Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Doreen DeStefano
No matter who you are, or what holidays you celebrate at this time of year, is can be busy and stressful. Maintain your health and energy with the 8 tips.
1. Get enough sleep
The holiday season can be busy and hectic. We have family, friends, and work obligations. We try to squeeze in as much as possible, but there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to do it all, so we go to bed later, or get up earlier or both. But sleep is not a good compromise. Sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system so you are more likely to catch that cold or flu going around the office. Also, researchers have found that those we don’t sleep enough, tend to gain weight. If you’re trying to control the extra holiday pounds, giving up an hour of sleep may contribute to your holiday weight gain. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try gaba or melatonin for added zzzz’s.
2. It’s ok to say no
With so many events happening during the season, it’s easy to get over committed. Try so keep your commitments to a manageable level. Prioritize the events and make sure you leave time to take care of yourself and actually enjoy yourself. Take some down time once a week to re-energize. A great stress releasing pick-me-up is a stop at your holistic health provider for a massage and Myers cocktail. You will leave relaxed and energized, ready for the next round of holiday festivities.
3. Think protein
Christmas cookies, cakes and candies not only pack on the pounds, but because holiday food is so carbohydrate packed, we end up reducing protein intake. Low protein intake leads to a loss in muscle mass. Muscle burns calories. Less muscle means decreased metabolism and weight gain. Additionally, a lack of amino acids from proteins weakens the immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and flu. Simple carbohydrates break down into sugar. High sugar intake from any source leads to inflammation in the body. Chronic is associated with a host of problems such as inflammation weakens the immune system, joint and muscle pain, difficulty concentrating, vascular disease, weight gain, and lack of energy, to name a few. Keep your protein intake up by eating a high protein meal before you leave the house. Eat foods like fish, grass fed organic beef or chicken, legumes and high protein vegetables. If you just can’t get the protein in, stop by your holistic practitioners’ office for some high quality protein powder to use as a supplement. Don’t buy the cheap stuff, studies have shown many cheap brands to be full of heavy metals.
4. Take your supplements
Don’t be in such a hurry that you skip taking your supplements. A multivitamin and a multi-mineral are essential to each of us, especially when we are on the go like we are during the holiday season. Try a few energy promoting supplements like extra b-complex, D-ribose, and adaptogenic herbs like ashwaganda and ginseng. Take extra vitamin C, D, and zinc to keep your immune system strong. And get intravenous nutrients for power packed boosts of energy, immune support and overall health.
5. Keep up with exercise programs
Stay with your exercise program. Believe it or not, it is easier to keep up then restart. Find a partner to help keep you motivated. Even if you don’t have time for your usual routine, make sure that you do something. Walking for just 30 minutes has health benefits.
6. Carve out time for yourself
It is so important that we make time to care for ourselves. Take the time to eat right, get enough sleep, exercise, and keep your body healthy. Consider a hyperbaric oxygen treatment twice per month. It’s relaxing, reduces inflammation, helps your body rejuvenate and enhances the immune system on many different levels. Combine a hyperbaric with intravenous nutrients and you will be invincible this holiday season!
7. Give back
Helping others makes us happy! Being happy increases the production of “happy brain chemicals” such as serotonin, endorphins, phenylethamine, and ghrelin. Boost your happiness physiology, and someone else too by doing something nice. Volunteer somewhere, help someone carry their bags, hold the door, complement someone on anything. You will both get a boost. And guess what: increased endorphins and serotonin strengthen the immune system!
8. Don’t stress!
Most important, don’t stress! Stress reduces the happiness chemicals and increases bad chemicals like cortisol. High cortisol leads to decreased sleep, weight gain, agitation, depression, and fatigue. Those are all the things we don’t want at any time of year, but especially this month. So if you just follow the first seven tips, you will have number eight without even trying!
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!
Root Causes Holistic Health and Medicine has a new location and a new focus. During the Christmas season, we would like to give the gift of information to the people of our community. So, on Saturday December 17, at 4:00 p.m. we will host an afternoon of information and Christmas cheer.
Dr. Doreen DeStefano will discuss Adrenal Fatigue: signs, symptoms and hope. The number 1 complaint in our practice is: “I am so tired!” We can help! Don’t let the holidays pass you by because you’re too tired to enjoy them. Learn how we can help you feel great again!
Join us for this informative discussion accompanied by organic hors d’oeuvres and drinks. We will have a few energy and immune boosting injections available at a reduced price to help you keep the pep in your step this Christmas season.
If you or someone you know is tired or generally not feeling well, please join us to learn what you can do to feel better and enjoy your life again!
We offer a whole range of holistic health options. We use nutrient IV therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, ozone therapy, supplements, nutrition and lifestyle management options. We take a scientific approach using a comprehensive intake and health review, lab work and sign/symptom description to get the whole picture of the patient. We can help you feel you best!
Seating is limited. Please RSVP to 239-425-2900
IV Therapy
A healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals is the best way to nourish your body. But there are instances when the body has trouble obtaining these nutrients through natural digestive functions. Conditions such as stress, a medical illness, or food intolerances can inhibit the absorption of important substances such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, folic acid, glutathione, or biotin.
In these cases, injecting those nutrients directly into the blood stream may be the best option to ensure that your body is getting what it needs. This is the goal of IV nutritional therapy.
Uses of IV Therapy
Here is just a short list of some of the numerous ways that IV therapy can improve your health:
. Detoxification
. Immune system support
. Eye health
. Heart health
. Anti-aging
. Many other uses
