Happy Hormones Over the Holidays

The next two weeks will be full of stressors – both positive and not (I mean, timing when the turkey goes in is a MINEFIELD). Our hormones are bound to go through some ups and downs, but the beautiful part is that we can still care for them while we’re enjoying time with family, friends and delicious foods. From a Period Power Dietitian, here are my favourite ways to keep your hormones happy all holiday season long!

1. Avoid meal skipping. You do not need to “save your calories” for the big dinner – your body needs energy all day long and there is no open or close time for your metabolism. When you skip your usual meals and snacks, not only are you missing out on tons of amazing nutrients and energy, you’re more likely to eat more than is comfortable later into the evening, potentially leaving you overfull and in pain. It’s much harder to tune into your natural fullness cues when you’re ignoring your natural hunger cues!

Meal skipping also increases cortisol and tanks blood sugar, leaving you feeling stressed to the max and cranky instead of jolly. Make sure to keep your typical eating routine as much as possible throughout the holidays, and use snacks as you need to avoid long spans of time without eating. And be sure to eat your usual meals and snacks before big meals or occasions out for drinks – you deserve to eat!

2. Tune into your self-care needs. I don’t just mean taking time to use face masks or take deep breaths. Boundaries around your time and energy are also critical – while we love to see families spending time together, now’s the time to have conversations around what you can and can’t be available for.

You’re a human being with needs and your energy is just as valuable as everyone else’s. It’s also a great time to log out of social media and clean out the content you’re seeing on a daily basis. Do you have email subscriptions to remove? Clothes to donate? Take an opportunity to spend some self-care time cultivating an environment that feels supportive to you.

3. Reframe movement. Exercise should never be a punishment or a requirement of eating. Our bodies certainly do like to move and can benefit from it, but don’t spend the next few weeks sacrificing rest time just to finish a workout. It might not be a bad idea to even switch up your activity routine – have you been meaning to try yoga or rock climbing? And you can ignore all that nonsense about certain servings needing so much exercise to “burn them off”.

Food is meant for fuelling and enjoying, and activity is meant to challenge our minds and brains, not to cancel each other out. Unfollow accounts (and friends) that promote exercise as a means to earn or deserve food.

4. Get enough rest. It benefits our hormones to have a good ol’ structured bedtime and a routine to boot. When melatonin begins production at night, it cues the body to slow down and prepare for sleep. Don’t hijack this with tons of screen time or caffeine! Incorporate bedtime guidelines for yourself that allow you to spend time with friends and family, and include time for resting whether this is an earlier bedtime for an earlier morning or an extra nap after a night out.

Getting sleep also benefits our stress hormones and helps us regulate our mood – so we’re holding our own in political re-education of our relatives and not bursting into angry tears.

5. Consume alcohol mindfully. I’m not going to lie to you – I enjoy having alcohol for special occasions. I like the flavours that can compliment a meal, and the relaxation that comes from having a glass of wine at the end of the day matches perfectly with snuggling on the couch.

However, it’s important to check in around your alcohol consumption – not only can long-term and high consumption impact pregnancy success, it can also impact overall fertility and menstrual health. And for folks with uteruses, alcohol consumption in the luteal phase can increase PMS symptoms. Stick to non-alcoholic beverages through the majority of your holidays and allow alcohol to be a compliment, not the main event to your celebrations.

Speaking of hormone health, I’ll be taking the next 2 weeks off to really dive into family time. You can find more hormone and period health content in the new year – happy holidays!