The holiday season is a time of joy, togetherness, and, feasting. What fun! However, all the festivities can mean our health gets put on the back burner. This season instead of going all in, why not go for balance and moderation? Your body will thank you for it.
Here are some practical tips to help you stay mentally and physically healthy and energised throughout the holidays.
Eat, Drink and Be Merry, but Take a bit of Care:
- Feed Your Microbiome: eating foods that nurture a healthy gut microbiome will have countless benefits to mental health, the immune system, and, of course, digestive health. Our gut microbes love fibre so treat them to plenty of plant foods including whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables.
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Mindful Eating: To avoid eating too much and suffering the consequences try eating mindfully.
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Savour the Flavours: Give yourself permission to enjoy the festive treats but slow down and pay attention to the flavours and textures. This will allow you to tune into your body’s hunger and fullness signals.
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Healthy Alternatives: Swap out high-calorie, sugar-laden options with healthier alternatives where possible. For example, choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate or toasted nuts over mince pies.
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Avoid the Food Guilt: If you overindulge at a meal, take it easy at the next. It’s all about balance.
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Embrace Nutrient-Dense Foods: Include lean proteins, whole grains, and colourful vegetables to keep your blood sugar stable and prevent energy crashes.
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Choose Desserts with Care: It’s okay to enjoy holiday desserts! Try small servings, or split desserts with family members to enjoy the taste without overloading on sugar.
Get Active When You Can
- Take a Movement Snack – Short bursts of physical activity throughout the day can be just as beneficial as one longer session. Often these are easier to fit in. Try doing a few squats, running up and down the stairs, going for a short walk or doing some stretches in between times.
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Incorporate Fun Activities: From ice skating, dancing to walking around the neighbourhood to see the lights, there are plenty of ways to stay active.
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Home Workouts for Winter: Can’t make it outside? Try a quick holiday-themed workout at home—think "12 Days of Christmas" exercises where you add a new move each day or do one extra rep as each day passes.
Manage Holiday Stress
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Spend 10 Minutes in the Morning Light – getting some daylight into the eyes in the morning switches off the sleep hormone, melatonin, and tells your body that the day has begun. This is great for resetting the circadian rhythm and can have an impact on how easily you fall asleep at night.
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Prioritise Sleep: With all the holiday excitement, don’t skimp on sleep. Lack of rest can lead to burnout and may weaken the immune system.
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Practice Relaxation Techniques: Breathing exercises, meditation, and short breaks throughout the day can reduce holiday stress. Take time out to reflect and centre yourself.
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Set Boundaries: There’s no need to say yes to every invitation. Focusing on quality time over quantity of events can lead to a more fulfilling season.
Strengthen Your Immune System
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Boost Your Vitamin Intake: Eating immune-boosting foods like citrus fruits, leafy greens, and garlic can provide the vitamins and antioxidants needed to fight off holiday bugs.
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Stay Hydrated: Being inside with the heating on can cause dehydration. Drink water or herbal tea to stay hydrated throughout the day.
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Moderate Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol can suppress the immune system, so keep your holiday cheer within limits to avoid increased susceptibility to colds and flu.
Focus on Mental Health and Connection
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Plan Meaningful Time with Loved Ones: Holidays can be isolating for some. Reach out, whether it's through cards, video calls, or small gatherings, to strengthen connections.
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Practice Gratitude: Reflecting on the good things each day can elevate your mood and provide perspective on what truly matters this season.
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Give Back: Sometimes, the best way to find joy is by spreading it. Consider volunteering, donating, or performing acts of kindness to lift spirits.
Reflect on the Year That’s Passed and Set Realistic Goals for the New Year
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Reflect, Don’t Regret: Instead of focusing on what you didn’t accomplish this year, celebrate your wins, big or small.
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Set Small, Achievable Health Goals: Avoid restrictive New Year’s resolutions. Instead, focus on healthy, sustainable habits that can become part of your lifestyle beyond January.
Supplement your Regime for Tip Top Health
It’s great to get lots of nutrients from a healthy, balanced diet, but winter is often a time when needs for certain nutrients maybe be higher due to lack of sunlight providing Vitamin D and the immune system working overtime fending off bugs. Here are a few supplements from the Tom Oliver range to help see you through the winter months:
Tom Oliver’s Multivitamins and Minerals – these provide a base level of vitamins and minerals in highly absorbable forms to support overall health and to reduce the chance of deficiencies. Taking a good quality multi vitamin/mineral may be particularly important for those on restricted diets (eg: vegan, vegetarian, weight loss diets or food intolerances), those over 50, and those with digestive problems.
Vitamin C – it’s worth supporting your immune system especially if you are going to be in warm spaces with lots of people where bugs can thrive.
Vitamin D3 & K2 – vitamin D deficiency is associated with many health problems. During the winter supplementation is recommended as the strength of the UV rays from the sun is not sufficient for the manufacture of vitamin D in the skin. Tom Oliver’s vitamin D contains absorbable vitamin D3 along with K2 for maximum benefits.
Curcumin – most people could benefit from curcumin’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic and cholesterol lowering properties.
Omega 3 – Tom Oliver’s omega 3 supplement has the added benefits of choline and phospholipids which together support cardiovascular health, brain health, skin health, inflammatory conditions, insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, liver health and fat metabolism.
Probiotics – the gut microbiota play an important role in digestive health as well as influencing brain function, behaviour and mood. Tom Oliver’s probiotics are designed to survive the acidic conditions of the stomach. It also contains the prebiotic Inulin Beneo Orafti. This non-digestible fibre feeds and encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Zinc – supports the immune system, as well as being needed for the nervous system, blood sugar control, energy and healthy skin, hair and eyes.
Conclusion
Enjoying a healthy holiday doesn’t mean giving up your favourite treats or missing out on the fun. With a little planning and mindfulness, you can stay bright and healthy all season long.
