Feel like crap after the holidays? 7 quick and easy things you can choose from to feel better

For many, the holidays are a time to enjoy the company of family and friends, which often includes decadent meals and a plethora of desserts. Any kind of healthy eating habits often take a back seat during this season with the intention of getting back on track in the new year. As good as it is for our soul to connect and enjoy food with loved ones, our bodies often pay the price.

In addition, the stress of trying to finish work before taking time off, of planning your holiday schedule, traveling, immersion in old family dynamics, being out of your element, or having other people all up in your element can all take a toll on our physical, mental and emotional balance. Add to that the inevitable overeating, especially of chemical laden procesed foods, carbs and sugar, and you may be feeling the effects of the holidays.

You know you’ve over done it when you start feeling aches and pains, or you get sleepy after you eat. Maybe your digestion feels off and you get irritable or depressed. And of course there is the weight gain. It’s quite easy to understand why these would occur when we understand how the holiday stressors effect us. In general, stress (emotional or chemical) causes our insulin and cortisol levels to rise. These hormonal changes can lead to an increase in inflammation and pain, as well as a loss of energy with the ensuing blood sugar crash. When our metabolism is on this roller coaster it can have a dramatic effect on our emotions. The same is true of effects on the liver and gut, which also directly affect hormones, inflammation and mood.

Eating too much, especially chemicals, sugar and carbs, acts as a stress on the body, causing these same effects. So what can you do to counteract these effects and give your body what it needs to feel better right now?

 

1) Take a walk.

It is pretty much a given that holiday meals encourage overeating. It is especially easy to eat too much sugar and carbs that turn into sugar. This causes our blood sugar, and therefore insulin, to spike, which usually makes us tired, achy, cranky and emotional. Not a good combination when around your family.

Taking a walk before or after meals is a great way to balance our blood sugar and prevent the insulin spike. It also helps our metabolism handle the increased amount of delicious holiday food. When you feel better, and your blood sugar is balanced, you are less likely to binge on more sweets and alcohol. So take a walk in your neighborhood, or go out and find a path in nature. Make it a family or friend walk and enjoy a good conversation while you move around. Any form of movement is helpful in getting back into your state of balance.

2) Drink more!

Sorry folks! We mean water and herbal teas, not more booze. It is common to drink more alcohol during holiday gatherings, so make sure you are staying hydrated. Try to drink at least one full glass of water or herbal tea for every alcoholic beverage you consume. The high amount of sugar you may have eaten can also leave you dehydrated on a cellular level. Keep yourself hydrated to flush out toxins and avoid some of the aches and pains that are associated with over consumption. Try digestive and detox friendly herbal tea varieties such as ginger, roasted dandelion root, turmeric, mint, cinnamon and tulsi. Different herbs have different benefits, such as helping detoxify organs, balancing blood sugar, reducing inflammation and aiding digestion. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, drink bone broth and raw, organic green juice. Both are tremendously healing and detoxifying.

3) Eat more non starchy veggies, especially greens.

We like to focus on the “do” eats to crowd the “don’t” eats out. Starch and sugar are the most over eaten nutrients during the holiday feasts. They also happen to be the most metabolically imbalancing. A great way to balance this out is to eat more non starchy vegetables like chard, summer squash, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, spinach, onions, etc. They are high in fiber, which feeds your beloved beneficial microbes and slows down blood glucose absorption.. They also support detoxification and are anti-inflammatory, offering metabolically healing nutrients and secondary compounds.  They will help protect your body from the stresses of the holidays, while boosting your immune system so you don’t catch a cold or flu.

 

4) Eat live fermented foods like sauerkraut.

We always have a jar of sauerkraut on hand to add to our holiday feast. That way we know we are getting potent nutrient dense vegetables and gut balancing probiotics that can keep our digestion flowing. Live ferments also keep our immune system functioning at optimal levels so that we stay well during this time of seasonal change.

Need somethig to settle your stomach? Acid reflux? Most heartburn is caused by enzyme deficiency and low, not high, stomach acid (we will explain why in future posts), so eating a lot with low stomach acid backs things up even more. So, instead of reaching for an anti acid, give your digestion a jump start with some live fermented sauerkraut and/ or 1 tablespoon raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (there’s magic in the mother!) diluted in 1/2 cup of water. You can buy raw sauerkraut in your local health food store (in the cold section-the stuff on the shelf is pasteurized, which kills the beneficial organisms). To learn more about the benefits of sauerkraut and how to make your own, check out this post!

5) Do yoga or at least stretch.

Sitting and visiting with family, interspersed with rounds of gorging on delicious holiday fare is such a sweet part of the holidays. However, it can leave us tired and achy. It may seem like a nap is the only solution, but what our bodies really want is for us to move, stretch and breathe. Yoga is such a great way to move through all ranges and planes of motion that our joints are capable of, and asking for. That aching pain of lethargy isn’t just there to annoy you, it is a very clear request for movement.

So take a yoga class. Take any type or level that sounds like it would feel the most pleasurable, and don’t worry about doing it “right,” taking yourself too seriously, or burning calories. Rather, think about feeling good and answering your body’s request. If you are already familiar with yoga, you can just do a few poses that feel good at home. We like to do yoga poses while visiting with family. It usually inspires others to stretch as well, which has the added benefit of making everyone a little less tense and stressed out. We love to do twists, side stretches and heart openers. Even gentle backbends, can make a big difference.

6) Meditate or at least sit, breathe, feel and chill.

The holidays can be a hectic time. It’s easy to indulge in stress when we expect too much of ourselves. One of the most effective ways to deal with any kind of stress is to stop and let yourself quiet down for a few minutes. This actually addresses the root causes of whatever is stressing you out. Try sitting somewhere quiet and focusing on your breath to let yourself get re-centered and recharged. It also feels great to slow down and deepen your breath all the way into your belly more throughout the day. This can be done anywhere and in any situation, even in the middle of a holiday gathering with tons of family or friends around. It can be your little secret, and you might just find some of that social anxiety falling away. Even 5-10 conscious breaths can totally shift how you feel.

Meditation music can help, or you can meditate to any music that helps you feel the way you want to feel.  If you are new to meditation, you can find guided ones of just about any length online or just sit and take long slow deep breaths focusing on how you feel. We say to really notice how you feel as opposed to fighting thoughts. Trying not to think doesn’t work because then you are stressing out about not thinking. Instead, focus as best you can on feeling and breathing–on how breathing feels in your body. When your mind wanders, don’t judge- just come back to more breathing and feeling. You might be surprised what you experience when you allow space for deep inner clarity and bliss to take you over.

7) Take a whiff of something good!

Pleasure is healing. Have a scentual experience. If you have a collection of high quality essential oils, smell and slather on any that you feel really drawn to. You could study which ones have been scientifically shown to be best for detox and stress, but everyone is different. Maybe it’s best to take the easy route and just follow your instincts! Most often, your nose knows!

Please share your thoughts in the comments below. What feels most helpful? What tips do you have to share? What could you use more help with? 

Check out our offerings here if you would like to see how we can help give your health and quality of life a transformative tune up. Now is the perfect time to try our 4-7 Day Metabolic Reset Cleanse to get your body back on track!