Whether we like it or not, the holiday season has begun. The lights and trees are starting to go up and soon it will be time for parties, treats, libations and visiting with family.

As all of this fun is happening one of the biggest challenges many people face is that they tend to get sick and cannot fully enjoy all that the season has to offer. It is not a coincidence that flu/cold season tends to start now and I know that chiropractors also see more back and neck pain ‘emergencies’ at this time of year than any other.

When you combine more junk food (which starts with Halloween), a decrease in sun exposure and fresh air, staying out late, more alcohol than usual, and increased financial and family stress you have a recipe for failings in our health that often show up as illness and pain.

So, how do you enjoy the holidays and not end up out of commission? Can you indulge and still stay healthy? The answer is yes if you are smart about it.

The key to staying healthy over the holidays is to continue to do the good things while you indulge in the ‘treats.’ What that means is that while you indulge a little, be sure to continue to keep the habits that make you healthy all year round. Unfortunately many people let it all slide this time of year and end up paying for it.

So, if you know you are going to eat some junk, make sure you are loading up on fresh produce and high quality meat as well. Drink lots of water. If you know you will be out late, schedule some naps and a few quiet nights to minimize the effects. Don’t drop your exercise program. Schedule walks or mediation sessions to be sure your stress levels are handled.

Personally, as the holidays approach I pay even more attention to doing the good things so that I can have lots of fun, stay healthy and go into the new year floor running. Here are some of the steps I take.

Diet is crucial to staying healthy and while I am a self professed sugar addict and love baked goods, I make absolute certain I am eating lots of healthy food each day. Breakfast is a great way to start. I also make sure I load up on green veggies (as well as a green drink supplement) and meat at meal times.

While obviously it is better to get our nutrients from food, supplements really are essential to maximize our health – especially during the winter months. Everyone can benefit from high quality vitamin D, fish oil, and probiotic supplementation at this time of year. I also supplement vitamin C, magnesium and zinc and have seen wonderful results since doing so.

Physical exercise is a great way to stay healthy over the holidays, yet so many people let this slide. I use the extra time off of work to make sure I am physically active on a daily basis over the holidays (it is now a tradition in my house to do a squat session on Christmas day). It does not have to be complicated or elaborate, especially if you are travelling. Go for a hike, do some bodyweight exercises, visit a gym in the town you are in. It doesn’t matter, just move! It will keep you healthy.

Despite my Nordic appearance I really don’t like being outside in the cold and this is a challenge because fresh air is very important to our health. Shovel some snow, go skating, build a snow man, walk to the coffee shop. Get out and breathe the air.

Because it is impossible to eliminate or ‘fight’ stress at this time of year it is important to make sure the effects of that stress are not physically accumulating towards a crisis. I meditate daily which helps with this and my biggest weapon is the Neurospinal Optimization chiropractic care I receive for myself. I much prefer to stay on top of things instead of waiting until I have an emergency on my hands.

Start now to ensure you have a fun AND healthy and happy holiday season. Commit to the good so that you can indulge in some ‘bad.’

If you are looking for high quality supplements, Nexus Chiropractic does carry the fish oil and vitamin D that my family uses. Feel free to contact me to find out where I purchase the rest of the supplements I use.

Happy Holidays!

In over 14 years of chiropractic practice you begin to notice trends, or patterns at certain times of year. When it comes to the weeks leading up to the holiday season we have noticed two distinct and very much related patterns.

The first is that people who are otherwise regular and routine with their care tend to miss visits as their schedule and stress levels become more chaotic. There is nothing like the holidays to shake up our healthy routines.

The second pattern we tend to see are lots of people with acute crises of back pain, headaches, illnesses and other secondary conditions that sometimes require some intense care in our office to ensure they don’t spend Christmas on their backs.

These trends are certainly not only seen in our office. When people have more to do, more things to spend money on and extra stress, they also tend to eat less healthy food, exercise less, and stay up later at night – neglecting the things that keep them healthy during the rest of the year.

When you add these factors to the fact that many people experience their greatest levels of stress during the holiday season (ain’t family wonderful?) it is no surprise that it is common for people to spend what should be the most wonderful time of the year sick, in pain and unable to enjoy themselves or their families.

The fact of the matter is that it is very easy to become overwhelmed this time of year. I also know that by approaching your health correctly during the holidays will allow you to both have fun (this is very important) and stay healthy. I actually believe that the change of routine, having more time off of work, spending time with loved ones and YES, even indulging in some treats provides an opportunity to boost your health if you do it right!

The first step to a healthy holiday is to acknowledge that you are going to indulge a bit. If you wait all year to eat some of grandma’s famous cookies go ahead and enjoy them. When we make things a ‘treat’ we don’t stress about our indulgence and it actually prevents us from completely going full gluttonous. In addition when we really ‘treat’ ourselves it becomes much easier to get back to our routine when the holidays come to an end.

The second step is the most important and is really quite easy – yet is most often missed. While we treat ourselves to some not so healthy things, it is essential that we continue to do the healthy stuff, too. We need to make sure we get lots of veggies and clean meats while in addition to plum pudding. Meditate and get regular exercise while staying out late. Take our vitamins especially while dealing with our in laws!

As I have applied this over the years I have found a formula to actually improve my health over the holidays even though I love to indulge as much as the next person. I use the extra time off from work to exercise a bit more and meditate regularly. In spite of changing schedules I try to see my chiropractor even more often leading up to and during the holidays. I also increase my supplementation with fish oil, probiotics and vitamin D where appropriate to counteract the increased stresses faced at this time of year.

My wish for you all this holiday is to be able to fully celebrate and participate in whatever way makes you happy, NOT sick, in pain and frustrated. A little time and effort spent doing the good things will allow you to enjoy what we don’t typically enjoy the other 11 months of the year. There is nothing I would love to see more than a reversal of that pattern I have seen over the past 14 years. It is up to you.

This is one of the most challenging times of year to stay healthy and there are several reasons for this. It is not a coincidence that the flu season is typically kicked off after we (and our kids) bombard our bodies with immune system weakening Halloween candy, combined with getting less sunshine as the seasons change. Added to this is the start of the holiday season with the parties, sweets, drinks and….STRESS.

The good news is that there are a few simple steps we can take to ensure that we are able to make the most of our holidays and don’t wind up on our backs in bed.

The first step to staying healthy is to minimize sugar and grain intake. Sugar and grains decrease immune system function, makes you tired and leave you susceptible to getting sick and fat. Is it ok to have some treats? Yes! I recommend making sure that your regular meals are as healthy as possible so that indulging in one of grandma’s famous Christmas cookies won’t do any harm.

The next step is to optimize your vitamin D levels. Most people in this Northern climate become vitamin D deficient in the fall and winter as the sun is not as strong and we spend more time indoors. I personally take up to 6000 units of vitamin D a day in the winter. If you are concerned about your levels, ask your M.D. or Naturopath to have them checked and supplement accordingly.

Another step I highly encourage for everyone is to get adequate Omega-3 intake using a high quality fish-oil supplement. Most people are low in Omega-3 which has a detrimental effect on the nervous system which obviously can create many secondary conditions. Fish oil is also great to reduce systemic inflammation and is great for the skin – especially in the cold months.

A word of caution regarding fish-oil. Make sure it is from a trusted source as it can be contaminated with heavy metals which makes it harmful. Typically, you get what you pay for. Our office sells Innate Choice, which is what my family and I use. There are other high quality brands available locally.

The fourth step to staying healthy this holiday is to get high quality sleep. Again, there will likely be nights when this is not possible, so do your best to make the most out of your ‘regular’ nights. Some tips to help with sleep quality are to take a bath before bed, no TV right before sleep, take a magnesium supplement 30 minutes before retiring and avoid eating at least a couple of hours before bedtime.

The final step to a vital holiday is to minimize the effects of stress. This time of the year can be stressful to many folks and trying to fight that can be overwhelming. Accept that there will be some stress and take steps to reduce the harm it will cause. Be sure to take some time to look after yourself. Exercise regularly, take a walk, meditate for 10-20 minutes a day. When we look after ourselves, our capacity to handle stress is enhanced greatly.

The Neurospinal Optimization care we provide is a powerful tool for staying healthy, regardless of what symptoms or secondary conditions are present. In addition to normalizing the nervous system it ensures that are adaptable to traumas and stresses all year round.

The holidays are meant to be fun, don’t let your health get in the way. Take the simple steps necessary to give yourself the gift of a healthy holiday.