A Naturopathic Doctor’s Top Tips for Having a Healthy Holiday Season
You know how it is… it’s that time of year when everyone seems to be coughing or sniffling! Kids are sharing everything, including germs, and missing school thanks to cold and flu season.
What *should* be the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a nightmare when your kiddo (& you) feels miserable week after week.
I know this season is stressful for parents – trying to make holiday plans and at the same time, trying to keep the whole family healthy.
So, I’ve put together my top tips for a healthy holiday season in the hopes that you can soak up all the sweetness this time of year brings!
Create a routine.
The first thing to go during this busy time of year is routine. Once kids are out of school for the holidays, that usually means more traveling, gatherings, and special activities!
And while this is all meant to be fun, the busyness of the season can put stress on already tired bodies, lowering the immune system and leaving kids more prone to illness.
To help keep your kiddo energized and feeling their best, try to keep some sort of routine amidst holiday plans. Kids thrive on routine. [1] Consistency will support their mental and emotional well-being and their overall health.
So, how can you actually keep a routine?
Sleep Schedules
Try sticking to your normal bedtime, nap time, and wake-up schedule, even while you’re on vacation.
Sleep is one of the most important contributors to immune health and recovery from illness. And as we know, the immune system is already vulnerable during this season!
Staying up long past bedtime and sleeping into the afternoon is a recipe for trouble! It likely won’t be perfect (which is okay!), but do your best to keep things regular.
Eating Schedules
Keep mealtimes the same as any other time of year.
A large benefit behind routine for kids comes from them knowing what to expect next in their day. This is a great way to keep things regular for them during this often disruptive time of year!
2. Balance blood sugar.
The holidays are the season of gingerbread cookies, hot chocolate, and candy canes. In other words, the season of sugar!
It’s okay to let your family indulge in a few more sweets than usual this time of year, but there is a responsible way to serve and eat treats.
We want to avoid sugar spikes that send your child’s energy through the roof before crashing down, which in turn lowers their immune system. [2] [3]
To support your child’s energy levels and avoid illness, serve nourishing meals that include a source of protein, healthy fat, and fiber before serving sweets.
This will help keep blood sugar stable and prevent those big energy swings that can come from too much sugar.
Some nourishing, ‘pre-sweet’ snack ideas:
Veggies & hummus
Fruit & nut butter
Toast with avocado & hemp hearts
Nuts
Olives
Hardboiled egg
Beef jerky
Smoothie with healthy fat & protein
If your child has a nutrient-dense snack prior to cookies, they’ll also be less likely to consume too many sweets in one sitting, helping them remain more stable and healthy overall.
This makes for happier kids and happier parents!
3. Serve nutrient-dense + immune-boosting foods.
With all the added indulgences of the season (sugar, traveling, gathering), it’s so important to focus on serving nutrient-dense, whole foods when you can.
Nature’s food can be our greatest medicine and a powerful measure of prevention.
Serving a variety will help your kiddo get the nutrients they need for optimal health, keeping the body strong and well-prepared to fight off germs.
Here’s a list of nutrient-dense + immune-boosting foods you can keep on hand and use to prepare healthy meals all season long:
Bone broth
Stewed meats
Pasture-raised animals
Garlic
Ginger
Onion
Berries & citrus fruits
Liver
Fish
Nuts and seeds
Colorful fruits and vegetables
Now, if you’re doing a lot of traveling over the holidays, I know this can make healthy eating more tricky.
My best advice is to pack fresh snacks you can take on the go, so you don’t find yourself needing to stop at a drive-through!
Easy on-the-go snack ideas include:
Baby carrots
Sugar snap peas
Celery
Hummus
Apples
Nut/seed butter
Hard-boiled eggs
Raw cheese
If you’d like to have a more comprehensive list of whole foods snacks I recommend for kids, check out this post here.
4. Wash hands and sanitize.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but during this busy time of year, it’s easy to forget. As you already know, kids like to touch everything… especially young kiddos.
So, during this season of travel and being exposed to more people (and germs), it’s increasingly important to remind your child to wash their hands.
If you’re getting on a plane, wipe down the tray table before setting snacks, drinks, tablets, or really, anything down.
I recommend carrying non-toxic wipes with you in your purse. Branch Basics is an excellent choice.
Additional Tips to Support the Immune System.
The bottom line is: It’s no coincidence that cold and flu season falls around the holidays. We’re indulging in foods and behaviors that weaken the immune system.
Now, this doesn’t mean your family has to cut out all the things we love about the holidays. But, if you want to have a healthy holiday season, you need to give the immune system some extra TLC.
In addition to what’s above, below are a few more of my top tips to give your immune system the support it needs.
And remember, it’s just as important to take care of your own health during this crazy time of year. Use these tips for yourself, too!
Immune-Supporting Tips:
Prioritize getting 8+ hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep directly supports immune function and is the body’s time to heal and repair. [4]
Set aside regular quiet time for your family to rest and re-set amidst all the busyness of the season.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Carry a water bottle with you while you travel to keep your kiddo hydrated and avoid germs on water fountains.
Eat fermented foods regularly – sauerkraut, cultured yogurt, kimchi, cheese, and pickles. If your kiddo won’t eat these foods, have them take a probiotic supplement to support the gut.
Consider immune-boosting supplements –
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin D3
Elderberry syrup
Zinc
Tasha Rose Victory elixir (code: DRM gives you 15% off)
You can stock up on all of my recommended immune-boosting supplements for 15% off when you shop my online store!
Want to Confidently Manage Coughs and Colds?
Sometimes, it feels like you’ve done *all the things* to try and keep your kiddo healthy, but they still get sick! Kids just do.
If you’d like to confidently manage coughs and colds this winter season (and the rest of the seasons to come!), you can access all of my protocols on our membership app, Healthy Families Collective.
The next time your child gets sick, you’ll know exactly what to do.
