The holidays are approaching, and it can be tempting to overlook our diets and workout routines while spending on traditional delicacies and gifts. Due to shorter daylight hours, zoom parties, small gatherings, and plenty of goods sitting around the house, even the most ardent health enthusiasts may find it challenging to engage in physical activity.
We all deserve some time off during the holidays to relax and indulge in our favorite treats, especially given the year we've all had. It's crucial, though, not to overeat. Stay in balance and listen to your body while embracing life to the fullest.
Toxins, or pollutants, accumulate in our systems as a result of all of these factors. If left untreated, toxins build up throughout the body, clogging networks, channels, and ducts and weakening the immune and energy systems. Because we tend to abandon our regular habits and diets during the holidays, we're especially vulnerable to AMA development.
Here are a few tips that can help prevent weight gain:
Drink plenty of water: It's an excellent suggestion to drink at least 10-12 glasses of water per day before and during the holiday season to stay hydrated. It helps maintain good skin, control blood pressure, reduce unsaturated fat in the body, and prevent dehydration and dryness.
Moderation is essential: While our gatherings will be exceptional this year, take care not to overindulge to avoid a systemic shock. Limit your intake of high-calorie beverages, mainly carbonated, packed drinks and alcohol, which can dehydrate and tire you.
Practice Mindful Eating: Because high-quality food can build toxins, practicing mindful eating can help you prevent overeating. Pay attention to how your body feels. More clean, nutritious meals with lean protein, a small quantity of healthy fat, and fiber-rich carbs should be consumed. Always eat in tiny portions and pay attention to how hungry you are.
Pre-plan Workouts: Holidays are no excuse to quit working out, no matter how hectic they are. To keep our weight from rising, we must burn off the calories we ingest. Maintain a fitness routine and get as much exercise as you can. If you're short on time, take a walk or the stairs. Begin with jumping jacks, spot jogging, twisting, neck rotations, and toe touches. Squats, lunges, and other bodyweight exercises are also suitable for shaping, toning, and strengthening. Planks, crunches, reverse crunches, and other core exercises will help you obtain those toned abs. Allowing the holidays and celebrations to get in the way of your goals is not a good idea.
Cleanse your system: To eliminate toxins from the body, cleanse your system, speed up fat burning, and promote healthy glowing skin, start the day with a squeeze of lemon in a glass of lukewarm water with an addition of a spoonful of honey. Another antioxidant-rich beverage that aids in detoxifying is green tea. Water or fresh fruit/vegetable juices are also beneficial.
Maintain a routine: Make an attempt to stick to a regular eating schedule and mealtimes. To avoid disturbing and weakening digestion, eat three times a day, roughly at the same time. Snack on something light and fresh, such as fruits. Try to stick to a sleeping and waking schedule as well. Our nervous and immune systems will remain in balance as a result of this.
The holiday season is not the best time of year for those with respiratory difficulties. It's a time of year when viruses thrive, pollution levels are greater, the air is colder, and people spend more time indoors, all of which may wreak havoc on a person's respiratory health. Asthmatics' air passageways (or bronchi, the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs) are particularly sensitive, and anything that irritates them can cause them to constrict, resulting in wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
Bursting crackers during Diwali degrades the air quality and puts everyone's health at risk. The crackers' loud noise also harms animals. As a result, this year, refrain from breaking crackers and encourage others to do the same. If you're hosting a family gathering, make sure everyone is up to date on their Covid-19 vaccine, wearing a surgical or N95 mask, sanitizer, and washing their hands with soap regularly. Remember to ventilate your home by opening all the windows during the Puja. Although the COVID-19 has been a huge success in India, that does not imply we will not be infected.
Stay away from crowded settings with close touch with other people to lessen the risk of airborne infections. Diwali is a joyous festival that we all look forward to enjoying, and persons with asthma should be no exception. By taking the necessary precautions to reduce triggers, you can have a safe and joyful Diwali.
(Dr Sheela Chakravarthy, Consultant Internal medicine specialist, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road)
