Page 20 - Florida Sentinel 12-22-17

Health
Feelings of comfort and joy can seem elusive when the hol- iday to-do list looms or runs amok. The season can seem more like an endless burden than a parade of cheerful events and glad tidings. Amidst celebratory chaos, these simple rules will help re- store inner peace and create greater happiness.
Retire early.
The early bird gets the worm, one study says, alleg- ing that sleep can really affect your weight. Skimping on your beauty sleep sets the brain up for making bad deci- sions, including leaning on that vanilla latte to get you moving in the morning, skip- ping out on the gym or grab- bing a fast (food) dinner – all things that will quickly ex- pand your waistline.
Fall begs for warm tea.
Drinking green tea first thing in the morning will boost your immune system as well as help with digestion throughout the day. According to a study cited in DailyMail, the magical green elixir also burns fat (if you drink enough of it).
Make a plan for the new year.
Your poinsettia’s pooped and the gifts are all gone. Now what? It’s a great time to reset for the new year. Lay out realistic, sus- tainable steps for the months ahead.
With social media, video game fantasies, peer pressure and in some households, absent parents, our children are stressed. And, with certainty, they are more stressed around the holidays. Although there are some things you cannot change, here are some things you can do to help your children cope with holiday stress:
Discuss holiday plans well in ad- vance, and let
your children participate in decisions to the extent possible. Prolonged uncer- tainty, constantly changing plans or last-minute deci- sions can all increase stress.
Give your chil- dren some “downtime.” Don’t
expect them to be “on” all the time. Leave room for some quiet activities.
Don’t promise things you can’t produce.
If you’re travel- ing, leave plenty of extra time and
bring child-friendly snacks, books, games and/or music.
Make sure your children get plenty of sleep.
While it may be exciting to stay up late, lack of sleep often leads to increased irri- tability.
Uphold and maintain family traditions even if
a parent is absent. Your children count on certain tra- ditions, which can have an important grounding effect.
Don’t over sched- ule. You may not be able to do every-
thing or see everyone. Kids can easily get “burned out,” overtired and cranky during the holidays.
Let your children be honest about their feelings.
Don’t force them to act happy and excited if they’re feeling quiet or down.
Don’t try and compensate for an absent parent
with extra gifts or toys. It won’t work. What most your children really want is time, attention and reassurance.
Take care of yourself. Try and avoid getting
overloaded with obliga- tions. If you feel stressed, it increases the pressure and tension on your children.
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PAGE 8-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017