4 Tips to Staying Clear During the Holidays
From Halloween to New Year’s begins an annual increase in holiday love where we share warm greetings with family, friends, and our communities. Unfortunately with our change in food production, that greeting has also come with an increase in sugar, alcohol, and other such skin triggers. Between the eggnog, pumpkin pie, and buttermilk cookies, there are very few things which are actually healthy for our bodies that accompany holidays like Christmas.
You can navigate these challenges with joy - and you do not have to breakout this year! You can avoid pimples, skin rashes, and others while still having a great time with family and friends. Here are my top tips for staying on the clear skin path during the holidays:
Talk to your friends and family now about your dietary changes.
If you have made some new healthier changes in your life, send an email ahead of time to people know. Sharing that you're dairy-free as your aunt hands you a slice of pumpkin cheesecake that she spent hours making will probably crush her. Do yourself a favor and send an email in advance to the loved ones you'll spend time with so they're not shocked the day of. People do really well when they know in advance of your dietary needs. And bonus, it gives you something new to talk about during the holidays!
Offer to bring something.
I totally understand the desire to avoid inconveniencing others with my dietary restrictions. So when I deliver the news about my diet to people, I also like to offer to bring something to share with everyone. That way if my host already has things prepared that don't suit my needs, I brought something I can eat and I contributed to the event. WIN WIN!
Go shopping for your own groceries.
If you are traveling to someone else's home, it's a great idea to stock up on some basics before you arrive. I like to bring some Ezekiel bread, avocados, cashew cheese, GoMacro bars, veggies, chips and salsa, and other goodies I know will help tide me over.
You'll be surprised how people come through for you.
This was a big revelation for me. When I started eating healthier, I thought I would have to figure a bunch of things out for myself. What I found was that my beloved family and friends took the opportunity to go deeper in their care for me. Sharing my dietary guidelines with people gave them a chance to show even more how much they care.
My mom for instance buys quinoa pasta, hummus and crudité, and sets aside extra veggies without butter for me. I've had hosts go to the natural food store and buy vegan toast spreads and faux meats. I've honestly teared up when someone unexpectedly accommodated my diet without my asking. It's truly touching and brings us closer together - who knew?!
We can have clear skin and still enjoy ourselves, love life, and connect with our family and friends. Maybe even more so.
I hope some or all of these are valuable to you during this time of year. Happy (and clear!) holidays to you!
