'Tis the season to be jolly, right? ‘Tis the season to also be overwhelmed –– and this year, perhaps, even more than ever. We may not be hustling off to holiday parties, but many are struggling with added guilt, loneliness, joblessness, and other mental health calamities.
The season also often lands self-care on the back burner. Here are a few tools to help give yourself the greatest gift of all: you and your health at (almost) the top of the list.
Keep Strong
In a culture that applauds you for doing it all, and in a season that reinforces it, sleep is underrated. Prioritize your time and your rest –– repeat after me: "no" is a full sentence. When you are rested, you are more present to truly appreciate the small moments that come with the season.
More importantly, sleep is one of the best ways to support your immune system.
At the first sign of feeling run down, sleep more and:
- Add in DAO Labs Immunity Support
- Seek an immune boosting acupuncture session
- Drink bone broth daily
- Cut down on sugar + add in as many dark green vegetables as possible (green juice with no added fruit is a great way to get your extra servings)
Keep Moving
When you are feeling strong and rested, find ways to keep moving. Though this time of the year might not allow for an hour at the gym, you can be creative about how to include exercise. Park far away, get off the subway early, find a way to complete 50 squats in the day, even if you don’t do them all at once.
Keeping a focus on moving also supports your digestion during a time you might come across more sugar cookies and fruitcake than you normally would.
In addition to moving, here are some ways to help keep your digestion happy:
- Add in DAO Labs Digestive Harmony
- Ask your acupuncturist to focus on digestive support
- Eat foods rich in prebiotics (like oats, bananas and greens) and probiotics (like fermented vegetables, kombucha and yogurt with no added sugars)
- End your day with ginger tea (boil ginger root, let cool and enjoy)
Keep Calm and Stay Jolly
Eat, drink, and be merry...celebration is so often based around breaking bread. What a beautiful thing –– celebrating with loved ones is as important to your health as anything else.
But as we know, too much eating and drinking leaves us feeling irritable which is not a fun way to experience family and friends. In order to stay calm and enjoy it all:
- Add in DAO Labs Emotional Balance
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day (better yet, add in some liver loving lemon juice)
- Take 2 minutes of deep breathing before you begin any obligation
- You guessed it, find some time for acupuncture
- Enjoy a walk in the woods, a favorite holiday movie, or create an intention list for 2020 –– there are so many ways to celebrate beyond food + drink.
If you read our last post, you know that at Common Point, we base everything we do on "the Basics", the common sense, everyday principles of health: eat, drink, move, breathe, sleep, detox, celebrate. The Basics are always the best place to start with any kind of health goal.
Dr. Liz Carlson is the founder, Licensed Acupuncturist + Herbalist of Common Point in Tribeca, New York. Their goal is to translate the perspective and philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine into something usable and understandable. In clinic and telehealth appointments available. Liz can be reached at liz@commonpoint.care.
