How’s your stress level these days?
Are you obsessing over the busy-ness of the holiday season? With gifts to purchase (and wrap), parties to plan (and attend), and guests to entertain it’s no wonder that for many of us the holidays are the most stressful time of the year.
And that doesn’t even cover the food !
Tables laden with holidays feasts, and endless gluten-filled, sugary treats – how will you survive?
It’s a common refrain from many of my clients – along with saying this:
“I don’t want to feel like crap by January 1!”
Are you wondering how you can rein in your appetite when so many temptations abound? No question, the holidays are stressful, with so much to do and so little time.
Even more worrisome, is that stress plays a HUGE compounding role for just about any health concern you might have – especially your digestive health!
With that in mind, here are my 3 favorite tips for managing your stress during the holiday season, so you don’t feel like crap come New Year’s!
Try these out for yourself over the coming weeks and see what shifts for you.
And let me know how you fared! What helped, and what didn’t? I’d really love to know!
TIP #1 – Slow Down
The holiday season can be a blur of activity. There are gifts to wrap and purchase, a house to decorate, friends and family to entertain – and then there’s the food!
When is there time for YOU?
The truth is, when it comes to your own health and your state of mind, you are the one in full control. No one else can do this for you, and no one else can undermine your efforts – unless you allow them to. (For a refresher course on how not to hand over your power, read this.)
So take time to slow down in every sense of the word! Savor your meals and chew your food.
Chewing alone does all of the following:
- Helps to eliminate gas and bloating
- Helps to eliminate abdominal pain
- Helps to reduce the load on the rest of your digestive system
- Helps with weight loss!
TIP #2 – Choose Fat, Fiber & Protein
As a rule of thumb, make sure that every meal or snack contains a combination of fat, fiber and protein!
This will help keep your blood sugar in balance, and ward off those crazy binges.
Since the holidays are rife with temptations of every kind, it’s all the more reason to eat the exact same way you would at any other time of the year.
Know which foods are in your poison ivy patch vs. your bike lane! And try to keep alcohol and sugary treats to a minimum. If you can, learn to bake with nut flours, or alternate sweeteners that are less likely to cause a huge spike in your blood sugar.
And when you do indulge, remember the fat, fiber and protein rule!
TIP #3 – Listen to Your Body
Your body will tell you when you’ve had enough, and it will do so in multiple ways.
If you’re exhausted and overwhelmed, those are clear signs. Respect what your body is telling you! One of the best things you can do for yourself over the holidays is to go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep – it’s key to your overall health and well-being!
Eating when stressed will also add to your discomfort. If you’re not sure what I mean, think about what happens when you are stressed and agitated – your stomach hurts and you get indigestion.
For those who follow a special diet, respect what your body can handle. For example, If you’re gluten-free and also avoid dairy – then gluten and dairy are off the menu.
The holidays might be a time to indulge, but why would you intentionally eat something that makes you sick?
In closing, if you do slip up, and feel less than well by January 1st – take a step back and forgive yourself. That simple act of forgiveness shifts your body into a state of relaxation – one less thing to feel stressed about!
Want to learn more?
If you’d like to continue feeling better into the New Year and beyond, sign up for my newly updated FREE guide: “7 Steps to Healing Your Gut”
NOTE: I’ve been having so many conversations with people about digestive health, I felt inspired to update my guide so it speaks directly to this problem. Transform your health and get relief from your symptoms with these 7 easy and powerful steps – starting today!
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