With so many events and gatherings during the holidays, we want to feel our healthiest and most vibrant. However, many of us often (understandably) prioritise social events and celebrations over our health and wellness. Having fun with loved ones, friends, and maybe even going on holidays; it's a busy period for everyone!
To boost your immune system and stay healthy during the holidays, we recommend using a high-quality vitamin C supplement and following these tips.
Our Best Advice for Staying Well During the Holidays:
· Move your body to support energy levels.
· Make sure you rest during the festive season.
· Organisation can help you stay well.
· Eat well but still enjoy your favourite foods.
· Take vitamin C to support your immune system.
Read on to find out more about how to stay healthy this festive season and why vitamin C can support your immune system during this time.
Exercise for Boosted Moods
The festive season often means we have busy schedules and lots of social events to go to. Spending time with loved ones during the holidays is important. However, it often leaves us with limited time to exercise and take care of our health.
Moving your body each day, even during the holiday season, is important to keep you healthy during this time. Research has shown that regular exercise helps reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, and supports healthy moods and improves sleep.
We want to feel our best emotionally and mentally for the busy festive season. So it makes sense that finding ways to be active each day should be a priority. You might enjoy a quick 30-minute jog in the mornings or doing some yoga before bedtime. Move your body each day in a way you enjoy, to reap the many positive benefits of exercise.
Rest Often for Better Immune Health
During the holidays, it can get busy. You may find yourself saying yes to many people and making plans without considering if you have enough time. Socialising and travelling can be exhausting and lower your immune system, increasing the likelihood of becoming sick during the holidays.
To stay well, make sure you are getting enough sleep to feel calm and rested. Studies have shown that chronic stress and being rundown/burnt out can lead to more infections and becoming sick more often.
Organisation Supports Wellbeing
Most people are time-poor during the festive season. This means we can cast aside our routines and usual structures, but being organised can actually help you stay healthy during the festive season.
Organising your food shopping, cooking, and cleaning can help free up time so that you can rest. Meal prepping nourishing snacks/meals in advance can help you eat regularly so that you are not hungry when you’re busy. Having a clean pantry that is organised will also help with simple cooking during the festive season, especially when you’re pregnant.
Using a calendar or diary during the holidays can help you stay organised. It can also help you feel less stressed about taking care of yourself and completing tasks.
Eat Well and Enjoy Your Favourite Foods
Eating well is important to meet your nutritional needs during the festive season to stay healthy. While it's important to eat well, it's just as important to enjoy your favourite foods with loved ones.
Negative diet culture can be quite common during the festive season. If the festive season is triggering for you with your relationship with food or body image, seek support during this time.
You can also avoid negative diet culture chat on social media. Practice positive self-talk and aim for enjoyment over restriction with food. Positive affirmations can include 'I am not defined by the scale' and 'I deserve to nourish my body'.
During the festive season, indulging in fun foods and drinks that you may not consume regularly can cause digestive upset for some people. One of our favourite tips for managing digestive upset is to have herbal teas on hand. Chamomile or peppermint tea can help reduce an upset stomach from over-eating.
A shot of apple cider vinegar can assist food breakdown and digestion. Adding chia seeds to a smoothie can help with constipation by promoting regular bowel movements.
Of course, minimising your alcohol intake will help you to feel fresher. We might feel pressure to drink alcohol because it's common among the people around us. If you're prioritising your health, following a preconception care plan or pregnant/breastfeeding, it's best not to drink at all.
Instead, you can substitute alcoholic drinks with kombucha in a fancy glass. You can also use kombucha in mocktail recipes. Another option is to replace alcohol with soda water with lime slices or berries.
There are also great non-alcoholic options available now like non-alcoholic beer, gin, wine and more. You can go to your grocery store or shop online to explore this.
If you drink alcohol during the holidays, help your body detoxify naturally and reduce alcohol consumption when possible. You can support your body's detoxification by using our Detox & Liver Support during the festive season.
Vitamin C Supports Immunity and Helps You Get Better Fast
Of course, we all know that it can be hard to enjoy the festive season when we catch a cold or the flu. Nothing is worse than being sick or feeling unwell at this time of year. Many people get sick when on holidays because the body finally gets a chance to rest from working and cortisol levels which temporarily protect our immune system, drop.
Nutrients such as vitamins C and zinc can help improve your wellbeing during the holidays. It is known to:
· Relieve inflammation.
· Maintain immune system health.
· Support the immune system to fight illness.
· Reduce symptoms of mild allergies.
If you frequently become ill when you are busy or on vacation, we recommend taking vitamin C and zinc. This will assist in boosting your immune system not only during the holiday season but also in the long run. Neither of these nutrients are stored in the body so daily intake is recommended.
Top Naturopathic Tips to Help You Stay Well:
· Move your body each day.
· Make sure you rest during the festive season.
· Organise your mealtimes.
· Eat well but still enjoy your favourite foods.
· Take NaturoBest's Ultimate Vitamin C & Bioflavonoids (vitamin C and zinc).
Staying well during the festive season doesn’t need to be difficult. Taking supplements such as vitamin C and zinc can be a great way to support your wellness. It's important to remember to prioritise your supplements during the festive season. Supplements work best if you take them consistently, rather than sporadically.
