The holidays can be tough, with tight budgets, stressful schedules and less-than-ideal temptations that can throw a wrench in your clients' healthy daily routine. Suggest these self-care tips from BIÂN Chicago’s physicians and wellness experts, including co-founder and director of wellness Mar Soraparu, director of naturopathy and nutrition Ben Schuff, ND, LDN, and Sandra Subotich, doctor of East Asian medicine and the director of East Asian therapies.
1. Mentalize the Mission
What is your clients' specific hope (and reasons why they chose it) for this holiday season of 2022? Is it to get along with their mother in law at Christmas dinner or perhaps is their focus to bring the community together? Help your clients create grand scale and micro missions to set the tone for each event. All decisions can filter through this to help clients keep track of how their actions are leading toward or away from their mission.
2. Maintain a Routine
Suggest maintaining a component of a normal routine (be it getting the heart rate up or a quiet moment to read in the morning) that your clients would consider fundamental to their health. It may look different (brisk walking vs. HITT class), but the purpose remains the same and it does matter.
Related: 9 Tips for a Happier, Less Stressed Holiday Season
3. Consume & Savor Mindfully
Be mindful with food and drink choices; help your clients feel it, taste it, smell it, swirl it, talk about it and savor it. When we eat or drink too quickly, we tend to overconsume. When it comes to holiday meals, suggest eating a healthy meal ahead of events. That way they can ensure they're getting essential nutrients and it will help cut down on overindulging at holiday events.
4. Beat the Bloat
Food can certainly contribute to inflammation, pushing it beyond what is normal and potentially causing damage. Overeating or eating meals with too much complexity relative to digestive capacity is a direct route to inflammation, no matter what the actual meal contains. You can help clients reduce bloat by eating slower, not overeating and making sure they are not stressed or fatigued while consuming food.
5. Taking A Break
Stress the importance of sleep and rest when it comes to health and wellness. Encourage people to listen to their bodies. During the holiday season especially, we can feel tired, overwhelmed exhausted and even moody; all of which can be signs that we need rest. If you client is not a big napper, recommend 20 minutes alone with no distractions, or time to just do nothing but break or stare into space. There are no rules to how someone rests, but the mind and body will be grateful for a quiet moment.
