Photo Credit: Roberto Nickson
The holidays are here. Christmas is just around the corner and New Years Eve is not far behind. This means we’ll be spending lots of time with family and close friends, enjoying cozy movie nights, holiday cookie exchanges, and Christmas parties. It's also the heart of the cold and flu season.
I often get asked by my patients, “why am I always sick at the turn of the season?” While a lot of the items listed above are fantastic and often get us in the holiday spirit, some may weaken your immune system. Why? Because of all the sugar we consume.
Americans, on average, consume about 150 pounds of sugar per year. For some of you, that means you’re eating your body weight in sugar. 150 pounds is the average, which means some of you are eating MORE. Here are some downsides that come with sugar intake:
1. Joint aches and pains (on the bright side, you might not be that old)
2. Increased cold/flu susceptibility (instead of a holiday party you’re getting take out and having a party for one)
3. Headaches (as if shopping wasn’t bad enough)
4. Bad moods (as if the holidays aren’t stressful enough, we get all anxious and depressed)
5. Weight gain (hello holiday 15)
6. Poor sleep (also lowers your immune system)
7. Bad digestion (less happy chemicals produced in your gut; see number 4)
8. Increase in dental cavities (growing up your mama told you this, and it’s true)
9. And many more
Now I get it, you cannot fully and completely cut of all of your sugar intake for the holidays, and that’s fine. As I say to my patients, “it’s not what you do once a month that gets you, it’s what you do the other 29 days.” There is a lot of wisdom in this. A holiday treat on Christmas or New Years can absolutely bring delight and all the warm feels. So just pick and your choose your treat times carefully. By staying healthy, we’re able to enjoy the most important thing about the holidays: spending time with the people we love most.
As one of my mentors always says “You don’t need sugar, you’re already sweet enough.”
If you’ve been experiencing sickness (frequent) or want to stay healthy for the holidays and beyond, click the link below to schedule your appointment and find out what else you could be doing to stay healthy.
If you are interested in further addressing this topic, please feel free to reach out and schedule an appointment. Dr. V is a Chiropractor and Functional Medicine Doctor in Elmhurst, Illinois who evaluates patients from the inside out, focusing on areas including hormone imbalance, digestive health, anxiety/depression, autoimmune disease, and many others.