Lots of seniors make New Year's resolutions to diet and exercise extra simply because they have overeaten and ignored exercise during the holidays. But should you maintain a healthy way of life during the holiday season, you may not need to make resolutions that are challenging to maintain.
1. Exercise each day.
Get out of the house for a walk to view the Christmas lights and decorations inside the evening. Be sure to dress for the weather and take along a flashlight to illuminate your path. Be very careful in areas which are prone to freezing to stay away from falls.
2. Combine shopping and walking.
If the weather prevents you from walking outdoors, combine a holiday shopping trip together with your exercise. Indoor malls are good places to walk, and numerous have walking clubs. Check with the mall management to see what they provide. Get there early just before the crowds get too heavy. If you are planning on shopping in a particular store, park near an entrance on the opposite end of the mall -- even if time is short, you'll still get some exercise.
3. Keep in mind to take your medications.
Holidays generally disrupt routines and may well trigger you to forget your life-saving medications. As you note social appointments, add a reminder to take your medications or order re-fills. If you're traveling, be sure to take sufficient medications with you in case of delays and have a copy of your prescriptions in case of loss. Be sure to bring a phone number for your doctor along together with your health insurance cards, in case of emergency. Carry your medications inside your carry-on luggage if you're flying.
4. Eat your vegetables and salad 1st.
If you are at a party with a great deal of tempting food, try to start with healthy vegetables and salads. These will fill you up and reduce the temptation to over-indulge on high-fat, high-calorie foods. Just a taste of your holiday favorites should satisfy your taste buds.
5. Be aware of drug interactions.
Some foods react with medications, decreasing or growing the effect, with occasionally dangerous results. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and find out if you will discover any foods it is best to prevent although taking them. "Often utilized holiday spices like cloves, thyme and sage can interfere by as a lot as 50 percent with the body's natural capacity to utilize typical drugs," says Dr. Amy Anderson, internal medicine physician on the medical staff at Baylor University Medical Center.
6. Know your food ingredients.
In case you have food allergies, do not be afraid to ask about ingredients in dishes made by others. Be specially careful of home-baked goods should you have an allergy to tree nuts or peanuts. Those ingredients may possibly not be obvious at very first sight but can be deadly if you're affected by these forms of allergies.
7. Practice allergy-free decorating.
In the event you suffer from allergic rhinitis, the culprit may perhaps be your holiday decorations. Decorations stored away all year can construct up a coating of dust which will trigger allergies. Frequent dusting whilst they are up might help. You might also want to rethink Christmas tradition and substitute an artificial tree, as numerous men and women are allergic to real trees. The newer trees are really lifelike and safer (they don't dry out and turn into fire hazards).
8. Get a flu shot.
The holiday season typically means you'll be in close contact with several distinctive individuals, putting you at higher risk of of contracting colds and flu. Getting a yearly flu shot is your best defense for avoiding the flu. If you are sick with a cold or flu, pass on these holiday invitations until you're well. You do not need to make other people ill. Be certain to talk to your physician about any special concerns concerning the flu shot.