#24- Hang with a friend Friendships can help our physical, mental, and emotional health. Social support from friends lowers our stress, increases our immune system, increases our self-confidence and happiness, and benefits our overall health. What does friendship look like to you? “Like” us at Beyond Basic Health #friends #health #happy #educator #BeyondBasicHealth

#21 - Reorganize the To Do List Holiday times seem to amp up the stress in our already stressed out world. If you’re trying to squeeze 20 hours of “to do’s” into an already jam- packed 8 hour day, you will definitely feel stressed! By changing how you look at the “To Do” list , you can take stress off of you and open up many opportunities to get it done! *What could you take a closer look at? *Which tasks are important *Which tasks can wait or be saved for later Which tasks c

Thankful and Grateful can be interchangeable. If you’re grateful, then you are thankful! When was the last time you thanked someone that is important in your life? When was the last time you were grateful for someone whether you knew them or not? Practicing gratitude as a regular daily habit can help you cope with stress and it can be quite empowering. People that are grateful/thankful have a tendency to be happier, sleep better, express more kindness and compassion towards o

#17-Develop the habit of positive self-talk DO YOU TALK TO YOURSELF IN A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE WAY? The way we talk to ourselves affects our body, mind, and spirit. Negative self-talk can include self-doubt, criticism or catastrophic types of predictions. For example, saying or thinking “I can’t stand this”, “ I don’t have time for this” or “this will never work out” can just stress you out, especially during this holiday season! Talking to ourselves in a positive way can help

#16 -Focus on Breathing The way you breathe can make a BIG difference on your stress level. Just a simple breathing exercise can calm the body and the brain down in a few short minutes. A simple breathing exercise would be the following: *Breathing in through your nose and let your belly fill with air. *Count to the number three as you inhale. *Hold your breathe for two seconds and then slowly exhale through your nose while counting to three. “Like” us at Beyond Basic Health

#15-Cry When was the last time you had a good cry? Yes, crying is a suggestion for a Healthier Holiday Hack! Sometimes we are so stressed that the emotions attached to it get bottled up to the point that we don’t feel good. Crying, like laughing, is one way to release bottled up emotions. Sometimes we just need a good cry and chances are we will feel better! "Like" us at Beyond Basic Health #wellness #health #healthyholiday #wellnesseducator

#14 - Creative Break Do you like to be creative? Creative can be anything from painting, writing, to coloring in a coloring book!!! Doing something creative can not only relieve holiday stress it could eliminate it! How about creating a gift for someone you care about? "Like " us at Beyond Basic Health #health #HealthyHoliday #Wellness #Wellnesseducator

#13 - Take a Nap When was the last time you took a nap? (being sick doesn’t count!!!) Taking the 20 minute “power nap” is said to boost your alertness and give you energy. Naps longer than 30 minutes can help improved cognitive performance. “Like” us at Beyond Basic Health #health #HealthyHoliday #Wellness #Wellnesseducator

#12-Be Food Aware! What are you eating during Holiday time? The Holiday Season brings about numerous parties and "get-together" invites. We are thrown into an environment that has an abundance of food and drink that we normally don’t eat! To be “food aware” means to be aware of what you are eating! It doesn’t mean to skip everything and just eat the carrots and celery from the veggie tray (oh no!!!). Instead, you can make wise choices by eating smaller portions of things a

#11-Give to Others What does giving mean to you? The holiday season is a season of giving. Humans are natural helpers and by helping others, you are bringing a positive change to someone's life and in return you will feel good and refreshed! Some examples of giving to others include; Donating time at a soup kitchen or charity Volunteer for meals on wheels - deliver meals to those in need Help an elderly neighbor - shovel their driveway when you get snow Help a family that has

#9-Go on a Date What is your idea of “going on a date”? Make a conscious effort to go on a date with your significant other. Try out a restaurant or favorite “foodie” place that you both enjoy. You don’t have to figure out what’s for dinner (or breakfast or lunch) what to cook, and you don’t have to clean up (best part!!). The connection and time to connect can be calming and relaxing from the holiday hustle and bustle. "Like" us on Beyond Basic Health #Health #Wellnesseduc

#6-Call a long distance friend You think about calling your friend(s) and then you get busy or forget. Take a break and connecting with someone who was a part of your life.The re-connection not only helps you catch up on each others' lives but it can be a reminder of how far you've come and (of course) it's also fun to reminisce. Your Thought: Where does your long distance friend live? How long have you know them? “Like” us at Beyond Basic Health Check out our Not So Basic by

#4-Prayer/Meditate Praying/meditating for 10 minutes a day (we prefer first thing in the early morning) has been shown to not only help you feel better day to day but it also can reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and help you sleep more soundly. Let us know: What benefits have you experienced from meditating/praying? “Like” us at Beyond Basic Health #prayer #meditate #health #HealthyHoliday #wellness

#3 -Eat raw veggies, yum! Grab those carrots or celery sticks! They are oh so good for you! Eating raw veggies provides more nutrition than it’s cooked counterpart. The heat from cooking can destroy heat sensitive nutrients in certain vegetables such as phytonutrients, probiotics, vitamins, and enzymes. Your thoughts: What are some of the ways you eat raw veggies? “Like” us at Beyond Basic Health # veggies #health #HealthyHoliday #Wellness

The most important detail to remember/know when coming off a juice fast is the fact that your body has shut down the digestive process. When there is lack of food, the intestines and the gut stop working in order to preserve the digestion process. So with this in mind, you will need to make a plan on how to get back to eating food! Why plan after the fast? My answer to the above question: Stress! Stress on your digestive system. The body has shut everything down, so jumping b

I am in the final day of my “Mini Juice Fasting Adventure” and I can say that I’m looking forward to getting back to eating. I’ve done many juice fasts over the past 5 years and each fast has had a different set of detoxing symptoms. This one was no different! My first day I had a headache and today, day #3, I’ve started out with being hungry ! Or maybe I should say “Hangry”??? LOL What happens during a juice fast? When you start on a juice fast, the body shuts down digestion

Originally I was going to write about my own prep for a juice fast but thought it would be more helpful if I at least gave you some of the basics before I got into the “adventure”!! Here it goes… To be successful in life, preparation is the key. Preparing for a juice fast (detox) is no different. If you want to get the most out of the fast and get the best results possible, you must prepare for it. What if you don’t prepare? If you don’t prepare for a juice fast, you may expe

Juicing is one of those things that’s pretty easy to figure out…. You get the produce, you put it in a machine, and taa daa … JUICE!!! So that’s the process but here are some basics to keep in mind as you explore the wonderful world of juicing... For optimal results, Organic produce is a good choice because its not only a good way to avoid agricultural chemicals but the produce contains a higher volume of beneficial nutrients (i.e. antioxidants). If organic is not an option,