Holiday Self Care

It's that time of the year when more than normal we push ourselves to the side and really focus in on spoiling others and taking care of the needs of others.  Now in no way to do I want to discourage anyone from building and supporting others in the community, but what I do want to take time to do is take the time to remind you that you can't help others unless you also support yourself. 

As someone who works in the health care industry I notice a pattern every year.  A wave of illness hitting my clients, taking them down one by one.  Some might make it all the way to their holiday vacation (what a way to spend a vacation) others get taken down a week or two before.  We typically just blame this on the cold, trust me I blame it on the cold too, yet in reality it really has more to do with how we treat ourselves. 

When we push ourselves to our limits we ask a lot of our body and often to do so we ignore signs our body is giving us saying we need to slow down and take a rest, telling ourselves "I'll rest when vacation is here, but for now I NEED to keep pushing".  Asking our hormonal and adrenal systems to work overtime without providing our body with the downtime it needs to continue operating at an optimal capacity. 

During this busy time of year I wanted to share some simple tips to make self love/care a part of your routine without having to book hour long massages and facials, although you are 100% welcome to do both! 

5 Tips to Simplified Self Care:

1. Keep moving, I know you have a lot to do between gift shopping, holiday parties and the many friend and family commitments happening but don't quit your regular movement routine.   Instead of ignoring your movement routine think about adjusting it, instead of going to the studio to practice yoga find something online, make lunch time walks a priority, get a workout buddy to encourage you to show up or schedule your workouts like meetings.  Whatever you need to do to keep your body moving. 
2. Don't forget to hydrate.  I get it, it's the holidays and I like a holiday cocktail as much as the next person but this doesn't mean I stop drinking my water.   With libations being enjoyed more than usual be sure to bring that water bottle around with you and aim for 2-3L of water a day. 
3. SLEEP!!! I know this time of year especially has a lot of party attending expectations but just because you are invited doesn't mean a) you need to go and b) that you have to stay until the lights come one.  It may sound a little silly but set a bed time for yourself and as often as possible stick to that time and give your body that downtime it needs to be ready to go.
4. Eat green (and other colourful) things, I know E.coli has been all over the news these days.  From one day to the next it sometimes feels like "is there a vegetable I can eat", well just because romaine, green and red leaf lettuce and cauliflower are out doesn't mean there isn't a load of other colourful vegetables and fruits out there that you can still healthfully enjoy.  Aim to get at least 6 servings of vegetables a day and seeing how most of us are partaking in holiday treats try and keep your fruit intake to 1-2 servings a day, instead opting for more vegetables when possible. 
5. Breath.  Take 2-5 minutes a day to just breath.  I know some of you might be rolling your eyes at this recommendation but the act of focusing on breath will assist you in reducing overall cortisol levels, tap into the parasympathetic nervous system and improve digestion.   No fancy breathing techniques necessary simply sit with yourself and pay attention as you inhale and exhale, do this in the morning, at lunch, after dinner or before bed, it doesn't matter when it just matters that you take a few minutes in your day to allow your body and mind some time to breath. 

This simple tips will help you to feel more grounded and you are more likely to be the one who escapes the flu this holiday season.   Don't wait until after the holiday season to take care of yourself, make your health and happiness a priority this holiday season.