Reduce Holiday Stress: Tips for Your Body and Mind

Holiday Cheer From Natural Eye Care Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Heri za Kwanzaa to all! The holiday season means celebrating and feasting with family and friends. However, the holidays can also stress out your body and mind. Natural Eye Care offers these health tips for the holiday season.

Healthy Eating Habits

Moderate the amounts of food you eat at one time. Eat slowly and pay attention to the savory taste. Be sure to chew. Avoid overeating.
Enjoy your desserts, but do not overindulge. Instead, first fill up with veggies and salad. Vegetables are nutrient-dense, low in calories, and high in fiber. They fill you up, which helps prevent overeating. Try to fill half your plate with veggies and protein.

Watch your sugar intake. For most eye conditions, a higher risk of developing problems is associated with higher sugar intake and a poor diet. For example, in the case of cataracts, sugar limits the ability of the eye to keep the lens clear, resulting in accelerated breakdown of the lens structure and increased cloudy vision and sensitivity to glare, particularly at night.
If you are heading out for a holiday meal, have some healthy snacks first. Eating something small will help balance your blood sugar levels, so you will not arrive at the party overly hungry. Before leaving the house, eat a few bites of fruit, nuts, and cheese, and drink a glass of water. Take a short walk around your home or office for 5 minutes.
Review our vision diet at Natural Eye Care Vision Diet.
Avoid sharing utensils or sipping on the same glass at holiday gatherings. Share the good times, not the germs.
Increase your intake of Vitamin C and Vitamin D3 to help boost your immune system. We recently published an article about a wide range of herbs and vitamins that help boost your immune system and reduce the effects of exposure to bacteria and viruses.
Get inspiration from our healthy recipes

Exercise and Stress Reduction

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise. Interestingly, research in 2013 pointed out that physical unfitness is an even greater risk to health than obesity. In other words, people who are overweight but physically fit have better overall health than those who are thin but sedentary. Take walks in neighborhoods, shopping areas, and parks decked out with holiday-themed decorations.
Reduce Stress. If holiday stress causes you to derail your healthy plans, consider ways to reduce stress and manage emotions. These include talking to a trusted friend, meditation, physical activity, or just getting outside.
Get plenty of sleep.

Healthy Vision Tips

The tips for eating well also apply to keeping your eyes healthy. The eyes are made of nutrients, so you need a nutrient-rich diet! Also, make a New Year’s resolution to do eye exercises daily.

Eye problems are becoming more common among younger individuals, often due to prolonged exposure to computers and smartphones. However, the risk of developing eye issues increases significantly as people reach their senior years. Tell younger people how to protect their eyes when using electronic devices. One terrible habit is looking at phones in the dark, such as before sleep. The pupil is tricked into opening widely, letting in blue light. This causes eye strain, interferes with sleep, and can contribute to eye disease in the future.

Chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammatory conditions, and cardiovascular disease increase the risk of age-related eye diseases. As we get older, poor eyesight can lead to depression and anxiety. For example, fear of falling leads to changes in gait, loss of balance, and restricted mobility. Seniors need to stay active to maintain health and quality of life. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may prevent or ameliorate many chronic health conditions.

Are you having trouble driving at night? Get a dilated eye exam if you can’t attend evening celebrations because of the drive. The eye doctor may be able to help. If you are diagnosed with an eye disease, look it up on our website for tips and nutrition ideas. Keep your glasses, windshield, and headlights clean. If you can’t drive safely, take a taxi or ride share, or ask someone to drive you.

If you smoke, resolve to quit smoking in the new year. Smoking substantially increases the risk of eye disease. For example, the risk of developing cataracts is doubled if you smoke. For men smoking more than a pack a day, the risk is 205% higher, and for women, the risk is 63% higher. For macular degeneration (AMD), the risk is 2.5 to 3.5 times greater if you smoke. If you are over 80 and smoke, the risk jumps to 5.5 times as likely to develop AMD.

Enjoy your holidays, and feel free to contact us at info@naturaleyecare.com or by phone at 845-475-4158 with any questions. We are here to help support you.