Winter Wellness Christmas Tips

The Christmas lead up can be a hectic time: lots of nights out, more food and alcohol than we are used to, emotions flying all over the place and we often feel exhausted and a bit out of control by Christmas Eve. Sound familiar!!? It doesn’t have to be that way, and you can totally still enjoy the lead up to Christmas without sacrificing your self-care and sanity at that!

So here are my tried and tested top tips on how to remain grounded and energized while enjoying the busy season:

Say No

I have learnt over the years that you can’t say yes to everything. Well you can of course, but then you will be too exhausted by the time Christmas day comes around. Be picky on how you choose to spend your time and on who you spend it with.

Focus on what is important

It’s easy to get caught up in the shoulds and the to-do lists. Rushing around the shops, overspending, late nights, deadlines etc. Nowadays, there is too much stress around a time that is really meant to be about spending time with family and friends and more importantly with yourself. It’s time off work, so make sure to spend some of this time relaxing and taking stock of the year, what you have achieved and what you would rather leave behind than take into another year.

Help out on the day

Contribute something yummy to the dinner table, help clean up after the meal, and make the coffee (Irish/Baileys in our house!). Visit an elderly neighbour, drop some food over to someone who is alone. Whatever it is, just make sure to give to others over the holidays, you will feel great while helping others at the same time. Win win!

Drink lots of water!

If I am out for the night, I try to drink lots more water (2-3 litres) and every morning without fail I drink hot water, lemon and add a splash of apple cider vinegar. I have found this excellent for my skin and my gut (which let’s face it can take a hit over the holiday season)

Focus on family

Christmas is really about family and spending time together. Engage in conversations with relatives, connect with your kids, make time for play, and spend time walking in nature. The presents and the food come second.

Take your supplements

Magnesium oil is excellent and can be rubbed into the body. Magnesium is great for your digestion and circulation.  B complex is necessary for a healthy nervous system so as you are running around Smyth’s Toy store pulling your hair out as the queues are out the door, fetch your B vits from your handbag. Bonus points if it is from a whole food source. Cod Liver Oil is also especially important around the holidays and fish oil supports cognitive health and weight maintenance, plus so much more. Finally, probiotics are a great one for gut health and if you can find someone with Kefir grains even better!

Listen to and accept your emotions-the good, the bad and the ugly

You don’t have to always feel great over Christmas. For some, Christmas can bring up feelings of isolation, painful memories, overwhelm. It’s ok not to feel fantastic. Accept and nurture yourself and your emotions fully. Take out your journal, have a hot Epsom salt bath, do some yoga, (some juicy Yin hip-openers) and really allow yourself to unwind mentally.

Meditate for 20 minutes twice daily

‘But I don’t have time’, I hear you say! Did you know there are 72 x 20 minute slots in a day? Even just taking 2 of these slots out for meditation or deep breathing, leaves you STILL with 70 slots of 20 minutes! No excuses. This will help you slow down, get grounded, and gain a clear perspective. Find a guided meditation or mantra that you love, and stick to it. I have started to use an App called Insight Timer with heaps of meditations both guided and non-guided to choose from.

Move your body daily

Get in at least a little movement every day to connect with your body and your breath. Maybe it's a walk in nature, some yoga postures, dancing whatever makes your heart sing! It is a ritual in our house to enjoy a family St. Stephen’s day hike with Christmas dinner sambos in the pub at the bottom….YUM! 

Finally…….have fun!!!

Christmas only comes around once per year. Have no regrets, get involved, and stay happy, healthy and full of love.

Now I’d love to hear from you! How do you handle the holidays? Please share in the comments.