The Joy of The Holiday

 

The excitement of children. They can’t wait to open their presents and in their anticipation they spread their enthusiasm to the entire family. Children can be our best teachers.

Making a small difference. Knowing that you gave loved ones something that will put a smile on their faces or would make their lives a little bit easier is the best reward for the thought and effort in getting them presents. It is not about the value of the gift, but the thought behind it and the effect it can have.

Time with your family. This is the time to connect with family members. It is the time to share memories and to create new ones that will be cherished for years to come.

Celebrating tradition. The traditions of the holidays are as unique as the people who celebrate them. Embrace your family’s way of celebrating, or start new traditions that the younger ones will be able to connect with in the future. These shared experiences will strengthen the family bond.

The spirit of the holidays. The infectious positive spirit is what makes this time of the year special.  Kindness and generosity become the norm. The desire to help others and share the holiday spirit demonstrate the collective goodness of  humanity.

Relaxed work environment. As the holidays approach, people start taking time off to celebrate the holidays. Others who still work get the advantage of taking it easy. The interesting thing is that life goes on without any major setbacks. So why can’t we work like that the entire time?

Time to self. You can reflect on your experiences throughout the year and think of what you would like to accomplish in the next year. But more importantly, it is time for you to just take it easy and enjoy some quiet time and pamper yourself. If you are rested and relaxed, you will enjoy the holidays more.

Lights, music and food. The decorations and lights brighten the mood. The music lifts your spirits. The festive foods and treats indulge your senses. These are blessings that we share at this time of the year. We are fortunate enough to have them and be able to enjoy them.

Hope the day will come when every person on the face of our planet will have peace, abundance and the ability to celebrate the holidays. This is the perfect time for well wishes to all.

Happy Holidays!

Ways To Cleanse After A Major Holiday Indulgence

 

How Detoxing Works

There are a lot of misconceptions that surround detox diets. From crash diets that freak your body out and only make the problem worse to flushing without replenishing the system, fad detox diets are everywhere.

It’s important to note that detoxing doesn’t mean starving, nor does it mean you’re performing a flash sale on your digestive system. For a detox to be successful, you have to remove the bad toxins, keep the good bacteria, and fill the freed spaces with nutrients.

How to Detox After Holiday Feasts

1. Up Your Magnesium Intake

 Magnesium is great for relieving stress and helping your heart. After all of that turkey, you can feel tired and overstuffed, but magnesium, which is used to treat fatigue caused by a deficiency, can help give your body a little boost. Magnesium is also good for the heart and blood pressure.

Magnesium can easily be imbibed through foods. Try to add extra whole grains, nuts, fish, and dark green vegetables to your diet after the holidays. You can also take supplements or snack on pumpkin seeds or almonds to make sure you get your daily dose.

2. Try Fasting

Although extended fasting isn’t recommended, a short fast over a few days can help you feel lighter and re-tune your body after a day or two of gorging. A healthy fast will involve a lot of water, nutrient-rich juices every two hours, and a light dinner that is full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Fasting has been used for centuries to help people “lighten up” after a long winter and has been known to give the faster some mental clarity akin to enlightenment. Although we can’t promise a spiritual experience, we can assure you that a few days of careful fasting will help you detox after that big Thanksgiving dinner.

3. Hydrate

If you want to release and flush out the toxins in your body, you need to make sure you’re getting a sufficient amount of water each day. The recommended amount is your weight divided in half and converted to ounces. For example, a 140 pound woman would want to drink 70 ounces of water a day, which amounts to just over 2 liters. 

4. Start Taking Probiotics

A healthy gut helps regulate the rest of your body, which makes regulating your gut health over the holidays that much more important, as it can help with digestion, as well as stress and fatigue.

There are over 100 trillion microorganisms from about 400 different species living in a healthy gut, and maintaining them and their environment helps your body efficiently absorb all of the good stuff and eliminate the bad.

Though you can get a lot of probiotics from food sources, it might be worthwhile to take a probiotic supplement over the holidays to give your body that extra boost.

5. Take Deep Breaths

Have you heard of the stress hormone cortisol? It’s the chemical responsible for the fight or flight response our bodies have to danger. When we feel threatened, our brains release cortisol, which shuts down digestion and slows the metabolism to prepare for a fight and store energy sources.

When this reaction happens without an actual threat-which occurs a lot in today’s safe but stressful society-your body simply stores fat and stops burning calories. Yikes! To get your metabolism back on track after a stressful situation, take some deep breaths.

Breathing deeply activates the vagus nerve, which calms the body and brain and jumpstarts those fat-burning processes again. Just five slow, deep breaths can help to reignite your metabolism.

6. Sleep it Off

When your body is tired, it turns to a quick energy fix. This means an exhausted body will crave sugar for that boost of energy, but the kick is brief and the body is left more tired than when it began.

To keep from running to the cookie jar for a pick-me-up, get enough quality sleep each night. The holidays can be stressful, but take measures to make sure sleep isn’t getting snubbed. Give yourself enough hours, turn off all electronics, and stretch before bed. You’ll sleep better and be able to resist those tempting sugary goodies in the morning.

7. Get Alkaline

Alkaline is essentially the opposite of acidic, and your body needs to be both to be healthy. The balance between the two is called your pH level. A negative pH level means your body fluids and tissues are very acidic. A positive pH means your body is more alkaline. The healthy ideal level is a pH of 7.0 or above.

A positive pH level can help your body in multiple ways. It reduces inflammation, keeps colds at bay, helps to manage stress, and supports blood sugar levels. You can help to raise your pH by eating alkalizing foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and reducing your consumption of acidic foods like sugar and alcohol.

8. Watch What You Drink

Although you may be craving pumpkin spice lattes and peppermint mochas, be very cautious about the sugary beverages you indulge in. Liquid sugar calories are worse than those from food because they get funneled straight to your liver without going through any breakdown or filtration process.

Also, sugary drinks don’t make you feel full, even though they’re the single biggest source of sugar calories in most people’s diets. Not only do you never fill up on sugary drinks, your body craves it more and enters a vicious cycle of sugar indulgence.

Skip the sodas and fancy coffees this holiday season and switch to water, tea, and black coffee to help your body detox after a sugar-filled season.

9. Go For a Walk

The body uses the circulatory system to transfer toxins between filtration systems and eventually get them out of the body. That means the more oxygenated your body is, the easier it can get rid of toxic build up from weeks of splurging.

Try going for a walk after meals to help clear glucose from the bloodstream and help oxygenate your organs so digestion goes smoothly.

10. Counter Sugar with Fat

No, this isn’t a joke. There are healthy fats that can help you feel full and energized so you can cut back on sugar.

Reach for healthy fats, such as those found in protein-rich foods like nuts and omega-3-rich fish. Other fat-smart foods include avocados, coconut butter, and extra virgin olive oil. When you feel a sweet tooth craving coming on, try to satiate it with these alternatives and you can keep the pounds from piling on over the holidays.

11. Turn to Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt should already be a staple in your diet-it’s low calorie, full of nutrients, and contains healthy probiotics-and it should absolutely be a pillar of your detox diet.

Greek yogurt contains fructose, which can help to burn any lingering alcohol in your system. Include some nutritious additions, such as energy-boosting pistachios or antioxidant-rich blueberries to really put this snack over the top.

12. Detox Your Life

Food and drink aren’t the only toxins in our lives that may hurt our health. The first of the year is a great time to purge your life of toxins and chemicals that may be harming you.

Obviously, alcohol, refined sugar, and processed foods have got to go when you’re detoxing. But other toxins to eliminate include cigarettes, fragranced soaps and candles, and harsh cleaning chemicals. Introduce all-natural alternatives into your home so that those toxins don’t re-enter your body when your detox diet ends.

13. Sip on Dandelions

Yes, we mean those weeds that grow in your yard each spring. Dandelions are actually a powerful plant full of nutrients. Some studies have shown that dandelions contain diuretic and liver-detoxifying properties, and one study even showed that dandelion root extract reduced alcohol-related liver damage in mice.

You can easily find  dandelion teas at your local health foods store or try a dandelion supplement  to receive all of the plant’s healthful benefits.

14. Sweat it Out

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, which makes it an essential part of a comprehensive detox. Although you may not feel like heading to the gym on New Year’s Day, you’ll benefit from sweating out those toxins from the night before.

Even if you can’t get yourself to the treadmill, a session in the sauna or hot shower can help you excrete toxins and leave your body ripe for replenishment with nutrients and lots of water.

Conclusion

The temptation to overindulge during the holidays is strong, but a you have seen, there are endless ways to fight off cravings, detox bad decisions, and repair the body with essential nutrients. Maybe you’ll even start a new family tradition this holiday season.

How To Stay Active During The Holidays

 

It's hard enough to exercise the rest of the year, but add holidays to the mix and many of us find exercise becomes less of a priority as to-do lists grow longer and longer.

The last thing you want is more stress and, for many of us, trying to keep to our usual workout program does just that. At the same time, staying active in some way will give you energy, reduce stress and tension and, of course, help mitigate some of the extra calories you may be eating.

So, how do you find that balance? These quick tips will help you plan ahead, prepare yourself for any eventuality, and provide workouts to help you stay active this holiday season.

Plan Ahead

If you're traveling, planning ahead can make all the difference. Take some time to figure out what your options are so you're ready for anything. Just a few ideas:

-  Search for walking, running or-ark trails nearby 

- Look up information about the hotel you're staying at and find out if they have an exercise room

- If you're staying with family, ask if they have any fitness equipment

- If that's not an option, find any nearby gyms and ask if they let guests use their facility

- Talk to your family in advance and suggest taking a walk or doing something active together

- Ask your personal trainer to create a workout or two you can do on your own while away 

- Plan simple workouts that don't require much space or equipment. If you're traveling or have visitors, you may be able to sneak in a workout in the basement without bothering anyone.

- Participate in a holiday-themed run.  There are plenty of events like runs and walks you can participate in this time of year.  Some benefiting charities and local organization, and some just for fun. 

Try to plan your workout schedule beforehand. Even if you have to change it (which is likely when you're traveling), you've already made a commitment to exercise. It's easier to stick with it when you have it planned than to squeeze it in later.

Get Prepared

If you're not sure about your schedule or whether you'll even have time to get in a workout, plan for the worst-case scenario. That may be staying in grandma's basement with no equipment and only 10 or 15 minutes to yourself. Try these quick tips for squeezing in a workout even when you only have minutes to spare:

- Bring a workout plan with you. Plan a10 minute routine you could do right in your bedroom. For example, you could choose 10 exercises and do each for 1 minute (squats, lunges, pushups, jumping jacks) or check out the holiday workouts below for other ideas.

- Bring resistance bands. They travel well, and you can use them for quick strength exercises whenever you catch a few minutes.

- If you have a laptop, bring along a workout DVD or try streaming workouts online,  such as those offered by FitnessOnDemand.

- If guests are staying with you, move your equipment (weights or bands) into your bedroom so you can sneak in some exercise at night or in the morning.

- Wear running or walking shoes as much as you can. You may find a 20-minute window when people are napping or before dinner for a quick walk or run.

You may even want to invite some family members for a walk. Sometimes there are others who'd love to work out, but they're just waiting for someone else to step up first.

Use Every Opportunity

Planning and preparing are nice, but even the best-laid plans get derailed, especially during the holidays. If you find there's just no way to get in a workout, get creative and find ways to move your body any way you can: 

- Walk as much as possible. Take extra laps at the mall, use the stairs, volunteer to walk the dog.

- If you're hanging out with kids, set up a game of football, tag, or hide and seek.

- Offer to help with the housework, shoveling snow, or raking leaves.

- If everybody's sitting around watching football, get on the floor for some sit-ups or pushups. If that's too weird, try isometric exercises — squeeze and hold the abs, the glutes, or even press the hands together to engage the chest.

- If you don't have equipment, pick up some full water bottles or soup cans for quick lateral raises or overhead presses. Something is always better than nothing.

The most important thing is to be realistic and go easy on yourself. You aren't always in charge of your schedule during the holidays so you can only do your best. Remind yourself that you can get back to your routine when you're back home.

Give Yourself The Gift of Health

As the holiday season approaches it is so easy to get in a rut of automatic “giving.” We make shopping lists, brainstorm the perfect gifts, and focus on “giving” gifts. We even feel the stress during the holidays of navigating our friends’ and families’ expectations for where we should be “giving” our time during the holiday season.

This party, that party, this food drive, that charity auction, etc. All good things.

In the flurry of all the stress to “give” during the holidays, we tend to forget the life-changing gift of  giving ourselves the gift of health and self care we each deserve, however.

When we say “self care” it can easily get confused with selfishness or narcissism, but this is a misapplication of the term. I’m talking about doing what you need to do in order to stay healthy, energetic, and present in your life – during the stress of the holidays and beyond.

Look, I know how easy it is to slip into self-judgement if you have to say “No” to an amazing event or “No” to someone’s offer of a food that doesn’t fit with your health goals. We all do it. We become martyrs.

But you cannot give from an empty vessel. You must fill your vessel up with health, joy, respect, and happiness, so much so that is spills over to others. Give yourself the opportunity to say “Yes,” to taking the critical time needed to stay healthy and take care of yourself. When that happens, it cannot help but spill out! This kind of giving is so infectious and so effective — but it can’t happen until you give yourself the gifts of health, joy, respect, and happiness first.

Schedule time to take a breath during the holiday season. Give yourself the time to take a walk, enjoy a yoga class, or even do some breathing exercises. Acknowledge when you’re tired and need more rest. And fuel yourself with plenty of fresh, whole organic foods that will nourish your body, give you energy, and support your immune system.

The hustle and bustle and all the potential stress during the holiday season can be energizing if you pace yourself, stick with healthy habits that build you up, and give yourself time to rest and recharge at several points during the season.

Don’t wait until the first of the year to make a resolution that you know you will break! Say “yes” to making healthy choices and taking one small step at a time now — without the pressure of perfection that a resolution usually carries and START NOW.

This holiday season, ask yourself this question: What have you been unwilling to give yourself for your health during previous holiday seasons?

Sit with that. Be honest. Write down what you consider your most important option. And commit to living out this holiday season differently. Health starts with each small choice you make.

Start choosing to give yourself the gift of health and happiness. And see it as a way to actually give more to the people you love. Each small choice will give you so much momentum, and so much love to give that it cannot help but change your life — and the lives of others.