As 2021 comes to a close, I wanted to take a few minutes to wish you a safe and happy holiday!
I hope the holidays bring you special time with those you love. And my wish for you in the new year is peace, joy, freedom and health.
I look forward walking with you on your wellness journey this next year!
Dr. Jamie
P.S. Check out our guest post 3 Simple Tips for a Healthy Holiday.
It's crazy out there, but it doesn't need to be in here!
With all the hustle and bustle of the season, it is easy to get lost in the chaos. Holiday shopping, baking, and buying are all in full swing. Marketers are vying for your attention and dollars. And your to-do-list is probably a mile long!
At this point it's important to remind yourself of what really matters this season. Your family probably won't remember most of the gifts you give them, but they will remember the atmosphere in the home leading up to Christmas. They won't remember the perfect dinner, baked goods, and presents if you are stressed-out and crabby.
So, take time now to look at our biggest tips for handling stress and make a plan for yourself this holiday season!
Grounding is simply bringing your awareness back to the present moment by using awareness of your body and surroundings. This is extremely helpful in dealing with stress since most of our worry is about things in the past or things yet to come.
Simply closing your eyes and paying attention to your breath brings you back to the moment. Intentionally looking at things in your surroundings or noticing sensory input can be an effective tool as well. The key is the intention and awareness behind the action.
For more directed grounding exercise check out the following.
Christmas can be a magical holiday!
If you are struggling to figure out your dinner menu, or simply want some healthy alternatives try some of these recipes. They will make your holidays not only delicious, but nutritious as well!
You may find that you enjoy your meal more knowing you won’t have that heavy sluggish feeling after dinner. And hopefully you can have lots of leftovers that you won’t feel guilty eating in the following days.
Main Course
Paleo Christmas Ham • Paleo Diet Lifestyle
Paleo Whole30 Roasted Turkey - Real Food with Jessica
Sides
Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole {GF, DF} - The Paleo Running Momma
Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles (Paleo, Keto) - I Heart Umami®
Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Recipe - Evolving Table
Paleo Dinner Rolls Made with Tapioca or Arrowroot Starch & Coconut Flour (ourpaleolife.com)
Desserts
Paleo Sugar Cookies - Gluten-Free Baking (glutenfreebaking.com)
Vegan Christmas Crack (paleo, gluten free) - Pure and Simple Nourishment
I would love to hear your favorite healthy recipes that you’ll be making this year!
With Love,
Dr. Jamie
In the hustle and bustle of the season, could there be a way to skip the stores and still get a Christmas gift they will love? No, I’m not talking about online shopping! I’m talking about giving those you love an experience.
In our family, some of the most cherished gifts are things you can’t wrap under the tree. Since most of us don’t need more material goods, we enjoy giving experiences which make memories that last!
One of my favorite gifts from my parents was a family membership to the Naperville Children's Museum for our family. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving! We thought of them every time we went there all year.
When you give an experience as a gift, the key is finding something they will enjoy that fits in your budget. It could be something super simple like a date with you to a local coffee shop, or it could be a little more elaborate.
Let’s look at some ideas for experiences that our loved ones may enjoy!
We at DuPage Family Wellness would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving week!
Whether you will be spending time with loved ones or enjoying tasty food by yourself, try to draw the focus back to gratitude! It doesn't mean that you can't grieve the hard parts of this holiday, but it does mean you try to find some things to be grateful for.
Embracing gratitude is a lovely thing, and all the better to do it on this special day when we are encouraged to pause and reflect on all we have.
There are so many benefits to developing a gratitude practice that I wanted to share our gratitude blogs with you once more.
I think you'll be surprised at how much we have to be grateful for even in these crazy times!
Dr. Jamie
