The holiday season is filled with great fun, from parties to finding those perfect gifts for your loved ones, but rich foods, a crammed calendar, and late nights trying to play catch-up with an endless holiday to-do list can conspire to leave you vulnerable to getting sick.
The holiday season also happens to be the same time of year when colds, flu, and now COVID-19 make their unwelcome appearances.
Fortunately, you can take steps to stay healthy, even as you celebrate the holidays. Dr. Gurprit Sekhon and the attentive Nu Wave Medical Center team are here not just to treat you when a problem arises, but to provide needed screenings, assistance with managing chronic conditions, and education about how to stay healthy — even during times when your healthy habits can slip, like the holiday season.
There are so many things to tend to during the holidays — you might be responsible for hosting Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd, hunting down long yearned-for gifts for your children, or planning an epic holiday office party.
Throw in finding the time to wrap presents, bake, decorate, and all the other tasks that come with the season, and you’ve got a recipe for becoming run down.
Following our simple tips to keep your holidays healthier can help keep you in the pink and let you enjoy your holiday time that much more!
A big part of holiday stress is an overstuffed calendar. In early November, sit down with your calendar (and anyone else you live with) to go over all the activities and obligations spread out over the next couple months.
Do you really want to attend the neighbor’s cookie swap? What about saving time by using gift bags rather than wrapping paper and ribbon? Could you pre-make some food for the party you're hosting the weekend before the event or order an appetizer tray from a local deli? Or perhaps you decide that you’ll go to your spouse’s holiday work party, but you’ll hit the road after an hour.
You can cut holiday stress considerably by making necessary tasks easier and declining invitations that feel more obligatory than truly enjoyable.
We know, you hear this a lot throughout the year, but it’s important to eat well, get regular exercise, and enjoy restful sleep consistently in order to support your health.
These practices are even more critical to observe over the holidays. We realize you’ll be eating party food, staying up a bit later sometimes, and skipping a few workouts, but as much as you can, try to:
Even though your routines are a bit altered during this time of year, make an effort to stick to them as much as possible. A body that isn’t well rested, fed and watered, and challenged by some movement is more prone to illness.
With “sickness season” coinciding with the holidays, it’s vital for you to get protection from conditions that can put you out of commission and ruin your holidays, like the flu and COVID-19.
The best time to receive your flu shot is in either September or October. Fall is also the recommended time to get your COVID-19 booster, but certain factors may require that you wait to get it, such as if you recently had COVID-19. Talk to Dr. Sekhon about the right vaccine schedule for you.
Of course, if you’re living with any other chronic conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure, remember to make any appointments with us that you need to in order to ensure they’re well-managed. You can enjoy the holidays much more when you feel your best!
Everyone at Nu Wave Medical Center wishes you the happiest and healthiest of holidays this year, and we look forward to serving you in 2025!
Call us to make an appointment at 850-493-6948, or book one online.
