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Staying Healthy During the Holidays
Dec 2020
Brooke Gregory, Dietetics Major
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
There are many great ways you can take an active role in maintaining your health and wellness during the holiday season. Although your daily schedule may be busy and somewhat demanding, strive to prioritize your physical and mental health. There is nothing worse than feeling fatigued or unwell during special times with family and friends. Here are some helpful tips to staying healthy and happy this holiday season:
Tip #1 Add Immune-Boosting Nutrients to Your Diet
Eating a well-balanced diet is vital to building and maintaining a strong immune system. Nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E are very beneficial as they are considered antioxidants. These antioxidants increase white blood cell production to fight off toxins in the body. Food sources high in these immune-boosting nutrients include:
Citrus Fruits
Lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits are all great sources of vitamin C. Thankfully, citrus fruits come in such a variety that it’s easy to add a squeeze of vitamin C to any meal or drink throughout the day!
Try tossing orange or grapefruit slices in a green salad. Or make a simple vinegarette with equal parts lemon juice, a teaspoon of brown mustard, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Green Vegetables
Spinach, romaine lettuce, and broccoli are chock-full of beta carotene, which our bodies later convert into vitamin A as needed.
These green veggies are healthiest when cooked as little as possible to make it easier to absorb the nutrients they hold. So, toss them in a salad or steam for the biggest boost of nutrients.
Nuts and Seeds
Almonds and sunflower seeds are great sources of vitamin E.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that our bodies need fat in order to absorb it efficiently. Luckily, nuts and seeds provide both vitamin E and healthy fats, allowing us to get the most benefit and nutrition form them.
Tip #2 Drink Plenty of Water
Just as consuming nutritious foods is important to building a strong immune system, you must also keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water on a regular basis. Your blood stream is largely made up of water and is responsible for transporting nutrients throughout the body. During the cold and flu season especially,
It’s important to prevent dehydrated and strive to drink the recommended amount of water each day.
Tip #3 Embrace Those Off-Season Workouts
You may have heard before that exercise is the “fountain of youth”, but it’s also a pillar of healthy living to prevent a variety of illnesses. Exercising regularly can strengthen the immune system by promoting good circulation, which helps the blood flow circulate white blood cells more efficiently. In addition to increasing your heart rate, exercising also increases your breathing rate. This helps flush out bacteria and viruses from within the lungs and airways.
So, throughout the year, keep those workouts going!
Tip #4 Get Adequate Amounts of Sleep
Did you know that while you are asleep each night, your body released proteins called cytokines? These proteins help fight bacteria and viruses while you rest. When you are feeling fatigued and sleep deprived, your body produced less cytokines, which in turn reduces the infection fighting antibodies you need.
Allowing your body to rest with adequate amounts of sleep each night will help ensure your immune system can do its job properly and keep you healthy.
