How to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

Are you dreading the holidays and the winter cold? Christmas and new year can encourage binge eating and drinking but thats not what you want this year. This holiday season, you want to look after your health and wellness, using our top tips to stay healthy during the holidays, starting now.

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I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas and the holidays. I love the food! But almost a little too much leaving me bloated and feeling like a proper couch potato.

Of course, the treats and movies are some of my favourite elements of this time of year. But, staying healthy during winter is so important to fight off cold’s, the flu and helping you and your family be healthier.

The holidays are a wonderful time of year and we should all be able to enjoy every second of it. So, I want to give you some mindful tips to enjoy your winter safely and feel healthy during this time of year. Helping you start your new year in a positive and exciting way.

Top tips to stay healthy during the holidays

1. Supplement your diet

Your immune system is one of the most important natural flu fighters. But, if you’re not in tip-top shape and health, your immune system can be compromised.

You can support your immune system by supplementing your diet with essential vitamins and minerals.

This includes taking vitamin C that is easily dissolved in water as a morning vitalising drink. Vitamin D is easy to take in small capsules and Zinc supplements of around 40mg per day for adults.

When combined together, these three minerals and vitamins create a powerful boost for your immune system. Helping you t fight infection more effectively and reduce the severity and duration of illnesses.

2. Get enough sleep but not too much

The temptation to stay in bed as long as possible in the warm is real. but studies have shown that laying in longer can be detrimental to your sleep cycles.

Going to bed at the same time every night and consistently getting up at the same time will help you have the best sleep every night. Helping your body get into a routine that allows your sleep patterns to follow.

Sleep is also massively important for your immune function. Quality sleep is more important than the duration of your sleep. Therefore, keeping to this routine and taking sleep supplements can boost your energy and health significantly.

3. Cut down on the sugar

Another temptation of this time of year is sugar. Chocolate, cake, sweets, bakes and desserts are everywhere. But, consuming too much sugar can contribute to sugar highs and lows and weight gain.

As well as other health implications of sugar such as increasing the risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Sugar also negatively impacts your immune system leading to infections.

Therefore, cutting down on sugar consumption is going to have a positive effect on your health and wellness.

4. Eat more mindfully

The sugary sweets are not helped by the ease that they can be eaten. Sitting in front of the tv with boxes of treats can escalate to thousands of calories and sugar consumed.

You can combat this by eating more mindfully.

This encourages you to be more present in the moment whilst eating. Concentrating on the food, the flavour, the texture and how it feels. Resulting in you eating more slowly and potentially feeling fuller and making healthier eating choices.

This action can stop you from the mindless eating that can compromise your health. Bringing a whole new enjoyment and love of the food you can enjoy during the holidays.

You can also bring this mindful activity to your everyday life to create the same joy and healthy eating habit.

5. Find healthy replacements

Now that you are cutting down on sugar consumption and eating more mindfully, you may want to introduce healthy replacements for your holiday food. This can include eating more fruit, using lower-calorie or low carb vegetables, and trying low sugar and healthy baking.

This maintains the joy of the holidays with the smells of baking and cooking, but in a healthier way.

I love baking at Christmas and trying new things only add to this. Perhaps challenge yourself to experiment with new, healthier recipes and discover a love for alternative sweet treats.

6. Limit your alcohol consumption

Just as sugar has negative impacts on your health and wellness, alcohol can also contribute to these negative health effects too. Including, reducing your immune system function, causing weight gain and inflaming the liver.

Thats not to mention how a hangover can really ruin those special days and the amazing time with family.

However, you can combat this by limiting your alcohol consumption and also mindfully enjoying a holiday tipple. Helping you to stay healthy during the holidays and have more enjoyment out of these treats.

7. Keep to an exercise schedule

Of course, exercise needs to be added to this list to help you stay healthy during the holidays. It might feel like a bit of a drag when the cold weather sets in but it is vital for your health and wellbeing.

Regular exercise can help you stay healthy, support your immune system and physical health. Your physical health is essential for your wellness as it can positively affect your mental health as a result. Boosting your mood, getting the blood flowing and helping you combat illness.

You can also get the rest of the family involved. Encouraging everyone to take charge of their health these holidays and look after themselves too.

8. Create a wellness routine and stick to it

If you have a good wellness routine, make sure you stick to it throughout the holidays to maintain your health. It’s easy to let go of the routines that support your wellness during the holidays.

Although, if you don’t have one, now can be a great time to create a wellness routine and experiment with things that work for you.

Morning routines can be especially powerful and positive for your wellness. Giving you daily steps to support your health, support your immune system and your mindset during the holidays.

9. Work on your mindset

If there is anything that needs to be strong and resilient during the holidays, it is your mindset.

Wellness doesn’t just include your physical health and also encompasses your mental state. If your mental health isn’t optimal, this can lead to problems in all areas of your life.

Therefore, the holidays can be a perfect time to start working on your mindset. Try using some personal growth journal prompts and consuming self-development content to work on yourself.

Helping you to build a refreshed mindset that is focused on goals, happiness and fulfilment for you.

10. Get cleaning

I always find the holidays as a good time to reset and purge the things that no longer serve you. Helping you to start the new year in a positive way and feel a little lighter.

This can mean tidying, getting rid of old junk and creating a supportive and positive environment around you. Perhaps you need to sell some things in order to progress to the next chapter or letting go of baggage holding you back.

Tidying up can be done physically and mentally. Often helping to free up physical and mental space for much better things.

11. Don’t overwhelm yourself

The holidays can be an extremely overwhelming time and usually, lead to stress and headache. However, being strategic and asking for help can positively contribute to staying healthy during the holidays.

Gift shopping, cooking, planning events and pleasing your family can really stack up. Don’t be left running around like a headless chicken!

Plan your time and who you share it with and mentally prepare for the craziness that is the holidays. You can also make sure you say no to events or people that do not serve you at this moment.

Planning can ensure you are not overwhelmed and burnt out from the many commitments you have. Reserving energy for you and your needs as well as being able to able to give more to others.

12. Enjoy yourself

With all of this in mind, it can be daunting to let yourself loose during the holidays. But, staying healthy doesn’t have to cost you your happiness.

Enjoy yourself in a mindful way, look forward to new experiences and spending time your family. These are times to be treasured and appreciated not to be full of stress and feeling bad about yourself.

You can have everything, enjoy yourself and still stay healthy during the holidays.

Have your best healthy holidays this year

Keeping health and improving your wellness during the holidays can be simple. Eating mindfully can help reduce your sugar and alcohol consumption. Supplementing your diet with vitamin C, D and Zinc to improve your immune system function.

Looking after your physical health with exercise and working on your mental health to improve your overall wellness. As well as creating a successful wellness routine that supports your health and improves your sleep quality.

All of these tips will greatly improve your health and help you have the best holidays yet!