Stay Physically and Mentally Healthy Through the Holidays

How many New Year's Days have you spent with a wicked cold or a major case of the blues? With all the stress, socializing, and scurrying around that accompany the holidays, I know how tempting it is to just keep going. But when you don't take the time to take good care of yourself during this most trying time of year, your physical, mental and emotional health can break down quickly (and hard). Give yourself the gift of feeling strong and energized now and through the new year by following these basic guidelines.

• Up your intake of Vitamin C.  With the added stress and busyness of the season, your immune system takes a real hit. Boost your odds of staying strong and healthy by doubling your current dosage of Vitamin C. Call or email us if you are not sure how much you should be taking.
  
  
• Make sure you get extra sleep.  Recharging your batteries is crucial.  Don't hesitate for a second to catch some zzzs in the car while waiting for Timmy to get out of school.  And whenever possible, elevate your legs when you're resting—it will increase bloodflow, reduce swelling in the legs, and give you a subtle energy boost.
  

• Drink LOTS of extra water.  This time of year, most people replace some or all of their daily water intake with fizzy, egg noggy, caffeinated beverages.  If you can actually increase your water intake (instead of merely not decreasing it), you will be amazed at how your energy will keep up.
  
  
• Don't even think about skipping your workout. Even when you feel certain you can't do another thing, exercise is exactly what your body needs.  A workout will give you a dose of much-needed endorphins, plus taking your muscles through a full range of motion will help relieve the exhausted feeling.
  
  
• Stretch whenever possible.  I once met a friend of mine in Disney's Magic Kingdom and she spotted me right away because I was the only lunatic stretching by the wall.  As crazy as you may look, your muscles will thank you for it.
  
  
• Treat yourself to a massage.  I know it's the time of year to spend money on others, but this is a necessity, not a treat!  When you inevitably fall asleep during your massage, you'll know that you are indeed run down.

Yours in good health,
Kris Wade