Healthy All Year: How You Can Use Self-Care, Gratitude, and Giving Back to Thrive

Turning Winter Food into Healthy Opportunities

• Comfort food can be high in calories, fat, and carbs.
• Try healthier ingredients and healthier options
• Whole grains, extra vegetables, skim or almond milk instead of cream
• Fruit and cinnamon as natural sweeteners to reduce sugar
• Hot water or tea with cinnamon sticks, latte with coffee and milk

More Winter Challenges and Opportunities

• Physical activity - indoor options, winter sports while dressed appropriately
• Weather - indoor time to clean the house, relax, or go to museums
• Social Isolation - enjoy the solitude and use video chats, volunteerism, and family time to build and strengthen connections

Embrace the Season - “Hygge”

• Concept of being cozy and comfortable
• Hot drinks, blankets, comfortable clothes
• Enjoying quiet time

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

• Depression, usually during winter months
• Due to less sunlight, altered circadian rhythms and sleep cycles
• Signs include loss of appetite, decreased interest and pleasure in activities, feeling down
• Consult your doctor!
• A healthy lifestyle is part of prevention and management.
• Treatment from your provider may include vitamin D, light therapy, psychotherapy, and medications.

Giving Back Is Healthy

• Improves physical and mental health
• Reduces stress
• Improves social connections
• Offers opportunities to learn new skills

Everyone Can Give Back in Their Own Way

• Benefit communities, causes, animals, or groups of people that you care about
• Check libraries, schools, hospitals, non-profit organizations, and online sites for ideas and opportunities
• Perform tasks you love, whether alone or with people, sedentary or active, and at times that work for you
• If you have no time, money, or energy to give, try giving a smile or friendly greeting

Look Ahead with New Goals

• Having new goals can keep you motivated and positive
• Consider large goals and small steps to get there
• For example: losing 5% of body weight may happen with steps like drinking more water, eating vegetables at half your meals, and only eating while seated at the table.
• Hitting physical activity goals may happen through adding a long hike on weekends, learning some strength training moves from a personal trainer, and setting aside enough time for sleep.

‍