A Healthy Holiday during a Difficult Year

We all know we are sick of hearing of COVID-19 by now, believe me – pandemic fatigue is real! However, it isn’t sick of us yet and as the country nears higher numbers of cases and sadly deaths this holiday season, it reminds us how precious our health is. While this is a difficult year and we will have to get creative with our family and friends, there is no reason this holiday cannot be a possibly happy one as well. This year we at Acupuncture Atlanta also lost someone dear and this holiday season will be a bittersweet one for all those that work in the clinic and those of us who work remotely on the online store. We hope that you all remain safe and healthy this season and that we can all remain hopeful of a better year to come. Here are a few ways to embrace the health of our body, mind, and spirit, as our Clinic Director, Warren L. Cargal did daily.

Stay active

The gym may not be accessible to you now and your usual fitness routine can be disrupted when the holidays come around anyway. Exercise increases overall wellness, improves mood, and is an excellent stress reducer. So, hike that trail or take a walk through your local park. Regular exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. The activity also releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones that boost the mood and act as natural pain killers. Make a small effort and reap huge benefits by incorporating fitness into your holiday celebrations:

• Take the stairs and walk whenever you can.
• Watch fitness videos at home.
• Ask your family for some fitness gifts.
• Take a virtual yoga class.
• Dance in the kitchen when you make those holiday cookies.
• Go outside with your kids in the snow!

Stop stress in its tracks

The holidays can be the most wonderful and stressful time of the year! Your health can be impacted by constant stress, here are a few ways to keep your stress level down:

• B vitamins – a B complex can be a great way to combat stress or even avoid it altogether.
• Get creative about how you will share time with your family and friends, whether that means outdoors or virtually this year. We all wish it weren’t the case, but staying calm and making the best of a bad situation might help relieve your stress and those around you.
• Do the things you love. Traditions are wonderful, but sometimes they can be a lot of work and you aren’t very happy after you do them. Tweak them, omit them for this year, or just make a new tradition that better suits your family.
• Reach out to those in your community – studies show that volunteering and helping can lower stress, decrease the risk of depression and give you a sense of purpose.
• Finding yourself unemployed during the holidays can be very stressful. Let your family and friends know that you will not be able to celebrate as usual – be creative with gifts this year or promise a long visit when the pandemic is over.
• Ashwagandha has powerful antioxidant properties and is an excellent stress and anxiety reducer. This herb supports normal nervous system functions, improves sleep, and balances normal cortisol levels.
• Passionflower is another traditional herb used for its calming properties. The passionflower increases the levels of GABA function. GABA neurotransmitter functions contribute to motor control, vision, and regulates anxiety.
• Be grateful – studies show that thankful people also have an overall more positive outlook on life. They also tend to spend less time focused on the negative aspects of life because they spend more time being thankful for the good things in their lives.

Relax expectations

In addition to this year being quite different than any other, there is no reason to be perfect. You may feel like you want to make up for a difficult year, but this can just make you feel worse. Practice some mindfulness during the holiday and shed the need for perfection. Maybe it is just a baked cookie (or store-bought because really) and watch Christmas movies kind of year.

Just take time to truly relax during this difficult time

• Schedule time to meditate each day. Even as little as 10 minutes can be beneficial.
• Deep breathing can be done almost anywhere and is a quick method of reducing stress.
• Getting a massage or taking a hot bath can help relieve tension in muscles.
• Laughing, listening to music, or enjoying a cup of tea are also great ways to relax.
• Lavender is perfect for calming aromatherapy – it has a soothing and sedative effect.

Try to get good sleep

Sleep is crucial when you are busier than usual. Circadian rhythms can be disrupted during the holidays. Late nights, early mornings, and jet lag can all contribute to getting less sleep. Try to get at least 7-8 hours per night and, if you are having trouble falling asleep or regulating your sleep-wake-cycle, you can try taking melatonin or using lavender essential oil to help you drift off.

Find wellness with holiday flavors

• Chocolate contains cacao – a “bliss molecule” called anandamide which boosts your mood. So it wasn’t your imagination that chocolate makes you happier!
• Sage – supports cognitive function, anti-inflammatory, supports immune function and digestion.
• Ginger – gingerbread anyone? Ginger improves circulation, eases motion sickness, and relieves nausea and indigestion.
• Pomegranate – supports digestion, rich in antioxidants, and helps with healthy blood flow.
• Rosemary – supports memory, alertness, and concentration. Supports immune and circulation function and reduces inflammation.
• Cloves – supports normal insulin function, liver health, and alleviates diarrhea and vomiting.
• Clementine – boosts immunity, relieves constipation, support normal brain function, and good for digestion.
• Peppermint – good for memory and digestion, supports normal respiratory function, and rich in antioxidants.
• Cinnamon – supports normal blood sugar levels, anti-aging, and warms the reproductive system.
• Nutmeg – supports normal cognitive function, relieves pain, and supports normal immune system function.

Don’t let pandemic fatigue set in

I am sure you have been reminded so often you would like to forget, we can all relate. But the coronavirus is still here and the CDC is concerned that there will be an increase in the spread of COVID-19 during the holidays as people gather together to celebrate. While it is tempting to let your guard down and want to be with your family and friends living life normally – the risk is not over. While a vaccine seems to be on the horizon, they are still recommending the following:

• Wash your hands often.
• Understand how it can spread.
• Wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose.
• Stay at least 6 feet away from people that are not part of your household, workplace, or circle.
• Do not touch your face.
• If you cannot wash with soap and water use a hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow if you sneeze or cough.
• Disinfect and clean frequently used surfaces.
• Understand that some people have no symptoms and others can experience a fever, cough, shortness of breath among other symptoms.
• The CDC is recommending that you get a flu shot to reduce your risk of flu.

Be kind to yourself

The holidays may be a time for giving, but you cannot give if you feel depleted. Take time for yourself to unwind. Drink a glass of wine, dance in the kitchen, or curl up on the couch to watch your favorite holiday movie.

Have a hard time remembering what will relax you when you are overwhelmed during the holidays? Write a quick self-care bucket list and keep it where you can see it. This way when you find a 15-minute pocket, you can do one of them and lift your spirits and relax.