As the holiday season approaches, we have noticed two patterns emerge over the last 19 years of chiropractic practice. The first is that we see our highest rate of missed visits and people falling off from care as the perceived stress of the season builds through late November and into December. The second pattern is that we see more ‘emergencies’ with people in crisis during the month of December than at any other time of the year.

     It is not a coincidence that these two phenomenon happen together and it gives us some insight as to why so many people end up spending the holidays overwhelmed, sick, and in pain when it really should be one of the most cherished times of the year.

     So, how do you not only survive, but actually thrive this holiday season? There is a simple formula to help you to make it happen.

     The first step is to acknowledge and accept that there WILL be greater stresses on you. When I talk about stresses, I am referring to not only mental/emotional stress, but also chemical stress (food and drink), and physical stress (shoveling, lack of sleep).

     We know going in that we are going to have some late nights, eat some cookies, drink some bubbly and have to deal with dear aunt Sue’s passive aggressive insults. We know we will have the ‘normal’ time and money stress inherent of the season. Acknowledging this will allow us to create a plan to mitigate this stress. By doing this we can enjoy the fun without losing our health or our minds.

     The common denominator amongst these stresses is that they consume our energy and leave us depleted. If we become too depleted, we move into what is called an ‘energy poor’ state and that is when we get sick, have our back ‘go out,’ develop headaches and experience complete overwhelm.

     The solution to an energy poor state is very simple – add energy to the system! How do we do that? We do things to build up our energy reserves before we reach a crisis. Because we know that we are heading into a season of energy depleting stress, we can actually plan practices in advance that will keep us out of an energy poor state.

     Here are some ideas to build your energy reserves both leading up to and during the holidays.

     Knowing you will be eating some not-so-good for you food – make sure you continue to eat plenty of healthy food too. If you are going to eat those butter tarts, make sure you are loading up on high quality meats and produce as well. During the holidays I really focus on eating a healthy breakfast as a way to build up energy.

     Supplements can also be an advantage at this time of year. Vitamin D, high quality fish oil, magnesium, zinc, and a greens supplement are a great idea.

     Daily exercise is an excellent shield against stress. It is easy to fall out of a routine – especially while traveling – but it doesn’t take much to get massive benefit. Some push-ups, burpees, and air squats can get you what you need in less than 15 minutes. I keep a kettlebell in my car at all times!

Even a brisk walk (bonus points for getting fresh air) can keep you on the right track.

     Meditation or even just some quiet time set aside each day is crucial for dealing with the mental stress and chaos of the season.

     Those familiar with the Neurospinal Optimization care we provide at Nexus Chiropractic know that what we do works by allowing the nervous system (and thus the spine and body) to move from a fight or flight state to a normal relaxed state that is required for healing and restoration. Staying on track with your visits and at the very least doing your SRI exercises is a great weapon to have in your arsenal against the stress of the season.

     The take home message is to make sure you continue to do the things that fill up your fuel reserves so that you can get the absolute most out of what can be a magical time.

     Because we understand this, Nexus will have office hours over the holidays. We will be open on Monday the 23^rd and 30^th and then will be back to normal starting Thursday, Jan. 2^nd.

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.