We’ve been having a chat to some of our team about their top tips for staying healthy over the festive period and into the new year. We spoke with practice nurse Anne, receptionist Sandra and GP Dr Stefanie Gooden.
Nurse Anne recommends thinking of healthy eating and exercise as part of a prescription for improving your overall health and well-being. It’s never too late to make small changes to how you eat and how often you exercise – even if your best laid plans fall by the wayside (and they will!) you can just start again the next day – no need to wait for a new year to make a resolution. Exercise plans don’t need to be complicated or involve gyms – just a simple walk each day or even some gentle stretches can make a difference.
Receptionist Sandra enjoys the festive season with its many traditions that remind her of happy Christmas celebrations in her original home of Germany. One of her family’s many traditions which she continues, is to take a nice long walk after the big Christmas meal. Sandra tries not to overindulge (especially on desserts!), but feels it is still important to partake of and enjoy the celebrations, particularly this year as we are able to celebrate together. She is taking time to reflect on the many things we have to be grateful for this year.
GP Dr Stefanie Gooden agrees with Sandra that we should take the time to enjoy this time of year. Of course we need to remember our physical health by staying active, getting enough sleep and eating and drinking in moderation, but if the last 2 years have taught us anything, it’s how important it is to our wellbeing to connect with loved ones. With borders starting to open up, Stefanie hopes we can all spend some time with family and friends over the summer, enjoying good food, laughter and some downtime after a tough year.
Photo by Ksenia Yakovleva on Unsplash