Holidays how they can Ruin your Health
Thankfully, most people focus on the joy of the holiday season each year. There is, unfortunately, a dark side to the festivities. The holidays can actually beunhealthyfor you, read on to learn more.
- Food. No matter where go, there are delicious foods and goodies greeting you during the holiday season. Some people justify having a bite here and a small piece there, by telling themselves that the holidays only come around once a year. This statement is true and can also sabotage your diet. It is so easy to throw caution and good sense to the wind and go to town on the dessert table! You are not alone, many people are guilty of this behavior.
The cakes, candies and cookies are not the only thing people tend to over-indulge on during the holidays; there are the hearty meals to consider also. Ham covered in that fabulous glaze, turkey with dressing, sweet candied yams and all of the other fixings can really throw a healthy diet out the window! Eating all of these delicious, but high calorie foods and treats can end up leaving you with a bad tummy ache as well as raising cholesterol levels, blood sugar and even cause headaches in some people. It is fine to enjoy the tastes of the season, just do it in moderation and try to balance it with some exercise.
The other side to holiday food issues is depriving yourself altogether. If you flatly refuse to have even a tiny piece of something yummy, then your body is going react negatively. Intentional starvation and deprivation wreaks havoc on your mind and body. It can even lead to bouts of unhappiness and possibly depression. Why put yourself through the torture over a simple piece of holiday cake or a couple small cookies? Just keep your indulgences down a bit and enjoy the season instead of making yourself truly miserable.
- Depression. The holiday season does not mean warm and fuzzy feelings for everyone. Some people have a hard time struggling with loneliness and depression during the festive time of year. Some people may not have family or close friends to make merry the season, therefore they dread the holidays. Then, there are some unfortunate people who have loved ones that are unable to be home for the holidays and that can cause depression.
Whatever the reason for the depression and/or anxiety, do your best to get out and involved in some sort of activity like volunteering somewhere or attending your office Christmas party. Try and surround yourself with positive, cheerful people and soak up some of their holiday spirit. Attend church services, visit a neighbor or consider adopting a pet (giving a pet the gift of a home can work magic on a person's own well being). Depression is a serious condition and should not be ignored, seeking professional help is nothing to be ashamed of!
- Stress. The wondrous holiday season can bring about tremendous amounts of stress in different forms. Some people become stressed over gift-shopping, others over the crazy traffic, still others stress over party and family-gathering planning. Some people stress over the entire holiday season as a whole. Sometimes the idea of getting the whole family together is a huge source of grief, anxiety and stress.
When faced with all the hustle and bustle and craziness of the holiday season, it is so important to take the time to sit down and breathe. Yes, just breathe for a few minutes. Allow yourself some time to decompress and relax away from whatever is happening. Perhaps take a bubble bath in the evening before falling into bed or enjoy a cup of your favorite coffee/hot tea first thing in the morning, when you can spend a few quiet moments alone. If you let the stress build up within you, you can become extremely grouchy, short tempered and even lose sleep over it. It is so important to find little ways to relieve the stress in order to keep it from getting the best of you.
- The weather. Okay, everyone knows that the holiday season also happens to be the winter season. What comes with winter? Snow, ice, freezing cold temperatures and sometimes wind that is so cold it takes your breath away. Consider this: winter weather and trips to the mall, trips to Grandma's house, trips to friend's parties, trips to the mall again (and again) and not to mention going to work/school! All of these generally require going outside, at least long enough to get into the car or inside the building. The point is that going from where it is warm to outside where it is cold and then back inside again, is enough to make some people sick. Colds, flu and even pneumonia run rampant during the winter season.
Do yourself a favor and bundle up every time you go outside (yes, even just to check the mail or grab the newspaper!), cover your head, hands, feet, torso and your throat/neck. Wear a heavy winter coat with a scarf and gloves and good winter shoes/boots. The truth is, even if you do bundle up like you are supposed to, you can still get sick. Along with taking care of your outside, take care of your insides as well. Take vitamins, get plenty of rest and eat right. It is awful tough to enjoy the holiday festivities when you are sick!
This holiday season, keep yourself healthy and happy so you can truly enjoy the magic that surrounds you! Bundle up, watch how much you are eating, be active and above all: allow yourself time to relax and breathe occasionally.
