Merry X-mas and Healthy New Year

How will your Christmas look this year? Will you be auditioning for the role of Santa Claus or will you have the summer body you've been dreaming of? Why not make this festive season your healthiest yet. Get on board with a fantastic program which is not only easy to follow but actually does what it says. Give yourself an amazing gift this Christmas - the gift of health & happiness.

Christmas, for many it doesn't feel like cause for celebration because this time of year can bring up feelings of sadness, loneliness, depression, or anxiety.

Some people feel stressed from being overbooked or left out. Some people worry about affording all the travel and gifts. Others might be facing their first major holiday without a loved one whom they recently lost. There are a million different reasons that holiday stressors can turn into the holiday blues. If you're feeling down this season, here are some simple steps you can take to lift your spirits.

When you start feeling stressed, run away.

Notice that I didn't say " if you feel stressed"? Stress is very contagious. If you're prone to feeling stressed or overstimulated, then you're likely to feel it during the holidays. Current holiday traditions are a perfect storm for stress: ~An abundance of bright blinking lights, crowds and traffic, high-fat meals and treats, overspending, and constant fast-paced music (often with jingle bell beats). Your senses become overloaded and sometimes you need to get away and rest.

Guidelines on how to deal with stress.
~Is the office party too loud and overstimulating? Simply excuse yourself and leave.
~If your family gathering is making you start to feel stressed, take a walk or go to another room.
~If you know in advance that you'll likely be overwhelmed at a gathering, plan an exit strategy ahead of schedule.

Spend time with people you care about. I get it — sometimes staying at home is the more appealing option. But spending time with those you care about can help you feel connected to others. Reach out to the people with whom you can be yourself for one-on-one or small group gatherings. If the people you love don't live nearby, schedule a time for a video call. Just seeing a loved one's smiling face can make a big difference in your mood.

Give back. If you're feeling isolated or lonely, try volunteering in your community. Stock shelves at the local food bank, help out at a nursing home, or spend time at a nearby animal shelter. It feels good to help others, and you might find you have a skill that your community really needs. Plus, volunteering is a great way to surround yourself with other people and take your mind off of your worries for a while.

Don't compare yourself to others. A recent article encouraged people to avoid looking at social media during the holidays. Pictures can be misleading and make it look like people are having a lot more fun than they actually are. Social media allows people to share their best moments, which aren't always an accurate representation of everyday life. Try to remember that your friend with the "perfect" life has bad times, too — they just don't share those pictures.

Sweat it out. You probably see exercise as a must-do on every health-related list you ever read. It's there for a reason. Exercise has a long list of benefits, including helping you deal with stress and anxiety. If it's too cold in your area to enjoy a walk or run, now is a good time to see what workout DVDs are available at your local library. There are smart phone apps that can also guide you through a workout.
Learn more about: How you can get physically active. 

Get some sun. For some people, the winter season means Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) brought on by lack of sunlight. People with SAD experience many of the same symptoms as people with depression. If you find that you have these kinds of symptoms every year or for months at a time over the winter season, talk to your doctor. People with light to moderate SAD may find relief by spending extra hours outdoors, while people with moderate to severe SAD often benefit from light therapy and/or antidepressants.

Have fun without overdoing it. Enjoying good food and drink is part of what the holidays are all about, but set limits for yourself, especially with alcohol. In the moment, it may seem like a stress reliever, but alcohol is only putting any feelings of stress or anxiety on hold. It doesn't solve any problems, and it can make things worse. Tips on alcoholism and drug addiction

Be honest about how you're feeling. Sometimes the hardest part of this season is thinking you should feel a certain way, even when you don't. Don't force it. When friends or family ask how you're doing, be honest. You never know who else might be feeling the same way.

Ask for help. If there's something your friends and family can do to make the holidays more enjoyable for you, tell them. No one but you knows what you need. But if you feel like you've tried everything and you still feel down, consider getting help from a professional. Talking to a therapist, even for a few weeks, might be just the boost you need to get over your holiday blues and feel yourself again.

Don't apologize or make excuses. Be proud when confronted. There are folks who will try to make you feel guilty (and may succeed, but this too will pass). Just smile and declare, "I decided not to stress myself out this year. I wanted to focus on being together with friends and family."

Give yourself permission to STOP at least one thing this year.

»»Make five different kinds of cookies instead of six. See how silly it looks when you write it down? Baking six types of cookies on top of everything else?
»»Don't do holiday cards unless you love sending them. My family and friends are all on social media. What can I tell them in a card that they don't already know?
»»Identify which holiday chore you dislike the most and don't do it unless it's critical to family harmony. Maybe you hate decorating a tree. See if you can trade for some other chore. Or maybe you get to choose the background music so you can dance and feel happier about it.

1.) Learn more about Diet Tips for Pregnant or Breastfeeding Women
2.) Always remember You're never too old to live healthy
3.) See health and care of mothers-to-be this festive season
4.) Healthy Grilled food
5.) Protect your child from being sexually abused this festive season. See how.

Finaly, the Lord has showered you with blessings, love, joy and peace. Now in this Merry Christmas and New Year we must give what God has given us. We must help those who have no one to help them. We have unmerited favor because we are children of God. It is your future and divine privilege to bring forward the fruit of your life in order to help others.

Without Jesus, we have nothing. God works through people. Before this New Year I would like to encourage you to ask God how you can help. Within your sacrifice lies the peace and the blessing of God. Within your kindness lies the very heart of Jesus. God's love never returns void!

Your life has been given to you for a purpose. Use what you have to create love for others. Use what you have to encourage, to love and to bring happiness to others. God will never ask you to give what you don't have. We can sacrifice time, prayer, love or just an encouraging word. This life is yours to give. I ask you to try giving and see the changes it brings to your life.

The holidays can be stressful under the best of circumstances. My goal every year is to enjoy them for what they are rather than imagining what they should be. And when all else fails, remember that in just a few weeks, the holidays will be over and you'll get a fresh start with a new year!!

Merry X-mas and Healthy New Year