This was originally posted on our publisher’s website back in 2013. It’s still relevant! Enjoy.

And so it starts.  Thanksgiving and Halloween are over, and the Superbowl is coming.  (Hah.  Bet you thought I’d say something else, huh?)

So here we are, on the second day of December, the twelfth month of the thirteenth year of the second millenium of the current era.  As the year winds to a close and we approach the end of the year, it’s a good time to think about our bodies.  We’ve just stuffed ourselves silly with the Thanksgiving feast, if we’re in the States, and with all the goodies Chanukah brings.  Christmas and New Year’s approach; what’s our poor overfed body to do?

Why not end the year on a high note, instead of hitting January with remorse and the resolution to get to the gym and not just pay rent there?  I have two suggestions for you:

Try walking.  Even if you live in a cold part of the world, you can walk indoors; walking doesn’t require much investment, just a pair of shoes and some clothing.  You might enjoy getting yourself a pedometer; you can focus on the things you can control (how many steps you take a day) and let the rest take care of itself.  It is recommended that you take 10,000 steps a day for good health; between 12,000 and 20,000 steps for weight loss.

Another idea is to eat root vegetables throughout the winter to keep your body strong and to nourish yourself.  Beets, Carrots, Turnips, Onions, and Garlic are especially good and are used as healing foods for chronic conditions of the body (Jeanne Rose, HSC, pg. 56).  Try a mustard sauce over them:

• 2 cups standard white sauce to which has been added
• 1/2 cup Dijon or other type coarse Mustard
• Mix together and serve over Cabbage, Cauliflower, or Broccoli.

What other tips have you found useful over the years for surviving the whirlwind of December?  Favorite books to read, movies to watch?  Foods to share, rituals of relaxation?  What keeps you sane?  I’d love to know in the comments.

Happy Holidays!