Staying Healthy During the Holidays

 

Staying Healthy During the Holidays

Written by Jennifer Korneski, Somerset County 4-H & Healthy Living Coordinator

There is a lot to love about the holiday season like decorating, concerts, shopping and spending time with family and friends. Sometimes with all the preparation, activities, and crowds, it can take a toll on our health and set us back on our wellness goals.

With a little effort and planning, you can avoid the pitfalls to health from holiday indulging.  Here are tips to help you and your family stay healthy during the winter months ahead.

Eat for Immune Support

Incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables from all colors of the rainbow to get essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C is especially important for supporting our immune system as research shows it supports tissue growth and repair, iron absorption and is an important antioxidant protecting cells from free radical damage. Good sources include strawberries, red peppers, oranges, tomatoes, and broccoli.

Vitamin D is also an important nutrient as it not only helps the body utilize calcium to help build strong bones but plays an essential role in the function of our immune system by calming inflammatory responses and boosting protein production of immune cells. Our bodies cannot produce vitamin D, so we must rely on food sources and sun exposure, which is reduced in winter months. Good sources of vitamin D include fatty fish and fish oils like salmon, tuna, swordfish and sardines. Be sure to consult your physician for questions about supplementation.

Balance Your Plate

Remember to fill half your plate with fruit and vegetables and choose things like fresh sauteed green beans instead of a green bean casserole or a broth-based vegetable soup instead of cream soups. Choose lean cuts of protein like poultry without skin or fish, low-fat dairy and make at least half your grains whole-grains.

If you’re inclined to overeat around the holidays, take a view of all your options and determine how much food you’re comfortable eating before you start filling your plate.  Don’t waste extra calories on high sugar beverages, alcohol or bread.

Develop Good Handwashing Habits

Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others, especially during the winter when we are mostly indoors and in close contact with others.

To reduce your chances of getting sick, follow these tips: 

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with hands

  • Wash hands before cooking, preparing food or eating

  • Wash hands after using the restroom, touching animals or taking out the garbage

  • Cough or sneeze into elbow, not directly into hands

  • Regularly disinfect commonly used surfaces like counters, light switches, phones and doorknobs.

When handwashing, always use warm water and soap to lather palms and tops of hands, between fingers, and under nails following the 20-second wash rule, that is as long as singing the ABC song! If a sink is not available, use hand sanitizer until you can properly wash your hands. Be prepared by keeping a bottle of hand sanitizer in your bag and a pack of disinfecting wipes in your car.

Hydrate Body and Skin

Frequent handwashing although critical for healthy hygiene, can cause dryness and irritation to skin, especially in the cold winter months. Be sure to use a moisturizing lotion often, especially after washing your skin so it can penetrate and create a protective barrier to lock in moisture. Avoid taking long hot showers as excessive exposure to hot water can also dry out skin.

Dry winter air can weaken natural mucus barriers in the nose, mouth, and lungs, where viruses can enter the body and increase risk of infections. Increasing the humidity in your home by adjusting your furnace or using a cool-mist humidifier in bedrooms can help. Aim for a humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. Here are additional tips for keeping your respiratory system getting good air flow and protecting your nasal passages:

  • Open a window and circulate fresh air into your home

  • Irrigate your sinuses with sterile saline or use an over-the-counter nasal spray

  • Gargle with warm salted water

  • Remove allergens and irritants in your environment by replacing filters, vacuuming and dusting often, and minimizing toxic spray cleaners and scented spray air fresheners.

The best way to stay hydrated is to increase your water intake. We tend to focus on drinking water during warmer months, but dehydration can occur in the winter too. On average most adults should aim for drinking 8 cups or 64 oz of water a day. When out running errands, keep a water bottle or travel thermos with you so you can stay hydrated on-the-go.

Stay Active

Daily exercise is essential for good health. Physical activity can help you maintain or lose weight, reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve your quality of sleep.

Make physical activity a priority and commit to doing at least the recommended minimum of 30 minutes, 5 days a week for adults and 60 minutes daily for children. Finding the time can be a huge barrier for many people so write it in your schedule just like an appointment and make it a family activity by starting a new healthy holiday tradition like running a local 5K, organizing an annual football game, having a dance contest, playing simple fun indoor games like Twister or Simon Says, or walking around the neighborhood singing carols.

Sleep Well

Sleep not only restores our energy bank but allows our body to recover from the stresses of the day by undergoing a natural detoxification process. Studies have shown that lack of quality sleep can affect the immune system by increasing the likelihood of getting sick after being exposed to a virus or can affect how fast you recover from an illness.

During sleep, our immune system releases proteins that support the immune system called cytokines. Sleep deprivation may decrease production of these and other protective antibodies.

How much sleep do we need to support the immune system? For most adults the optimal amount of sleep is seven to eight hours daily and children and teens nine to ten hours of sleep.

Take these tips on nutrition, personal care and exercise and implement them in your daily habits so that you and your family stay healthy this holiday season and into the New Year!

SOURCES

 
Somerset County 4-H