By Jane McClurg
This time of year can get very overwhelming, with deadlines to reach, school holidays to organise, meals to make and take to Christmas functions, presents to buy, plus all the social engagements in the calendar!
Here are a few tips to avoid the stress for busy parents:
- Practise saying no! Don’t over commit yourself to parties you don’t really want to go to, especially if it means time away from the kids. At this time of year, the kids can be tired and cranky but a little board game time with Mum and Dad can really get your family connected.
- Take time to plan your meals each week, checking in with your events calendar so you don’t over prepare or under prepare, depending on how many nights out you have coming up.
Having nourishing balanced meals and health snacks on hand means you balance your blood sugar and your moods and therefore have energy to enjoy that Christmas party. Sign up to get your free 3 Day meal plan (for busy mums but for anyone really!)
Hack #1: You can prep a week’s worth of smoothies to make mornings easier
- Knowing you might be busy means supporting your body and again being prepared. Supplementation can make a big difference; magnesium and B vitamins are depleted more quickly when under stress, especially when you are consuming alcohol and caffeine.
Talk to your qualified naturopath to see which supplements are right for you. If you are not getting results from your supermarket/chemist brands, it’s time get a better quality supplement – practitioner-only supplements are more bio-available and specific to your needs.
- Support your liver! Again, in this time of indulgence it’s a good idea to support your de-toxification pathways to avoid those hangovers!
Start your day with a big glass of water with either lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Eat plenty of broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and kale and drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Hack #2: make a big pot of de-tox tea and sip on it throughout the day.
- Plan out your gifts and budget so this doesn’t stress you out. Try getting your kids involved at handmade gifts like bath salts or how about the gift of your time.
A cute handmade voucher for babysitting could be your sister’s dream come true!
