During the holiday season, we all like to indulge a little more, whether in Christmas cookies, alcohol or late-night parties. For many, this yuletide cheer can cause waistlines to grow and illness to become more prevalent.

“It’s hard to resist holiday gatherings with their delicacies and hors d’oeuvres,” said Lydia Smith of Thai Yoga with Lydia, located in Dunedin. “The question becomes, how can I enjoy the season without lowering my immune system or engaging in habits that will be harder to break in the New Year?”

If cutting out these indulgences isn’t realistic, Smith suggests consuming the following to combat weight gain and illness this holiday season:

Water – Increased food and alcohol intake requires a more stringent effort to stay properly hydrated. During the holiday season, drink at least half your bodyweight in ounces of clean, pure water daily (i.e., if you weigh 140 pounds, drink 70 ounces of water) to aid in digestion, reduce the risk of kidney stones, prevent constipation, relieve headaches and maintain healthy skin. If you don’t like plain water, try adding an effervescent vitamin C supplement, or a squeeze of lemon or lime juice and a bit of honey to hot water, for better taste and immune- and energy-boosting benefits. Also, drinking hot water 15 minutes before meals helps to stimulate digestion, whereas cold water turns it off.

Cinnamon – Consuming a significant amount of sweets can wreak havoc on blood sugar levels, which may cause overall fatigue, muscle fatigue, imbalanced and sometimes extreme emotions, and addictive habits to wanting more sugar and sweets. Sprinkling cinnamon on your desserts and into your coffee and tea is an excellent way to stabilize blood sugar and support digestion, relieve congestion and reduce inflammation in the body.

Apple Cider Vinegar – Help prevent indigestion, heartburn and other GI tract problems by taking a teaspoon of raw, unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar 15 to 20 minutes before a meal.  It stimulates the production and release of enzymes and hydrochloric acid into the stomach, which speeds digestion.

Smith has spent thousands of hours training in and practicing the healing arts. Through Thai Yoga with Lydia, she provides SomaVeda™ Thai Yoga therapy as part of individual sessions and wellness programs called the “SomaVeda™ Therapeutic Day,” which incorporates holistic health counseling with facilitated stretching, breath focus and tools to help reduce stress and negative emotion. It’s a natural method of helping heal a range of existing health problems and acts as a form of preventive medicine.

For more information, please visit www.thaiyoga.info.

DISCLAIMER: The information presented here is not meant to diagnose or treat readers. In order to put these tips into practice, Thai Yoga with Lydia encourages readers to do their own research in order for it to be a personal journey of educating themselves and taking responsibility for their health.