The holidays are a time for family, friends, and food. While it is certainly a fun time, it can also be challenging to stay healthy. This is especially true during Thanksgiving, when there are so many temptations around. Luckily, we have some great tips to help you stay on track! Keep reading for 6 Thanksgiving Holiday health tips from Advanced Chiropractic & Rehab.
The holidays can be hard on both your physical and mental wellbeing. It can put a strain on relationships, add to stress levels, increase anxiety and depression, and lead to unhealthy eating habits. That’s why it’s so important to focus on taking care of yourself during this time of year.
Some signals that will alert you to excessive stress include:
Exercise is important for maintaining your physical and mental health. Take the opportunity of a break from the holiday stress to work out and get moving. Exercise can help reduce stress levels, boost your mood, and keep you physically fit. Try to get out for a walk or jog, or spend some time doing yoga or stretching.
The holidays are full of tempting treats and dishes that can make it hard to stick to a balanced diet. Be mindful of what you’re eating and try to keep your meals varied and healthy. Include lots of veggies on your plate, and limit your intake of sugary and fatty foods.
Dehydration is a common problem during the holidays, especially if you’re consuming more alcohol than usual or indulging in high-calorie treats. Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day so that you stay hydrated. This will also help you feel fuller, which can reduce the temptation to overeat.
Stress and lack of sleep can have a huge impact on your mental and physical health. Take advantage of the extra free time during the holidays by catching up on your rest. Make sure you’re getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Take some time for yourself to unwind and practice relaxation techniques. Meditation, deep breathing, and even a quick nap can help reduce stress levels and make you feel refreshed.
Taking care of your body is important during the holidays, and Advanced Chiropractic & Rehab can help. We offer chiropractic care to improve your alignment and reduce pain, as well as massage therapy to reduce stress levels. Make an appointment today!
Chiropractic care can help you stay healthy during the holidays by improving your alignment and reducing pain. This can be especially beneficial if you’re engaging in more physical activity than usual or spending long hours in the kitchen preparing meals.
Environmental stress includes noise, weather, physical threats, time pressures and performance standards. Body stress includes disease processes, organ malfunction, poor nutrition, poor sleep and physical injury. And emotional stress is more difficult to define, but it encompasses our reactions, in both thought and emotion, to environmental and physical stressors.
Many illnesses are caused or worsened by stress, which activates our “fight or flight” reaction. This systemic reaction affects almost every part of the body, as the hypothalamus in the brain stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which causes an increase in heart rate, blood volume and blood pressure, redirecting blood away from our digestive system and extremities.
When prolonged, the long-term effects of this state can be disastrous to good health and cause high blood pressure, muscle tissue damage, diabetes, infertility, damage to the immune system and slowed healing from disease and injury.
Chiropractors work primarily with the spine – the root of the nervous system through which nerve impulses travel between the brain and the rest of the body – and can help the body manage and process this stress in a healthier way.
Advanced Chiropractic & Rehab offers chiropractic care and massage therapy to help reduce pain, improve alignment, and manage stress levels. Make an appointment today and get the relief you need during the Thanksgiving holidays!