Have Yourself a Healthy Little Christmas

I had for my winter evening walk
No one at all with whom to talk,
But I had the cottages in a row
Up to their shining eyes in snow.

Robert Frost

The above few lines are the first verse of ‘Good Hours’, a beautiful poem by Robert Frost.  The following verses describe the poet’s walk through a quiet village on a winter’s eve. He glimpses at first the faces of those tucked inside their cottages, but as he continues he is completely alone as those inside their homes gradually turn to slumber.  I first came across this poem when I took part in Beth Kemptons Winter Writing Sanctuary last year.  There poem creates a wonderful sense of stillness and and peace.

In the middle of winter with Christmas approaching it might feel hard to find any stillness or peace.  There is shopping to be done, gifts to wrap, food to prepare, friends and family to see and a 100 other tasks to get us on track for Christmas.  In the northern hemisphere all of these activities take place in the middle of winter when days are short and dark, the weather is often damp and cold, our immune systems are struggling to fight off the endless colds and bugs which are doing the rounds, and our stress level may be rising. Of course  covid remains prevalent too.

I wonder how many of us have memories of getting to Christmas day and receiving the gift of a streaming cold.  It’s not uncommon to struggle through the festive season with a tissue in one hand and a box of paracetamol in the other.

There are many reasons why so people many get sick at this time of year.

We are naturally spending much more time inside.  It’s cold outside, the windows are closed and the central heating is on full blast, making our homes cosy and warm, whilst creating a breeding ground for hungry bugs.  We are often (restrictions allowing) packed into our homes with other people absorbing all their coughs and sneezes too.  When we are going out, it might be into crowded shopping centres or on busy public transport where we have no control over the germs transmitted by other people.

Many of us might find ourselves imbibing a few more sherries than normal, perhaps even on a daily basis at the height of the festivities.  Research has shown that if you drink every day, or almost every day, you might notice that you catch colds, flu or other illnesses more frequently than people who don’t drink. This is because alcohol can weaken the immune system and make the body more susceptible to infections.

Stress can also have an impact on how well we are able to bat off physical illnesses.  I think it’s probably fair to say that women take on much of the responsibility of Christmas organisation.  With the endless to do list comes a certain amount of stress.  If we are more stressed we are likely to become more run down and more susceptible to colds and other viruses.

So what can we do to give us at least fighting chance of remaining well throughout the festive season?

Staying Well

Bring Us a Figgy Pudding

Advocating a healthy diet in the run up to Christmas is probably not going to work.  Larger, more calorific meals are the norm for many and there is absolutely nothing wrong with having that extra mince pie or piece of stilton.  As it happens, overeating only really affects our immune system if we are doing it on a regular basis.  Leading a generally healthy lifestyle for the rest of the year is the best way to fight the Christmas sniffles.  However, increasing vitamin C over the following days is never going to be a bad thing, so don’t forget to supplement the Terry’s chocolate orange with an actual orange every now and again!

Baby it’s Cold Outside

Getting out side for just 20 minutes a day and absorbing sunlight can help boost our mood and our immune system.  No matter how reluctant we might feel to leave the comforts of hearth and home, we will almost always feel better for taking a walk in the fresh air.  The busy parks and beaches on Boxing day are testimony to the need we all have to get into the fresh air after a day of indulgence.  The reward for a walk is of course being able to go home and cosy up all over again.

Dashing Through the Snow

We all know that exercise is good for us, but in the run up to Christmas it is one of the things which often gets neglected as we get caught up in all the preparations, and time is at a premium.  In the long term, exercise will of course keep us healthier for longer but there are short term benefits too.  It is believed that Physical activity may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. This may reduce your chance of getting a cold, flu, or other illness. In addition Exercise slows down the release of stress hormones. Some stress increases the chance of illness. Lower stress hormones may protect against illness.

Going out for your daily exercise is also a way of getting a little much needed time to yourself too.  I always celebrate Christmas with my family and my running shoes!

Silent Night, Quiet Days

Building in some time to simply be quiet may not always seem possible in the run up to Christmas, but often after Christmas day, things calm down a little for many of us.  Those quiet days between Christmas and new year are a lovely time.  Take the time to be still and replenish energy levels and depleted immune systems.  If you are person of faith, you may already build in a daily ‘quiet time’ into your day, or you may have other ways of having some quiet or meditative time. Taking time to slow down and reflect and just be less busy is a good way to recharge. Use the time to do things you want to do rather than those you feel you have to do.  Its also the perfect time to catch up with all that lovely Chritmassy reading.

And if all else fails, just remember it’s the Winter Solstice on the 21st December when the days begin getting longer again. Oh, and make sure you have a good supply of Lemsip to see you through!

You can read all of Good Hours by Robert Frost here.

Some Christmas Reading ideas

You might like to read Embracing a Hygge Life