The time period between Halloween and New Years is often a tough time frame for our young kiddos. We see this in the office every year. Kiddo’s behavior, sleep patterns, illnesses, struggling Insight scans, etc. I believe much of this is because of multiple factors all in a tight time period: we aren’t outside playing as much, we are eating more candy or unhealthy meals, family and friend functions, and holiday stressors. Below you will find my 8 best recommendations to keep your families as healthy and happy this holiday season.
1. Get adjusted MORE often – This is a big one and our longtime wellness patients have seen the importance of utilizing the boost adjustments during times or seasons or stress. By getting our kiddos adjusted more often during the holiday season, we can make sure they’re keeping their nervous system calm and balanced while boosting their immune systems.
2. Drink more water – First, we all should be drinking more water. But during the holidays water intake often decreases with other “special” drink options and as we eat more junk, balancing that with more water will help detox and flush the system if you will… Bonus if you add a small pinch of salt.
3. Play outside and get sunlight – We all need natural light, especially in the morning for overall health and better sleep habits. With daylight hours decreasing during this season, we need to focus a little more on getting ample natural light. Also, simply getting outside to play and run around. It's easy to transition to video games and indoor time as it gets colder outside, but it is so important for our kiddos to move their bodies and run around outside.
4. Better night time routine – As the holidays pick up, our nightly routines can get a little messy, affecting our kiddos ability to not only fall asleep, but to also get sufficient sleep. And decreased quality sleep starts to affect behavior and health. So, keeping a strict bedtime routine and watching our eating habits leading to bedtime will pay big dividends.
5. Vitamin D – Even though the amount of natural light decreases during this time of year, our body craves it even more. Supplementing vitamin D will help with all kinds of things, including emotional regulation and boosting the immune system. A rule of thumb I like in the winter is 1000 IU’s for every 25 pounds of body weight.
6. More down time/family time – When our schedules get crazy and life gets busy, there is nothing more important than to slow down and create intentional time as a family. Our kiddos feed off of our stress and can feel overwhelmed too.. Take that time for a movie night or hot chocolate date or hike. You won’t regret it.. And remember, it's okay to say no to holiday parties and events!
7. Less sweets and more fruits, vegetables and protein – Candy, desserts and snacks oh my! This is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for kiddos this time of year.. The increase in sugar and snacks leads to sugar highs and less of an appetite or desire for healthier foods. We try to fill Nova with as much veggies and protein before heading out to holiday parties or events. Fill them up first with the good stuff and find ways to monitor and teach healthy habits with the rest.
8. Laugh and have fun – Lastly, the holiday season is meant to be a fun time for family and friends to connect and enjoy each other’s company.. If you and your family are stressed or worn out, throw an audible and remember that this time of year is supposed to be fun..
Happy Holidays!
Comments