SEEKING TO BEAT FESTIVE BLUES? Read this.

The Festive season is known to bring joy, warmth and togetherness. Ironically it also brings a lot of stress into our lives.

Late night parties, visiting relatives, indulgence in alcohol, unhealthy snacks and extravagant celebrations can sometimes take a serious toll on our health.

Just before the festive season begins, panic kicks in!

You're mind is over loaded with things like ; choosing what to wear, what to buy, what gifts to give and so on.

In the midst of all the fun and frolic, dinners and dances, we tend to neglect our personal happiness and mental health.

Maybe sometimes we just need a holiday from a holiday!

According to a recent survey : stress, anxiety, and depression are common during the festive season.

Unfortunately these days, family gatherings can be a little too profuse and overwhelming.

The entire year you invest a lot of time and efforts to eat healthy, exercise, meditate and sleep well. However,

the festive season arrives and the next thing you know you've eaten an entire box of sweets with a bottle of wine while staying awake until dawn. Sounds familiar?

The holidays can be a stressful season for your wallet, relationships, health, and energy levels. This

year, you have a choice! You can either allow the stress factors to affect you or you can remain the

best version of yourself all throughout November, December, and maybe even January. How? It starts with YOU and it starts with self-responsibility.

Eating unhealthy food, consuming alcohol, skipping workout sessions and staying up late can cause a hormonal imbalance leading to obesity, insomnia, depression and anxiety.

Don't get too worked up though!

I'm here to help you enjoy the festive season to it's fullest in a healthy and BALANCED manner.

Here's a few things you can do to sail through the festive season :

1. Plan & schedule.

Planning your day during the festive season can help reduce the anxiety and panic you usually face. You can try alloting a specific time to each and every activity in your day, that way you'll avoid being late. Another tip I'd like to share with you ; organise amd arrange everything in advance. Last moment preparations can potentially ruin the festive mood and leave you paranoid. For example, you may want to arrange your outfit and jewellery the night before an event.

Pro tip : Creating a time table and to-do list can take you a long way.

2. Stay hydrated.

All the indulgence in alcohol, unhealthy food, smoking and staying up late can leave your skin dehydrated and dull. Water is the answer!

It hydrates, cleanses and detoxifies our body.

Your body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to work properly. Water Helps Energize Muscles. It can help you achieve glowing skin as it washes away the toxins from the body.

The benefits of water are umpteen.

Pro tip : Always carry a small bottle of water along.

3. Add fruits & vegetables to your diet.

Researchers say that moderate intake of fruits and vegetables could lower the risk of stress, especially among women. Make it a habit to add plant based food to your meals.

Vegetables such as spinach contain folate, which produces dopamine, a pleasure-inducing brain chemical, helping you stay calm. In case you're craving for sweets, indulge in naturally sweet fruits such as a banana or papaya. This may help curb cravings.

Pro tip : Eat at least one healthy meal a day.

4. Slow down with commitments.

Learn to say 'NO'.

Don't pressurise yourself to be present at every party you've been invited to. It's completely okay to cancel on a few gatherings if you don't 'feel like it'.

5. Cure your hangover the right way!

Hangover is nothing but the unpleasant symptoms that occur after excessive alcohol intake. A party without drinks is rare these days.

And the hangover? It's inevitable. But here's a few tips to help you cure it.

Take 4 capsules of activated charcoal after you’re done drinking (or if you chose beer or wine, take 1 capsule with each drink)

Or

Consume Red ginseng. A study found that supplementing with red ginseng reduced blood alcohol levels, as well as hangover severity.

6. Create a Self Care Routine.

" Self care is how you take your power back. "

List down things and activities that make you feel alive and content.

Ask yourself what's makes you feel good?

Is it art? Music? A long walk?

Once you've figured it out,

try incorporating those activities into your daily life.

You can start your day with meditation or a simple prayer and end it with a warm bubble bath.

Do whatever it takes to make you feel better about yourself. When you start taking your happiness seriously, you send good vibes into the universe. You'll be radiating postive vibes, which in turn will attract and manifest all incredible things into your life!

Here's wishing you a very Happy Holiday Season.

May you enjoy them and cherish them.

Stay Balanced!