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For many people, the New Year holidays are accompanied by unbridled fun and feasts. Holidays are associated with overeating, excess alcohol, lack of sleep, and, as a rule, it is all together.
What are the dangers of long New Year holidays
Weight gain. The most harmless thing that a protracted rest can end with is weight gain. Studies show that on average a person gains a little more than 2-3 kg from mid-December (when corporate parties begin) to mid-January. One study of 26 healthy adults found that the average weight for a 15-day vacation after the New Year increased by almost 4 kg. Another study found that 38 participants gained 500% more weight in a week during rest days compared to regular days.
The researchers conclude that holiday feasts are becoming the main factor in the annual increase in body weight. Another study of 195 adults found that weight gain over a two-week vacation period accounted for about half of their total annual weight gain.
Often we gain weight during the holidays because there are extremely harmful foods on the tables at this time: spicy, fatty, salty or sweet. Few places on the New Year’s table will have coleslaw and an abundance of fish. Add high-calorie alcohol to this as well.
In addition, in December we frantically run to the shops, do holiday chores and there is almost no time left for sports. Even for highly motivated people who hit the gym frequently and watch their calories, the New Year often proves to be an overwhelming test of will.
Stress. In second place after weight gain is stress. We urgently hand over annual reports, unsuccessfully try to find the right gifts, meet unloved relatives, do not get enough sleep, and here they are – anxiety and excitement in full glory.
And if we add here the restrictions associated with the coronavirus that disrupted plans, fears for our health, we get stress.
Stress is known to be a risk factor for high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. But its connection with weight gain is less obvious, but it is! Research shows that under stress, some people gain weight while others lose weight. However, in general it has been shown that stress – both real and imagined, such as worrying that your holiday table will not be perfect – is more likely to lead to weight gain.
Holiday stress can also affect the immune system. One meta-analysis of over 300 studies spanning 30 years found that chronic stress can lead to illnesses, including colds.
How to stay healthy during the holidays
The good news is that eating nutritious foods, timing your workouts, and getting quality sleep—habits that are beneficial throughout the year—over the holidays, can help you maintain a healthy weight, manage stress, and keep your immune system working. .
Our tips will help you stay healthy and fit.
Delegate Responsibilities
If you are torn between work, gift shopping, a festive dinner, and numerous household chores, you will earn stress. So stop!
And share the responsibilities. Have a family member buy gifts. The other is products. One cooks, the other sets the table and packs presents. If you are going to have guests, let them come early and also take part in the preparations for the New Year.
Do not deny yourself anything, but only one day
Nobody gains weight if you eat a hearty dinner on New Year’s Eve or at the Christmas table. But if you don’t deny yourself anything for all 10 days of vacation, continue walking with junk food and drinks with the motivation “eat it up, otherwise it will be lost,” weight gain is guaranteed to you. It is easier to throw away the half-eaten Olivier than to lose the “stuck” kilograms.
Allow yourself holiday feasts only on certain days. For example, December 31st and January 7th. Well, you can still on the old New Year. And on the rest of the days, stick to your everyday diet. You will prevent problems with the waist, do not overload the liver, intestines and do not undermine your health.
Take care of your immunity
New Year’s Eve stress, junk food, contacts with friends and relatives who may be carriers of infections, changeable weather – all these factors lead to a decrease in immunity.
Therefore, try to reduce the number of contacts, especially with sick people, wear a mask, observe the daily routine, get enough sleep, be outdoors more and dress according to the weather.
Drink less
We all understand that it’s hard to resist! But think about the consequences. We will not mention the hangover, everything is clear here, but alcohol is dangerous not only for this.
A tipsy person ceases to control food intake – begins to eat without measure and everything. And if there are also sweet drinks or cocktails on the table, it’s really bad.
Studies show that drinking too much alcohol can negatively affect the immune system. So is the excess sugar, which makes these sugary alcoholic smoothies a double whammy for health.
Instead of another drink, try drinking mineral water or lime soda. After an excessive libation, you will sober up quickly, and it will take a very long time to treat the stomach, liver, heart and lose weight.
Move more
On holidays, there is a great temptation to relax, lie on the couch in front of the TV. It’s not really a vacation. The more you are at home, the more you eat and drink. It is fuel for your stress and fatigue.
Don’t be lazy, give yourself a proper rest. Get exercise. Schedule active outdoor activities – skiing, skiing, ice skating. Physical activity helps boost endorphins as well as feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin. This is the perfect holiday stress reliever!
Get enough sleep
Sleep deprivation is known to cause stress. And stress prevents you from falling asleep in the evening, leads to insomnia. Vicious circle. On weekdays, it is not always possible to get enough sleep and establish a routine, but long holidays are the time for this.
Create a sleep ritual: turn off electronics an hour or two before bedtime, take a walk, get some air, distract yourself from disturbing thoughts, take a hot bath. If you repeat this pattern throughout the holidays, you will develop the correct regimen.
Take vitamins
Even if you try to lead a healthy lifestyle, long vacations still knock you out of your usual rhythm of life.
To better adapt to new conditions, take a quality multivitamin (for men, women and children) and fish oil. But remember that supplements are designed specifically to complement a healthy diet and maintain the body in new conditions. In other words, it doesn’t give you permission to overeat every day.
Popular questions and answers
Before the New Year, most people have the same typical questions. We asked experts to answer them.
How not to spoil the stomach: advice from a gastroenterologist
However, not only alcohol can harm health. Improper nutrition is also fraught with consequences. Therefore, on New Year’s holidays, try to adhere to the following rules:
Don’t overeat. As a rule, in the New Year, our table is bursting with an abundance of food and you want to try everything: salads, cold cuts, smoked meats, marinades, first, second, dessert, fruits, etc. The main thing is not to try to eat everything at once – this is a big burden for the digestive organs. It is better these days to adhere to the principle of a full three meals a day without snacks or frequent fractional, but evenly divided throughout the day. This will keep you from overeating.
Do not abuse junk food. Particular attention should be paid to the choice of products for those people who suffer from diseases of the digestive tract. Often, it is after the New Year holidays that chronic diseases worsen: gastritis, peptic ulcer, cholecystitis, pancreatitis and colitis. This is facilitated by the use of fatty, spicy, sour dishes, smoked meats, marinades. If you feel heaviness after eating, then you need to use enzyme preparations, thereby unloading the digestive system.
Drink mineral water. For normal functioning of the digestive tract, you can drink mineral water. These can be table waters of weak carbonation or non-carbonated waters. Do not get carried away with packaged juices and sweet carbonated drinks.
How to drink for the New Year: advice from a narcologist
But even if you do not have an addiction, you should adhere to the following rules:
Choose only one alcoholic drink. Do not interfere with others – it is important that the drink brings not only “alcoholic” joy, but also tastes good to you.
Observe degrees. If you decide to mix drinks (categorically I do not recommend!), then at least follow the principle of degrees: from a lower degree to a higher one, but not vice versa!
Have a good snack. It is highly desirable that before the first portion of alcohol you have some, albeit small, but a meal.
Take big breaks. “Between the first and second – a small break.” Forget it! On the contrary, between the first and second dose of alcohol you need to pass as much time as possible. So that the liver receives a signal to produce alcohol-detoxifying enzymes, and begins to work at full strength.
Eat fat in moderation. Yes, fatty foods delay the absorption of alcohol, but also burden the gastrointestinal tract, creating a burden on the pancreas. Therefore, it should be fatty, but in moderation, quite a bit.
Eat more fiber. Vegetables and fruits. These products help to dispose of alcohol. And fruits, in addition to dietary fiber, also contain fast carbohydrates, which help to carry out internal detoxification.
Move more. I really hope that alcohol is not the focus of your holiday. Alcohol is an accompaniment, perhaps a taste, but by no means the only meaning of the holiday, remember this. Chat, dance, walk!
How not to get injured (from fireworks, garlands, champagne corks): advice from a traumatologist
Check the quality of pyrotechnics. To avoid trouble in the form of injuries and burns, it is logical that you buy only certified products, check the expiration dates and do not chase the cheapness of the goods.
Read the instructions. Before use, in advance, carefully read the instructions for using pyrotechnic products. Because, like the traffic rules, the rules for launching firecrackers and other pyrotechnics, as they say, are “written in blood.” I can confirm this with my experience working in an ambulance and in traumatology: fingers torn off by pyrotechnics on New Year’s Eve is a frequent challenge. I would not want our readers to join these ranks.
Observe safety precautions. Do not launch products indoors, take children to a safe distance, launch fireworks away from buildings and combustible structures. This is a guarantee of the safety of yourself and those around you.
Dress appropriately. Many go out on New Year’s Eve, festivities are a long tradition. Therefore, I would recommend preparing warm clothes and non-slip shoes, hats, gloves and scarves in advance. Dear ladies, leave the elegant hairpins for home party!
During the feast, it is also worth remembering that tight shoes, tight outfits, belts that tighten the waist hinder movement. And against the background of alcohol intake and fluid retention due to it, additional discomfort arises. During dances and competitions, these uncomfortable clothes, combined with those taken on the chest, can lead to awkward movements, impaired coordination and falls. And these are bruises, bruises or even more serious injuries.
Do not drink before the walk. First, sparkling will hit you in the head, and then you will kiss it on ice – for a drunk person, the chances of getting injured increase significantly. And alcohol dulls sensations, a person does not understand that he is cold and can get cold, or even get frostbite of his fingers, toes, tip of his nose, earlobes. This is an extremely painful and unpleasant condition that will require treatment.
Skip the extreme. Dancing on tables looks beautiful only in the movies. In real life, they most often end in the trauma department with the reduction of dislocations or the imposition of plaster, or even more serious operations.
Open champagne away from the table. It is customary to open champagne to the chimes. In order not to injure yourself and not injure guests, you do not need to dangle a bottle and aim at a neighbor’s eye or a chandelier. It is better to move 1-2 meters away from the table, pointing the neck of the bottle away from people and open it without haste.