How does one survive the holiday season and emerge looking rested and rejuvenated as though you just returned from a Hawaiian vacation? Aside from actually going to Hawaii or checking yourself in at The Ranch Malibu, come January 1, you’re likely going to appear a little frayed from a month of holiday cheer, fatty food, and little sleep.
In order to minimize personal setbacks, I have some suggestions to share that have worked for me, to preserve both your peace and physical appearance during this busy time.
Your Diet
The number one predictive indicator of a person’s health is the quality of their diet. What you ingest is the most critical component of your wellbeing. I cannot overstate this significance and how it, directly and indirectly, impacts your body, mind, and health. Your dietary choices either positively enhance or negatively diminish your composition on a cellular level. Rather than dieting, just ask yourself this simple question, will eating this enhance my health? If it is a no, skip it and reselect for a healthier option. For example, instead of processed chips and dip choose raw veggies and hummus, instead of a cocktail with artificial color and sugar enjoy cranberry juice and soda, etc. Cumulative positive choices like these make big impacts on your overall vitality.
Fast-Mimic Dieting
The benefits of Fast-Mimic Dieting have long been recognized and are rapidly becoming mainstream. This practice has a multitude of benefits, some of them are enhanced digestion and absorption of nutrients, improved insulin function, improved gut health, and most significantly important is the stimulation of stem cells. There are many methods to implement this, but most options are too extreme for the majority of people. I have found the most simple way is to space 13 hours of gut rest to achieve the benefits. In simplified terms, finish your final meal of the day by 7 pm and then wait to eat the following day until 8 am.
Your Environment
Take the time to analyze your home environment and reduce elements of pollution within your interior. This is especially important where you sleep. Your sleep quality is incredibly critical to your body and it’s ability to repair, restore, rejuvenate, and detox, especially with respect to your brain.
Ensure that air filters are replaced, noise mitigated, light sources blocked, EMF and WIFI reduced or eliminated. Sleeping with a humidifier in the room is a way to keep your respiratory system and skin looking and functioning at it’s best. During waking hours the use of a Himalayan salt lamp emits negative ions into the air, red light panels reduce inflammation and can stave off Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Supplement Use
I am an absolute believer in the benefits of taking nutritional supplements. The manner in which our food supply is produced at present does not allow for the nutritional accumulation levels that it once did. You should always check with your health care provider to make sure taking supplements are appropriate for you and there are no concerns for interactions with your medications etc. Some of the supplements that I believe are widely beneficial are:
- B12
- Vitamin C (I like Emergen-C)
- Vitamin D
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Multivitamin with iron
- NAC
- Coenzyme Q10
- Lutein
- Probiotics
The key to maximum absorption of supplements is to take them grouped to enhance their absorption and efficacy. Iron is best absorbed in an acidic environment so take your multivitamin, vitamin C, NAC, and B12 together. I usually do this in the AM, and then I take all the others with lunch. I take the calcium, potassium, and vitamin D combo again at bedtime. If you take hormone replacement make sure to also take it at bedtime.
Meditation & Prayer
Beginning and ending each day with reflection, gratitude, and intention is essential to mindful living. Even during intensely stressful times, focusing on the positive and expressing gratitude for the things we can take for granted can shift your mindset. You and your family’s health, your home, your job, your sound mind, your friends, your freedom; we all have so much to be thankful for. Gratitude brings happiness and happiness creates a radiance and glow that money can’t buy.
Cheers to your health, happiness, and peace this holiday season!
Author Bio: Heidi Lindner has been an aesthetics expert for over 17 years specializing in all aspects of non-surgical aesthetics and plastic surgery. She is sought out for her techniques that focus on a natural-looking approach to facial balancing, restoration, and beauty optimization. Follow her on Instagram @j_derme