Health, Wellness and Happy Holidays covers the body, mind and spirit with tips for eating healthy foods, reducing stress and reaching out to others. Margery Phelps offers great suggestions to help you make it through the holidays without over indulgence.
We believe Health, Wellness and Happiness are desired achievements and each one is a choice.
Health, Wellness and Happy Holidays
The holiday season is upon us once again, starting with Thanksgiving on November 22. Our religious and civic celebrations are not only times for sharing and caring, they have become the times for stuffing and splurging. Rather than Health, Wellness and Happiness, we rationalize over-eating sweet treats and mince meats. Before we know it, the New Year has arrived and we are five or ten pounds heavier that we were the previous New Year.
Make Health, Wellness and Happiness a Top Priority. Here’s a list of health, wellness things to help you and your children control the holiday munchies, have more fun, and spend less:
- Think about Health, Wellness and Happiness before leaving for a party!
- Eat a healthy helping of nutritionally dense foods such as veggies or lean meat. A handful of carrots and celery sticks (no dressings, please!), a bowl of delicious mixed vegetables, or a few slices of chicken (no fat or skin), will fill you up. Take the edge off your appetite so you won’t arrive at the party with an empty tank that will suck up everything on the hors d’oeuvers table!
- Avoid sugar-free drinks. Research proves artificial sweeteners actually contribute to weight gain and a 22-year research study on aspartame has concluded that there is a link between aspartame consumption and blood cancers.
- When tempted to take that 2nd serving of dessert, ask yourself: “How much will I enjoy the consequences of eating this?”
- Give yourself some positive reinforcement with statements such as: “I will feel so good if I don’t eat this!”
- Eat slowly and take time to share some conversation with others between bites. The brain does not receive signals from the stomach that it is full until about 20 minutes after you eat. If you eat slowly, you give your brain more time to register satiety and you‘ll eat less.
- Avoid too much caffeine. Stress and exhaustion from shopping, cooking and wrapping presents can tempt you to have that extra cup of coffee. Pushing beyond your normal activity level by tanking up on extra caffeine will only make you eat more. Stick to non-caffeine herbal teas. You’ll be refreshed and your body will thank you.
Health, Wellness and Reducing Your Stress Levels
- Plan activities that incorporate Health, Wellness and Happiness.
- Don’t think that you HAVE to do everything. Make a Holiday Calendar with your children to plan the events that are the most important your family. Include shopping, visiting Santa, wrapping gifts, making crafts, decorating, baking, etc. Put the dates and times on the calendar and decorate the calendar with little stickers for each of the special events.
- Don’t overindulge financially. One year, I gave each of my family members a subscription to their favorite magazine and a hand- made gift. You’d be surprised what you can do with a little time and planning. Even something as simple as a quilted glasses case, or a pretty Kleenex pouch will be cherished and enjoyed since it was made especially for them. Check out these crafts ideas!
- Try to maintain your regular sleep pattern so you won’t be tempted to over-eat for energy. If the children are tired, they will be out of sorts and won’t enjoy the holidays.
Health, Wellness and Community
- Reach out by working at a soup kitchen or providing gifts for needy children.
- Add this to your family Holiday Calendar so the children can help plan and participate. Get their ideas on what would be important to help others.
- The gift of giving will add bountiful health, wellness and happiness to your holiday.
The overall Health, Wellness and Happiness Tip: Keep your perspective. Be grateful for everything you have and enjoy being with your children. Don’t compare yourself, you children, and your family to anyone else. Love being who you are. That’s the most important gift you can give.
Please share Health, Wellness and Happy Holidays. You never know who might need a little Health, Wellness boost!
Margery Phelps
Born in Atlanta; majored in Journalism and Accounting in college; after my Mom was killed by prescription drugs for asthma in 1990 (yes, she was using them properly), I turned to my love of writing and research to understand why a brilliant medical and scientific illustrator could succomb to a medical treatment. Since then, I've published five books on health issues, in addition to a novel. I'm on a mission to improve the nutrition of children because prevention of disease starts at the mouth.
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