5 Tips on Staying Healthy During the Holiday Season

We all look forward to the holidays.  Spending time with family and friends, exchanging presents and seeing the joy and excitement through the eyes of your little ones.

But with the holiday season also comes the one thing we don't want - colds or even worse, the flu.

Here are 5 tips on how to stay healthy through the holiday season.

1.   Eat healthy.

With all the food that you will be eating over the next few weeks, there is no doubt that some of those foods are ones that are not the healthiest.  And that is ok - it is ok to splurge once in a while.

However, your body is used to eating healthy (or it should be) and eating too many foods that are typically higher in calories, and most importantly, higher in sugar, is not only bad for your waistline but bad for your health.  Sugar is bad for your body and too much of it can actually make you sick.

Take the time to enjoy a treat or two, but continue to fuel your body with good healthy foods.

                                                                                                photo credit: Arya Ziai via photopin cc

Tip:  This is also the perfect time to make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals and in those parts of the country that do not see the sun alot during the winter months - a good Vitamin D is a great idea.  A great way to make sure you are getting your daily dose of vitamins, minerals and probiotics is through Shakeology.

2.   Drink Water.

Staying hydrated is key in helping your body do what it is supposed to do - keep you healthy and fight all those bad germs you come into contact with daily.  This is especially important if you are going to be flying.  Being in an airplane is notorious for having dry air so drink plenty of water.

A bonus to staying hydrated:  It helps you from thinking that you are hungry when could potentially just be dehydrated.  Make sure you drink at least 8-10 ounces of water daily.

3.  Get plenty of rest.

Being sleep deprived keeps the body from restoring its natural balance and providing the energy needed for fighting all the germs you come into contact with on a daily basis.

4.  Control stress levels.

It is inevitable that stress levels can and may be high during this time of year.  Take this time to relax, take a yoga class, do something you love (reading a good book, cooking with the family, or even treat yourself to a spa day).   Undue stress on your body can even make you sick, so take care of yourself and relax.

5.  Washing your hands.

This is a pretty simple thing that you can do to keep germs from invading your body.  If there isn't a nearby sick to wash your hands, hand sanitizer is the best option.  Dr. Bronner's brand is my favorite - and it smells good.

The key thing to remember to stay health during the holidays is everything in moderation - food, exercise and plenty of relaxation.