Taking Care Of Your Health Over The Holidays

Let’s face it, it’s hard to stick to our normal routines over the holidays. Between gatherings, travel, an ever growing to-do list and more, healthy habits tend to fall to the wayside. Add stress on top of all of that and suddenly your body is giving you all the warning signs that something needs to give. Who really wants to end the year feeling worn down and stressed out? Not me! So I tapped Dr. Amanda Frick, N.D., LAc of Harvey Health to see how we can take back our health this season.

Before we get to her suggestions, I wanted to fill you in about Harvey Health. It’s an online holistic medical group that enables patients to have video consultations with holistic practitioners and get labs done in their own homes. It’s a genius concept, since so many of us live in areas far from naturopathic doctors or other holistic practitioners, plus it saves so much time. I’ve been trying them out and can’t wait to share more about my experience with them soon. In the meantime, let’s talk about how to make it through the remaining holidays this year with our health intact.

*These are just general suggestions. Please check with your own doctor or practitioner for individualized health advice. 

Taking Care Of Your Health Over the Holidays- Interview with Dr. Amanda Frick, N.D., LAc

With added stress, less sleep and longer to-do lists this month, how can we combat some of the negative side effects all of that will have on our health?

The best place to start for staying holiday healthy would be to stick to your regular healthy habits as much as possible. Don’t skip workouts, stay hydrated, eat lots of fruits and veggies.  It may be particularly beneficial to incorporate mindfulness exercises like yoga and meditation. If you don’t have much time to spare, take 30 seconds with some deep breathing practice. If things get a bit out of control, you may opt for some aromatherapy options, a good massage, or a relaxing acupuncture treatment to get back on track.

Between big family gatherings and celebrations with friends, it’s hard to stay on track with healthy eating, especially when the options are heavy or overly sugary. Any tips to get our digestive system back on track after all of that holiday feasting?

There are 2 big rules: make sure the good stuff is still getting in, and make sure the bad stuff is still getting out! Maybe throw in an extra green juice or 2, grab a handful of berries, or a high fiber protein bar. This will leave less space in your stomach for overeating, and help with elimination of the bad stuff. If bloating and distention is an issue, add some ginger or peppermint (not both though, as they have opposite energetic effects in Chinese medicine). Try an herbal tea, or even just have some raw mint or candied ginger to ease digestive woes. If constipation becomes an issue, consider supporting elimination with an herbal tea or a bit of magnesium to keep up with the higher detox needs.

Speaking of parties, say someone was a bit over-served last night, what’s the best way for them to support their body the next day?

Love and water! Give yourself some self-love and acceptance, and move on forward. Dwelling on poor decisions or regret cannot move you forward. Drinking a lot of water can help rehydrate your system and aid detoxification. Other helpful thoughts may be taking some extra B vitamins, or having a decent dose of healthy fats to aid in biding and elimination of toxins.

I often don’t think about my immune system until I’m completely under the weather. Are there ways we can keep our immune system going strong all season long?

Continuing to exercise, eating healthy and getting enough sleep are imperative for immune function. If you need additional support, you might consider taking extra probiotics and keeping some zinc and vitamin C on hand for early stages of a cold/flu.

We can’t always help being out of our routines this time of year, but what should we make a priority in keeping ourselves healthy through the hustle and bustle?

 The number one priority would be keeping up with your sleep. Without that, you’re missing the foundation of all other aspects of health. Even if your diet is off point or exercise is getting pushed to the wayside, give your body the much-needed rest and recovery for body and soul for best results.

Thank you Dr. Frick! For more information about Dr. Frick and Harvey Health check out their website here. You can even schedule an online consultation. Here’s to staying healthy over the holidays! xo