Lehla’s Guide to Holiday Calm, Joy and a Healthy Sweet Treat

The holiday season is officially here! Twinkling lights, family gatherings, festive food and … sometimes stress, irregular routines, and emotional overload.

Here are a few tips and a yummy recipe to help you through the holidays!

Self-Care Tips for a Calm and Joyful Christmas Season:
Here are some things you can do to keep your cool under various holiday pressures and maintain some balance around indulgence and stress.

​1. Pause before saying yes!

Before committing to any event, ask yourself: Does this nourish me or drain me? Protecting your energy is a form of holiday wellness. You can’t please everybody!

2. Keep blood sugar steady

Stable blood sugar means a stable mood. We all want to indulge in some treats, festive drinks and larger than usual meals. Filling your plate with protein (turkey), fiber (vegetables) and healthy fats (homemade salad dressing with olive oil) will keep you feeling full and prevent overeating simple carbs and sugar. This will keep blood sugar spikes under control which will improve mood and reduce irritability. This means less stress!

3. Carve out micro-moments of calm

You don’t need a 60-minute routine to reset your nervous system. Try:

• 30 seconds of deep breathing
• Stretching your arms overhead
• Stepping outside for fresh air
• Sipping warm herbal tea mindfully
• And guess what? Yawning – even fake yawns (which end up turning to real yawns) calm the nervous system and helps you shift into a parasympathetic mode

4. Practice compassionate movement

Choose movement that feels good, not punishing. A 10-minute walk, gentle yoga, or dancing can lift your mood instantly.

5. Set some boundaries around food and festivities rather than overindulging and then feeling guilty or depleted

Enjoy your favorite treats mindfully, without guilt. The key is balance. If you indulge one evening, just be more mindful about what you are intaking the following day. And maybe you don’t have to attend every single invite. Choose what feels good and try to avoid what feels overwhelming and stressful (learn how to be okay with saying no, guilt free!). Declining an invite is often healthier than forcing yourself to show up depleted. Your mind, body and soul will thank you with more energy and vitality.

6. Stay hydrated (yes, even in winter!)

Aim for warm water with lemon in the morning, hot herbal teas and water during the day and water between holiday drinks to maintain hydration and keep your liver rinsed. Hydration helps improve concentration, mood, and digestion and prevents you from getting too dry, especially when home heating is being used more often during the winter months.

7. Prioritize real rest

Good sleep is the foundation of holiday resilience. Staying up late to enjoy a Christmas movie or some festive cheer? Who says you can’t catch some daytime zzz’s. The holidays are a perfect opportunity to take cozy and nurturing naps. At the very least, allow yourself to slow down when your body asks for it. Listening to your body’s cues for what it needs comes with real benefits in the form of less stress and pain. No opportunities for rest at home? Check out the healing and restorative options at Salt Wellness including Floatation Therapy, Massage Therapy and much more.

Learn more about Salt Wellness

​​The holidays are meant to be enjoyed, not survived. I hope the wellness tips above encourage you to incorporate a few simple self care practices to move through the season with more peace, presence, and joy. From my family to yours, have a wonderful Christmas season and see you in the new year!

This festive dessert is rich, cooling, deeply satisfying, and the protein, healthy fat and fibre content will keep your blood sugar stable. It’s naturally gluten-free, contains no refined sugar, and takes only 10 minutes to prep.

​Healthy Holiday Dessert: Dark Chocolate Peppermint Almond Bites

​Ingredients (Makes ~14 bites)
1 cup raw almonds (or almond flour)
8–10 soft Medjool dates, pitted
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp pure peppermint extract
1–2 tbsp warm water (as needed)
Pinch of sea salt
Optional coating: melted dark chocolate (70%+), crushed peppermint, or cocoa powder
Instructions
1. In a food processor, blend almonds until they form a fine meal.
2. Add dates, cocoa powder, peppermint extract, and salt. Process until a sticky dough
forms.
3. Add warm water 1 tbsp at a time if the mixture seems dry.
4. Roll into small bite-sized balls.
5. Optional: Dip each ball in melted dark chocolate and sprinkle with crushed peppermint or
dust with cocoa powder.
6. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to set.

Dates provide natural sweetness and fiber to balance blood sugar. Almonds supply healthy fats
and protein to keep you satisfied. Dark chocolate boosts antioxidants and your mood. Peppermint supports digestion (perfect after holiday meals).

These store well in the fridge and make a great edible gift, too! Enjoy!