The countdown to Christmas is on, and the world is gearing up to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Through this season, we will have many family, friend, and work gatherings, experience lots of cooking and baking swaps, attend Christmas plays, and, of course, complete hours of shopping. In the midst of all of the hustle and bustle, here are our tips to best prepare yourself for the holidays.

1. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water! Drink half of your body weight in ounces per day (for example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 ounces of water each day). For every 1 ounce of diuretic you drink (such as coffee, tea, etc.), you should take in an additional 1.5 ounces of water!

2. Drink apple cider vinegar tea to aid in digestion and help your body detoxify.

3. Do dry skin brushing, and make sure you keep your body moving to keep your lymph flowing, and your immune system strong.

4. Take epsom salt baths. Fill your tub with water as hot as you can stand it; add 1-2 cups of epsom salts. Soak in the bath for 20 minutes. Finish with a 10-second rinse of cold water in the shower, followed by a 10-second rinse of hot water. Repeat the rinsing cycle, and complete your bath with one final 10-second cold rinse.

5. Schedule an appointment at the Well of Life Center before Christmas to make sure you are feeling optimal. Then, schedule a follow-up appointment after the holidays to help with any clean up, if necessary.

6. Buy or rent a Well of Life webinar to learn more about the functioning of your body! Click here to see our online selection.

7. Use chemical-free cleaning and body care products. If you are unsure about where to find personal care products, we have them available for purchase at our office!

8. Use proper cooking and baking materials. Stainless steel, glass, and cast iron are good options. Avoid non-stick and aluminum materials.

9. For recipe ideas, purchase a Well of Life cookbook here.

10. Replace your white refined sugar with coconut sugar, sucanat, maple syrup, or raw honey. Generally, these may be substituted at a 1:1 ratio, but you may find you do not need as much as the recipe calls for!

11. Stick to eating the Clean 15, and avoid the Dirty Dozen produce.

12. Eat grass-fed beef or bison, pasture-raised chicken and eggs, and wild-caught cold water fish.

13. Avoid foods with hydrogenated oils, refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, and artificial colors and flavors.

14. Eat something at home before going to a party to help curb your desire for non-Well of Life approved foods – and drink a big glass of water!

15. Replace your vegetable and canola oils with health oils like coconut oil and butter from grass-fed cows, which are both great for baking and cooking at high temperatures, as well as olive oil, which is great to roast with.

16. Take a healthy side dish to a party and inform others how you made it and why, instead of feeling ashamed or deprived of eating the unhealthy food choices there.

17. Eat nice and slowly so that you are able to digest your food properly. Chew each bite 30 times before swallowing!

18. Make your gatherings about fellowship with friends and family instead of how much you can eat.

19. If you have a “cheat,” get back on track the following day instead of falling off the bandwagon for a while.

20. Buy a Well of Life gift certificate here for someone you love. Gift certificates are available for any modality, from nutrition, to a massage or facial. There is something for everyone!

21. Host a nutritional gathering to save you some money and inform your friends and family about what we to at the Well of Life Center.

22. Instead of candy and sweets, stuff your child’s stocking with small card games of different kinds, journals, pens/pencils/markers/crayons, CDs, or DVDs.

23. Purchase doTerra’s On Guard essential oil blend and add to a glass spray bottle to help keep your home free of germs and smelling like Christmas! On Guard is available at the front desk of any Well of Life office and here on our online store.

24. Check out some good local restaurants for those times when you eat out instead of cooking!

Alicia Leonhardt, Associate Clinician, FNTP
Alicia is an Associate Clinician at the Well of Life Center for Holistic Healthcare. The Well of Life Center is a holistic wellness center that specializes in nutrition, chiropractic, massage services, and more. Alicia came to the Well of Life Center in January of 2012 suffering from hair loss, fatigue, type 1 diabetes, heavy bleeding and blood clots, and occasional headaches. She began working as a Clinician’s Assistant in November 2013, and as an Associate Clinician in October of 2015.