How to Prevent the Holiday Blues
By Debbie Janak
The holiday season is upon us and it seems like Christmas sneaks up on us faster and faster every year. Why do we allow ourselves to get into the frantic buying of gifts? The main thing to remember is that Jesus is the reason for the season. It was His birth thousands of years ago in that lowly stable that started our Christian season.
Some people enjoy the hustle and bustle of the season, the Christmas carols on the radio, and the Christmas parties. Children look forward to gifts left under their Christmas tree. Families get together to celebrate each other with food and goodies. However, there are some that dread Christmas, especially if they have recently lost a loved one and this is the first Christmas without them. Christmas also occurs in the darker part of the year which can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder and blue moods. So what can you do to curb the blues and brighten your surroundings?
- Bright lights, colored Christmas lights, are a great way to boost moods and make sure you have a high level of Vitamin D in your body.
- Other ways to improve moods during this busy time of year are to have meaningful social contacts and networks. Reach out to friends with Christmas cards or send an email. Many people send letters that summarize every important thing that occurred in their family that year to family and friends they do not get to see on a regular basis.
- Exercise. Move those muscles to improve blood flow throughout the body and especially to the brain. Get outside now that the weather is cooling off and take a brisk walk to help clear your thoughts.
- Make sure your hormones are balanced. DHEA helps women and testosterone helps men with elevating the moods. But, it is all about the balance, or as some call it, the hormonal symphony.
- Watch the holiday treats. Sugar, which our brain and tongue seem to really like, can wreak havoc on our blood sugar level. It leaves us feeling like we are riding a roller coaster of emotions as the blood sugar goes up and down, and then when we start to crash, we reach for another sugary treat to bring our blood sugar back up again.
- Sugar causes the human body to burn up or utilize many key vitamins and nutrients. So, make sure to take your vitamins this holiday season. Start with the PowerPak daily, a broad base of key vitamins and nutrients. Also take B-Complex, as this important group of vitamins is used up quicker when the diet is off and from holiday stress. B Vitamins are used to make serotonin, our feel-good neurotransmitter in the brain.
- Take your Vitamin D. Lab values need to be around 60-80 for optimal health and immune function. When you have a healthy Vitamin D level, your moods are generally lifted. I look at Vitamin D as my personal rainbow that follows me and brightens my life.
- Take Magnesium. Magnesium helps the body relax, but is also a co-factor for making ATP, the fuel our mitochondria needs to make energy. There are many supplements that could be discussed and their importance, but this article is limited. So, lastly, take your Vitamin C. Vitamin C is also beneficial for the immune system and will help prevent catching colds.
We Can Help
At the Hotze Health & Wellness Center, we help give people their lives back, naturally. If you are struggling this holiday season and life seems out of sorts, please give us a call at 281-698-8698 for a complimentary wellness consultation with a Wellness Consultant.
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