Plan for a healthier holiday season

The holiday season is just round the corner. As we continue the countdown to the peak of December and New Year holidays, we almost impulsively entre into a carefree mode. That means taking it easier on the work front, with more time spared for relaxing and partying. All this is good for the mind and body. But what you choose to do this holiday season can have implications on your health.

Take a moment and think of what will be happening. There will be plenty to eat and drink. There will be late nights, and sore heads the next morning. There will be long rides to exotic places. Some will have the chance to soak the sun on some white beaches. At the end of the day, there will be plenty of reasons to make merry, and celebrate wildly.

The kinds of foods that will make it to your dinner table will have immediate and long lasting health effects. You know the healthier lot. Fresh farm foods, unprocessed grains, whole meal flours, greens, vegetables and fruits, all tick the boxes for healthy stuff. But the clamor for unhealthy foods will be irresistible. Red roasts, deep fried foods, and carbs-laden cakes will all be competing for your palate as well. But you can plan for healthier foods well ahead. This will keep you and your family further away from the rising trend of metabolic diseases.

Think health as you start stocking your drinks cabinet as well. Go ahead and get some sugary fizzy drinks. And some alcoholic ones too. But you can go better and select the ones with low or no sugars, and low alcoholic content. Better still, stock up with lots of fresh fruit juices, and water. If you will be partying out, plan to limit your drinks, and stick to it. The list of diseases associated with unhealthy drinking habits is too long to tabulate here. You will do yourself some good by staying clear of avoidable intoxication.

There will be other unhealthy temptations to contend with too. Those looking for a heightened kick may get some stuff to smoke. Well, you can smoke all you want, but the warnings on the packages are not fiction. Some weed may have beneficial health effects, but only if limited to certain amounts. Plan to stay away from smoking. And plan to stay away from other habits that could kill you this coming holiday season. Like drink-driving, unprotected casual sex, binge drinking, recreational drugs, and much more.

You may argue the duration of the coming holiday season is too short to care about your health. But whatever you do has both short and long-term health implications. Planning a healthier holiday season well beforehand will still keep you in the celebratory and carefree mode. And you will worry much less about your health once it’s all over.