Healthy Christmas
Find the best advice, how to take care of yourself, your beloved family members and friends to enjoy Christmas. Stay healthy over Christmas.
How to stay well over Christmas?
- Get plenty of exercise. Even slow stretching is better than sitting still. NHS recommends that you should break up long periods of sitting time with activity for just 1 to 2 minutes. Find the activity you like and go for it.
- Spend some time outside and be closer to the nature. Go for a walk, have a run, ride a bike, start gardening. Changing the scenery and having more contact with the nature is important for your mental health.
- Do not smoke. Quit smoking. If you smoke cigarettes, you are more likely to get infections.
- Limit or eliminate from your life alcohol. Having booze doesn’t help you. Red wine has some antioxidants but grapes, blueberries, cranberries, chokeberries, capers, kale, onions and many more have them as well.
- If you are overweight or obese, try to loose your weight. Maintaining a healthy weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9) is better for your body. Maybe do not have a plan to do it before or during Christmas but it is a great opportunity to ask for gifts, which can help you achieve your goal. Sport equipment, swimming lessons, gym membership, wellness app subscription, culinary books, etc. You can start from the New Year.
- Eat healthy balanced diet. Christmas is time when most of us let ourselves eat more treats than usual. Although, you still can search for some healthy Christmas recipes.
- Drink plenty of water. Stay hydrated.
- Boost your immune system to help your body in fighting disease.
- Get plenty of sleep. It is really important for your mood and immunity. Your body regenerate itself during sleep.
- Socialise. Talk with your partner, friend, parent, child. Keeping in touch with people is really important for your mental well-being.
- Have cold showers. Did you know that cold showers can improve your circulation, increase your energy levels, reduce inflammation, improve your sleep, ease pain as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression, mobilise your immune system? Doesn’t it sound too perfect to not try? You can start with contrast showers by alternating the flow of water from hot to cold in a few repeatable cycles.
- Meditate or deeply pray. It will help you in managing stress what will have impact on your health.
- Winter is time of cold and flu for many. Be careful around people which are sick already. Learn, how to avoid being infected.
- Wear appropriate clothing. Always check a weather before leaving the house, take umbrella or hoodie of needed. Add layers, which will be easier to take off to adjust your outfit to the weather conditions. Do not underestimate the role of accessories like a hat, a scarf and gloves.
- Find time to have a break. You are not a machine. You need to take a rest to regenerate and feel better mentally. The better you will feel mentally, the better choices you will make for your body. Find time for your hobby.