By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Wellness

I’m one of those people who expects the holidays to be perfect—think Norman Rockwell or Martha Stewart. And, of course, it never is. But one thing that I can always count on is stress. Between the shopping, wrapping, cooking, baking, decorating and holiday parties, the season can leave me positively frazzled!

Even though it’s just once a year, holiday stress can have some very damaging effects to my health. You too. When you’re under stress, your body releases the hormone cortisol as part of the fight-or-flight response. Too much stress leads to an overabundance of cortisol, which science has linked with weight gain—particularly fat storage around the midsection (the unhealthiest place to store fat). Burning the candle at both ends can also tax your immune system, leaving you much more vulnerable to getting sick. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Over the years, I’ve learned some tricks to keep things under control. Here are some of my favorite tips for keeping Christmas from becoming crazy:

1. Plan a healthy outing with your family. Take a long walk, try a group yoga class or volunteer at a local charity.

2. Take five minutes to just breathe. Inhale deeply and fill your belly with air. Extending the exhalation will engage your parasympathetic nervous system, which triggers a relaxation response.

3. Dance! Not only is dancing great exercise (have you ever noticed the sleek physiques of those folks on Dancing With The Stars?), it’s also just plain fun. Take half an hour, turn on the music and just let yourself go. Family dance can be great fun too. Let each family member take turns leading the movement.

4. Sip some green tea. A recent study of nearly 3,000 stressed-out people found that those who drank five cups of green tea each day slashed their mental distress by 20 percent. Earlier studies suggest that green tea can also reduce the physical impact of stress. At the very least, taking a tea break every now and again can give you some much needed space during the holidays.

5.  If stress is keeping you up at night, try some kava. This Polynesian herb can help slow your mind and reduce the seasonal anxieties that keep you awake. Kava root relaxes your muscles, gives you a feeling of well-being, creates peaceful feelings, increases concentration, lowers inhibitions, and may even act like an organic type of aphrodisiac. A clinical trial of 60 Australians by the University of Queensland reported that those who took 250 mg. of kava daily experienced a significant drop in both anxiety and depression. And it did so with no ill effects.

The great thing about holiday stress is that it’s predictable. Unlike many other types of negative stress we encounter in life, we know when holiday stress will begin and end—and we can make plans to reduce the negative impact it has on us. Start with these tips and remember to enjoy the season to the fullest!

References:

Hozawa A. Green tea consumption is associated with lower psychological distress in a general population: the Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009. Published online ahead of print, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28214.

Loew T. AFA breathing therapy to prevent burnout for teachers. Forsch Komplementmed. 2009;16:174-179.

Sarris J. The Kava Anxiety Depression Spectrum Study (KADSS): a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial using an aqueous extract of Piper methysticum. Psychopharmacology (Berlin). 2009;205:399-407.