Whether it's the lack of sunlight, busy holiday schedules, time shifts, or endless travel, keeping your family healthy this time of year can be quite the uphill battle. The winter months present us with a number of challenges that take their toll on our health, which is why it is so very important to take the necessary steps to preserve your wellness.

• REST • One of the most important things we can do for our bodies is rest, so making sure that you are getting ample sleep and aiming for 7-9 hours and even more for you little ones will help ensure your nervous system has enough time to catch up and heal from the daily stresses.

• Limit Sugar • A big challenge we often face during the holiday season is limiting sugary foods. Sugar causes inflammation and stress responses throughout our body, and creates a thriving environment for a host of different bacteria and viruses. So when family get-togethers make avoiding sugar impossible, opt for the more natural route of fresh or dried fruits while limiting sugar between the holidays.

• Take your vitamins • Another great way to help support your body is by increasing your daily intake of vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, and even adding a daily probiotic. When the sun is shining, take a few minutes and soak up some of those rays. But when the sun is hiding, supplementing some of these vitamins and minerals into your diet not only helps your immune system, but your nervous system as well.

• Stay active • Cold weather can put a damper on your ability to get out and stay active, but did you know that increasing blood flow through exercise helps encourage the production of white blood cells?! Those white blood cells go on to help protect your body from foreign bacteria and viruses, and are a part of your body's natural defenses in the fight to stay well. So while the cold weather makes it easy to curl up on the couch with a cozy blanket, don’t forget to keep that body moving, too.

• Chiropractic Care • If you’ve made it this far into this blog you’ve probably noticed a common theme—managing your stress is a key factor in having a healthy immune system. This is where consistent chiropractic care comes into play. While also improving the health of the spine, chiropractic adjustments also boost the parasympathetic nervous system, which is in control of the growth and healing systems of the body. Making sure that the nervous system is functioning at its very best is the foundation for a healthy immune system.

Once your nervous system is functioning well, adding in some of these other practices is the best way to set you and your family up for success.

If you’re ready to learn more join us for our next Raising Healthy Kids Naturally workshop by heading to www.steadfastchiro.com/raisinghealthykidsnaturally to register! Or call (614) 664-3710.

Experience your family thrive!