To Your Health

I love coffee, but this time of year I switch it up and drink a lot of tea with lemon and honey to keep a healthy edge. You’ve worked hard this holiday to spread joy, the last thing you need is to be taken down by a nasty cold or flu and miss all the festivities. So take a few precautions now to give your body a fighting chance against all those pesky germs. 

Wash your hands

It sounds so simple but it’s really effective at keeping colds and flu at bay. I use the “surgeon mentality” when washing hands. Scrub with soap for several minutes. Before you eat don’t touch anything (including your phone, doorknobs, even pencils). If you do, deem your hands unclean once again and rewash them before reaching for that basket of bread. Also, make a practice of keeping your hands away from your face, mouth, and nose.

Secure a mini-container of antibacterial lotion on your keyring or stash some wipes away in your purse for emergencies when you can’t get to a sink (or the soap dispenser is empty).

Stick to a routine

It’s easy to get off your schedule with all the extra activities this season demands, but that’s why it’s especially important to get eight hours of sleep each night and keep to your exercise routine as much as possible.

Exercise helps relieve stress and keep your energy level elevated. 

Try scheduling a week’s worth of classes or sessions at the beginning of the week and put it on your calendar. You’ll be more likely to keep the date with yourself if it’s scheduled.

Finding it hard to juggle it all? Schedule a walk with a friend and catch up killing two birds with one stone. 

Eat Well

‘Tis the season to lose control of all we’ve worked hard for, but this little reminder isn’t about weight, it’s about health.

Yes, there will be many temptations, so plan ahead by having fresh fruit, cut veggies or nuts stowed away in your desk and stay out of the break room!  Instead, eat a clementine or sliced apple and have plenty of lemons on hand.  Make a deal with yourself to limit the intake of sweets this month as they are EVERYWHERE!

Make sure you have lots of healthy ingredients to prepare fresh real-food at home on those nights you are staying in and drink plenty of water.

Start now and give your body a fighting chance as many of us are about to jump on a train, plane, or automobile and travel to another region, or invite visitors in. 

Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup Recipe

One of the best remedies I’ve found is this power-packed chicken soup. The broth and lemon are perfect to ward off the coming cold. For a unique twist, the noodles are substituted with orzo pasta. Yum-mo!

(See recipe link below)

What if you’re already feeling droopy or you feel a twinge in your throat? 

Do this now!

1. Boil one cup water, add a tea bag and allow time to steep
2. Add juice from 1/2 lemon plus a tsp of honey
3. Drink it all down, and repeat several times during the day

It will taste as though it’s taking the “enamel off your teeth”, but it works. Then, make a big pot of soup to be enjoyed over and over again until you feel restored. 

Hugs out! Laura