-afternoon cravings, yogurt is a great snack to curb them. This is because most yogurts come in a variety of fun flavors and come naturally packed with healthy live-cultures to regulate you and vitamin D!
How do you continue to maintain healthy winter living throughout the holidays? Please comment and share your thoughts below and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.