Mindfulness is key, Mayo Clinic Healthcare expert says

LONDON — Whether it’s overeating, catching an illness or feeling stress or sheer exhaustion, a busy calendar of holiday festivities can take a toll on health, says Safia Debar, MBBS, a general practitioner and stress management expert at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. In this expert alert, Dr. Debar answers common questions and offers tips to help you power through holiday gatherings in good health.

Whether it comes to eating, drinking or even the decision to hold or attend parties in the first place, mindfulness is key, Dr. Debar says.

How can people protect themselves from catching an illness during this busy time?

Dr. Debar recommends considering the environment you will be in and how you are feeling physically and mentally heading into a particular gathering.

Physically, do you feel rested? Are you getting the vitamins and minerals you need or should you top up by making a special effort to eat well? Have you taken preventive measures such as the flu vaccine?

“It’s also important to practice proper hand-washing, wear a mask if appropriate, and be conscious of what you’re potentially exposing yourself to,” Dr. Debar says. “Ensure healthy lifestyle factors are in place as best as they can be, given this time of year, but also have some self-compassion. It is a busy time. We are juggling a lot of dynamics. It’s important to have some internal kindness for ourselves as well.”

Often, party food is communal: buffets with shared utensils and appetizer trays that people are reaching onto, for example. How can people protect themselves from norovirus and other illnesses spread through food and physical contact with germy surfaces?

Poor hand hygiene, undercooked food and food left out too long are among the causes of foodborne illnesses. This is another area where a mindful approach can help you stay healthy, Dr. Debar says.

“This is where it’s important to be conscious of the decisions we are making and questioning, `Do I really want to go to the party? Do I have to go?’” she explains. “If something feels dodgy, be in touch with your intuition. If you’re going to eat at the buffet, think about your choices. When you bring awareness to it, then you might decide you’re not even hungry or you actually don’t even want to be there. If you do go, make sure you’re washing your hands.”

The party season is a time when people may indulge in sweet treats, fatty foods and alcoholic beverages. How can people avoid overdoing it?

“I would sit down and think through the consequences of overdoing it and the actual cost to you,” Dr. Debar says. “For example, do you know that if you drink too much, the next day you’re sluggish, you don’t sleep well, you’ll get into arguments, you won’t be functioning well. Then, consider the upshot: The pleasure or benefits of that drink may not be what they seem. It’s useful to do that exercise and start consciously choosing when you are going to drink and when you are not going to drink.”

If you are going to drink, stay hydrated with water, avoid drinking on an empty stomach, and be aware of what you’re drinking and how it might affect you, Dr. Debar says.

“When you know what your individual reactions to drinks or late nights or overindulgences are, then you can make sure that you rest the next day and put other strategies in place to help your health,” Dr. Debar adds. “And try not to overcommit the next day as well; often it’s when people have subsequent parties that it’s a problem.”

With food, try to avoid sugar highs, because that’s when cravings can start, she advises.

“If you can start your day right with adequate protein, good fats and avoiding a massive sugar spike, then you’re not playing catch-up or at the mercy of sugar spikes. Maximize fruit, vegetables, protein and good fats and then the rest can be treats,” Dr. Debar says.

For some people, social situations can cause anxiety. What steps can people take to calm themselves and enjoy the moment?

“This will really depend on the individual. Interactions are good for us. It's also a very good opportunity for people to step out of their comfort zone, but it can be dose-dependent,” Dr. Debar says. “If you’re an introvert, know your limits: How many events are you comfortable doing?”

Tell yourself that you only need to speak to one person, and promise yourself that you can leave early if you are not having fun, she advises. Relaxation methods such as breathing and visualization techniques can help ease anxiety, Dr. Debar says.

“Also, break it down into little manageable steps. For example, you’re only going to a party for five minutes tonight,” Dr. Debar says. “Then if it goes well, it increases your confidence, and then you’re going to go for 10 minutes, and so on. Also, see if you can go with a friend. It’s important to expose yourself to social situations because connection is really good for us and connection with like-minded people is actually a buffer of stress.”

Holding a party can also prove stressful. How can party planners power through it?

Mindfulness can also help here. That includes managing your expectations, considering what others might do that tends to set off negative emotions in you, and having a strategy that helps you, Dr. Debar says.

“You’re often managing lots of other people’s beliefs and expectations and emotions and feelings. It can help to have a mantra that you can only do your best,” she explains. “You’re not responsible for whether someone has a good time. You can only do what you can do.” 

Dr. Debar also recommends breaking the party project into manageable chunks, delegating where you can, and approaching tasks with a spirit of fun and playfulness.

“Energy is infectious,” she says. “If I am happy and joyful, then that will have a knock-on effect to others, because we communicate via our nervous system and our body language.”

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About Mayo Clinic Healthcare
Mayo Clinic Healthcare, located in London, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mayo Clinic, a not-for-profit academic medical center. Mayo Clinic is top-ranked by U.S. News & World Report in more specialties than any other hospital for a reason: quality of care. Mayo Clinic Healthcare is the U.K.’s front door to that unparalleled experience. Visit Mayo Clinic Healthcare for more information.

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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