As the holiday season creeps around the corner, keeping yourself healthy is essential for having a successful celebration and moving forward into the new year. But how do you keep yourself in the best physical and mental shape for the holidays?
Luckily, this isn’t difficult. Here are a few tips for how to stay healthy during the holiday season. From exercising off your stress to thoroughly cooking your food, staying fit includes not only you but everyone else around you.
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Make Good Food Choices
The holiday season isn’t only about spending time with your loved ones; it’s also about the massive amounts of food. From glazed ham and homemade mashed potatoes to fruit pies and pastries, you’ll be surrounded by delicious choices. This is where you can check yourself if you’re trying to remain health conscious. For example, you could make sure to pick foods that fit within your regular diet. Instead of gorging on everything you can, try smaller portion sizes that you can enjoy.
Additionally, if you brought a dish of your own, make sure you cleaned and cooked it correctly. You don’t want to become stuck with an accidental E. coli outbreak in your own home.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress plays a huge role in holiday planning. You probably have a lot going on. Hosting the holiday celebration, purchasing gifts for loved ones—it can all become a lot and lead to mental collapse. So as you learn how to stay healthy during the holiday season, remain aware of your stress levels.
There are plenty of ways to set aside time to decompress and relieve your stress. Some of the best ways include continuing to work out regularly, getting proper sleep, and cooking yourself healthy meals. You can even do some light meditation and join a friend on a walk. It’s all about how you want to take care of yourself during your high-stress periods—do what you can to calm yourself down.
Stay Hydrated and Warm
As the weather becomes colder and drier, your body physically suffers from it. Due to the lack of humidity and moisture in the air, you may be left with dry, chapped skin that no moisturizer can heal. So make sure you protect yourself from the elements by staying hydrated. Drink plenty of water or tea, reducing any sugary snacks or caffeine-heavy drinks from your usual diet. These can accelerate the dryness in your body, leaving you feeling fatigued and speeding up dehydration. You can even eat more fruits and vegetables that are high in water content.
