"The groundwork of all happiness is health"
James Leigh Hunt

As I mentioned in my December Newsletter, I will be sharing tips to get through the holidays with ease, peace and enjoyment.  During the Holiday season it's especially important to take care of yourself.  It's easy to get busy with all of your holiday obligations and suddenly you have had late nights, skipped meals, stuffed yourself with unhealthy food and the only exercise you have gotten is walking to and from your car!

Let Visions of Sugar Plums Dance in Your Head
Let's start with getting a good night's sleep.  Studies have shown that not getting enough sleep increases your risk of weight gain.
A recent study of 1,000 people 30-60 showed:

• People who routinely slept five hours a night had a 14.9% higher level of ghrelin (hormones found to increase weight gain) and a 15.5% lower level of leptin (hormones found to aid in weight loss) than those who slept eight hours.

• Those who regularly slept less than 7.7 hours had a slightly higher body mass index (BMI).

So, get some shut eye and keep the pounds on Santa's sleigh!


H20 For Y-O-U
The next step to taking care of yourself during the holidays is to drink more water.  There are a lot of studies boasting the benefits of drinking water.  Here are my top 5 reasons for increasing your water intake each day according to MY findings: 

*You are not as hungry because you are FULL of water (Better than being full of...gingerbread).
*Your skin will be soft, supple and radiant
*Aids in digestion
*Helps rid your body of the toxic fruitcake, eggnog and cookies
*Your exercise routine will increase just by the amount of times you have to go to the bathroom!

Play in Reindeer Games
The third tip to help you sail through the holidays with cheer is to EXERCISE!  Just getting outside to walk can make everything feel better.

Plus...

"Moderate intensity aerobic exercise improves mood immediately and those improvements can last up to 12 hours," according to research by Dr. Jeremy Sibold.

Twelve hours?

I had to take a break and go walk!  I have to say, I feel so much better and my family appreciates my elevated mood!

In with the Good Stuff
My fourth tip for getting through the holidays with ease and enjoyment is to eat healthy.  Remember you are what you eat, so don't be a FRUITCAKE!

Jiggle Like a Bowl Full of Jelly
My final tip for the week?  Laugh.  Find something that makes you laugh, whether it's a TV show, a website, a friend or simply a funny quote.  Lose yourself in it and LAUGH OUT LOUD!

Peace, Gratitude and Laughter!

Cited Studies
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin and Stanford University tracked 1,024 people ages 30-60.  Participants from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study took sleep tests and blood tests every four years and reported their sleep  habits.