I love the festivities of the holidays – watching kids open gifts, seeing all the house decked out in lights, drinking hot cocoa with family, and playing board games with cousins. During the last few weeks of the month, we spend a lot of time visiting with family and catching up; I look forward to this every year. What I don’t love about the holidays is that with all the hustle and bustle and chaos of trying to see everyone, I often get sick in the process. So in hopes that I take my own advice this year, here are some tips for staying healthy during the holidays.
Try to eat at least one healthy meal. For the most part, our family holiday parties encompass one or two meals at most. Which means that I have one meal where I can control what I eat. Whether it be breakfast or lunch, I make sure that I eat at least one healthy meal before going to a family party. Sometimes I’ll eat a big salad for lunch; that way I don’t feel as guilty when I get that extra helping of mashed potatoes for dinner. This also helps me curb what I eat at family parties; because I am going to the party having already eaten a meal, I am less likely to binge eat there.
Balance. This is very hard for me to do during the holidays. I have a crazy sweet tooth and if given the chance will eat all the cookies and drink the sugary sweet drinks. If there’s fruit at a party I will try to eat more of that than cookies and pastries. Thankfully though, my impulse control has improved since I was five, so I will eat that gingerbread person, but just one and I will take a slice of that pie, but only a little one.
Pick your parties. We can’t do everything and go everywhere now that we have kids tagging along with us. Mr. Cheesecake’s family is mostly local to San Diego. Mine on the other hand, is in Los Angeles, an almost 2.5 hour drive away. So while we try to see as much family as we can during the holidays, we know that driving 2.5 hours with a 3.5 and 1.5-year-old for a 5-hour party is not conducive to having a happy holiday. Instead, we do what we can locally and then plan a day to spend with my family in LA so we get the most out of our time there.
Take a daily multi-vitamin. In an effort to keep my immune system up and running, I take a daily multivitamin. I notice that on days I don’t take it, I feel more sluggish and am more likely to eat unhealthy.
Dress for the weather. It doesn’t get any colder than 40 degrees at night here in San Diego, but coming in and out of houses and visiting different parts of San Diego means that dressing in layers is key. I will usually bring a light jacket and scarf with me when we go to a party since we never really know what time we’ll come home and if it will be colder then. Plus some of our family members have patios that people like to gather on, so it’s always nice to bundle up and go outside with a hot drink.
Try to get adequate sleep. This can be difficult during the holidays with so much family around, especially if they are staying at our place, but it can be even more difficult with kids. I know when I am running on less sleep than usual I am more susceptible to getting sick. So I try to sleep when the kids sleep, but if family are over I will hang out for a bit then head to off to bed. If they want to stay up later, that’s fine; that’s what earplugs are for!
Drink a lot of water. With the holidays come sugar sweet drinks like eggnog, hot cocoa, spiced cider; the drink list is endless. I love all of these drinks and will usually partake in a couple of them, but I always make sure to drink water afterward to keep myself hydrated. If I am itching for something caffeinated and hot, I will drink tea with honey and lemon which is also good for nipping a sore throat.
Wash your hands. Being around a lot of people and hugging and greeting a lot of people means being around a lot of germs. I wash my hands often and carry antibacterial gel with me in case I’m not near a bathroom.
Exercise when you can. When I was pregnant with StarCakes during the holidays, I had gestational diabetes and needed to check my blood glucose levels after every meal. After our very delicious and heavy Christmas meal at our uncle’s house, Mr. Cheesecake and I went out for a walk around his neighborhood. It was a great way to digest and relax. I was able to partake in a delicious holiday meal but still stick to my GD restrictions.
Even though I may try to stick to these tips, I may still get sick during the holidays. So if that is the case, here are some items I keep on hand to help me through the temporary rough spot.
2) Halls: If I have to be out and about while I’m sick I throw a package of these in my purse.
3) Emergen-C and Airborne: When I’m starting to feel sick I take one of these to help give my immune system a boost. I like that they taste good and easily dissolve in water.
4) Cream of Chicken Soup: This soup takes me back to my childhood. My mom would cook it with some mixed vegetables and an egg for protein. The steam from the soup helps clear my nose too.
5) Saline Nose Spray, Humidifier and Vicks VapoRub: Definitely my go-to’s for congestion relief during the day and night.
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What are some of your tips for staying healthy during the holidays?
blogger / persimmon / 1225 posts
My least favorite part about the holidays and winter is illness! Good tips!