| The Coca Cola advertisement is on TV and the supermarkets have shuffled everything around to accommodate the Christmas merchandise and suddenly your choice of tissue boxes has gone from 10 patterns to 2.However, with the festivities can come the stresses, strains and over indulgences too. So, as we head into the so called ‘silly season’, we wanted to share some tips with you to help you stay sane and healthy over the holidays. |  |
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It all comes down to planning It’s easy to over eat and over spend during Christmas so plan your meals in advance and make a list before you hit the shops otherwise its all too easy to find your trolley loaded with too many of the things that aren’t good for us. It also means that you won’t have to run around at the last minute because you forgot something. The same goes for gifts too. Have a budget and make a list of who you need to get presents for. It’s so easy to get carried away when you see all the delights in the shops that are there to tempt you. |
Don’t shop on an empty stomach
Now this tip applies all year round not just at Christmas. Right now there are a lot of ‘goodies’ to tempt
you on the supermarket shelves and if you are starving whilst you are shopping, those tempting treats suddenly start jumping into your trolley and it will usually be the carb heavy and sugar loaded things that jump in first.
| Keep those party pooper bugs away
Make sure you are keeping your immune system boosted so that you reduce the chances of you ending up with the sniffles and feeling rotten when you should be enjoying yourself. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables that are high in antioxidants and add a good quality multivitamin to your daily routine too. Try not to get too stressed as this can compromise your immune system making you more susceptible to viruses like colds and flu. |
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Talking of stress
What with party invites, shopping and entertaining it’s easy to end up running around like a headless chicken. Make sure you don’t take on too much, remember its okay to say no to things if your diary is looking like you’ve got no room to breathe. You want to have fun, not end up feeling like you need another holiday when January rolls around. If you are throwing a party, why not take some of the pressure off yourself and get your guests to bring a dish, after all it is the season of sharing and I don’t think anyone minds pitching in. |
Time out
If it all gets a bit much, find a quite room (if that means locking yourself in the bathroom for a few
minutes, so be it) take some slow deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth.
We can end up burning the candle at both ends if we aren’t careful so make sure you are getting
enough sleep too.
| Last but not least
Remember to focus on the true spirit of Christmas, be it spending time with family and friends, a spiritual time or a time to reflect. The parties, the food and the gifts are secondary. |
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