Taking care of yourself during the holidays

We’ve all heard about the holiday blues, but what about the holiday burnout? This time of year it becomes really easy to burn ourselves out running around trying to make the perfect holiday season for our loved ones. We try to get the perfect gifts, the perfect meals, the perfect clothes to create the perfect holiday experience. Meanwhile, we’re exhausted running all over town, we’re frustrated looking for the perfect whatever, and we’re annoyed at the crowds of people looking for the exact same experience. It’s a holiday nightmare!

When we put that much pressure on ourselves to create the perfect experience, we generate stress. Stress is not just an emotional concept, but a physical manifestation. We feel stress in our bodies. Think about your shoulders and neck or even your lower back when you feel overwhelmed. They get tight and sore and eventually can cause a great deal of pain. This is because we tend to “store” our stress in these areas. We have large muscle groups in our shoulders and hips (lower back) which activate more to help us keep our composure and posture when we are under duress. 

We also produce more cortisol. This is the so-called “stress” hormone. Produced in our adrenal glands, it is sent around the body to manage the physical symptoms of stress. It does this by increasing the amount of glucose (sugar) in our blood stream. It is the signal for fight or flight and affects almost every system in the body. This is great when face to face with a dangerous animal, but not so great when face to face with the rigors of daily life. Our current world is full of stressful situations; magnified by the holiday season. 

The problem arises when our adrenal glands have been so overused because we are constantly generating a stress response in reaction to our environment, and can no longer produce cortisol. This means that we are still experiencing stress, but no longer able to make the hormone that helps us deal with it. This is when we burn out and get sick. Our body literally forces us to rest. This doesn’t sound like the ideal holiday experience that we are trying to create. 

Your presence is the most central aspect of creating the perfect holiday experience for your loved ones. The people who care about you want to be around you at our healthiest and best self. Dragging yourself into the holidays creates more burden for the people around you, thus perpetuating a vicious cycle of illness. 

Instead of running yourself into the ground this season, take some steps to ensure that your body has the resources to not just manage the stress, but be able to shut down the stress response when needed. This involves making sure to get adequate nutrition and sleep, while also providing your body with the right supplementation. Following a few simple steps to ensure that this holiday season, you are at the top of your game and able to truly celebrate with your family and friends. 

1. Eat your protein. As mammals, we need protein to function optimally, and meat is the best way to get this. Animal protein is the best way to stabilize our blood sugar and maximize our taxed metabolic systems. Start your day with some sausage or bacon with eggs and see the difference in your energy. Make sure to get some protein every couple of hours to maintain healthy glucose levels. 
2. Get your sleep. When we sleep, we are actively repairing our bodies. If we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t allow our body to heal, putting us at greater risk of damage from being unable to turn off the stress response. Get to sleep before 10 pm to maximize the healing properties of Growth Hormone. Do 4:6 breathing (breath in 4 seconds, out 6 seconds) using only nostrils to help regulate your nervous system and get prepared for bed. Eat animal protein 30 minutes before bed to stabilize your blood sugar throughout the night. Bonus tip: grass-fed butter 30 minutes before bed is another great way to stabilize your blood sugar throughout the night and ensure that you don’t wake because of any dips or spikes. 
3. Methyl-Detox Recovery B’s replenish crucial B vitamins that are lost when our stress response is on overdrive. As B vitamins are essential for most processes in the body, it is not possible to recover from stressful periods without them. Methylation is crucial for making your B vitamins work for you. Check out my blog on Methylation to get the bigger story. 
4. Bio D3/K2 Recovery Formula improves immune function and allows your body to muster protection from opportunistic microbes. When we get run down, our immune system is trying to manage the additional burden of stress and cannot focus on fighting off all the bugs we get exposed to, leading us to a path of illness. Getting vitamin D3 supplementation provides our immune system the resources it needs to fully protect you from outside pathogens. 

I’m committed to making sure you have everything you need to make this holiday perfect; with you as healthy as possible. Check out my store for more information on Methyl-Detox Recovery B’s and Bio D3/K2 Recovery Formula. They are optimally sourced with the highest quality ingredients and my specialized blends to restore your function as quickly as possible. I think you’ll find them a wonderful addition to your holiday routine. My best for a wonderful holiday to you and your family.