Salud
E
GIVING THANKS
B Y ANGELI CA GAVALDON
mbracing gratitude
has many health
benefits. We all have
bad things happen
to us, some worse
than others, but if we are able to
start our day giving thanks for our
blessings, it will impact our mood
dramatically. For me, Christmas is
a hard time because it will only be
my second Christmas without my
father whom I was very close to.
However, instead of dwelling on my
pain, I choose to remember all the
beautiful gifts he gave everyone he
knew. His spirit fills our Christmas
table with joy and reminds us to
always be kind to one another. In
addition to his wonderful lessons, I
would like to pass on my own advice for this holiday season:
Do Not Sweat the Small Things
We hear this a lot, but why is it so important? Plain and simple,
making a big deal out of small things causes stress and anxiety,
and we all know that stress kills you. Not literally in the moment
of course, but over time it adds up and takes a toll on your
health. Every time we stress over something minimal our cortisol
levels spike up 10 to 15 percent.
If you are late for Christmas party, stuck in traffic or burnt
the Apple cobbler, it is not important. Look at the big picture
instead. We always make it a bigger deal in our head than what
the actual outcome is. When I lose something of value, my son
looks at me and says, “Mom I feel bad.” I always reply, “It’s not
an arm or a leg, let’s not lose our marbles” and we laugh.
Keep Moving
Instead of using Christmas to sit around and eat all day,
encourage the family to take a walk after breakfast and dinner.
Keep the phones at home and enjoy each other’s company
while moving. Not only will you digest your food better, your
walk will help boost your mood and you will get better sleep
after dinner if you get some activity in.
40 GBSAN.COM | DECEMBER 2019
Eat Breakfast
A mistake I commonly see, especially during the holidays, is
that people tend to skip meals in order to “save room” for the
big Christmas dinner or party. This is a big no-no because it
will make you have such a huge appetite at dinner that you
will be ready to eat your guests (joking, of course), but you get
my point. If you eat a healthy breakfast and reasonable lunch,
you will keep your cravings in check. Instead of wanting to eat
everything you see, you will have an easier time controlling your
food intake while still enjoying the dinner.
Eat the Cake
I always encourage you to be mindful when eating but not
to deprive yourself. Stay in tune with your body and your
cravings. Instead of feeling guilty about eating amazing food,
enjoy it, you can have the cake too. That is, if you are really
craving it! What I like to do is always try everything, but I only
have a few bites of delicious, indulgent food. Basically, I load
up on the healthy stuff first, but let myself try the cake too.
That way I feel full and satisfied.
Hopefully these tips will help you have a healthy and happy
holiday season.