Answering Your Biggest Questions: The NatureDoc Christmas Survival Guide 2024
Behind every bit of Christmas magic is usually a grown-up who has worked incredibly hard to make it all look effortless! So, if you’ve ever found yourself feeling burnt out by the time the big day arrives, you’re certainly not alone.
Here are my tips to help you stay healthy and happy over the festive season. Read on for my answers to your common Christmas survival questions. I’ll cover everything from finding a joyful and balanced approach to all the indulgent food, how to navigate a free-from diet over Christmas as well as navigating moments of family stress. I’ll also explore ways to how to reduce bloating, ways to combat Christmas fatigue, how to support your immunity, and strategies to set the foundations for better habits in 2025. Let’s make this Christmas one where you feel just as good as the magic you’ve created for everyone else!
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How can I balance healthy choices with food freedom?
We all like to enjoy a few extra Christmas nibbles and treats, whether it’s a box of chocolates or a couple of glasses of wine – many people just say ‘heck yes’ and enjoy every single bite and slurp. But if you are on a specific health journey right now, you might feel concerned about how you can continue to make appropriate healthy choices around all the fun.
The great news is that it’s possible to make healthy choices AND enjoy your festive treats by maintaining a good balance of both. Only you know your own limits and what serves you well, and it’s important to set these out in your mind before indulging, so you don’t go over the top and then feel lousy afterwards.
If you find it hard to set yourself limits or don’t like the idea of holding back over the festive season, then try balancing the gorging with lighter meals early on when you want to indulge later. Maybe choose an angelic breakfast such as fruit with yoghurt and seeds; and fill your plate at other meal times with lots of colour and fibrous foods such as salads, veggies, nuts, seeds and pulses. Equally, plan a longer walk or build in extra exercise to keep your body moving if you feel you have gone overboard with the Christmas goodies.
What if my family don’t understand the way I eat?
The Christmas period can be a really difficult time for those of us who have a complicated relationship with food, have multiple allergies or food intolerances, are on a healing journey, or care for a child who only eats a very narrow diet.
Personal food choices are emotive at the best of times and sitting around a Christmas table with your family can lead to fiery and fraught family dynamics if they don’t ‘get’ why you eat in a certain way or don’t accept that your child only eats a handful of different foods. Often we expect our family and friends to understand our food ‘no no’s’ or ways of eating and then we get deeply disappointed and upset when they don’t acknowledge things. Equally they can get very upset if you don’t eat the food that they have lovingly prepared for everyone.
If you are in charge of Christmas yourself and hosting, then you can set the scene and arrange all the food so that everyone can enjoy it together. This way your eating habits or your child’s eating habits are properly accommodated for, and if there are allergies involved you know everyone is going to be safe.
If you have guests with a myriad of food allergies or other food preferences, then I find arranging lots of separate small bowls or plates of food on the table in a relaxed manner means everyone can help themselves and pick out the things they can eat without the social pressure.
If you are eating away from home, remember much of the time you will be visiting family or friends who don’t have the knowledge or experience to cater for your dietary needs. They may not understand the nuances and complexities of your specific food needs, especially if these restrictions are new or have taken a while for you to grasp yourself. Remember your host will likely to be overwhelmed by organising the meal themselves anyway, and they may not have the mental bandwidth to have thought through your specific dietary needs in enough detail.
If you are worried they will not get it right for you or your child, then you should plan around this to help them as much as helping yourself. So think ahead and write down where the potential feeding pitfalls lie and where there are opportunities for you to contribute or make adjustments. You should have conversations with your friends and family ahead of the day to make a plan so everyone is happy, and everyone has lots of lovely food options that they can enjoy together without an undercurrent of tension.
If there are food allergies, ask ahead about the menu your host is planning, and work out if you need to contribute. For instance if you are gluten-free offer to bring the gravy and the bread sauce, if you are nut-free make an extra pudding, and if you are plant-based, offer to bring a main course that you love. You may also offer to bring an alcohol alternative if you are not drinking. If your child only eats a handful of foods, then bring those with you and offer to cook them for them. You can also suggest that you bring some ‘safe’ dishes with you that you know you or your child can eat. If you are staying with them for more than one meal then offer to bring ingredients and do some of the cooking for your host. You may need to pack your car boot with a cooler box full of food if you are staying for a few days.
Obviously you need to be vigilant if you have allergies, coeliac disease or severe food reactions. However if you or your child don’t experience severe reactions to foods, then realise that a few days out of your usual routine will not make a significant difference to your overall health and the enjoyment with family eating round a table together is just as good for your health. Ultimately remember to be kind to yourself and realise everyone is doing their best and wants it to be a happy event.
How can I cope with a busy home and complex family dynamics?
Many of us will spend time with family over Christmas, and while it’s lovely to see everyone together, it can sometimes be overwhelming. It’s natural to need time alone when there are lots of people in a small space, especially when there might be conflicting personalities around the table and little ones screaming.
If you feel yourself becoming irritable, try to step outside alone for a breath of fresh air. Spend this time focusing on breathing, noticing the quietness outside, and feeling the cool air on your skin. Try not to spend your brief “me” time on the phone, social media or ruminating over the events of the day. When you feel ready to return, you’ll be refreshed and calm.
You may also wish to take 5 minutes out before people arrive or just before a meal, even if you don’t feel stressed yet. If you feel able to, it might also be helpful to set boundaries and expectations with family members before you gather, for example, by letting them know you may need some time alone or asking for a holiday from sensitive topics such as politics.
Supplements which can help to soothe a high flight or flight state and blunt the stress response include Magnesium, Theanine, Rhodiola, Saffron and Ashwagandha.
How can I combat Christmas bloating?
Feeling bloated with a tummy like a blown-up balloon, is not only uncomfortable but can also make you feel sluggish. Your gut motility can slow up too, making you feel bunged up and constipated. You can also feel sleepy and slow if your gut is fermenting.
To avoid this horrid feeling, try to choose lighter food options such as eggs, fish, smoothies, fresh fruit, steamed veggies, soups and salads to help reduce the bloat. Think dates, prunes, flax seeds and kiwi fruit to get the bowels moving and emptying properly. Consider taking digestive enzymes to help break down and digest the food you are eating, which can help to prevent the bloat and that soporific postprandial feeling.
You might find comfort in drinking soothing herbal teas such as ginger, mint or fennel. Drinking plenty of warm water can help settle your tummy and add some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar which can help more. You may also like to include some live yoghurt or kefir to help top up your gut microbiome which in turn helps to reduce the bloat.
How can I sustain energy levels during the festive period?
Christmas can be exhausting, especially with overexcited children and not enough sleep in the household. It’s important to practice self-care – while this can include relaxing baths and pampering sessions, it also includes micro acts of self-care such as eating mindfully, keeping your body moving, keeping hydrated and finding opportunities for naps or an early night. If alcohol disrupts your sleep patterns, then keep this to a minimum and choose healthy and tasty alternatives such as water kefir or kombucha instead.
Going out for walks can be really beneficial to our bodies and minds, especially when it’s cooler outside. This can reduce stress, help you to think clearly, and improve sleep, all supporting you to keep up with the demands of the festive season.
Maintaining your mineral levels, such as enough iron, zinc and magnesium as well as B vitamins can help to give you the energy lift you need. Keeping hydrated with plenty of water, coconut water and herbal teas is also key for preventing energy crashes.
How do I keep bugs away over the Christmas period?
With lots of people travelling and gathering together, nasty bacterial and viral infections can easily spread over the Christmas period. This is exacerbated by more time spent indoors and a lack of air circulation.
To keep the bugs away over the Christmas period, make sure you wipe surfaces down regularly and wash your hands with soap and water frequently whilst socialising. Opening your windows for a few minutes each day can help to reduce airborne transmission of viruses, as can using tissues when you cough or sneeze, and disposing of them after each use.
Chicken soup from fresh stock or bone broth can help if you do feel an illness coming on. Hot lemon juice with fresh ginger root and maple syrup is also a very restorative drink, especially if your glands are up and your have a sore tickly throat or feel congested.
Elderberry syrup is my first pick to have in your cupboard to combat viruses and olive leaf extract is helpful at curbing bacterial infections. You may wish to add more immune bolstering nutrients into your diet like vitamin C (found in citrus fruits and peppers), zinc (found in shellfish, red meat, poultry, and dairy), and vitamin D (found in oily fish). All of these could also be added in supplement form.
How do I avoid getting sucked into huge New Year overhaul changes?
“What’s your new year’s resolution?” – we’ve all asked or been asked this question every year, and we’ve all probably broken one or two! The new year is a great opportunity to make a change, but surveys suggest that most new year’s resolutions are broken within a few weeks (and if you are anything like me it is usually by 3rd January!).
We are often in the mindset of giving something up in the new year, but I like to see the new year to weave in habits that can make our life easier or more fulfilled. For instance you may want to start buying your food from a more sustainable supplier and this could involve researching food box delivery options or finding local farm shops and zero waste shops. If you feel time-poor or disorganised, or you are worried about your bank balance, then you may want to invest in a better diary or financial management system. A cathartic exercise can be dedicating a few hours to decluttering your house or streamlining your wardrobe. You may want to be more involved in community projects or charity work or having the time to see more of your neighbours, friends and family.
Many of us find ourselves taking on too many commitments. Embracing the power of saying ‘no’ to activities and projects that get in the way with our personal and professional goals can create a positive footing as we step into the new year.
To make a lifestyle change without piling the pressure on, start slowly. Taking one small step towards your overall goal is much more sustainable than making a huge change overnight. You may wish to plan to achieve a big goal at the end of the year and think about what small steps you will take towards it, spread out over the next 12 months.
For example, if you’re determined to establish a habit of exercising five days a week by the end of the year, you could set a goal for January to revisit any fitness apps you’ve subscribed to and do as much exercise as you can at home. If, by February you find the weather and darkness to be a challenge, consider joining some gym classes. By March, you might feel ready to start training for a summer event and so on. As you progress, you’ll realise the sense of empowerment in reaching a goal that many would give up on within a few weeks.
Remember that you can make a new start at any time of the year that works for you, and you don’t necessarily have to change anything or everything when the clock strikes midnight on January 1st. And if you’d prefer to rest and recover and hunker down after a busy festive period, you’d be completely right to do so!
Round Up
Christmas can be stressful and exhausting, but I hope you find it easier to manage with my helpful festive survival guide. I’ve suggested lots of food and supplement recommendations specifically to keep you happy, healthy and well over Christmas and the new year. Remember to be kind to yourself by taking breaks to breathe and keep calm where possible, and find opportunities to nap or rest to stay well.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year from all of us at NatureDoc!
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