How to stay healthy during the holidays

For most of us, holidays are synonymous with overindulgence.

From scoffing down large plates of sizzling nyama choma, to downing copious amounts of alcohol-we tend to go overboard during the festivities.

Inasmuch as we would like to have fun, no one wants to spend the holidays nursing hangovers or getting sick. You also don’t want to be the party pooper because your body shut down.

In all the merrymaking, we often forget that the holidays eventually come to an end and we will have to deal with the aftermath of our choices.

Who wants to go back to re-gaining all the weight that you struggled to reduce the whole year?

Here are ways to stay healthy during the holidays:

Stay hydrated

Water plays a vital role in nearly every bodily function.

Ensure that you keep sipping water because lack of it is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory or trouble with basic math.

Water will aid in digestion, reduce hangover symptoms and also help remove toxins from the body-particularly from the digestive tract.

Water also suppresses your appetite naturally. To avoid overeating and to boost your metabolism, keep drinking water over the holidays.

Watch your hands

Over the holidays, you meet family and friends from all over. During your reunions, you shake hands with people with people who have touched a great number of surfaces.

This simple courtesy puts you at risk of contracting various illnesses.

Studies have shown that flu virus and anti-biotic-resistant bacteria are easily transmitted from surfaces that everyone touches-like seat belts and armrests.

Have a hand sanitizer in hand, and use it regularly. The germs on your hands are the single biggest threat to your health at any time of year.

Viruses tend to spread more from hand-to-mouth contact than through airborne droplets or surfaces.

Stay in and get some rest

If you run yourself down and don’t get a good night’s sleep, you risk getting ill just because you’ve weakened your body’s defenses.

A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who slept at least eight hours nightly were about three times less likely to catch a cold than those who snoozed for less than seven.

You’re not being a party pooper by refusing to stay late for more drinks, skipping a party or a night about town when you feel worn down; you are being smart.

Think of it as preventive medicine.

Snack wisely

Though there may be a great array of delicious options on the menu, you can skip s few treats and indulge in only the most special holiday treats.

This way you will cut down and still enjoy the festivities.

You also don’t need to eat twenty cookies in a day. You can cut down on sugar or eat a few every day.

Exercise/activity

Another way to ensure that you are not trying to shed holiday weight for the rest of the next year is to stay active.

After eating what seems to be more than a buffet, you can take a walk, get that drink for yourself, run around with the kids or even take the stairs.

Physical activity will benefit your health during the holidays and any time of year. It is certain to make you feel good and help your body and brain to function better.

Minimize the drinks

Alcohol drinkers tend to have one too many over the holidays, and this tends to take a toll on their health.

If you plan to drink over the holidays, do so responsibly.

Drinking plenty of water will reduce your craving for a drink and the tendency to drink too quickly.

You can also set a limit for yourself and let the friend or relative you are with about your limit.

Even if you are expecting a meal, have a snack before you arrive to avoid drinking on an empty stomach or just wait to drink after the heavy meal.

Also, whether you’re travelling across town or around the world, help ensure your trip is safe.

Don’t drink and drive, and don’t let someone else drink and drive. Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.