Support Healthy Hormones at Holiday Meals + Events

Advice for keeping things healthy throughout the holidays

This time of year can be a challenge to stay on track with your health goals.

There are social pressures, tempting deliciousness, staying up later than usual, the usual busy holiday stuff-- it's tiring.

For those of us who are already tired,  it's a time we fall victim to operating out of chaos, taking care of others and not fully taking the best care of ourselves. It can be extra tiring. 

As the festive season approaches, we want to make sure you're well prepared with tips, tools and tricks for keeping things easy and healthy throughout the season. 

Wouldn't it be NICE to kick off the new year a few steps closer to your HEALTH goals INSTEAD OF A FEW STEPS BACK? 

Here are our top tips for navigating the holidays in healthy hormone fashion: 

1. Always, always, watch portion sizes.
   You can indulge a bit during the holidays but by watching how much you indulge, can help keep blood sugar balanced and help reduce digestive stress.

2. Take digestive enzymes before meals
   This will help ensure you're digesting food effectively, especially if you're eating something out of the norm. If your prone to bloating, gas and discomfort after meals-- enzymes can help. Pop one or two enzymes before a meal to boost your digestive support. 

3. Embrace mocktails
   Drinking too much during the holidays is another thing that throws off our blood sugar, adds stress to our liver, and contributes to further hormonal imbalance. Holiday drinks may seem unavoidable, but I encourage you to consider the state of your adrenals + hormones and whether or not indulging will be worth it for you.
   -  For some in earlier stages of adrenal fatigue, a few drinks with family or friends at a special occasion is not the end of the world. If you do indulge, replenish your body with filtered water, electrolytes, minerals and b-vitamins. 
   -   However, for a very fatigued body, opting for a non-alcoholic beverage will likely serve you better. One of my go-to's is a nice Kombucha sangria -- add kombucha to a wine glass, throw in a few organic frozen berries and enjoy.  

4. Take advantage of downtime when you can
   This can be hard for the type A in you. One of the big problems for many AF sufferers is the fact that, generally, we aren't the best at relaxing. When we are given a day off, we might fill it with activities, chores and the holiday come and go. We head back to work after a "holiday" without feeling very rejuvenated. If needed, schedule time for activities and chores, but also schedule time for chilling out and relaxing like a massage, journaling in bed or in nature, reading a book, or taking a bath.

5. Consider ways to healthy up your holiday meals
   One of the benefits of the abundance of food available during the holidays is that you can often find something to suit the majority styles of eating. For example, if you eat paleo, a plate of turkey, salad, and roast veggies make a pretty killer paleo style holiday meal. If you're eating gluten free- avoid the dinner roll and grab the "Healthy Up Your Holidays" Guide below, I've included a swap out guide for replacing white flour in traditional holiday recipes (and lot of other tips too). 

Wishing you a healthy, happy holiday season! 
xo Danielle + the HYAF team