Holiday Depression
Question: During the Holidays I gain weight, my face breaks out, I crab at the kids and cry. What’s going on?
Mimi: Welcome to how many people feel. But since we are all supposed to be jolly, we put on masks. Many people think back to their carefree childhoods and want to believe in Santa Claus again and re-live the memories. So they are sad. Others never had the Christmas of their dreams, and so they want to create it. And they can’t. The Christmas that Norman Rockwell would create probably never existed. We set our longings too high.
The magazines run pictures of perfect homes and glorious gifts along side articles on reducing stress. Read the articles and admire the pictures and recipes, but don’t strive for the perfection. Magazines and FlyLady.org will give you countdowns and organizational hints to help with keeping up and not trying to do too much.
When my kids left home I stopped decorating. I put my cards on the mantel and light a fire. That’s it. There is no dreaded January 1 clean up. Who says you have to cook? The grocery stores will do it for you. Or you cook the meat and everybody else can pot luck. Whoever invented the gift wrap paper bag should win a gold medal. No more perfect corners. Take it easy.
Create a peaceful home. Children pick up every spark of tension. They are excited about the upcoming celebrations. From Halloween through 12th Night they probably eat more sugar than any other time of the year. Try to control what they eat. Get lots of fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, and whole grains into their little bodies. Oatmeal with raisins for breakfast; peanut butter on whole wheat bread for lunch; cut up apples and pumpkin seeds for snacks; and barley vegetable soup with home made multigrain muffins for supper plus popcorn for a snack will keep them from craving sweets. One word to parents about children’s skills and understanding—at the end of all the gift opening, when the child says, “Is that all?” he means, “should I be looking for more, or are we finished?” He wants to know the status. He is NOT unappreciative. He doesn’t have the words to express himself. Your answer will be, “Yes, that is all. Now you can play with your things.” The festivities overwhelm many children. Let them take naps and go to bed earlier. If they cry, comfort them. If you cry, let yourself take naps and go to bed early. Comfort yourself with a bubble bath.
Approach people NOW and tell them your ideas for gift giving. Most people will welcome it. Ideas: “Instead of buying everybody in each family a gift, I plan to give you one, family gift. Would you enjoy a subscription to. . . ?” or “Instead of buying gifts this year, I plan to bake everybody a mini loaf of my favorite pumpkin bread, please keep gifts to me simple and low cost.” Maybe, “Instead of gifts this year, how about if we give the money to a charity instead? I’d like mine to go to . . . (Salvation Army, Red Cross, Redlands Bowl, whatever.” Plus—it’s tax deductible. My children pick out their own gifts from the World Vision web site. I gave my son a camel one year. He (the camel, not the son) lives in Ethiopia. My son doesn’t have to feed him or clean up after him. If money is short with anybody on your list or with you, people will appreciate not going into debt over shopping for more STUFF. That ends a major stressor.
Read past columns about healthy eating. Stay with your healthy, everyday foods. Up your consumption of fruits and veggies for the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and filling power. While you cook, chew gum so you don’t sample. Before you go to a party, eat an apple. If you plan to drink, eat a fatty meal, like steak to line your stomach. Drink water between each alcoholic drink. If partying is really your downfall, arrive late and leave early. Try to stay away from the goody table. After a party, drink two big glasses of water before going to bed. And take off your make-up. Slather on a hydrating masque to sleep in. Alcohol is dehydrating. Keep your body hydrated by drinking of water.
Schedule a massage for the day after a party. Go to the spa early and sweat out the toxins in the steam room. Schedule a facial for before a party. Plan to spend extra time in the spa for much deserved relaxation.
Up your exercise routine to help with stress and to keep the pounds off. Be more mindful than usual of your skin care routine. If a pimple starts to come up, dab on your zit killer medicine or put on some milk of magnesium at night. If you have a regular esthetician, and you get a pimple on the day before a big party, call your esthetician and ask her if she can extract the pimple and zap it with high frequency.
Emergency! Bloat! Even the word sounds ugly. If you are bloated from retaining water and your dress doesn’t fit, here is a “not all that healthy short term cure:” Drink more water to flush out bloat. Decrease carbohydrates drastically. Increase protein. You will lose water for about 3 days. If you are bloated because it’s that time of the month, following this for the 3 days before may help ease tension and headaches. Even your brain can get bloated. Don’t follow this plan for much longer or you may get bloated with constipation.
Mimi Barre is the owner of International Day Spa, 325 Cajon St., Redlands.
Send your skin care questions to her at MimiB@INTLdayspa.com. She and her estheticians are available for personal consultations. (909) 793-9080. Past columns of Ask Mimi are on the web at www.INTERNATIONALdayspa.com.
