Healthy Holidays ....Is that an oxymoron?

Our relatives just left after visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday. I had a wonderful time, but after their departure, it hit me (as it does almost every year): why do we eat so much, push ourselves, sleep less, consume more sugar, alcohol, white flour etc etc when we know without a doubt that these things leave us feeling depleted, tired and a little heavier around the midline? Can't quite figure it out, but I know I do it every Thanksgiving and Christmas! What's that definition of insanity that rings so true? "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." Love that one! Anyway, I few tips I've learned through the years to minimize the damages to ourselves and our kids..... Believe me, I'm not a saint and I don't always follow my own suggestions. But when I do adhere to this advise (from many wiser than myself), I do feel better.......

1. Drink lots more pure water and eat small healthy meals and snacks throughout the day to prevent gorging out on that big dinner. Things like fresh sliced fruit, nuts and seeds, flax muffins made with walnuts, hummus with fresh vegies etc.
2. Even when the pace picks up and the day gets hectic, continue to take your daily round of supplements including a great multi (like Nutritionist's Choice www.NutritionistsChoice.com) essential fatty acids (fish oil), Vitamin D and C
3. If your throat starts to get scratchy or you feel a little achy, take a preventative dose or two of Echinacea liquid to give an extra boost to the immune system. This simple tip has short-circuited more colds for my kids through the years than any other health routine.
4. dress in layers (we're in the mountains!) with a comfortable scarf wrapped around the neck on cold days
5. Exercise or try to get outdoors for a brisk walk at least once per day and remember to breath deeply. Sweating of course is a great way for the body to get rid of toxins (the skin is our biggest eliminative organ)
6. Speaking of elimination, add a little extra fiber or a cup of Smooth Move tea by Traditional Medicinals at night to keep things moving through the colon. Getting stopped up allows the blood to reabsorb the toxins that the body is trying to get rid off.
7. At the end of a long exhausting day of shopping or entertaining, take a hot bath with 2 cups of epsom salt and a little lavender oil to relax, unwind and induce a great sleep.
8.Oh yes, one last thing.....as a mom, don't try to do it all, be it all and shoot for perfection.....can't be done and you'll wear yourself out trying. The more I actually relax and enjoy myself during the holidays, the happier and healthier the people around me seem to be! Funny how that works!

For more tips on getting kids healthy, visit my website www.SOKHOP.com and read the article 12 tips for Healthier Kids......have a happy and healthy holiday season....best, Maureen