Tips for a Healthy Christmas

Guess what? You can have a very merry Christmas and stay healthy too. In this article we have a few tips and tricks to keep you healthy this holiday season.

Don’t sit down all day during the holidays

It’s tempting to watch every TV Christmas special during the holiday. Get outside, no need to sit on the couch all day. Encourage the whole family to get out for a walk at some point – ideally, after dinner to aid digestion. The more activity, the better, so take along any new outdoor gifts, like bikes, scooters, footballs or Frisbees, or play old-fashioned games. Get outside and play!

Avoid having too many alcoholic beverages

The drinks over the holidays can really add up. Mulled wine on Christmas Eve, Breakfast bloody Mary’s, wine with dinner, spiked eggnog… the list goes on! Monitor your alcoholic beverage intake and intersperse alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones. And make sure you drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated.

Don’t give yourself a Christmas stuffing!

On average, we consume approximately 3,000 calories in our Christmas dinner alone – much more than most should have per day. Feasting with that many calories can not only contribute to weight gain but also to indigestion and heartburn. It can also cause lethargy for the remainder of the day, reducing the chances of you burning much of it off. Instead of gorging yourself on Christmas dinner, eat a normal-sized meal and then take a 20-minute break to see if you are still hungry. The chances are, you’ll realize you’ve had enough.

Keep stress to a minimum

The holidays can be stressful! Many of us deal with the stresses of overspending, cooking, cleaning, endless ‘to do’ lists and visitors we could do without. Try to keep a sense of humor and proportion. Remember, Christmas is just one day of the year and isn’t worth stressing over. Enjoy it and it’s imperfections.

Eat fruit and veggies

Think you get your recommend fruit and veggie intake during the holidays? Most of us get through the entire Christmas break without eating much fruit and veggies. With all of the chocolate, cookies, and food indulgences, why would you? But at this time of late nights and overindulging, it’s more important than ever to get your vitamins and minerals, to help you stay in good health. Ensure that your Christmas shopping list enables you to fill up the fruit bowl and get your recommended daily portions of fruit and veggies.

Do something for others

It’s hard to avoid the craziness of Christmas, but it doesn’t all have to be about giving or receiving gifts. Try to do something for others this festive season, whether it’s baking some extra cookies for an elderly neighbor, inviting an acquaintance who doesn’t have family around them to your home or helping out with a local food bank or charity you believe in.

We hope you have a very healthy and happy holiday.