Seasons Greetings! Many of you will no doubt still be under the pump at work, clocking long hours all the way up until Christmas. Hopefully you then get some time off with family and friends to recharge the batteries. I certainly get the impression when talking to patients that 2013 has been a long, hard year, so it’s important to use your break wisely. You don’t want to be starting 2014 still feeling the hangover of this year. Aim to look after yourself, enjoy yourself, and get the right mix of fun times and recovery so you return from your break feeling ready to go.  Studies have shown that time off is needed to reverse the effects of long term stress).

Xmas Hours – If you need to see me about anything I will be working right up until Christmas but then taking the next week off, and returning Monday January 6th. Yes the Christmas Carols are already in full swing.

Nutrition – One article I read said it can take up to 3 MONTHS to lose the extra weight you gain at Christmas so be careful what you eat. Research has shown that you really need to watch how much salt you consume. An increase as small as 5 g/day of salt was associated with a 23% increased risk of stroke, and a 17% increase in Cardiovascular Disease risk. On the other side, “new research suggests moderate consumption of red wine helps to rinse teeth clean of bacteria during and after meals.” It’s all about finding the balance…

Exercise – As the heat increases remember to stay properly hydrated. If you didn’t quite maintain your exercise regimen over the last few months, be careful when resuming – returning to exercise or starting a new type of exercise is a prime time to get injured. Be sure to warm up properly and gradually increase the amount of exercise you do.

Travel – For those of you lucky enough to be getting away, be careful, there are plenty of ways to hurt yourself and ruin your trip. I often hear about people who after a long flight, when fatigued after sitting for hours, and in a rush to move on, reach around someone to grab their luggage off the conveyor belt and hurt their back. When lifting, try to keep things front on and close to your body. You’ll be sleeping in weird beds and with strange pillows, what can I say, good luck.

For people doing Road Trips, when you first hop in the car, sit up nice and straight and set your rear view mirror and side mirrors. If you notice after a while that the mirror position is no longer suitable, you must have either shifted in your seat or started slumping. Either sit up straight again or take a break.

Take a break every 90 minutes. The more you move around the better, and the longer you sit stuck in one position the more you will stay stuck in that one position. Even a minute or two makes a difference, and it won’t put you that far behind schedule.

Roll up a towel and after half an hour put it in the small of your lower back. After half an hour take it out and alternate every half hour.

Happy Holidays and I hope 2014 shapes up to be the best year of your life!

Chris