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The holidays, with all the joy they bring, can be tough on your physical and mental health. Between the stress of preparation, social gatherings, family traditions, and decadent meals, it’s easy to let yourself downslide into unhealthy habits and negative mindsets.
However, the holidays don’t have to be filled with stress, sickness, and sadness. Here are 4 tips to give you a sense of control and ease this holiday season:
1. Reinvent traditions: Sometimes we go through the motions of the holidays on autopilot without thinking how we’d like them to be to make them more nourishing for the people involved. One example in my own life is that every year my father would make my great grandmother’s special Swedish bread for all to share. His mother had done the same, resulting in his passion to carry on the tradition. The problem was that my mother and I couldn’t eat it. She doesn’t eat yeast and I avoid gluten. Therefore, it unfortunately became a tradition that only half of our family could partake in, even though my father was so enthusiastic to bake the bread! We finally suggested that he modify the recipe to more of a flatbread without as much yeast and without the rising of gluten. My mother and I were pleasantly surprised that he was willing to try it, and now we have two versions of bread when we come together! Traditions need to change with the people and times. Think of how you can adjust something that has always been done to accommodate people’s interests, needs, and maybe even simply “shake it up” a bit for fun.
2. Strategize social eating events: Putting some planning into parties could help you feel more engaged with the event rather than being taken over by worry and stress. First of all, before you attend any event, visualize the outcome you desire, feel the feelings you wish to have when you are there, and even imagine the amount of food you will eat before you have taken a bite. Secondly, when it comes to dinner parties, you may want to be the last person to start eating and pace yourself with the slowest eater at the table. Eating slower will keep you more in the moment of the ongoing festivities and help with digestion. Third, if you feel more drawn to rich, decadent foods, balance out your selections with plant foods from a vegetable tray. I am reminded of the study where people had a hamburger alone, and hamburger together with half an avocado. The hamburger by itself increased inflammation, but adding the avocado blunted that response – in fact, it more than blunted – the meal actually became anti-inflammatory! So try eating smarter by coupling healthy, nutrient-dense foods with those you want to eat that maybe aren’t as healthy.
3. Downsize serving ware: Our social cues determine much of what we eat. I remember growing up listening to the strong message that I needed to “eat everything on my plate!” The problem with that statement is that every plate is different – it’s a moving target. Whether I realize it or not, I may feel obligated on a more subconscious level to eat everything given to me or that I’ve selected. Of course, we want to be more conscious of what we are eating and how much, and you can help yourself to do so by re-engineering your eating ware. Try choosing smaller plates and skinnier glasses whenever possible. If that is not possible, use a quick visual cue of putting your hands together in a cupped manner – this cupped space has been associated with the size of the stomach. Try to aim for that amount on your plate.
4. Focus on the meaning: What if we reminded ourselves to zoom out of our holiday microcosm to expand into the true meaning and reason for the season – to love, share, and give to others? This season, open your heart more than your pocketbook. The more you can pay attention to the people and the holiday experience at a deep level, the more you may extract from the holidays. Before moving full force into the holidays, journal on what the holidays mean to you. Set an intention for each day of the season, setting the stage rather than being taken over by the avalanche of emotions. Rather than immerse yourself into the bustle of a mall, you could make homemade gifts. One Christmas, my family decided that we would all make each other gifts rather than buy them from a store. I still have the plate my mother made for me with an imprint of The Little Prince (one of my favorites) on it. Every time I see it, I feel such heartfelt joy and it brings me back to the memory of our gifts from that particular Christmas. Here are some creative gift ideas that you may enjoy: A gift of time and attention, taking a friend out for a jog, swim, tennis game, or yoga class, an offering to do your friend’s errands for a week; a plant, an herb garden for the kitchen windowsill; or donations to a favorite charity.
This holiday season, try on something different – be nourished by the season in all its many colors. Let your heart open wide to the celebration and true meaning of coming together with friends and family.
