‘Tis the Season to be Stressed!: Holiday Survival Guide 2015

Oh the holidays, how you’ve been missed. With your mistletoe, Yuletide carols, and wishful thinking of snow. The warm radiant fires and soft candle light glow. Ahhhhhhh…. life is good.

If only reality were so gleeful and jolly. The truth is, the holidays are one of the most hectic, overworked, and stressful times of year, causing many to get sick and Scrooge-like.  So to help you survive this year’s Holiday Apocalypse Season, allow me to make some suggestions.

Stress: The Grinch That Stole Christmas

Whether you realize it or not, the one thing that will interrupt your merry making the most is continued stress. Which isn’t it ironic, that during the one time of year when everyone is in the so-called “spirit of giving”, we feel the most overwhelmed? Well, I gotta tell ya, all that fuss over which tie to get Dad could be wreaking havoc on your health in more ways than one.

You see, although typically put into a negative light, stress is defined as anything the body has to react to– good or bad. That includes, but not limited to: that delicious pumpkin pie you put in the back of the refrigerator so no one can find it, listening to an in-law that solicits unwanted advise while sipping Apple Cider, or freezing to death while dominating the neighborhood snowball fight. For each of those situations, the body does an amazing job coping accordingly and that’s a great thing! However, too much stress can crash your system faster than a Red Bull sugar high.

And the consequences? To name a few:

• Feeling tired or fatigued throughout the day
• Difficulty dealing with family and friends
• Trouble concentrating or making decisions (remember Dad’s tie?)
• Excessive urges to over eat or gorge
• Disengaging socially

Holy Christmas Nuts! How Does One Reduce So Much Stress?

First, let me remind you, the holidays….they’re always the same time of year. Every. Year. So if you find yourself in the same stress laden conundrum every November through December, prepare early. However you might celebrate, just start planning earlier.

Second, banish the idea from your brain that exercising, eating in moderation (most of the time), and getting enough sleep are for Humbugs. Totally the opposite. When you run yourself down, get the flu, and start vomiting…THAT is the definition of a humbug, because no one wants to be around you at that point. Bah! Have some self-control and save yourself some sanity by sticking to the basics and not over stressing your body.

Third, my secret weapon, chiropractic adjustments. Although it’s a bit dated, but in 1986 a really smart guy named Dr. Ronald Pero, Ph.D.  the chief of cancer prevention research at New York’s preventative medicine institute and professor of medicine at New York University, conducted some pretty ground-breaking studies. His research focused on individual’s susceptibility to various chronic diseases due to immune system “incompetence”. He recognized that a faulty immune system was the direct result of a compromised nervous system. Meaning, the spine had been altered in one way or another, which reduced the internal communication of the nervous system. To prove his hypothesis, he collaborated with a chiropractor, conducted a ridiculous number of tests and experiments and came to this conclusion:  “individuals who had received long term Chiropractic care had a 200 % greater immune competence”.

200%! 

Reduce The Stress And Remember The Reason For The Season

In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Make an effort to relax and take care of yourself first, and then take care of those around you (sounds like something a flight attendant would say). Stress is a natural component of every day living, but unless you manage it well, it could take a serious toll on your health in more ways than one. In all sincerity, whatever your beliefs or traditions, I’d like to wish you the very best as this year draws to a close. As for me, I’m recommitting to living more in the moment and making memories that count. In short, not sweating the small stuff.