Tip: Use healthier ingredient alternatives in your recipes to create just-as-delicious holiday meals.

We’ve all been there. You’ve finally managed to get your wellness goals on track, but then the holidays roll around. The spirit of the season along with decorating, gift shopping and delicious food and desserts can sometimes result in your health taking a backseat - but this is totally normal.

The holidays are meant to be enjoyed, so the last thing you should do is beat yourself up over a slice of pie or a festive cocktail. So, while you’re indulging in the festivities with your friends and family, here are some realistic ways to stay healthy through the holidays.

Rethink Your Fitness Routine 

You’re not alone if you think of the holidays as one big festive blur. With parties to attend and travel arrangements to make, it’s easy to forget to schedule your normal fitness routine. There’s no problem with giving yourself a bit of a break during the holidays - as long as you keep your body moving. 

For example, instead of hitting the gym 5-6 times a week, try a goal of 3-4 times a week. Or, if you normally work out for an hour a day, know that even 20 minutes of weight training or a HIIT workout is enough. This leaves more time for holiday activities while still getting in a good sweat and still have time for holiday fun. 

Tip: While your loved ones are visiting, suggest taking a walk together to get a little movement in your day.

Another idea you can incorporate into your fitness routine is including your loved ones. They’re likely visiting you for the holidays, so what better way to spend time together and feel great than by taking a stroll to check out the holiday lights or doing a yoga class to unwind after a long day of holiday shopping.

Healthy Holiday Substitutes

If your schedule is getting a bit too busy to incorporate a workout, there are always changes you can make in the kitchen. One of the best parts of the holidays is there’s no shortage of delicious food and drinks. You might normally take one look and feel a sudden pang of guilt, but in reality, you don’t have to indulge.

It’s time to rethink the idea that all delicious desserts have to be a guilty pleasure. Instead of cutting yourself off, try healthier options. There are plenty of healthy dessert recipes out there that are perfect for the holidays. 

Happy Holidays to you and your family. With these simple tips you’ll be feeling much better come January 2nd.

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Between the seasonal errands and frequent visitors, we furry family members know it can be hard to keep up with us too. We promise that we try to be on our very best behavior (with snacks as a reward, of course) but we do need a little extra consideration around our home. Try as we might, around the holidays, there may be more risks than you think.

Most of us love visitors. I mean, five times the belly rubs, two times the treats, and lots of cuddles? I’m here for it. I love to greet everyone, but my younger fur-sister gets easily overwhelmed. She’s at knee-level, and that’s a lot of traffic coming in the door with feet at the bottom and booming voices at the top. It can also be scary when the small kids come to tug on our ears or tails, or worse, wrestle us into a neck-squeezing hug. I’ll play with the kiddos for a bit, but then really appreciate a break. My sis would rather keep clear of them altogether until she feels like being brave. So, to keep everyone happy and safe, please remind the guests that we can be sensitive! Sometimes putting me in my safe zone is more comfortable. This could be my crate or my bed in your room, but make sure to leave treats, toys, or even better, something that smells like you! It’ll keep me calm.

Speaking of holiday joy, your beautifully decorated tree can be a danger to us. For my feline besties, it’s a tower waiting to be scaled, and for us canines, it can get in the way of our zoomies! One of the best things you can do is put it out of our reach. Maybe put a fun decorated fence around it. Also, it’s no fun when my tail hits the ornaments, sending them shattering to the ground. What can I say? I’m a happy guy and can’t help that my tail acts like an excitement meter. We dogs took a vote and we think the best way to get around this is by avoiding glass ornaments.

Another risky decoration? Those festive houseplants! I like to think of myself as the most well-behaved, good boy since I’m not a chewer or a digger. However, some (ahem, the new puppy in the house) love to take a little bite or two of your favorite houseplants. Plants like poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly can be toxic if they’re ingested. Vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and breathing problems are all side effects we could experience, possibly sending us to the vet. I know they’re beautiful, but faux plants look just as festive and are a safer option for all of us!

Now, let’s skip to the oh-so fantastic smelling family dinner. Of course, it can be a joy when my puppy eyes fool all the visitors and I get a little piece of their meal, but some holiday foods can wreak havoc on my digestive system. Lots of festive treats include chocolate - a major no-no for us canines. Oh, and that turkey! Not only can it cause pancreatitis if I eat it, but the bones can do even more damage if they get lodged in our intestines. If you really want to satisfy my holiday cravings, toss me a few delicious treats that are full of healthy, high-quality ingredients.

We know we have to share your attention with visitors during these times, and we want to be part of the holiday joy too!  So, with these few precautions we’ll enjoy all the festivities together.

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Getting Ready For Company?

For some, the holiday season is met with pure joy and anticipation. For others, the gifts to buy, the cooking and baking, the presents to wrap, and the cards to write can all feel a little overwhelming. If you find yourself in the second category, we propose a radical idea - put yourself at the top of your holiday to-do list and prioritize your sleep, feed your body warm nourishing meals, and don’t cross off self care rituals.

Easier said than done? Read on for quick and effective everyday tips to keep your skin glowing from the inside out this season.

Stay hydrated

Of course, you’ve heard the old “drink 8 glasses of water a day,” but do you know why it helps keep your skin sparkling? Dehydration literally sucks the life out of your skin and leads to wrinkles and premature aging and breakouts. When your skin is hydrated it not only looks healthier, it is healthier, as each cell gets plumped up with what they crave to function- water.

Staying hydrated helps improve skin elasticity, which can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and sagging, and flush out toxins more effectively.

But watch what you drink

Yes, running from store to store holiday shopping may take some extra fuel in peppermint latte form, and craft cocktails are especially enticing while listening to Nat King Cole, but caffeine and alcohol can wreak havoc on your skin - at a time when you want to look your best.

Alcohol and caffeine not only cause inflammation that can lead to redness, but they also dilate the pores of the skin and cause acne, which can cause an unflattering Rudolf-like appearance if it pops up in the wrong place.

Drinking alcohol or caffeine can deprive you of sleep when your body actually regenerates the skin and also dehydrate your skin, which you learned above can leave you with many unwanted side effects- both leaving your skin looking dull.

If you must, keep the caffeine to one cup in the morning, and drink a large glass of water to counter it, and choose a nice glass of red wine, which tends to be the least harmful as it contains resveratrol, which acts as an antioxidant for the skin and helps kick free radicals to the curb.

And when you want to drink something to improve not only your skin but also your overall health, try Life’s Abundance Minerals and Antioxidants or Greens Blend. They’re a great way to flavor your water and get electrolytes and veggies in without any sugar, alcohol, or caffeine. Instead of crashing 30 minutes later, like most “health” drinks, these will give you sustained energy and get your skin glowing.

Eat nourishing foods AND indulge in holiday favorites

Because our skin is our largest organ, its beauty on the surface is a reflection of what we’re feeding it on the inside. Ever notice after a weekend of overdoing it with alcohol and sugar, your face breaks out? Studies have shown that those inflammatory foods, along with caffeine, can cause internal imbalances, which are mirrored on our skin.

To keep your skin spot-free during the holidays, you’ll want to eat 5-6 small meals and snacks throughout the day, preferably cooked at home and made from whole foods, nothing processed.  Meals should be high in fiber and, not to be a buzzkill, free of potentially inflammatory foods including dairy, sugar, alcohol, gluten, most red meat, caffeine, processed foods, fried foods, artificial colors, and sweeteners.

A whole-food, plant-based diet is where it's at, so focus on fruits and veggies that contain powerful antioxidants to protect the skin from free radicals, foods loaded with vitamin C and E to help support healthy skin growth and help blemishes heal properly, and healthy fats that provide moisture to your skin and improve elasticity. You can easily get those healthy fats from Omega 3 supplements like our Life’s Abundance Fish Oil, which is the highest quality on the market.

Not sure what else to eat? Start with these top five foods to fuel up on: avocados, raw nuts, leafy greens, artichokes, and blueberries. Plus, inspiring resources are endless; check out #eatclean on Instagram and you’ll find thousands of meals that will actually get you excited about quinoa- even if you can’t pronounce it.

Getting your “beauty sleep” is no joke

Eight seems to be a magic number when it comes to your skin - 8 glasses of water and 8 hours of sleep to keep your skin’s appearance and structure from premature aging. One study showed that chronic poor sleep quality is associated with increased signs of inherent aging, diminished skin barrier function, and lower satisfaction with appearance. This is due to the skin’s need to repair itself while we snooze, including collagen regeneration and increased blood flow for healing - so the less we sleep, the less time there is for your skin’s cells to renew.

If cell renewal doesn’t excite you, how about this study that found people who had five hours sleep versus eight hours sleep appeared to have more swollen eyes and dark circles, more wrinkles, and appear sadder when they were sleep-deprived. Would that make you reconsider “just one more” show in your Netflix binge at 1 am?

Holiday makeup

This year’s holiday season will most likely be looking a little different than last with more get togethers and festive parties with friends and family. You may have shifted into a “new normal” of less daily makeup wearing and comfier athleisure too. The holidays call for dressing up and feeling your best! Wear that bold red lip, go for the shimmery eye palette. Just please promise yourself that you won’t skip out on your makeup removal ritual once the party is over. Start a go-to practice for removing makeup by double cleansing. For the first step, a creamy facial cleanser will help emulsify makeup and oil, making it easier to remove. Next, opt for a sudsing cleanser that will remove any last traces of makeup and excess buildup. 

Moisturize. Hydrate. Repeat.

Depending on where you live, winter can be a season of alternating temperature extremes; from the cold of the outdoors to the warmth of dry heat in your home or car, and it can all greatly affect your skin’s moisture levels. Keep skin hydrated and vibrant with plenty of added hydration from a non-alcohol based toner and a nutrient-rich facial oil at least twice daily. If your skin is feeling extra dry, itchy or tight, combine 2-3 drops of facial serum with a small amount of moisturizing cream and blend before applying to your skin. 
 
Consider additional factors that could lead to dehydrated skin like excess coffee and alcohol (‘tis the season of holiday cocktails). Do you skin an extra favor and assist the topical products addressing the dehydration with warming soups and brewed teas to up your water intake.

Multitasking skin treatments

With plenty on your holiday to-do list, your skincare ritual may not feel like it has a place in the top priorities section. But what if we told you a targeted treatment mask will multitask for you as you multitask your way through that list? This Hibiscus Mask helps treat skin in several ways that are key for glowing skin in the winter; it’s antibacterial, moisturizing, brightening and gently exfoliating.

The mask’s natural Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and enzymatic exfoliants from the sugar extract, hibiscus, and pumpkin all work together to remove dead skin cells and increase circulation, resulting in fresh, glowing skin. Aim to apply a thin layer of your mask twice weekly to start and don’t forget to finish off your masking ritual with a good facial oil or moisturizer.

If beauty truly comes from within, then it’s no surprise that we need to be mindful of not only what we put on our skin, but also what we take into our bodies. If you’re overwhelmed at the thought of putting all of the above tips into practice, no sweat - even adopting one or two of these changes will help to keep your skin glowing brighter than Times Square on NYE during the holiday season, and beyond the ball drop.

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