’Tis the Season to Choose Your Health
What is the best gift to give yourself and your loved ones this holiday season? It’s good health! The health of your body is a form of wealth that can go uncounted until you have trouble. Even if you’re on a health journey, the holiday season can be difficult to navigate. Here are some tips to keep you on track to meet your goals.
1. Try new traditions.
If your family has a host of food traditions, consider adding other traditions as well. Family hikes and nature walks, an outdoor solstice bonfire, a holiday 5K, music traditions such as caroling, or family games can all help switch your focus from what you are eating together to what you are doing together. There are several games and conversation decks available to help facilitate story-telling and conversation-starting if you'd like some inspiration.
2. Change up the menu.
Instead of relying on cookies to fuel you, get serious about making mindful choices about what you have available to eat and what you want to make for special meals. Often, when it comes to holiday traditions, just the variety can be overwhelming. If you streamline your menu, it might be easier to avoid overeating. You can also consider switching from buffet-style or snack-bar style formats to a designated time to eat, and put away food between meals to discourage that extra handful of snack mix when you walk by.
3. Use a simple “No thanks” and skip the explanations.
If you are focusing on your health, you don’t owe anyone an explanation. A simple “No, thank you,” can suffice to move the conversation forward without putting you on the spot. Sometimes people feel defensive if one person is doing something different. Rather than explaining or defending your choices, you can simply state you are focusing on your health right now and it’s not up for debate.
4. Focus on gratitude.
Being grateful can help you recognize the abundant good things in your life. Rather than feeling deprived of things you are choosing not to eat or drink, you can shift your focus to all of the good things you enjoy by being healthy, such as time with friends and family, a body that can take you where you want to go, and the vibrance and energy to pursue your goals. If overeating is a way to cope with anxiety around family gatherings, taking time to think through and strategize other ways to cope may be helpful as well.
5. Give health-related gifts.
From gift certificates for massages to supplements and CSA shares, there are many ways to give healthful gifts to the ones you love. Vitamin D3, probiotics, and omega 3s are all excellent basic supplements. In this season of colds and flu, immune boosters such as lipospheric vitamin C can be helpful. Herbal teas or sleep aids such as cooling mattress pads or black out drapes might encourage heathy habits as well. Simple things like new walking shoes, or the gift of taking a class together can say, “I see what you’re working on, and I’m here for you!”
If you’re in the Benton or Little Rock, AR areas, stop by Natural State Health Center and TruBalance for holiday specials. We’re here to educate, equip, and inspire you to pursue health in this season, and in every season.