06 Dec 2018 Healthy Holiday Traditions
It’s December and the holiday season is in full swing. It’s a season of lights and music but also a season of too many indulgences which can leave us feeling heavier and sluggish into the New Year. Weeks of sweet indulgences can harm our teeth just as much as Halloween candy in October and November. It’s not too late to start some healthy holiday traditions that will help you and your teeth to feel great on January 1st and into the New Year.
1. Do a fun run.
It may be snowy in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area, but there are still a number of fun runs occurring almost every week. Plan to enter a 5K or a 10K race. The key word here is “plan.” If you plan to do this a few weeks in advance, you and your family can train together. Sometimes it’s really helpful to have a reason to fit in exercise during the holidays. Running a race together not only helps you to be healthier but it’s a great memory maker. Plus, getting a “runner’s high” or a spike in endorphins from running will only help you in dealing with holiday stress. If you can run a 5K, then you can handle running into Target and dealing with the holiday crowds.
2. Get outside!
Hey baby, it may be cold outside but that’s no reason to stay in. Plan a fun activity you can do as a family outside. When was the last time you went sledding? What about ice skating? Here in Utah, we’ve got an endless number of outdoor options. If you are not a skier, it’s not too late to learn. Getting up in the mountains to one of Utah’s many ski resorts on a sunny day may be just the holiday therapy you need. Have you ever been snow shoeing? You can do that almost anywhere.
If you need an outdoor activity that is lower key, try walking around Draper Park and looking at the lights. Or go downtown and see the holiday window displays at Macy’s and head over to Temple Square for the lights there. You may be able to hear part of a free concert while you are there.
Taking a stroll around the neighborhood after a big meal, say on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, gets you moving. Have a snowball fight or build a snowman in the snow with kids or grand kids. Healthy Holiday traditions don’t have to be expensive or elaborate.
3. Add a healthy holiday recipe.
You may have mastered certain holiday cookies, and it’s tradition to make them and then to eat way too many of them! What if you added a healthy recipe to your holiday traditions this year? What about an incredible soup? Or salad? What about a new recipe using a healthy ingredient like pomegranates, for example? You will probably have many chances to bring food to holiday dinners and parties. What if you opted to bring something healthy? That way, you would have a least one healthy option. You can have a lot of fun with focusing on healthy. What if, one New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day you had a healthy potluck with friends or family? Don’t stop your fun food traditions. Instead, add to them!
With a few healthy additions, this holiday season could be your healthiest ever. Don’t be afraid to add some new healthy traditions. Holladay Family Dental is working hard to help share tips so that our clients can stay smiling both because they love their smile and because they are healthy.