The Healthy Advent.

On the 1st day of Christmas, we suggest swapping sweet treats for fruit. Fruit is a good source of vitamins and minerals. They help maintain a healthy digestive system using dietary fibre. Festive fruits include oranges, pomegranates and apples.

On the 2nd of Christmas, try to exercise. Spend time outdoors or try a virtual yoga class to get yourself active over the holidays. Exercise improves not just your physical wellbeing but your mental well being too.

On the 3rd day of Christmas, make sure we are drinking enough water. Drinking 2L of water will help maintain proper bodily functions including your digestion and relieving fatigue, as well as improving your skin and flushing away pesky toxins.

On the 4th day of Christmas look after our guts. It’s that time of year when we can all feel the bloat! Simple ways you can look after your gut include avoiding processed foods, increasing your fibre intake and getting enough sleep. You can improve your gut health through supplementation- why not try our ‘goody guts’ supplement to balance your gut microbiota.

On the 5th day of Christmas, try to get good quality sleep. We should aim to get 8 hours of sleep a night. This will improve our immune function and fight off those troublesome winter colds.

On the 6th day of Christmas, swap one food for a healthy alternative each day, For example, swapping your crisps for a handful of unsalted nuts or some carrot sticks and hummus. Sweet treats and alcohol are fine in moderation but remember there are delicious alcohol free beers, wine and spirits too.

On the 7th day of Christmas try to limit stress. Leave your work at the office and enjoy valuable time spent at home, with friends and family, Try meditating and yoga for some real stress free holiday fun.

On the 8th day of Christmas help balance your blood sugar by eating more fibre! Fibre slows down the absorption of sugar and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. Good sources of fibre include wholegrains, vegetables and nuts.

On the 9th day of Christmas, balance your diet well. Include rainbow fruit and veg on your plate diversifying the vitamins and minerals you consume- improving your immune system and bettering your physical wellbeing.

On the 10th day of Christmas, take time for yourself- “The greatest gift you can give yourself this Christmas is looking after yourself.” Take meaningful time alone- get to know yourself by taking a walk, trying journaling and taking up a new hobby. Studies show time spent alone can increase stress management and happiness.

On the 11th day of Christmas, add some healthy alternatives to your Christmas dinner. Pigs in blankets could use turkey bacon, potatoes could be swapped for sweet potatoes and a focus on an abundance of tasty veg will ensure your Christmas dinner is healthy.

On the 12th day of Christmas, most importantly is to enjoy ourselves! Laughter in particular, can help to reduce stress levels and release endorphins which are chemicals that the body releases. These have been shown to help with pain relief and increase our feelings of well being.