5 Ways to Beat the Holiday Blues

Don’t let a hectic calendar stop you from scheduling time for joy this season. North Texas Cosmetic Surgery provides exemplary care for our Plano and Frisco neighbors all year long, and our staff wants to remind you to be good to yourself this December.

1. Shop with a purpose. Find meaningful gifts that benefit charitable causes. Online sites like Heifer International, the American Red Cross and Feeding America provide honorary gifts for your loved ones that really make a difference.
2. Release your endorphins. Start the day with some sun salutations, an energizing walk or early-morning visit to the gym. Work in some extra cardio by taking the stairs whenever possible, cranking up the radio for a 10-minute dance party, or jogging in place during commercial breaks.
3. Curb your credit card appetite. Overspending can prolong the holiday blues, so make a list and stick to it during December shopping trips.
4. Experience Givers Glow. Studies show that helping others not only makes you feel better, it may prolong your life. Psychology Today cites one study that found volunteerism reduces mortality rates by as much as 40 percent.
5. Take your vitamins. Holiday nibbles aren’t all naughty. Choose power foods on the nutritional ‘nice’ list: pumpkin (beta-carotene, iron); cranberries (flavonoids); turkey (B-vitamins, selenium and zinc); sweet potatoes (beta-carotene, vitamins C and E); and chestnuts (fiber, vitamin C and folic acid).

Dr. Alan Greenberg and the North Texas Cosmetic Surgery staff wish you a healthy and happy holiday season.