As the holiday season begins in full swing there are plenty of celebrations that you will become part of. Here are a few tips for a safe Christmas and New Year’s so that you can end your year on a healthy note.

Placing the Star at the top of the Christmas Tree. When Placing the Star at the top of the Christmas Tree be careful as you stand on your toes or when using a stool. You may just roll your ankle or injure another part of your foot.

Don’t Sit Too Long. While sitting during holiday gatherings, don’t forget to get up and move your legs and feet. Sitting down for long periods of time will slow the return of blood from your legs back up to your heart which may cause swelling around the ankles.

Stretch. Stretching can help improve your body’s flexibility and movement. Stretching relives tight muscles and encourages blood circulation to your body reducing the chances of suffering from swelling, pain or stiffness. Try to stretch when you get a moment of free time in between all that sitting or after waking up.

Engage Your Family. Ask your family to join you in your stretching exercises or when going on a walk to avoid sitting too long. This will not only break the sitting we do as part of the silly season, but you may also be able to work off a few kilos gained from eating & drinking too much.

Healthy Eating & Drinking. Make sure you do not give yourself a Christmas ‘stuffing’ – don’t over eat. Make sure you have some fruit and vegetables as well. Try not to drink too much & have some water as well.

Towards Wellness – Four ways to stay active over the Christmas period

  1. Go for a summer walk! It is a less strenuous form of exercise than going for a hard-core session in the gym.
  2. Prefer to be indoors? Why not dance to some festive tunes. A fun way to burn off the Christmas turkey!
  3. Take advantage of the Christmas weather. Spend time the beach at any opportunity.
  4. Do activities as a family. Over indulgence is hard to avoid around Christmas so why not decide to go for a walk with all the family after dinner, take advantage of the sun setting later.

 

 

Stretch of the Month – Peroneal Stretch

  1. Invert the foot and stand on the outer surface as shown.
  2. You should feel the stretch running up the side of your leg.
  3. Hold for 30 seconds.
  4. Repeat with other leg.

 

 

 

 

 

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