Holiday Rush Health Tips

I am in disbelief that Christmas is next week. For me, the past few months have been a blur of excitement, stress, and chaotic running at a pace that is simply not healthy. Our family changes included a the start of a new job for me, my husband was laid of his job, our daughter started high school in the city and another starting middle school. There was the Ironman race last month with physical demands to add to the daily pressures. I opened up the CoreFit studio for small group and personal training. Logistically, financially, emotionally...it takes a toll.

Our bodies are not meant to function at a frantic pace for long periods of time. There has to be balance in order for our immune and hormonal systems to be at their peak. Our adrenal system will put the brakes on when we do not have this balance causing fatigue, depression and an overall sense of unwellness. Stress can lead to serious problems not only in the body but in our relationships as well. So... here is what we can do.

*REST! Try to get to bed early and stay on a routine bed time. Aim to go to bed and wake up the same time all week long. Instead of grabbing more coffee throughout the day, try to catch a quick rest. Which leads me to...

*Limit the caffeine. Stick to two cups of coffee a day if you are a coffee drinker. Try Yerba Mate tea which has plenty of health benefits and caffeine. NO SODA! (Whole other blog post necessary!) If you are addicted to either diet or regular try drinking carbonated water instead.

*Drink half your body weight in water. Look at how many pounds you weigh and drink that in ounces. More is necessary if you are working out. Drink water before eating and when feeling hungry. Staying hydrated effects mood, satiation, cognitive function, helps build muscle and improves the look of your skin.

*Exercise not to the point of extreme. In winter months I like to do short blasts of workload. Thirty minutes of lifting heavy, high intensity intervals, quick, fast runs...this is what the body needs. Enough to keep you on your target but not taxing the body.

*Eating nutrient dense foods. Amen! This is the staple to help us through the busy times. Eating as much dark leafy greens, veggies, healthy fats and protein will keep us from binging on the crap surrounds us everywhere we go. This is key for not going down the sugar blues road.

*Breathe. Practice diaphramatic breathing throughout your day. Inhale through the nose, inflating your lungs like balloons until you can't take in any more air. Slowly exhale through your mouth making an audible "ahhhhhhhh". Repeat 6 more times. Try this calming tool while in traffic, standing in line at the store or whenever you feel your heart rate starting to climb from stress.

*Laugh. This is a must! It is so good for us to have a big, old belly laugh at least once a day. It is the fast medicine we need to bring balance back to our mind/body connection. Try downloading a funny, daily app for jokes. Turn on an old sitcom. Hang out with kids, they know how to do this really well!