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How to Make the Healthy Choice Easy
Free Practices to Support Wellness This Holiday Season
Good morning & Welcome to the Holiday Season.
We’re officially one week out from Thanksgiving. Before you know it, we’ll be into Black Friday, and then Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's celebrations.
In my opinion, the holidays can be simultaneously the best & worst time of the year.
The quality time with family, incredible food, meaningful traditions, and emphasis on relaxation make it one of my favorite seasons.
But the challenges with less daylight, more consumption, and potentially volatile conversations can create difficulties that I know aren't unique to my experience.
In years past, despite the beauty of the holidays, I’ve found it difficult to feel at my best.
So today, we’re going to explore some simple & accessible ways to stay healthy through the holidays.
The Big Question:
A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece that outlined my Reflections from the first-ever Regenerative Healthcare Conference hosted by the Rodale Institute.
We discussed the relationship between food & agriculture, as well as the concept of "food as medicine," or how we can use our everyday inputs to prevent disease and live healthier lives.
Throughout the four days of presentations and conversations, one of the big themes that came up was, “How can we make this information accessible?”
Obviously, it would be incredible if everyone could access & afford the lifestyle that would enable them to thrive.
But the fact is, there are several barriers to healthy living & social determinants of health that directly impact the health outcomes of both communities & individuals.
So all of the topics discussed today will be free and accessible to all (assuming you have access to the internet for the last two tools).
Free Practices to Support Wellness This Holiday Season:
Drinking Water First Thing: I used to drink coffee as soon as I woke up. Unsurprisingly, I'd feel sped out throughout the morning and crash by the afternoon. Replacing coffee with water is a game-changer when it comes to mental focus and nervous system health. Did you know we lose 1.5 pounds of water while we sleep? Rehydrating first thing has played an immense role in my health journey and comes with a host of great benefits.
Walking After Meals: A post-meal walk is a great way to digest your food, regulate your blood sugar levels, and connect with whoever you’re spending the day/meal with. This practice is one of my favorites and this article explains the concepts extremely well.
Looking into the Distance: When you look at short distances (like you are right now), the ciliary muscles in your eyes contract. Over time, those muscles tire, which can trigger eyestrain and headaches. When you look off into the distance, though, those ciliary muscles relax. So, spending some time looking into the distance allows your eyes to reset and mitigate some of the strain that we build up looking at screens
Breathing Deeply: Breath is fundamental to every element of our lives, health especially. The book Breath by James Nestor is considered the modern-day gospel when it comes to the breath, so I'm excited to dive into this free book summary to learn more.
And here's a free app that is great for meditation & breathwork.
As habit expert James Clear once said: “All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us. And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.”
I hope these tools support you this holiday season and beyond.
And a Mindset to Consider:
Growing up, the focus of the holidays was always on the food.
Questions like “who’s dish tasted the best” or “who could eat the most plates”, floated around the table.
However, after decades of holiday meals with an incredible family, I’ve realized a huge reframe: Focus on the People Not the Food
The holidays are really about getting to spend time with the people you love.
Friends, family, significant others, pets… Whoever you spend the holidays with.
Put your focus there. Be present. Share your presence and/or presents.
The food is just a bonus 🙃
Podcasts I'm Enjoying:
And that’s it for this week.
I appreciate you reading and hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving.
With love,
Aidan