Web resources for five ways to have healthy holidays
The holidays can be wonderful, especially if we take care of ourselves. Staying healthy is a great gift to ourselves and those we love. Here's a little early Christmas gift from me to you...web resources that might help you in your efforts to have a happy, healthy holiday season.
Healthy cooking and feasting
If you're looking to make some delicious, good-for-you meals this holiday season, Cooking Light's Ultimate Holiday Cookbook lets you choose from hundreds of their best-ever holiday recipes. Whether you're cooking for yourself, or friends and loved ones following special diets from vegan to gluten-free, there's something here for you.
Lower stress for better health
If we love the holidays so much, why are we so stressed out? It's because we're trying to be perfect, or have unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others, which is really not what it's supposed to be about.
Check out some of the suggestions from CBS News on Stress-Free Holidays that might help tone down the stress a bit. Of course, the low-maintenance holiday folks among us might find even their less stressful version of things to be kind of intense, so if in doubt, remember that an Amazon gift certificate is sure to please many of the hardest-to-buy-for people.
There are also some helpful LifeHacker recommendations on winterizing your body that might give you some good ideas on how to protect yourself during the busy holiday season. My favorite advice from that article was about evaluating your personal winter pitfalls so you can guard against them. The idea of creating a personalized approach to your own winter well-being may make for a true experience of comfort and joy.
Health for your budget
Speaking of buying, lots of people worry themselves sick over the inability to spend all they want to for Christmas gifts, or injure themselves financially by overextending, especially when they want their kids to have a great holiday. This article on cheap and free ways to celebrate Christmas with kids, will help get the good cheer going and create some meaningful memories without breaking the bank.
Health for your live tree
Having a live Christmas Tree, but forgetting to water it, is hazardous to the beauty of the tree (not to mention a fire hazard). Check out LifeHacker's DIY article on making a hidden Christmas tree watering system. It's one less thing for you to remember to do, and one more fun thing to talk about when people visit.
Healthy holiday exercise without the gym
People often find that busy holiday schedules just knock them out of any healthy exercise routine they've managed to get going, and sometimes it takes quite awhile to get back into the groove after the decorations have been put away and the last candy cane has been eaten. If you can keep some kind of routine going, you've got a better chance to keep momentum on your side. This article on how to exercise at Christmas without a gym might help!
Also, it's easier to make sure you're exercising if you're doing some kind of tracking. A well-loved free fitness tool like Fitday can be a big help, especially if you want to get a jump on your New Year's resolutions.
Happy Holidays!