Holiday Health Help

by Dr. Kyle Chavers, MD, IFMCP

Keep these in mind this season to stay on track. We are calling them “The 12 Ways of Christmas!”

1. Eat healthily for most of your meals – treat splurges as the exception not the rule.
2. Focus on eating colorful, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables to pack in the nutrients and help lower your risk for illness and disease.
3. Limit your portion sizes when you do indulge.
4. Drink plenty of water. It is easy to become dehydrated when having a festive cocktail.
5. Fill up your plate with leafy green vegetables and eat those first.
6. Be active for at least 2 hours a week and help your kids stay active for at least an hour a day.
7. Manage stress by finding support if you need it, staying connected socially, and getting plenty of sleep.
8. Don’t drink and drive or let others around you drink and drive.
9. Be smoke-free. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke.
10. Stay on top of all annual health exams and screenings.
11. Get outside as a family – fresh air and sunshine is great for the immune system.
12. Slow down to fully enjoy time with your loved ones – you deserve to take a breath and relax.