Staying on track during the holidays

The holidays can be a stressful time for the whole family. Traveling, time off from school, schedule changes, and lots of yummy foods are great to enjoy during a time of celebration, but can often lead to our bodies being run-down. When life gets busier, we tend to neglect other areas of our life, such as our health. More eating out, less exercise, and less sleep leave us feeling overtired, sick, and overstressed during the holiday season!

Have you ever gone back into work after the holidays and felt more tired than you did rested? This is simply because you have a lot going on during this time of year (all gas and no brake) and a lot to keep track of, but have no fear! We are going to give you the best tips and tricks in this blog post, so you don't have to fall off the wagon this year and you can stay on track during the holidays.

Follow these Tips for a Healthy Holiday!

Make a Plan:

This tip might sound easy, but I find that I have to make a plan to make a plan! Try to set aside time on a Sunday, or the best day that works for you, to make a game-plan for the week. I like to write down when I am going to workout, my meals for the week with a corresponding grocery list, and if you want to get crazy, you can even plan 30 minutes or an hour during the week that you are going to intentionally rest. You know what they say... if you fail to plan then you are planning to fail. As harsh as that might be, it is unfortunately, true. Plan to have a healthy week and you are setting yourself up for a healthy week!

Move Your Body:

I don't know about y'all, but when the weather cools down, it is a lot harder to get in the gym. This is where making a plan comes in super handy!

Sometimes, to stay active during busy seasons, all it takes is a little push, or a small change, to get through the holiday season. If you struggle to keep your body moving in the winter months and the craziness of the season, we highly recommend working with a personal trainer. This is so helpful when all you have to do is show up to the gym and get it done! If you have been following us for awhile, then you know we both go to a local Keller gym called Victrii.fit. If personal training is something you are interested in doing this year, you can sign up at the link below for a FREE personal training session.

FREE personal training session here

Accountability:

Life was not meant to do alone! Staying on track during the holidays will be so much easier, if you have someone to help keep you on track. Grab a partner, and do a fun challenge, or ask someone to hold you accountable while you try something new! Accountability is huge when it comes to meeting goals and you don't have to do it alone. If you don't have someone in mind to fill this role, feel free to ask us in the office, at Alpha & Omega Chiropractic, and we will gladly help you reach your health goals!

Balance:

We talk about balance a lot in the office because we know how important it is to maintaining a wellness-minded lifestyle! Especially with Christmas just right around the corner, it is important to understand that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. You can have the Christmas cookies and all the sweets that comes with the holiday, but hop right back into your routine the next week and don't put off getting back on track! You got this! We like to follow an 80/20 rule which means 80% of the time we are conscience of what we are putting into our bodies and 20% of the time we splurge and have the cookies!

Get Adjusted:

Are you looking to start your wellness journey? Getting adjusted consistently is the best way to achieve optimal function and wellness! Do you find that you are always getting sick during this time of the year? Do you have headaches every week or maybe even every day? Are your allergies at an all time high? Feeling stressed and anxious during the holidays? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it likely means that you have stress on areas of your nervous system and are in NEED of an adjustment! We provide gentle and specific care at Alpha & Omega and we are committed to helping you reach your health goals this year! If you have never been to our office before, you can schedule your first visit below!

SCHEDULE HERE

Kick The Sick This "Flu Season"

You have probably heard the phrase "oh well it is flu season" about 100 times since the fall started. What if we told you the flu isn't necessarily contained by a "season" but people just tend to get sick more often during the fall and winter months. Why? That's exactly what we are here to tell you, so buckle up and get ready for the "why" behind this season and applicable tips you and your family can use to prevent it.

Let's jump right into it... why do people tend to get the flu during these fall and winter months?

It's simple, our immune system is weaker. The flu exists year round but during these months, our immune systems are weakened enough for our body's to be impacted by these common ailments (ie. influenza, strep, common cold). We are also exposed to these pathogens more often during these months than in the spring and summer. Once again..why is that the case? We are indoors significantly more due to the cooler weather. Time spent indoors means less air filtration and higher exposure to pathogens. Time spent outdoors means more natural air filtration and lower exposure to pathogens. Another cause of frequent sickness during this season is the lack of exposure to the sun. Most of us know that sunlight provides our body with Vitamin D which is much needed for optimal immune system function. When we spend less time outdoors, we do not naturally absorb as much Vitamin D so supplementation is required. Last but definitely not least, our nervous systems are in a state of stress more often. Holidays, family gatherings, school functions, events galore cause an increase in stress and sympathetic activity in the nervous system. It is vital for our bodies to spend time in a parasympathetic state so that we can get quality rest, digest our food, and heal from any ailments or injuries. Sound likes the cards are stacked against us, right? Let's talk what we can do to combat all of it.

What can we do to "Kick the Sick?"

• Spend time outdoors

• Supplement with Vitamin D if you are deficient

• Take time to rest

• Eat quality and nutrient dense foods

• Stay consistent with chiropractic care

• Do something to unwind (Infrared sauna, breathing exercises, meditation, prayer, journaling, etc)

• Drink WATER

This isn't an all encompassing list, but it is a great place to start! Our bodies are tired, nutrient deficient, stressed, and dehydrated and we wonder why we get sick easier and feel run down all of the time. By going back to the basics, we can make huge progress in our overall well-being during this season.

Is there anything else we can be doing?

We find that the basics listed above can make a night and day of difference in our community. However, we have a few other things that we recommend if you have the means or are looking for that missing piece to keep your family well.

• Purify your air indoors: We know that the weather can prevent us from getting outside into fresh air as often as we want so there's the option to purify your air indoors so you're breathing clean and fresh air when at home. Here are a few different options at all different price points, depending on your budget:

-Air Doctor Air Purifier: this will be the most expensive option, but Air Doctor has thousands of 5 star reviews for a reason!

-PuroAir purifier: this is the filter that Dr. Morgan has in her home to help with pet hair, pollen, and air pollutants in her home. It is smaller, but still a great option!

-Indoor plants: this might not seem like an obvious option but plants are incredible at purifying the air. There are certain plants that purify air "better" than others but a few favorites in our office are: pothos, snake plants, and alo vera.

• Supplement your diet with supplements that are designed to fortify your immune system. A few of our favorites are Elderberry syrup, zinc, Vitamin D, and D-Histamine. If you go to "Products we love" you will find the link to these supplements. We also carry ElderB in our office so next time you stop in, feel free to snag local and high performing Elderberry syrup.