Embracing the Excess: Rediscovering the Health and Wellness Benefits of the Festive Season

If like me, the onset of the festive period fills you with equal measures of excitement & dread about the excesses on offer, then maybe it’s time to re-look at the health and wellness possibilities that this period offers! You see excess can actually be good.

I know, normally the message is, watch what you eat, don’t drink too much, blah blah blah! Truth is, all this talk leads to increased stress and anxiety, which then increases your cortisol levels, which reduce your energy levels leading to increased calorie intake.

So let’s focus on the positive health benefits! Starting with Christmas food! It’s both tasty and nutritious! How? For starters we tend to scratch cook more during the festive period. Christmas meals are also full of whole foods, such as turkey, veg and nuts. Most importantly we slow down our eating while enjoying meals with friends and family.

The break in our usual routines is also very good for our body and mind. It opens up time for us to reconnect with ourselves. Go for that walk, listen to a podcast, spend some time in the gym, have that mid-afternoon nap. Embrace the time and space you get at this time of year! 

But what about the parties, maybe the alcohol intake and all that chocolate? Yes, it’s all there and in abundance. The great thing is your body is an incredible machine! It knows how to manage excess and regulate it once you return to your normal routines. Just like breathing it does it all subconsciously. Trust it to do the work.

So, there you have it! Embrace the excitement and the excesses of the festive period it’s good for you!