By Molly Peppo
The winter holidays in Sun Valley are an idyllic, magical experience complete with clean crisp air, white fluffy snow, sunny blue skies and holiday parties galore. A bit of good nutrition during this busy week will maintain high energy levels, strengthen immunity and promote good spirits.
Hydration is essential, and this means both drinking plenty of pure water and avoiding or limiting caffeine and alcohol. This bitter cold weather tends to suck the moisture right out of our bodies. Proper hydration can regulate appetite, lubricate joints and reduce muscular inflammation. This is truly an essential part of the daily routine. In mid-day and mid-afternoon, drink a bottle of room temperature water instead of a coffee or soda. If you are visiting from sea level and are not used to the thinner air, drink extra water and avoid caffeine and alcohol, even though these will be the very stimulants you'll be craving. If it is difficult for you to avoid alcohol during this time, try hard to alternate each glass of spirits with a glass full of sparkling mineral water.
Eat super foods such as spirulina, bee pollen, hemp protein, raw chocolate, goji berries, avocados, maca, ground golden flax seeds, chia seeds and coconut oil. These foods are nature's perfect foods, are high in vitamins, minerals, proteins, essential fatty acids (for brain and central nervous system support), and vitality. Visit the local health food stores and add these foods to a morning smoothie. They will motor you through the day feeling happy and high.
Supplementation is a great way to boost your overall daily health and routine.
There are so many supplements that it can be a little mind-boggling to choose something that will actually improve your health, but it is possible. It is essential to find a brand that produces quality supplements with the health of the consumer in mind. This is a broad subject to get into, but ideally liquid, vegetable capsule or powder forms of supplements from once-living plant sources are the best choices.
A few of my favorite supplement choices for all-around energy, immunity, and well being follow:
- A quality calcium and magnesium mineral supplement will help restore the pH of the body. The body needs calcium in the blood for vital operations such as controlling muscular contractions (including the heart), blood clotting, and transmission of nerve impulses. Magnesium or calcium deficiency, along with dehydration, can bring on muscle spasms. If this is an issue take a liquid angstrom mineral supplement morning and evening.
- The B vitamins are major mood-enhancers. A quality B-complex supplement will promote energy and support the health of the liver and adrenals. Thirty-nine percent of meat eaters and up to 80 percent of vegans are deficient in vitamin B-12. This can lead to weakness, fatigue, and poor mental functioning.
- Take vitamin C supplementation ideally from a once-living whole food source rather than from a synthetic derivative. This can be harsh on the body over time. Vitamin C rebuilds tissue, acts as an antioxidant, and greatly boosts immunity.
Finally, what should people eat at the ski lodge? Choose something that's a balanced proportion of protein, carbohydrates and fat and emphasize fiber. Avoid hamburgers, pizza, fries and white flour rolls, while gravitating toward the salad bar, soup or vegetarian chili on top of a baked potato instead. Trail mix or an energy bar with balanced ratios of protein and carbs is a much better choice than a sugary candy bar that can wreak havoc on blood sugar levels. Drink water at every break.
Eating well will balance energy, lift mood and prevent sickness—three essential qualities for health, happiness, and a great New Year.
