Stay well during the festive season and beyond with Dr Leigh Erin Connealy’s science-backed tips
Everyone talks about stress and weight gain during the holiday season. We joke about being frazzled and overscheduled, and there’s endless chatter about overindulging and loosening the notches on our belts.
However, the holidays shouldn’t be a time to abandon healthy habits. In fact, neglecting our nutrition, sleep and exercise over the next few months can have lasting detrimental effects on our overall health and set the stage for cancer and other chronic diseases to take root. Let’s take a closer look.
I often emphasize the importance of maintaining a balanced inner terrain. The medical word for this equilibrium is homeostasis. The body’s systems need to maintain a certain balance to survive and function properly.
This includes levels of acidity vs. alkalinity, blood pressure, blood sugar, electrolytes like sodium and potassium, energy input and output, various hormone levels, oxygen vs. other gases, proteins, and temperature. The body responds to changes internally and in the environment by constantly adjusting all these variables so it can function optimally.
Why is keeping the body balanced so important? Acidic environments are breeding grounds for cancer and other diseases. High blood sugar and blood pressure can lead to chronic inflammation, a trigger for various diseases. And imbalances in any bodily system can negatively affect health.
More importantly, cancer cells thrive in a state of chaos. The best preventive measures we can take to stay healthy during the holidays—and year-round—are to focus on actionable steps that can help bring the body back into balance.
The first area to address is putting out the flames of inflammation. Inflammation is tricky because it plays both healing and harmful roles.
Acute inflammation is a regular and necessary part of the healing process after injury. However, ongoing, chronic inflammation causes systemic damage and creates turmoil in the body. Research has long suggested inflammation is one of the hallmarks of cancer.1
An area of particular interest is colorectal cancer. In a study published earlier this year, researchers noted that chronic inflammation plays a key role in the start and growth of tumors. They stated that systemic inflammation is closely linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer but is also behind a variety of other cancer types.2
Getting rid of chronic inflammation is a must if you want to ward off cancer and stay healthy. Here are some simple ways to reduce inflammation naturally.
Incorporate plenty of these nutritional staples:
But avoid processed foods full of toxic seed oils and saturated fats. Reduce your sugar intake by opting for alternatives like stevia, monkfruit or allulose. Avoid or severely limit alcohol, and steer clear of refined carbohydrates (white pasta, rice and bread).
For any nutrients you’re not getting enough of through your diet, to tamp down inflammation generally and to address any health issues you’re dealing with, you may need to supplement. Talk to your practitioner and/or see the below for some helpful anti-inflammatory foods and supplements.
Though it can be tempting to stay out late at festive celebrations or get up early to get more items checked off your holiday to-do list, sleep is one area you shouldn’t sacrifice if you want to stay healthy. Poor sleep increases your risk of nearly every chronic disease, from diabetes and heart disease to obesity and even cancer.
A recent study examined the sleep quality and cancer risk of over 10,000 people aged 50 and above participating in the English Longitudinal Study on Aging. It followed the participants, who were cancer-free at the start, for eight years.
Disturbingly, it found that even moderately impaired sleep quality was linked to a 33 percent higher risk of cancer, and severely impaired sleep quality led to a 59 percent higher risk.3 The takeaway here is an important one: This is one cancer risk we have the power to control.
Our bodies need proper sleep to repair and recharge, modulate hormone levels and support the immune system. Do your best to get seven to nine hours of restful slumber each night, throughout the holiday season and beyond.
Physical activity can help to stave off weight gain and disease. Carrying around extra weight increases the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases in several ways. Fat cells influence a variety of hormones, trigger excessive inflammation and prompt abnormal cellular responses throughout the body. Studies have found that being overweight or obese raises your risk of more than 10 types of cancer.4
There are several ways to stay active and maintain a healthy weight during the holidays:
Walk after meals. Research shows that taking a walk after meals—even as brief as five to ten minutes—offers numerous health benefits (see below).5
Plan time with a partner. Schedule your exercise sessions like essential appointments on a paper calendar or in your phone. Having a partner will keep you accountable and motivated, and taking the time to incorporate your exercise sessions into your daily routine makes you more likely to stick with them.
Think outside the box. Instead of going for a walk or attending a class at the gym, put on some music and dance for a few minutes, do a few chores, or get groovy while gardening. It’s easy to let exercise fall by the wayside if you’re bored. Switching things up can keep exercise exciting and keep you motivated to move.
Get a fitness tracker. These are an excellent way to challenge yourself, not just during the holiday season, but throughout the year. Set a goal to walk 10,000 steps each day. Make your goal public and ask friends and family members to join you.
You could incentivize the challenge by having each member of the group contribute a nominal amount of money. The “winner” gets the pool at the end. Have fun with it, and set rules and guidelines that work for your group.
Stress activates inflammatory pathways in the body, so it’s important to keep your stress levels under control. Here’s a handful of practical ideas for destressing during the festive season.
Embrace JOMO. You’ve probably heard of FOMO, fear of missing out. If you’re stressed and overloaded this season, shift your focus to JOMO, the joy of missing out.
Sometimes it just feels good to say no to the seemingly endless parties, functions and non-essential tasks. Focus on the gatherings and social activities you want to attend or are required to participate in, and politely decline other invitations.
Don’t skimp on self-care. Yes, this time of year is about giving and being selfless, but you can’t pour from an empty cup. Take time for yourself each day, whether it’s doing a crossword puzzle, reading a few chapters of a good book, spending 20 minutes out in the fresh air or taking a detoxifying nightly hot bath. Just do something that feels good to you. Here are a few more de-stressing activities you can practice regularly:
Share the load. Don’t be afraid to ask friends, family members or co-workers to help shoulder some of the load. Whether it’s shopping for gifts, prepping for a party or collaborating on a project, it takes a village. And people are often honored to be asked to step in and help a friend or family member in need.
As we bid farewell to 2025 and welcome a new year, my hope for you and yours is vibrant health, lasting prosperity and wonderful wishes for the year ahead. Enjoy the holiday season surrounded by those who make this miracle of life worth living. And remember, good health is within your reach.
Walking after you eat kick-starts many positive effects in the body:
Several vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties. You can add many of them to your diet or begin taking them during the holiday season to help combat the effects of any indulgence and get a healthy start to the new year.
Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its bright yellow color. Have it with black pepper to improve absorption of curcumin, its most well-known anti-inflammatory compound.
Suggested dosage: 500–1,500 mg daily
Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory that’s easy to add to food and drinks in either fresh or ground forms.
Suggested dosage: 250–1,000 mg daily
Garlic tames immune system overreactions and is a great ingredient in dishes such as sauteed vegetables, soups and sauces. If you don’t like the taste, try it in capsule form.
Suggested dosage: 500–1,000 mg daily
Green tea has much less caffeine than black but is packed with polyphenols that fight inflammation.
Suggested dosage: 250–750 mg daily as green tea extract
Ashwagandha is perhaps the most well-known supplement in Ayurvedic medicine and helps the body maintain homeostasis.
Suggested dosage: 300–600 mg daily
Boswellia serrata is also called Indian frankincense, and its anti-inflammatory properties make it a common remedy for arthritis, wounds and ulcerative colitis.
Suggested dosage: 250–750 mg daily
Vitamin C is one of the body’s top antioxidants, fighting everything from the common cold to arterial damage. Top food sources are broccoli, peppers and citrus fruits.
Suggested dosage: 500–2,000 mg daily
Vitamin E is another antioxidant that supports the immune system and keeps the eyes, blood, brain and skin healthy. Nuts and seeds, avocados and leafy greens are good sources.
Suggested dosage: Consult your doctor; dosages depend on your needs, and interactions are possible
Zinc has antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and is plentiful in meat, seafood and dairy.
Suggested dosage: 15–50 mg daily
Magnesium is a crucial mineral, including for fighting inflammation, and many people are deficient. Nuts and seeds, legumes, and leafy greens provide some magnesium but often not enough.
Suggested dosage: 400–1,000 mg daily
Omega-3 fatty acids are easy to get from fatty fish such as sardines and mackerel. Algae-based supplements are an option for those who don’t like fish oil.
Suggested dosage: 1–2 g EPA and DHA daily
Resveratrol is an anti-inflammatory compound in nuts, cocoa, berries and grapes (and thus in red wine).
Suggested dosage: 100–200 mg daily
Quercetin is a flavonoid, a type of anti-inflammatory pigment, in a variety of fruits and vegetables, including onions, apples, tea and berries.
Suggested dosage: 300–1,000 mg daily
Bromelain is an enzyme whose top source is pineapple. In addition to fighting inflammation, it helps to digest protein and slows blood clotting.
Suggested dosage: 500–1,000 mg daily
Work closely with an integrative practitioner well-versed in using supplements for healing to determine the correct doses and best options tailored to your needs.
Celebrations abound during this time of year, so if you want to keep healthy eating on track, going into these gatherings with a plan is vital. Liliana Partida, clinical nutritionist at the Center for New Medicine and the Cancer Center for Healing, has several tips for healthy ways to navigate these soirees.
Make a good start. Pour yourself a drink when you first arrive. Water, sparkling water, coffee and tea are all excellent options. If appetizers are being served, look for the healthiest option, such as the crudité with hummus or low-sugar fruits, and pile those on your plate.
Distance yourself from the food. Don’t stand right next to the food table or hang out in the kitchen where temptation lurks. Instead, move around the room and focus on socializing instead of mindless snacking.
Fill up on the good stuff. When it’s time for the main course, fill your plate with protein, veggies and leafy greens. For indulgent dishes, take only a small spoonful so you can still enjoy the flavors without overdoing it. The same goes for desserts; instead of a whole slice of pecan pie, take a bite or two to satisfy your sweet tooth, and then step away from the dessert table.
Choose drinks wisely. Ensure your beverage choices aren’t sabotaging your waistline or blood sugar levels. If you’re drinking alcohol, limit yourself to one drink (red wine is the healthiest option) and stick to sparkling water with a citrus garnish for the rest of the party.
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