Southlake Texas Chiropractor Dr. Jennifer Beights serving Southlake, Keller, Grapevine, Roanoke, Westlake, Bedford, Hurst

The holidays are right around the corner and you know what that means…feasts and parties! With the holidays bringing in flu and cold season, don’t you want to eat your pumpkin pie and enjoy it, too? Here are some great tips to keep you happy and healthy through the holiday season.

• Moderation is key. If you really want to enjoy that piece of pumpkin pie, skip the candied cranberry sauce and yeast rolls. Overloading your system with sugar or foods that easily convert to sugar can cause a major decline in the ability of your white blood cells to fight off germs.
• Prepare ahead. Remember last year when you chatted the night away with coworkers at the holiday party and ended up with only 4 hours of sleep? If you know it will be a late night, catch a few extra Z’s in the nights beforehand as well as after. Aim for 7-9 hours a night. They had a full buffet of desserts that you just couldn’t say “No” to? Consume about 300 less calories for a day or two before and after that big calorie-fest.
• Optimize your vitamin D. Not only is it great for bone health but it’s powerful to your immune system! Check out my earlier blog for detailed info.
• De-stress your day. Stressed out? Take a breath and make a laugh! Deep breathing exercises have been proven to lower blood pressure and relax muscles and deep-bellied laughs have shown to raise natural killer cells and interferons. If stress is overtaking your day, make sure you are getting adjusted more often to help balance out that nervous system. Keeping your body in a sympathetic state too long will surely make you susceptible to illness.
• Make it berry merry. Eat berries regularly to increase your vitamin C levels as well as your powerful antioxidants (cancer fighters).
• Get a whole body checkup. Make an appointment to make sure you aren’t in need of extra supplements or boosts to your nervous system to get healthy. Chiropractic care has been proven to boost the immune system and prevent illness.

If you are concerned about your health or have any other questions about the upcoming cold and flu season, don’t hesitate to contact me. Make it a great holiday season this year!

-Dr. Jennifer Beights