Beat The Winter Blues
December is finally here and with it brings a flurry of snow, a visit from Jack and a surge of panic from shoppers, who are rapidly counting down the days, hours and minutes until Christmas.
So, how can you cope during these stressful times? Well, it's more to do with how can you cope with each individual situation rather than trying to deal with everything at once.
Christmas shopping always proves stressful, despite experts predicting that the high-street will be almost empty this year. Those of you who have already braved the shops at the weekend will know that this is not strictly true, and trying to manoeuvre your way with millions of bags through hoards of angry shoppers is enough to drive anyone insane.
Well, there are a few things you can do to calm yourself down this winter, while heading out to face the high-street. Firstly, don't leave home on an empty stomach, as the last thing you want is to have the munchies mid-morning and experience low blood sugar.
We're sure you've heard it before, but porridge is a great breakfast treat as it slowly releases energy throughout the day. if you load up on toast with jam you'll burn out by 11am.
Also pack water, nuts and fruit into your bag as well, so you can keep snacking when you're feeling hungry. Avoid fruits such as bananas and apples that have outer layers though, or you'll be left searching for a bin to deposit it in.
Another big panic at this time of year is fitting into your chosen dress for the office Christmas party. Starving yourself is not an option, because as soon as you hit the alcohol, you'll be drunk by 7pm and that does not make for a good party experience.
Instead why not invest in some magic knickers, which will suck you in all the right places and give you a flatter silhouette. Also, make sure to avoid any starchy foods during the day, such as bread, pasta and beans and instead load up on a salad, chicken or cottage cheese. The last thing you want is a bloaty stomach for the party, so have rice or a jacket potato for your tea.
After the big stress over the party dress, comes the overindulgence at the Christmas party and the horrible queasy feeling you feel the next day. Hangovers are a regular occurrence over the festive period, but there are a few things you can do to make yourself feel better physically, but mentally- we can't guarantee anything!
Firstly, don't head straight for the glass of orange juice to replenish fluids, as chances are it will come straight back up. Instead try having a glass of apple juice and fizzy water mixed together, as it's gentler on the stomach.
And if you're up to having something to eat then opt for dry toast or eggs on toast instead of caving in to a fry-up. It may be something your head is craving, but your tummy will have a hard time digesting all that stodge, and who wants to be fat and hungover at the same time?
Apart from self inflicted pain, we all tend to feel rundown at this time of year, and as a consequence we feel ill on almost a daily basis. There are a few things you can do to keep yourself fit and healthy in this wintry weather.
The first thing to do is up your vitamin c level, by adding a glass of orange juice to your diet at least once a day and also consider taking some Echinacea tablets, which will boost your immune system.