It’s hard to slow down sometimes, but December has become one month where I am especially mindful of doing all we can to stay healthy. Missing family gatherings or concerts due to illness is such a disappointment- and we all want to take in as much of the extra fun as we can! Who wants family memories of little ones (or big ones) feeling miserable on Christmas Day?
Though I am constantly learning and re-learning what our family is capable of in the busy times, there are some “non-negotiables” I’ve put into place over the years to increase our chances of coming through the month healthy and happy!
Immune boosters in the holiday season:
1) Sleep!
Take extra care to get you and your kids into bed on time, if not a little earlier this month. There will likely be more unavoidable late nights with concerts and parties, so give yourself and your kids the freedom to sleep in a little longer. Allow for some down-time following high-output days and late nights.
Resist the urge to caffeine-fuel your days…it only catches up with you at night. Recently I cut out the occasional afternoon coffee (which I was convinced didn’t “affect” me), and did I ever feel the positive effects! No more middle of the night, mind-racing wakeful stretches! Instead I try to have a big glass of lemon water, a cup of decaf chai or herbal tea, get out for a quick walk or have a high-protein snack when I feel that afternoon dip.
2) Eat up the greens.
Savory treats and sugary snacks show up in abundance this time of year…so make sure to fill up with healthy meals and loads of veggies to nourish those bodies. Enjoy the treats and make sure its the nutritious stuff that goes down the hatch first. (That goes for the kids as well as the grown-ups!)
3) Consider supplementing.
Now’s the time to add extra Vitamin C, Vitamin D and zinc to your daily regimen to give your cells the extra immune boosting potential you will benefit from. Consult your local practitioner for an individualized recommendation: my Naturopathic doctor suggests 1000 mg of Vitamin C, 2000 IU of Vitamin D and 50 mg of Zinc in the cold and flu season. And be sure you are taking a nutritional product of excellent quality.
There is also a great variety of homeopathic and herbal remedies to increase resistance to colds and flu’s. Again, finding a good practitioner will help you select products that are individualized to you and your family’s needs.
4) Play, get some sunshine, laugh and avoid stress!
All recommended for a healthy, happy lifestyle with awesome immune-boosting benefits!
Good tidings of comfort and joy, along with great health to you and yours this month!
Laundry Mom~Kali ♥
