Every year, so many people end up stressing out during the holidays, eating poorly and self-indulgently, dealing with family matters that may be uncomfortable or difficult, or just working too hard to get ready for the festivities.

Here are ten quick and easy ideas to make your holidays healthier.

1. Take things in stride! You may not get to every single thing you need to do today – do what you can, and remember the reason you’re doing it, so you can feel good along the way.

2. Eat intelligently – stuffing yourself, even when the food is delicious and you rationalize that “it’s only once a year” is a poor strategy for being healthy – pace yourself with your eating, and wait between courses to see just how hungry you are – don’t let your eye be bigger than your belly!

3. Breathe – in traffic, waiting on line while shopping, or when in deep thought, remember to breathe so you get life-giving air to all of your body parts. Take a few deep breaths any time you are feeling pressure, and you’ll be amazed how quickly you feel better.

4. Drink lots of water – you need to hydrate yourself when you are working hard, thinking hard, or playing hard.

5. Get enough rest – staying up late occasionally is fine when you have a good reason, but remember to sleep sufficiently to sustain your energy levels, since there tends to be more demand during the holiday season.

6. Let others help you – the holidays tend to bring out the martyr in many of us. You don’t need to do it all yourself, get some support when needed.

7. Take a few minutes (or longer if necessary) to claim some little bit of quiet time for yourself along the way. Those brief meditative interludes are rejuvenating.

8. Do as much good as you possibly can – it makes you feel good to be of value to others, especially at this time of year.

9. Blow off a little steam with some vigorous exercise at least a few times a week.

10. Visit your chiropractor or natural health specialist of choice – keep your body in tune and working at peak efficiency, so you have it when you really need it.

Follow these simple rules, and you’ll be amazed how well you handle all the challenges and opportunities that arise. Have a wonderful holiday season!

Too often, our intentions to make our holiday season just perfect backfire on us, as we ask too much of ourselves. Here are a few common holiday errors to avoid.

Doing too much all at once – trying to get everything done at the last minute is stressful and usually compromises the quality of your contribution. Plan in advance so you can pace yourself properly.

Buying favor instead of earning it – be careful not to try to overcome shortfalls in your relationships by throwing money at them – remember those you care about, but no amount of spending will replace genuine loving support.

Carrying heavy packages – balance the weight of the gifts you carry around from store to store or to your car from side to side, and use wheels whenever possible, so you don’t lift heavy stuff in an awkward way and risk injuring yourself.

Arguing with your loved ones – they are under stress too, so be gentle and compassionate when interacting with those you care about. Never act in anger, pause and calm down and then respond maturely and appropriately.

Ignoring yourself to help others – much like you would put on your mask first in a plane before helping others, make sure you are at your best, since that is
the most likely way that you can be available to serve others the way you want to.

The holidays are a time for joyful celebration, not recovery from mistakes that can be avoided. Follow a few simple common sense guidelines, and avoid unnecessary pain and stress.

Some people find the holidays exciting, some find them stressful, but almost everyone finds them busy, so as you enter into the full swing of the holiday season, remember that you can get everything done better if you pace yourself, plan a reasonable schedule, and stay present doing what you are doing without letting your mind drift to the other responsibilities you have not yet handled.

Working with a planner or appointment book makes it easier to keep track of all the errands, meetings, shopping, meal and party planning, and the many different tasks necessary to take care of all your needs and wants.
If you don’t have a formal appointment book, you can use a simple notebook or pad – just write down all the things you need to do, and compile them into a list. Arrange them by time – in other words, decide when each needs to be complete, and organize them in time order, so you can take action on a timely basis.

If one step depends on another, for example, you’ll need to buy the ingredients for your holiday dinner before you cook them, then check to see that each step you write that needs something to happen first is written in the right time sequence in your planner.

If you don’t get to one or more steps, you’ll need to reposition the steps in your time sequence, so nothing slips through the cracks. Each step you complete takes you closer to a happy and healthy holiday, so use this simple time and energy management tool to streamline the process and have more time to celebrate!

When you walk down the street in your town, what do you see? You may notice your fellow man and woman, scurrying toward their next appointment or obligation. You may see the stores and offices that people live and work in. You may see the beauty of Nature in the trees, flowers, earth and sky.

But one thing that is everywhere you look is the opportunity to do good – to find ways to serve or support each other, to share what you have learned, and to take every opportunity to make a difference in your life and the lives of those you can influence.

Sadly, most people you will come across will not be as healthy as they could be. They may be suffering from some kind of painful problem, or some illness, allergy or complaint. They may be okay but not expressing their energy to the fullest they could. Or, they could be doing quite well, but curious about being at their very best.

In any of these situations, inviting those you care about into the world of health and wellness can be a life-altering experience for them. Regardless of their current level of health, everyone can benefit from looking at their current habits, evaluating the places that could use some improvement, and making the necessary changes to have the healthiest life possible.

One way to do this is to include the advice of natural healers like doctors of chiropractic. Chiropractors have unique ways of understanding and working with people to bring out their natural healing ability and help them express their greatest health potential.

Give the gift of health in this season of giving – share what you have learned about safe, gentle, all-natural chiropractic care. Your willingness to reach out to others could change someone’s life for the better – and what better holiday present could you offer than that?

Here are some easy action steps you can take to get into the Thanksgiving spirit.

Have fun thinking of things you are thankful for.

Accept people’s frailties, celebrate their assets.

Pay for a co-worker’s lunch.

Pick three people and write them thank you notes.

Yell your lover’s (or dream lover’s) name out the window.

Tell someone you care about that you appreciate them

Have a friend over for dinner.

Answer your phone or email with a cheery attitude.

Never act hastily in anger, pause to consider the other’s feelings first.

Keep love in your heart.

Say something kind to someone who needs to hear it.

Give up an hour to help someone less fortunate.

 Inspire a child to think bigger.

Volunteer your time occasionally, just because.

 Invite an old friend out for coffee or a drink.

Nurture an animal or plant with your love.

Get into the habit of saying please and thank you.

When a high profile cultural icon like Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple and creator of the iPod, iPhone and iPad dies as young as fifty-six years old, we all have to wonder – with all his billions of dollars and connections with people in high places, wasn’t there more that could have been done to save his life?

He surely had the best advice available, but by the time someone’s body gets sick or wears out, the chances of recovery decrease. All the money in the world can’t rebuild even one body part that is diseased past repair, and that’s why we must do everything possible to keep our bodies healthy, because in the final analysis, health is wealth.

There’s no guarantee of a long healthy life, but there are certainly habits you can develop that make it more likely that you will be healthy. Some are obvious, like eating right and resting enough, while others may be less known, but not less important.

One common condition most people don’t know about is dehydration, a fancy way of saying that someone is not getting enough water. The symptoms can be subtle and seemingly unrelated – fatigue, uneven digestion, skin problems, dizziness or headache, for example – and diagnosis can be elusive.But the solution is very simple, so simple in fact that there’s no need to wait around to become dehydrated – just include sufficient water in your daily intake, and that easy, inexpensive habit will make a big difference. On average, most people need about an ounce of water daily for every two pounds of body weight – so, if you weigh 128 pounds, you need about eight glasses of water each day, about a half gallon, and if you weigh 192 pounds, you need about 12 glasses of water each day, about three quarts.

Note that coffee, juice and soda don’t count, as your body looks at these as food – only water is water, so drink enough every day.

Another common condition that most people don’t know about is subluxation, which occurs when spinal bones go out of position and interfere with the delicate nerves your body uses as its wiring system. The brain uses nerves to communicate with the body parts, and any interference or disturbance in the nerve system can prevent normal healing and maintenance of your body.

To see if you have subluxations in your spine that are preventing your body from working right, you need to go to the doctor who specializes in correcting subluxations, your doctor of chiropractic. With a quick and painless examination, he or she can tell you if you and your family have good spine and nerve system health. Even if you are feeling well, getting regular check-ups is smart and responsible.

If health is wealth, then live a long, healthy life by keeping your body working at peak efficiency. Eat well, drink enough water, rest and sleep well, and visit your health and wellness professionals to get well and stay well.

When was the last time you got a check-up to see how well your spine and nerve system are working? Many people don’t yet realize how important it is to keep your spine healthy – it protects the nerves, which carry information to and from the brain so your body parts can work properly, and that’s essential for good health.

How can you take better care of your spine? First, be aware of it, and avoid doing silly things that may injure or damage your spinal structure. Bend your knees when you lift something heavy, and don’t lift things that are too heavy. Sleep on your back or side, not on your stomach – sleeping face down causes an unnatural stress on your low back, and also tends to keep your head turned to one side all night, which causes an unnatural stress on your neck. These stresses may not hurt you at first, but they can accumulate and eventually cause problems.

It’s common sense to take good care of your spine, but most people don’t realize that it may take more than just avoiding injuries or stress. The normal wear and tear, just from sitting, carrying things, and standing or walking may require that you actively keep your spine in good alignment, whether you have pain and symptoms or not. Smart health consumers include spinal care in their health and wellness routine, including massage, yoga, exercise, and of course, chiropractic care.

If you or anyone in your family has not yet had a chiropractic check-up, it can be one of the most valuable and health-inspiring things to do. Problems with spinal misalignment can be insidious, not becoming symptomatic or painful until reaching a more advanced stage, and then creating more issues and a longer recovery time, with more pain and expense. It’s much more sensible to stay healthy than to let yourself get sick and then have to get well.

Those in the know, top athletes, entertainers, politicians and health professionals visit their chiropractor regularly, to get check-ups and to receive corrective care when necessary. It’s quick, painless, and can save you or someone you love needless suffering. Make a time for you and your entire family to get an exam, and let your chiropractor reassure you that everything  is fine – and if not, he or she can advise you on the best course of action to take good care of your spine.