The Five Essential Tips To Celebrating Thanksgiving Flare-Up Free (Part 2)
In Part 1 of this two part Thanksgiving series, I gave you the highlights of the challenges we face during the Thanksgiving season, living with autoimmune disease. (Missed Part 1? You can read it here)
Now, I know that it can feel like the holidays are what they are… but I am here to offer a few simple healthy habits that can help your body stay on track this Thanksgiving. My goal for you (and for myself too) is to make it through the Thanksgiving push feeling energized, happy and flare-up free.
Drink a little more water each day. When we get busy and stressed, we often forget to drink water. Dehydration causes a cascade of other issues such as an increase in pain, anxiety, joint stiffness and exhaustion. Our bodies are 60% water and maintaining proper hydration is truly key. Aim for drinking just one more cup of water a day. Find a way to make it easier or more enjoyable for you to drink water. Get a bottle or cup that you like looking at and enjoy bringing around with you. You can set calendar reminders to check in on your water intake or remind you to drink some (there are also specific apps you can use). Make it a family affair! Involve your partner or children, most people are not drinking enough water so plan to achieve this goal together. (And a note: I am talking about water, not about flavored drinks or soda or even tea. Unfortunately, they don’t count.)
Try to eat a little less sugar. I know this sounds impossible with all of the holiday treats. But sugar causes inflammation in the body and one of the biggest sources of a symptom flare is increased inflammation. In addition to the fun temptation of sweet treats our body may also be craving sugar due to exhaustion and stress. Sugar provides the quick energy boost but will always lead to a crash later. Think of what else you can do to combat exhaustion that will better serve your body. I will be honest, cutting sugar can be very tough at first because you may actually feel worse before you feel better--but stick with and I promise you will be happy you did!
Carve out a quiet moment for yourself everyday. Maybe this is a time to exercise or meditate. Or maybe it’s just a time to quietly read a book or take a few deep breaths. Whatever it is, make sure to get some alone time to help you stay calm and reset during the craziness of the weekend.
Do something that feels indulgent (that’s not eating pie or drinking wine). Maybe it’s doing a face mask or taking a bath. Maybe it’s getting the massage you have been putting off. When we are stressed, THIS is the time to do more self-care, not less.
Exercise every day. I believe that above all, exercise is the thing that will keep you healthy, flare-free and pain free during the holiday season. It doesn’t have to be a lot, it doesn’t have to be hard, and it doesn’t have to be sweaty. Just make a point to move with purpose for just a few minutes a day. I recommend aiming for about 15 minutes but you will benefit from even two or three minutes if that’s all you have time for. A little bit is better than nothing. If you’re struggling to fit it into your day try starting your day with a few stretches or foam rolling or multitasking while you accomplish other tasks (I love practicing balance standing on one foot while I do dishes). If you find you’ve gotten to the end of your day and haven’t fit any exercise in take just 30 seconds or a minute to do a forward fold before bed. But perhaps this is overwhelming to do on your own and you don’t know where to start? The Autoimmune Strong exercise program is perfect to help you get moving a little bit every day, in a way that is healthy and nourishing to your body. This will help you remain feeling good and flare-up free.
These are the 5 tips I am going to be following this holiday season. I know I am feeling better prepared this holiday season and now I hope you are too! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!