This post is sponsored by Bayer. To make sure these products are right for you, always read and follow the label.
The holiday season is upon us. This time of year is often filled with joy and gratitude but it can easily become overwhelming and stressful.
Every year, I tell myself I will have Christmas presents purchased, cards written and mailed out and Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day brunch, and New Years Eve dinner menus finalized by December 1.
This year however, none of these things have been crossed off my To-Do List yet. I’m not sure how we’re at the end of November already, but it is what it is.
If you’re like me and trying beat all the stress that comes with this season, here are five ways to stay healthy and happy during the last month of 2017.
Be Realistic With Your To-Do List and Calendar
From budgeting for presents, trying to eat healthy and exercise regularly, attending your kids’ end of year concert, and fitting dinner with friends and family into your calendar, it’s not surprising that people feel stressed in December and January.
In a 2006 US-based survey, 61 per cent of respondents reported feeling often or sometimes stressed during the holidays.
As you go over your holiday to-do list, be realistic about what your family can handle over the next few weeks and forget about lower priority tasks. Balance celebratory activities with rest time. Getting enough sleep and down time is imperative if you want to make through the holidays with minimal stress.
I’m reflecting on what’s most important now – family, friends and my family’s health – and forgetting about baking 101 different Christmas cookies. I’m using pre-made mixes and doughs for all my holiday baking this year. 🙂
Keep an Allergy Solution On Hand
You may think allergy season is over, but this time of year is full of allergens.
Visiting homes with pets, pulling out last year’s holiday decor from storage, and cleaning rugs and furniture before your guests arrive can cause you to reach for a box of tissues more often than you want.
Keep allergies at bay by making sure you have an allergy solution on hand. Consider Claritin® as an option – it relieves your symptoms from dust, pets and mold.
Prevent Back and Muscle Pain
Shovelling snow, lugging heavy bags and packages from the mall to your car, and dancing until 12:00AM January 1, 2018 can be a pain in the neck (and on the rest of the body!).
The secret to comfortable toes is Dr. Scholl’s®. Dr. Scholl’s® Back Pain Relief Orthotics cushion and absorb shock to help evenly distribute your body weight – in your winter boots, walking shoes, or dancing shoes!
If it’s your back or joints that are bothering you, try ASPIRIN® to help you get right back into action. ASPIRIN® is a great multipurpose product to keep around for those pesky holiday headaches, joint pain and even fever from cold and flu.
Wash Your Hands Often
Battling a cold or flu during the holidays isn’t fun. A few years ago, my kids, husband and I missed out on a big family dinner because we were all stuck in bed – coughing, sneezing and trying to bring our temps down.
Keeping hands clean and washing them often is one of the most important steps to avoid getting sick and spreading germs. Remember to use soap and wash them for at least 20 seconds. Wash them before eating, after eating and after coughing or sneezing.
You can read about other cold and flu prevention tips here.
Practice Food Safety
On a related note, keep your family safe from food-related illnesses. Because there’s bound to be a lot of eating over the holidays!
Wash meal prep surfaces often and avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw food away from ready-to-eat foods. Make sure food is cooked to the right temperature and refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible.
Whether you’re out or at a friend’s house, avoid eating perishable foods that have been left out at room temperature for more than two hours.
Do you have other suggestions on how to avoid common holiday season health woes?
This post is sponsored by Bayer. To make sure these products are right for you, always read and follow the label.
