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Staying Healthy During the Holidays
Source: American Cancer Society, December 2002

Between cooking big holiday meals, planning parties, buying gifts, and visiting family, your busy schedule is becoming even busier. No doubt it’s getting harder to pay attention to your diet or fit in that regular exercise. But when the stress of the holidays hits, give yourself a boost by paying attention to your health.

Healthy habits can help offset stress and give you the energy to manage an overloaded schedule. Eating right and getting regular physical activity can help you sleep and ward off winter woes like colds and the flu. Even more importantly, maintaining your healthy lifestyle can lower your risk for cancer and heart disease.

Watch What You Eat
Platters of freshly baked cookies or your aunt’s famous chocolate cake set right before your eyes are almost impossible to resist. But maintaining a sensible diet during the festivities doesn’t mean you have to give up all the good stuff.

Here a few simple things to help you enjoy this time of year without going overboard:

• Watch your portion sizes. Eat some of your favorites, but in smaller amounts.
• Make a fruit dessert as an alternative to high-fat treats.
• Keep granola bars and sliced fruit readily available for between meals.

Get Moving
Although your days may have gotten busier, exercise can actually help you get through your “to do” list. Fitting in at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week can be easier than you think.

Try these simple steps to incorporate physical activity into your holiday preparations:

• When shopping, park your car farther away from the store’s entrance and walk.
• Vacuum the house - it’s exercise!
• If it snows in your area, shovel the driveway.
• Take a walk after dinner to see the holiday lights.

Long term, maintaining regular physical activity and eating a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of chronic disease ensuring you’ll be able to enjoy many more holidays to come.

Quit Smoking
If you recently quit smoking or are trying to quit, the holidays may present a difficult obstacle for you. The added stress may make you feel like you need just one cigarette to get you through. Be prepared for the challenge. Keep yourself busy with holiday tasks. Remind your family and friends of your decision to quit, so they can help you make it through the season without tobacco. (For tips on quitting with support, call 1-800-ACS-2345.)

What better gift can you give those you love than lowering your risk for many deadly diseases? For more information about healthy living and ways to cut your cancer risk, contact the American Cancer Society: 1-800-ACS-2345 or www.cancer.org.