"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." - William Arthur Ward
You may want to consider how your lifestyle reflects seasonal changes. People tend to get very busy in September and October, running around, getting ready for winter. All of that preparation comes to a head with an extended holiday season that lasts from the end of October, with Halloween through the beginning of January. The holidays come and our actions fall out of pace with the colder weather, as we engage in the extreme sports of holiday shopping, partying and eating.
At Thanksgiving, Americans nationwide congregate and overeat. The next day everyone complains about how stuffed they are and goes shopping. Then we're into December, with office parties, family get togethers and social events that usually involve lots of eating and drinking. And then the final blow out on New Year's Eve that entails even more eating and drinking.
All this partying is happening when the normal, natural rhythms of life - colder weather, darker evenings, the end of the growing season - indicate this is the right time to turn inward. Humans are mammals, and mammals have a tendency to hibernate during the winter. They are not really sleeping; they are in a kind of battery saving mode. Instead of going inward, slowing down and replenishing our energy for springtime, society is set up to keep us burning the candle at both ends. Then in January and February, people feel exhausted and depressed, and the country has a widespread outbreak of colds and flu. People's exhausted immune systems cannot cope with the demands of winter, often combined with the inappropriate food consumption mentioned above.
Here are a few tips for enjoying and surviving the holiday season. If you to go to holiday parties, enjoy yourself, but try to be moderate with food and alcohol and strive to get enough down time. Remember to keep up with cooking your own seasonal, locally grown and/or organic ingredients and share with others during the season. If the majority of your food is healthy and homemade, the occasional party or indulgence won't affect you. In addition, your immune system will become stronger and you'll avoid getting sick in the wintertime.
An excerpt from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition
During the holiday season I do my best to keep things simple and I try to maintain a level of balance in my life, sticking to my healthy diet and lifestyle routines and not overindulging in food, drink or shopping. Below are some great tips to help you avoid "Holiday Burnout".
Let me take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude for all of the blessings in my life. Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving.
Liesha
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