This holiday season has brought a roller coaster of activity for meteorologists: flood rains and mudslides on the west coast, a blizzard on the east and plenty in between. People have lost homes, suffered terrible blows to business, and experienced a spike in stress and frustration.
What's interesting is that people often tend to feed the condition: we drink more alcohol, and eat more meat, sweets, dairy products and baked flour. The weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year become a time of massive overindulgence, which in turn increases tensions in the body. And when the body is out of balance our spirits inevitably follow.
So what to do in the face of a demanding social schedule and whatever stresses you choose to take on during the holiday season?
Get enough rest. Take a break from the party circuit, or only go to those functions you really enjoy attending and/or can't miss for other reasons.
Eat as well as you can when you're not at the party (and when you are, too). Have a snack or light meal before you go out, and try to choose foods that are reasonably healthy while at the function. Eat extra vegetables and whole grains when you're not in the social circuit. Soup is a quick, easy comfort food that keeps our circuits grounded.
Take time out. Sit down, read a book, meditate, take a yoga class, or a hot bath. Quiet time allows us to refill our energy banks.
Give yourself permission to find simple ways to celebrate the holidays. If finances are tight, the holiday season can be a nightmare. Why not find different ways to show love? Your time, energy, and care are worth more than anything you could possibly buy. Host a dinner, write notes to the people you love and tell them why, and save the sparkle and glitz for when it feels appropriate rather than obligatory. We had a wonderful Christmas celebration with friends that was simple, intimate, and warm, with lots of laughter, a pot luck dinner, and great music. it was one of the nicest holidays I've ever had.
And if all else fails and you really over-indulged last night, Cold and Flu Season Soup is a surefire cure for a hangover.
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