Holidays are something that almost all of us wait for while pulling through our daily hectic schedules. During the holidays, we reunite with family and friends whom we rarely see, get to eat foods that the doctors have almost blacklisted from our diet, and party like there’s no tomorrow. While all these are imperative to holidays, stress also plays its fair share while we are in this joyous mood. From having double (or sometimes, even triple) portions of that “special” dish, to hours spent during dinner in never-ending debates, our physical, mental and emotional well-being can be at a significant risk. However, there’s good news: there are a handful of key nutrients that can support your body and mind, and keep you going through this taxing ride. Here are 6 nutrients that help you steer clear of the stressors throughout the holiday season.
Vitamin C
This is one of the most powerful antioxidants that support our immune system and play a crucial role during taxing times. Vitamin C is secreted by our adrenal glands when we become stressed or encounter hazards. This occurs as part of the “fight or flight” response of our body and is manifested through increased blood pressure, heart rate and the amount of oxygen carried to the brain. Though stress is often considered as the output of hairy Grinches coming through the dark alleys or last-minute deadlines, holidays too can make you a victim of it. It may sound awkward but even intense exercises can make you feel stressed. So, spending extra hours in the gym during holiday travels to diverse climates and environments with the aim of shedding those extra pounds may not be of much help and can even pose a negative effect in form of stress. Intake of adequate amount of Vitamin C is perhaps the best and the safest option for you. Try to include foods rich in Vitamin C like guavas, bell peppers, broccoli, kiwis, dark leafy greens etc in your diet.
Key Takeaway: Heat lowers the effectiveness of Vitamin C. So, it’s best to have foods containing Vitamin C uncooked or cooked very lightly.
Magnesium
Often overlooked, magnesium is one of the best nutrients that you can ever have. The fourth most abundant mineral in our body, magnesium plays a crucial role in maintaining the well-being of our body and brain. More than 350 biochemical reactions of our body require magnesium. By aiding in creating adenosine triphosphate (ATP – it stores the energy that is needed for performing almost anything and helps us to relax), this anti-stress mineral helps our nervous system to calm down. The primary stress hormone of our body – adrenaline, requires big supply of magnesium, making many people consider it similar to a catch-22 situation. It is important to note that stress uses the supply of nutrients that aid us to de-stress. Magnesium is heavily found in almonds, spinach, black beans, pumpkin seeds, avocado etc.
Key Takeaway: You can also try adding Epsom salts while taking a massage, or use magnesium-infused body lotion or oil during your nighttime bath as the mineral is absorbed easily through your skin.
Probiotics
According to popular belief, bacteria are something that should be avoided, particularly during the colder months and flu season. But, in reality, there’re some types of bacteria that aid us to stay healthy. Probiotics (live bacteria) and yeasts (microscopic fungus naturally found in human bodies) help to promote digestion, maintain mood and energy balance, and increase immunity – all of which are put to risk during the holiday season. Here is a list of 5 Not-So-Common Things That Kill The Good Bacteria that you should get familiarized with first, and then try to include them in your diet. Fermented foods like unpasteurized sauerkraut and kimchi, yoghurts comprising of “live active cultures” are extremely rich in probiotics. Probiotic supplements such as Kids Probiotic Complete and Adult Probiotic Complete are highly beneficial for your complete family health. If you are still feeling hesitant about why you should consume probiotics or how to decide on the best ones, check out these inputs by Dr Pamela Peeke.
Key Takeaway: Probiotics can be easily destroyed by exposure to heat, stomach acid, light and different aspects of modern life such as stress and alcohol.
Fiber
Both probiotics and fibre are crucial additions to your diet but together, they can act as a powerhouse of health benefits. Probiotic bacteria require food to survive and certain types of fibre (PRE-biotic fibre) act as the best choice for these bugs. Foods heavily rich in PRE-biotic fibre include Jerusalem artichokes, chicory root, raw garlic, dandelion greens, onions and leeks. So, in this upcoming holiday season, instead of mindlessly munching the artisanal cheese cubes, try to have a little more focus on ingesting fibre-rich foods instead. Click here to go through a list of foods that are extremely rich in dietary fibre. As an additional effort, you can try Adult Complete and Fiber to supplement with soluble fibre.
Key Takeaway: Though cocktails, cakes and charcuterie get prioritized during holidays, don’t forget to consume some fibrous foods as well.
Omega 3s
Omega 3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) advocate healthy inflammatory responses and brain health – two key areas that need more attention during the holidays. When incorporated in the diet, omega 3 fatty acids help to maintain the balance of omega 6 fatty acids that originate from plant oils like sunflower oil, soybean oil and corn oil. Many healthcare experts suggest that the best ratio of omega 3 and 6 should be anywhere between 1:1 and 5:1. Unfortunately, according to some researches, this ratio in Western diets often becomes as high as 25:1. So, during the holidays, don’t forget to consume foods rich in the 3s. Wild-caught fish like salmon and sardines are the highest dietary sources of DHA and EPA. While the omega 3 fatty acid – alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) can be obtained from sources like chia and flax seeds, it has to be converted into EPA and DHA by our bodies. It’s important to note that this conversion rate, in a majority of people, is less than 5%. If you’re not an admirer of algae or don’t like animal products, you can try our supplements with premium omega 3 fish oil that comes from sustainable, wild-caught small fish. Click here to go through the details of the fish oils we use in our products.
Key Takeaway: The fish oil supplements can reduce your waist circumference and weight gain when merged with other weight loss procedures.
Hydration
Holidays are all about hopping through airports, shopping malls, long queues at grocery stores and obviously, lots of parties with alcoholic drinks. All these can easily make you forget to replenish yourself with sufficient water intake, which will make you dehydrated. According to Dr Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, lack of hydration leads to different adverse side effects such as irritability, fatigue, headaches and more. Of course, you can’t avoid some of these ailments but you can lower them to a great extent with adequate amount of hydration. Levels of electrolytes like sodium (a mineral containing an electric charge) can change in accordance with the amount of water in our body and hence it’s crucial to maintain balance. Electrolyte beverages (Gatorade, for instance) can help you go that extra mile. Also, you can make your own version by mixing filtered water with trace mineral drops, sea salt, a bit of honey and lemon juice.
Key Takeaway: If you notice the only change after drinking lots of water is hitting the bathroom frequently, try adding a pinch of good-quality sea salt.
Sleep
During any holiday, our sleep becomes the most vulnerable thing, amongst all – from the weekly assault of rich, unhealthy foods and limitless drinks, to the nights spent turning and tossing, thinking about what gifts to give your siblings, friends or boss. Gift giving is often a stressful activity, especially when you can’t decide what your boss (who has everything) would love to receive, what your sibling who returns every gift would love, or what would appease that cousin whose birthday you forget routinely. Obviously, these things aren’t easy to handle but you can surely do one thing – promote your sleep quality. According to researches, magnesium may offer relief from insomnia. In addition, it helps in bringing a calm, sleepy feeling by relaxing the muscles. So, if you want to have a good night’s sleep after a hectic day, don’t forget this mineral. And, most importantly, simply forget those gadgets like TV, e-readers, digital watches, computers, phones as their screens emit blue light or light containing blue wavelengths that can trigger disruptions at night. Researches show this blue light obstructing the brain from producing melatonin (the hormone that provides your body with the signal of “time to sleep”). Though we strongly advise to minimize exposure to this kind of light to the minimum an hour prior going to bed, there’ll always be some unmissable deals during the midnight hour. You can find lots of apps for both computers and phones that can help obstruct that blue. If you still can’t go to bed without Bad Santa, Christmas Vacation or Elf, try a pair of good-quality blue light blockers. Not only it’ll save you from health hazards but will also become an essential item for the entire family soon.
Key Takeaway: Download f.lux for computers and activate the Night Shift mode for iPhone. These two apps are capable of adjusting the displays automatically, providing you with warmer, soothing, less blue light.
