Yes, I used the c-word, Christmas! Just this week I was booking in a client at the usual month interval and I couldn't believe that it landed on Christmas day! It really is the lead up to Christmas now and the festive holiday season can really cause a lot of overwhelm in many, especially those of us who have to juggle work, school, kids, family, health and prepping for all the extra seasonal stuff.
I am writing about overwhelm on this blog, as a recent poll on my Instagram account showed that the vast majority of you are already feeling overwhelmed this season. So, here are a few things we can start doing to make this end of year period go as stress-less as we can.
Diarise some time for you - the calendar gets pretty full up this time of year, so allot some time for you. Whether that is = bath time, yoga, a walk in the woods, a massage, meeting a friend for a drink. Whatever it is for you that refuels you, book it in weekly!
Say no to stimulants - it is easy to grab a coffee or something dipped in sugar when we need to keep going or are tired. But really it depletes us more. Opt for green tea, limit coffee and tea to two per day max and don't have any after midday.
Just say no - if you feel that you are taking on too much, just say so. It is OK to say 'no' to some invites or commitments. Deciding what to prioritise at this time of year is key for your mental wellbeing.
Plan well - try not to leave things last minute, plan to shop/prep over the next few weeks. Bitesize is always better than one last minute rush. Veg, potato dishes and biscuits can be prepared and put in the freezer well before Christmas Day.
Go to bed earlier - yes it is easy to stay up and watch just one more episode of Rivals or Love is Blind until 11pm (or worse!). But we need more sleep this time of year. It gets darker earlier so we should be going off to sleep ideally around 10pm for most of us.
Get off the screens - or at least limit it. Turn off those devices 1 hour before bed. You can make alerts on your phone to warn you that you've reached your daily screen time limit. If you struggle with this, get blue light blocking glasses. Blue-light from screen use and LED bulbs does affect our day/night sleep cycle, some people are more sensitive to this than others. There is currently a sale at: www.blockbluelight.co.uk/
Ask for help - ask for help from friends, family and partners. No one can do it all, so delegate some jobs, even to older children - it is amazing what they are capable of.
Eat seasonally - eating what is growing now. Root veg, apples, pears and brassicas. Hot-pots. and stews really come in to their own at this time of year. Avoid raw, cold salads and smoothies. Your immune system and digestive system will thank you.
Consider Flower Essences - for overwhelm and general stress I really like Australian Bush Flower Essences 'Calm + Clear'. If you struggle with overthinking, Bach Flower Essence 'Rescue Night' can be another great option. I do offer 1:1 flower essence sessions for those who think they need a individualised remedy.
Consider some key supplements - looking at having adequate levels of magnesium and B vitamins is crucial right now, to support the stress levels. Vitamin C, D3 & zinc are essentials for supporting immunity. It is recommended that we all take vitamin D in the winter. For children it varies between 400iu-800iu daily, depending on age (NHS has good advice). Adults require 800iu daily of Vitamin D3 throughout the winter, but for some, closer 1000-3000iu daily can be needed. We are all unique so it is always best to have your levels tested: levels below 75nmol/L is suboptimal. Below 30nmol/L is deficient and needs quick attention. Levels above 125nmol/L is too high. Supplements can make all the difference throughout the winter. I like the brands such as Bionutri, Cytoplan and Nutri Advanced.
I hope these have been useful. We want to be able to enjoy this magical time of year. Let me know how you get on!
In other news...
Just to add to the overwhelm, some of you may have seen the news showing that there are worryingly high levels of (heavy metals) cadmium and lead in chocolate/cocoa. In a nutshell, we do not need to panic! There are heavy metals all around us and many big culprits are in cosmetics and household items such as lead pipes and paint (if made pre-1980). Making sure we have good levels of vitamins and minerals to support our natural detoxification processes is key (especially zinc, copper, magnesium and selenium). There is a good in-depth article written by Cocoa Runner here.
Here are some low heavy metal chocolate brands: Chococo, Divine, Creative Nature, Montezuma (my personal fav), Ombar (also another fav), & Raw Chocolate Co.
See my delicious cake recipe below! Happy holidays.
Banana, Apple & Choc Orange cake:
Ingredients:
2 med/large ripe bananas
120g coconut sugar
1/3 cup of apple pureé (or add another banana)
1/3 cup of yogurt (of any kind)
3 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
4 tbsp milk (any kind)
230g white spelt (or GF plain flour)
1 tsp bicarb of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
80-100g of dark chocolate with orange, chopped
(you can use any dark 70% choc, but I like the orange addition)
-Put fan oven to 165C (hotter if not fan)
-Mix all the wet ingredients (inc sugar), making sure banana is smashed
-Combine all the dry ingredients together, then add to the wet
-Mix well and add chocolate
-Put into a loaf tin, I usually line it with loaf-liners
-Cook for 40-45 mins
-Serve when cooled slightly, I like it with a dollop of yogurt
Rosie, ND x
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