The festive season is here, and preparations are well on the way. Everyone is excited for some well -deserved rest (or so we think). But finding your balance this festive season is crucial to your overall health.
Let us help you stay balanced this festive season:
Drink plenty of water – we all know the importance of drinking water. But somehow during the festive season, we tend to just shrug it off. But did you know that the body is composed of roughly 70% of water and the brain is composed of about 85% of water? Lowered water consumption can lead to decreased mental and physical function which in turn can cause headaches, dizziness and fatigue. The connective tissues in your spine are affected by how much water is consumed on a daily basis. Throughout the day as your spine is enduring daily activities, the water located inside the discs gradually leaks out. When you are not drinking enough water, your body is unable to hydrate these discs and they begin to shrink. This causes major problems over a period of time.
Nutrition – Healthy snacking during Christmas is not an easy task. All the foods look so good. We want to taste everything on the table often resulting in overeating. Keep an eye on the following:
Saturated fats – We all love the variety of food on the table. You can eat just about anything you desire (and you know there is so much more where that came from). Starting with roast potatoes, fried snacks, Christmas pudding and fruit cake. This is a tradition in South Africa so who wouldn’t over-indulge? You can make healthy snacking choices by choosing smaller portions which will keep your cholesterol intact and an eye on the belly fat. Why not try healthy snacking this festive season?
Sugar – Alcohol and sugary drinks and treats re unavoidable. Try to make a healthy choice and only consume 2-4 alcoholic beverages a day to avoid weight gain and alcohol-related health problems. When it comes to sugar intake, opt for the dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains an antioxidant known as Polyphenols. Polyphenols is thought to treat digestion issues, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease and cardiovascular-related disease.
Exercise – Exercising over the festive season seems like a lot to ask. This isn’t easy. There are so many things to do and people to entertain. But this is exactly the time we shouldn’t skip out on those daily exercises. It shouldn’t have to be a punishment. There are many daily activities that mimic your exercise routine, you just have to use it. The muscle groups utilise these actions and the body will strengthen through repetition. Being active is necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. (Avoid putting unnecessary strain on the muscles and back by picking up heavy items.)
Avoid pain killers – Every year millions of prescriptions are written out for some kind of pain killers. Pain killers are addictive and therefore should be avoided as far as possible. Many of these pain killers have severe side effects on our bodies. It might seem like the easy way out, but certainly is not the solution to the problem. Beyond the risk of addiction to prescription drugs, these drugs are used to numb the pain and convince the patient that the problem is solved or that the musculoskeletal condition is less severe. This misunderstanding can lead to overexertion, a delay in the healing process or permanent injury. Chiropractic and other non-drug approaches to pain management van be an important first line of defence against pain and addiction resulting from overuse of prescription pain medications.
Before turning to pain killers, rather try to opt for Chiropractic care. Visit your chiropractor for a full evaluation and his treatment options.
Centurion Chiropractor – always there to assist in the most difficult situations.
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