Hope all who celebrate this holiday had a lovely Thanksgiving, I did! My turkey came out perfectly, shared with my son and his girlfriend; we enjoyed a lovely afternoon. Thankfully, the snow storm held off until after the weekend!
I had been sitting in front of the fire, drinking a cup of tea, and deleting HUNDREDS of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other annoying “sale” emails. I finally had to get away from my computer and walk outside in our winter wonderland, just to hang onto my sanity. I trudged through more than a foot of snow, made the snow angel in the video below, and felt MUCH better after being outside in nature’s beauty! Self-care is important!
And, forget social media. You have to scroll through a hundred ads just to see one picture of a friend and her dog playing in the snow. lol!
The headlines this time of year are constantly touting everything we need to know about: How Keto diets keep the holiday weight gain at bay, Weigh bearing exercises help your brain, Fit After 50, How To Fight Diabetes, The Best Diets For Losing the Holiday Pounds… The list goes on and on and on. And worse, one article often contradicts another.
So, how do you know what to believe and what is “fake news”?
Here is a simple guide for you for what health news is accurate:
Both the Mayo and Cleveland Clinics post valuable information, often with links to studies, so you can see the proof of the pudding, (pun intended) for yourself, if you wish.
Dr. Mark Hyman provides sound advice on the best ways to eat, exercise, and vitamins to take.
Anything that I post is well researched. You can rest assured that I don’t mention anything in my posts that comes from a fake news source or someone’s blog that hasn’t a bit of hard science to it. And, if I tell you about some new promising science, I let you know that it’s promising but needs more research.
I recommend book marking a couple of sources that you trust, and when something comes up, check those sources, instead of a Google search. Google is great for many things, but often the top page is full of advertising or sensationalized news stories. For instance, I just put in the Google search bar “causes of rash on legs.” The first page has four ads, a dermatologist from New Zealand, four articles from the news publication Healthline, only one from the Mayo clinic, and a couple of bloggers posts.
So, which one would I chose? Mayo clinic – no doubt. When I clicked the Mayo clinic, I got to see photos of 12 different types of rashes, including differences between childhood rashes and adult versions, with explanations of each, possible causes and treatments, and advice on when to see a dermatologist for testing. Truly – everything that I need to know about “rashes on legs.”
This is just one example, but you get the idea. Google is full of information on any topic, but you must be critical, and choose wisely.
As for the holiday weight gain, I stick by my earlier post on Simple Holiday Weight Loss Tips. Enjoy the holidays! Have one piece of pie, or a couple of Christmas cookies, or one eggnog. Don’t deprive yourself of all your favorites, just be mindful about what you do indulge in. Everyone, including myself, gains 3-5 pounds over the holidays. And, we all also take advantage of the big push in the media, and all the discounts, to work out a bit extra afterwards and get right back to our normal weight before spring! There’s not a thing wrong with that pattern. It’s MUCH more important to enjoy yourself. Laugh, make snow angels, have fun, and don’t get stressed out over a few holiday goodies.
Laughter, after all, is the BEST medicine! Here’s a link to some jokes to bring that smile to your face and reduce those stress hormones!
Best of Health,
Kathi
