How to Survive The Holiday Season

How to survive the Holiday Season.

We're in the home stretch of the holiday season, and if you're starting to feel burned out, you'll want to hear this list of tips on how to deal with all the food, booze, and stress of the holidays . . .

1.  Eating too much sugar.  One day of inhaling sweets isn't going to hurt too much.  It's gorging on pie and cookies the entire month of December that really packs on the pounds.

The best thing you can do after over-indulging in sugary foods is to go for a walk to burn off the extra calories.  And the more sweets you ate, the longer you should walk.

2.  Eating too much salt.  Too much sodium can cause bloating and make your heart work harder than it needs to.  So if you overdo it on salt, drink more water than usual and cut your sodium intake the next day, to help your body normalize.

3.  Too many cocktails.  Dehydration is one of the main factors of a hangover, so try to drink at LEAST a glass of water or sports drink before you go to bed, to help replace lost electrolytes and normalize blood sugar.

And the next morning, eat an asparagus omelet for breakfast, since certain nutrients in asparagus and eggs might help with hangovers.

4.  Family overload.  If being around family gets to be too much, try to find opportunities for alone time.  Like offering to go to the store for a forgotten ingredient or picking up coffee.

5.  Disrupted sleep.  Eating and drinking too much, going to holiday parties that don't end until late, and sleeping at a relative's house can all mess with your sleep.

The best thing you can do is wake up at your normal time, even if you were out late or tossed and turned all night.  Otherwise you risk getting in a cycle of bad sleeping habits.

(NBC News)