7 Simple Ways to Stay Healthy This Holiday Season

7 Simple Ways to Stay Healthy This Holiday Season

​While sickness around this time of year isn't always avoidable, here are 7 simple ways to stay healthy this holiday season:

1. Wash your hands - This one seems pretty simple but many of us will mix and mingle, shake hands, touch doorknobs, handle other people's phones, use keypads at stores and share germs everywhere we go.  If we wash our hands with soap and water, or at the very least use hand sanitizer (have some handy), we'll help avoid whatever bug everybody else might have. 
2. Don't touch your face - Most of us put our hands to our faces when we're nervous in conversation or just because it's a habit we've developed over time.  Germs are everywhere and we touch everything.  Don't bring it to your face.
3. Get enough sleep - This is different for everyone but if you don't feel rested, your immune system will be compromised and your chances of falling ill increase.  Engineer a good night sleep by starting your day before you hit the hay.  Have a bedtime and a pre-bedtime routine, that doesn't include screen time.
4. Vitamin D - A vitamin D supplement is recommended for most of us during this wintery time of darkness,  Load with 5000mg for a couple of weeks then drop to 1000mg daily.  I've heard this for a long time and just started taking vitamin D.  The difference has been quite noticeable, especially in my overall mood.  It'll help raise your immunity too!
5. Avoid sugar/Eat your veggies - Eating too much sugar lowers our immune system and the nutrients in vegetables (especially those high in vitamin C) raises it.  Sure, have a cookie at that family gathering, just don't have 10.  You'll probably feel like crap if you do and it'll increase your chances of  catching the bug(s) of the season.
6. Exercise - It doesn't have to be much but some well timed exercise can help burn off some of the holiday sugar and stress and help us sleep at night.  Try 10 - 15 minutes of fasted walking in the morning to get your day off to a motivated and healthy start.  It's great for your body and your mind!
7. If you're sick, PLEASE stay home from work - We're exposed to sickness everywhere we go and we spend most of our waking hours at work.  If you're sick, everyone will understand.  Don't bring it to work and contaminate everyone around you.  It'll spread like wildfire and they'll all bring it home to their groups too.

​There you go, 7 simple ways to help stay healthy this holiday season.  Here's to a healthy last couple weeks of 2017!   And please, don't cough or sneeze into your hands.  Use your cough pocket also known as your elbow.  (see image above :))