Holiday Health & Wellness for the Family
As we enter the holiday season and winter months, it’s tempting to neglect daily health and exercise routines and fall into the common trap of eating more carb-dense comfort foods, drinking less water, sleeping in and exercising less frequently. This not only keeps us from feeling our best, but can also weaken our immune system.
Dr. Anderson shares some tips to stay focused and healthy this winter:
1. Make healthy choices when hunger pains hit you. During colder days, try drinking hot teas and warm beverages to stop food cravings and help you stay hydrated. This helps prevent sweet cravings and promotes better digestion.
2. Replace carbs with delicious alternative foods. With greater inactivity and less sunlight exposure, carbohydrate cravings are more common to lift mood and energy levels. There are many low calorie substitutes, such as mashed cauliflower, to add to meals for a natural boost of vitamin C, vitamin K and folate Legumes are also a great addition to your favorite winter dishes.
3. Boost your immune system to fight cold & flu season. The immune system requires extra support during winter as we tend to avoid colder fruits and salads which are sources of fiber & essential vitamins. Get your vitamin C with foods such as oranges, pumpkin, cauliflower, squash, kiwi fruit, and green leafy vegetables like kale. Satisfy your sweet tooth by serving warm berries with yogurt, granola and other healthy options.
4. Limit food portions. While it’s tempting with all the holiday parties and family gathering to over-eat, try to limit your food intake and avoid going ‘back for seconds.’ Replace those second plates with a filling cup of warm herbal tea or other healthy liquids to satisfy more food cravings.
5. Carve out time for exercise! It’s easy to let the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the cold weather keep you from a regular fitness routine. Switch things up a bit and get creative with less time-consuming workouts such as short at-home exercise videos or simple movements like stretching, jumping squats, wall holds & lunges, lifting light weights or make it fun by just dancing to some favorite tunes. Movement does the body good.
Looking to boost your immune system? Visit one of our clinics to purchase Mama T’s Elderberry Syrup, made locally in a commercial kitchen with organic elderberries, spices and local-raw honey. Great for keeping the whole family healthy!
Our doctors at Cornerstone Chiropractic are here to support your health, so give us a call today if you need an adjustment or relief from any body aches or pains inhibiting your day-to-day activities.
We wish you and your family a safe and healthy holiday season!
