DR. BRAADT’S WELLNESS COLUMN
Your Physical and Emotional Health MINIMIZING SEASONAL STRESS
The last quarter of the year has begun. While the hustle and bustle of this busy time can be enjoyable, it can also increase our stress levels and take a toll on our physical and emotional health . Georgette and I are taking a new approach to this upcoming busy season, beginning with creating a strategy and starting early! We’re listing what we love about this time of year and what we don’t. Our goal is to create a holiday season that honors our traditions without negatively affecting our health. I hope our thoughts help inspire you to create your own strategy to help minimize seasonal stress . Here’s what we enjoy: We love fall with the return to predictable routines and the cooler weather. We enjoy the fall colors; harvest decorations, like hay bales and mums; and the gathering of family, friends, and neighbors over Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. During the winter, we love the holiday lights, occasional snow, winter foods like soups and stews, the smell of a warm fireplace, and most of all, the connections made with people dear to us. We all know life has its ups and downs. The question is how can we navigate this busy time of year with less stress? Our strategy begins with starting early, getting organized, and minimizing our expectations! • Clean and store summer items: coolers, beach chairs, garden/lawn items, etc.
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Prep, as healthy as possible, treats for the trick-or-treaters.
everyone together in one place for the holidays. We used to play Secret Santa, picking a family member’s name out of a bag at Thanksgiving and agreeing upon a financial limit for the small gift. On Christmas Day, after church and our meal, we gathered around the tree and, youngest to oldest, each patiently sat in a designated chair and waited for our Secret Santa to reveal themselves and present their gift. It was so much fun, and it reinforced family, thankfulness, and the value of giving during a time when excess can so easily occur. Many of these gifts became homemade treasures. Pick up or order Christmas cards early and mail them out by Dec 1. This year, take the time to create a mailing list. For many years, I didn’t send cards, but it’s one of the things I really would like to do. And if I run out of time, a holiday call will do! Review what we eat and how to adjust during the holidays. As we’ve mentioned, our eating plan over the past two years has been healthy keto/ intermittent fasting (I/F) , so it’s pretty easy for us to not go overboard. Of course, we’ll make a few exceptions, homemade chocolate chip cookies included, but having a predictable eating plan makes exceptions easier.
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Review how to integrate our spiritual and family traditions into the holidays. Update our donations list and look for opportunities to help locally. Reach out to those around us who may experience loss or loneliness this time of year. Sometimes, an afternoon reminiscing about fond memories is just what they need. Create a call list; communication can make a difference! Create a Thanksgiving guest list with seating arrangements to minimize you-know-who’s sometimes stressful presence. Consider a few conversation starters to keep the atmosphere positive. Organize the menu and decide who can bring what to minimize the host’s responsibilities. Another tradition we have is going around the table and saying why we’re thankful. Predictably, the mothers choke up while sharing their thoughts, and the older kids share their insights while the younger kids giggle and wonder why the dessert is taking so long! Start the holiday gift list early and determine the budget. Georgette has a way of listening to family and friends throughout the year, jotting down their likes, and picking up small items along the way. She finds very thoughtful gifts like their favorite chocolate, missing serving spoons, or a frame for a special photo. Our family has grown over the years. Some members have moved out of town, and in-laws and grandchildren have been added, making it hard to get
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Please consider creating your own strategy to help minimize the potential stress on your physical and emotional health this upcoming season.
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Switch warm weather clothing out for cold weather clothing.
As always, I’m here to help!
–Dr. Paul Braadt
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Decorate the porch for fall and Christmas.
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