Wellness with Water
Water is important all year, but has added benefits during the holiday season. Traveling by plane, as many people do during the holidays, puts one in a very dry cabin filled with lots of other people. Drinking water ensures that the membrane barriers in your mouth, nose, and eyes that keep germs from entering your body remain moist do they can do their job effectively. When they are dry, germs can pass by them much more easily. Also, water helps to balance the fluids and electrolytes in the body, as well as to promote organ functioning. More than half of the body is made up of water, and the water is constantly being used. Replenish it frequently.
Healthy Snacks for a Healthy Body
Most people eat a quarter of their daily calories through snacking. During the holidays, the number of calories consumed can greatly increase due to all of the special and extra foods lying around. Try eating an apple before you go to your holiday party. Apples are very filling and usually are under a hundred calories. Later, at the party, this can help you to choose only your favorite snacks and be able to enjoy them in moderation. Eating healthier snacks is also useful in keeping blood sugar levels under control and providing your body with the nutrients it needs to make it through the busy holiday season.
Remember to Sleep
Most individuals understand that sleep is a necessity of life. Many, however, do not realize all of the benefits it provides. The holidays are packed with fun activities, parties, and special events that can encroach upon time usually reserved for sleeping. Sleep helps to improve memory: that can be important with all the activities you have planned for the season. It can help to prevent or decrease joint pain by taking pressure off the joints and giving them time to reduce inflammation. Sleep has also been shown to improve work and school performance. One of the major benefits of sleep, which is not recognized by many individuals, is that sleep is essential to losing weight. If the body is not given enough rest, it will try to conserve the energy it has by holding on to fat. With all these positive effects available, be sure to build some sleep time into your holiday schedule.
Monitor Alcohol Intake
Alcohol is high in calories and can reduce one’s resolve to stick to a healthy eating plan. Many people drink more at a party than they would at home. During the holidays, there tend to be a lot of parties This can lead to people drinking (and eating) more than they realize. One effective way to manage your intake is to decide how many drinks you are willing to have before you go to the party. Beyond helping to reduce calories consumed, limiting alcohol can also help with sleep and stress. Alcohol disrupts normal sleep patterns and works as a depressant in the brain. In the long term, limiting alcohol intake reduces one’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Neutralize Germs
The holiday season coincides with the flu and cold season. Nothing is less jolly than being sick when everyone else is having fun. One way to protect yourself and your family from becoming ill is to be aware of germs and reduce your contact with them as much as possible. Ways to do this include frequent hand washing, avoiding infected individuals, and wiping down high traffic germ areas (e.g. door handles) with disinfectant. Also, practicing all of the health habits mentioned earlier to help your body have the strength to fight off infection.
Make Sure Your Blood Has Your Back
Practicing healthy habits can help one prevent getting sick; however, if there is an imbalance in the body or something is not functioning properly, the healthy habits may not have full effect in keeping you healthy for the holidays. Blood tests such as the Complete Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP-14), which includes fourteen different blood tests that relate to different aspects of the body’s health, or the Complete Blood Count Test, which identifies the levels of red and white blood cells, provide an overall picture of an individual’s health. If abnormal levels appear on one of the tests, a doctor would provide further explanation and options for bringing them back to a normal level. Results from these tests can help to explain sleeping problems, weight problems, and mood problems, as well as many other medically-based concerns. Ordering a blood test online from a company like Walk-In Lab is convenient and affordable. No doctor’s recommendation is needed, and results can be sent directly to the individual or sent to the individual’s doctor, if requested. Get your blood tested and make sure you are at your best for the holidays.
Order a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) or the Complete Blood Count Test online without insurance or a doctor’s prescription.
