Well, they’re here again… The months known as the “Holiday season”. For many of us it is “heartburn” season, “recurring family issues” season, and “what do you mean that card is maxed out?” season.
Between the months of October through the beginning of January we tend to slip into the “automatic pilot” zone within ourselves. But I am proposing we can make another choice. We can choose to take a deep breath before overspending on gifts, before reaching for the next piece of pie or picking an argument with a family member. By bringing more consciousness to how we go through this season, as opposed to “automatic pilot,” we can more easily see where we sabotage our health and peace of mind.
If you tend to experience digestive disturbances, sleep disruption or a general feeling of heightened anxiety around this time of year, acupuncture is a wonderful, gentle way of relieving these issues. By calming the adrenal response to stress, these conditions can be relieved without disruption to an already busy holiday schedule. There is no down time or drugged feeling associated with acupuncture. A general sense of well-being is the most common response for most people who received acupuncture. When we feel nourished, rested and calm, we have all the energy we need to move through this season joyfully.
I gave this some thought and concluded that there are 3 things you can do to ensure you have a healthy and happy holiday season…. besides letting someone else cook!
- Eat breakfast in the morning. It will keep your blood sugar level so you don’t crash before dinner and it will keep your metabolism humming along.
- Eat some green or a small salad before you scoop up those mashed potatoes. It’ll ease your hunger so you make better choices throughout your meal.
- Breathe. Put your fork down every two or three bites and breathe. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that your stomach is full. If you eat too fast, you’ll be over-full before you know it… literally.
That’s it. Have Happy and Healthy Holidays with your friends and family!
Catherine Cusumano Lac leads Community Acupuncture at Hygeia Integrated Health LLC last Sundays of the month from 5:00-6:30 pm.