Each year, the holiday season can feel like a roller-coaster ride. The months leading up to the festivities focus on work and family, but as soon as the holidays descend, our schedules become overwhelming, and our personal health often gets neglected. To prevent your holiday season from turning into a metabolic disaster, try adopting some simple strategies to control weight, boost metabolism, and maintain strong immunity. Doing so will help maintain your energy and vitality throughout the winter months.
Metabolism and Immunity
Metabolism and immunity are closely linked and should be approached as components of the same system. The biggest culprit that triggers both metabolic and immune problems is a spike in blood sugar/glucose. Balancing glucose metabolism with diet, exercise, and targeted supplements can help control weight gain, build stronger immune systems, and support cardiovascular health while improving energy and vitality.
Exercise
When life gets busy, exercise tends to be the first routine we abandon. To maintain your metabolism and immunity during the holiday season, find creative ways to stay active without necessarily going to the gym. For instance, park farther from your destination, take the stairs rather than the elevator, do a brisk walk around the mall while shopping, or participate in a charitable fun run. Even short bursts of exercise such as stretching, yoga, chi gong, or exercise ball routines can help maintain your metabolism and immunity.
Eat Mindfully
Busy schedules often make it difficult to cook healthy meals from scratch. The key is planning ahead by preparing nutritious meals in advance, stocking up on seasonal produce, and having healthy snacks on hand. Hearty soups, stews, and chili are easy to prepare and freeze for later enjoyment. Fill your desk drawer or car with organic nuts, seeds, or trail mix as alternatives to fast food. Filling up on nutrient-dense, fiber-filled foods like vegetables, brown rice, legumes, and plant proteins will keep you satisfied for longer.
Manage Anxiety
It’s important not to accept stress and anxiety as an inevitable part of your holiday season but to take proactive steps to minimize them. Practice deep breathing, meditate, and prioritize sleep. These actions will help reduce inflammatory stress hormones, support immunity, and maintain metabolic health. Herbs such as honokiol, an extract from the magnolia bark, can aid in promoting calmness and healthy sleep cycles.
Metabolic Support
Supplement your diet with botanicals and nutrients that can help balance metabolism, control glucose, and reduce cravings. Medicinal mushrooms energize cellular mitochondria and train immune cells to respond better to harmful invaders. Alpha lipoic acid helps balance glucose levels and reduce inflammation while L-Taurine supports insulin function and glucose metabolism. Botanical extracts such as cinnamon, holy basil, fenugreek, astragalus, alginates, and green tea offer metabolic support, increase satiety, reduce cravings, and support overall metabolic health.
Don’t neglect your wellness
By developing a plan and being proactive, you can avoid some of the most common holiday pitfalls. This festive season, give yourself the gift of greater energy, vitality, and long-term health by maintaining a healthy metabolism and stronger immunity.
