The Holidays: Good or Bad For Our Health?

 Maintaining a healthy diet is especially difficult at this time of year given the inescapable abundance of food and drinks. But here's a little secret: embracing this enviornment is healthier than trying to fight it and then beating yourelf up about it when you can't. Because food and drinks are fun. And lucky for us, fun is good for our health!

Did you know... 

• laughter can ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
• laughter stimulates circulation and aids in muscle relaxation.
• positivity can release neuropeptides into your body that help fight stress and improve your immune system.

Conversely, negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that invite more stress and decrease immunity.

But despite the inherent goodness of the holidays, we are all guilty of allowing stress to compromise them to some degree, be it self-inflicted, or brought on by friends, family or the commercialization that companies rely on to make their numbers at the end of the year.

My best advice? Try to reduce that stress by focusing your energy on maintaining good mental health, and everything else will have a much better chance of falling into place.

Be content with how much you can do and what gets put off.

"I just have too much to do. There's no way I'm getting it all done!" Sound familiar? Call me a pessimist, but the likelihood of all of it getting done is non-existent. Rather than accept this reality, many of us choose to rob ourselves of sleep to try to make it all happen. What you might not realize is that sleep deprivation stimulates the hunger hormone, gherlin. So our brain tells us to eat even if we really don't need to. What's worse, sleep deprivation increases activity in areas of the brain that seek pleasure, so we crave unhealthier and higher-calorie foods (of which there is no shortage this time of year.) And without proper sleep to aid in better decision-making, those are likely the ones we'll reach for. It's like a quadruple whammy! So don't try to be superwoman (or man). Prioritize the stuff that absolutely has to happen, and cut yourself some slack as far as what can wait.

Be content with how much you have and what you can give. 

 

"Keeping up with the Jones'" is never a more relevant phrase than during the holidays. But everyone's reality is different, so comparisons are silly. You might not be able to afford everything on everyone's list, but the family next door can. So what? Be content with what you can give and believe that it's enough. You'll find it quite freeing.

Having recently quit my job, I can't give what I normally do this year. A couple of months ago, the thought of this kept me up at night. But once I made peace with it, I realized I can give things like homemade kick-ass quinoa granola that my friends might decide is a wonderful, permanent replacement for the bagel they normally have in the morning. A far more meaningful gift than a tenth pair of Cosabellas!

Be content with who you are and what you look like.

Many of us have a distorted image of our body. We talk to ourselves in ways we would never speak to another. Imagine speaking to a child the way you speak to yourself. It would devastate and squelch them. It affects you similarly, causing stress that makes maintaining or improving your health even more difficult. So give yourself a break! Especially at this time of year! Give the holidays their opportunity to do all the wonderfully soul-enriching things for you they are intended to do. That piece of pie won't kill you, but feeling unnecessary guilt about it can do damage. (And, hey, there's always January for resolutions!)

Lastly... Eat Sweet Potatoes!

Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable, which means they grow under the ground. So eating them provides a wonderful grounding effect that helps fight stress. As their name suggests, sweet potatoes are also sweet-tasting so they can help reduce cravings for sugary treats. But unlike the jolt delivered by simple refined carbs, sweet potatoes elevate blood sugar gently so there's no energy crash after you eat them. Much higher in nutrients than white potatoes and especially rich in vitamin A, they are healing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and help to remove toxins from the body. They can even increase the quantity of milk in lactating women and lessen cramps and premenstrual symptoms!

My favorite way to eat them is plain old baked. (This recipe calls for S&P and butter but try them first without. You may just agree with me they're delicious naked!)

Or if you're feeling more adventurous, make sweet potato fries, skillet sweet potatoes (follow just the first part of the recipe, or have the steak too!), sweet potato dip, sweet potato pancakes (be patient with the flipping), or sweet potato soup!

Your body is your home. Make it the best place to be.