Tips for A Healthy Holiday Season

The holidays are a time to enjoy with family and friends and a great opportunity to celebrate life, to be grateful and reflect on what is important . Here are a few tips to enjoy the festivities while choosing to stay healthy:

1) Taking control of your holiday spending help you avoid stress and allows you to enjoy this time of the year with family and friend – Set limits for total holiday spending – Decide how much money you can afford to spend. You need to be realistic and set a budget and limits for the money you spend on gifts. Santa buys for the world – you don’t. Don’t carry excessive money and don’t feel obliged to buy drinks for everyone at the bar

2) How about organize Group Volunteering instead of Holiday parties? Your friends must struggle as much as you do over the holidays – give them the relief go not buying gifts for you by organizing a group volunteer day towards a good cause. You will get to spend quality time together, memorable photos and “Feel Good” feeling.

3) How about visiting our world renowned heritage sites and national parks during the holidays as a memorable holiday outing?

4) Stay Active over the Holidays – As much as you can, wear running or comfortable walking shoes so that you get moving whenever there is an opportunity. Walk and take the stairs, clean the house, work in the garden….Build activity into family visits and outings – plan and remember there is always time and opportunity to move around such as dancing to your favorite holiday music. Be active or at least 3 hours a week.

5) Wash your Hands Often – Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Wash your hands clean with soap and water

6) Manage Stress – Keep your commitments and spending in check. Keep a relaxed and positive outlook. Make sure to get proper rest and sleep. You can skip a few parties……

7) Travel Safely – Don’t drink and drive and don’t let someone else drink and drive. Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a car. Always buckle your child in the car using seat belts, booster seat or a child safety seat appropriate to age.

8) Handle and prepare food safely – As you prepare holiday meals, keep yourself and your family safe from food related illness. Wash hands and surface often. Avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs away from ready-to-eat foods and eating surfaces. Cook food to the proper temperature. Refrigerate promptly. Don not lead perishable foods out for more than two hours.

9) Eat healthy and be active – With balance and moderation, you can enjoy the holidays the healthy way. limit fats, salt, and sugary foods. Never go to a holiday party on an empty stomach. Once at a party, choose one thing to eat and don’t sample too many dishes.. Don’t skip meals and control your drinking

10) Be Smoke-free – Avoid smoking and breathing other peoples smoke. Avoid Shisha smoking – according to a research carried out by the World Health organization, an hour of shisha smoking is equivalent of smoking between 100-200 cigarettes

11) Responsible Drinking – keep it safe – Resist the pressure to drink or serve alcohol at every social event. Don’t feel like you have to drink just because your host offers – it is okay to choose a non-alcoholic beverage. Remember that alcohol is a complement, no the purpose. Don’t become another drunk driving statistic and try to remember the reasons for celebrating at this time of the year.

 

Reply back to bhakti@impactafya.com or call +255 754 694 643 with your feedback. We welcome your suggestions for corporate wellness tips you’d like to see covered in our future columns.

Bhakti Shah, MPH is the Founder and Managing Director of ImpactAfya Ltd, collaborating with Workplace Options and Mayo Clinic, USA to provide Corporate Wellness and EAP Solutions in East Africa. Bhakti is also the Advisor for the Africa Business Portal and the Past President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Tanzania.