Dec 22, 2023 Welcome back to UHC’s House Call on WDTV. Emily Shreve, clinical nutrition manager at United Hospital Center, talks about achieving a healthy holiday lifestyle.
1.) How does the holiday season relate to stress?
The holidays can bring joy, but it’s not uncommon to experience stress. The demands of the season — shopping and running errands while battling crowds, back-to-back holiday parties and social obligations, houseguests, and relatives — are all potential stressors. Alongside this, feelings of loneliness and isolation are also common around the holidays. Maintaining healthy habits during the holiday season will be one of your best defenses against stress. This means getting enough sleep, eating well — even at holiday parties — and staying physically active.2.) What expert advice would you give to help combat stress during the holidays?
The holiday season can be long and full of commitments, from parties to PTA meetings. To help manage stress, make a list of what you expect from yourself, what others expect from you and your responsibilities for the holidays. You may want to place them on a calendar to get a feel for what the coming months will look like. Get comfortable with the idea that you don’t have to do everything and everything doesn’t have to be perfect.3.) Any additional advice that would be helpful in getting through this stressful season?
Everyone feels stressed from time to time. If holiday stress causes you to derail your healthy plans, consider ways to reduce stress and manage emotions. These might include talking to a trusted friend, meditation, physical activity, or just getting outside. If you know you have a difficult time during holidays, plan outings once or twice a week with people who make you feel happy. If it’s in your best interest, also feel okay about declining invitations without feeling guilty.This content was originally posted on the WDTV News website here.
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