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(click for larger image)
photograph by
Amanda Stephenson
They seem to come along faster every year. No sooner has your skin been
caressed by the last warm breeze of summer, then you start to spot
decorated Christmas trees and reindeer with lights at places like Home
Depot. You are jolted into thinking about all of the gifts to be bought,
decorations to be put up and social obligations, which are, customarily,
implicit with the holiday season.
Although you may enjoy the festivities with family and friends, a part
of you might resent or even feel overwhelmed at the interruption that
this will cause, in your daily routine. There are only so many hours in
the day, and if you maintain a macrobiotic lifestyle, you are already a
busy person. Trying to cope with it all can put you on an emotional
roller coaster.
This year it doesn't have to be that way. In the spirit of keeping both
mind and body happy, the following suggestions will help to ease you
through the holidays. You will then sparkle your way through the season
and enjoy yourself. You will receive the gift of a happy, fun and stress
free holiday season!
1. TAKE A MORATORIUM ON GIFT GIVING: This is probably the biggest
stress buster of all. When I first decided to do this three years ago,
my daughter, Amanda, was appalled. She was worried that I would be
thought of as some kind of a Christmas Scrooge. I stood my ground and
contacted everyone with whom I had exchanged Christmas gifts for many
years and explained that I wanted to stop doing so. Although I was
apprehensive that I would offend someone, to my surprise, many people
were really happy that they now would have one less gift to worry about
choosing, buying and wrapping. I no longer have to run around like a
maniac buying gifts for everyone, which they may or may not like. If you
do this once, you will never want to go back to the rat race of a custom
that is commercially fostered.
2. SIMPLIFY HOLIDAY DECORATIONS: Instead of putting up an
elaborate Christmas tree and lights all over the place, try taking the
simple route for a change of pace. There is nothing more beautiful than
a holiday table covered with a red tablecloth and lit with white candles
that are surrounded by boughs of holly.
3. TAKE A CHRISTMAS CARD BREAK: If you want to send cards, wait
until after the holiday and send New Years greeting cards. Everyone is
more relaxed at that time and will enjoy hearing from you. Never, ever,
write a long litany of the past year's events of your life. It takes too
much time to write and to read.
4. EAT A GOOD MEAL BEFORE GOING OUT: This is one that I do all
year long. I used to cart my food along to dinner parties, but it is
rather insulting to a hostess if you think about it. There isn't a way
to refuse to eat someone else's cooking without seeming to be rude. If
you eat a nice macrobiotic meal before you go out to a dinner party or
any party, you can than be polite and eat some salad or something which
is not too much of a no-no without making a big fuss about your dietary
proclivities. Be an engaging guest and no one will notice that you are
not eating all that much food!
5. HAVE A GRAIN AND AT LEAST ONE VEGETABLE WITH EVERY MEAL: In
other words, don't drop your regular routine, just because you are
socializing a lot. Remember that the biggest gift that we can give to
ourselves is to protect our good health.
6. SCHEDULE AT LEAST ONE HEDONISTIC DAY FOR YOURSELF: Ah yes,
while the rest of the world is running around going crazy getting ready
for the holidays, take an entire day just for yourself. Do exactly what
you want to do. That could be reading or watching films all day. Cook
some nice macrobiotic food the day before so that your day of rest is
exactly that. Take the time to chew well, reflect, rest, and relax.
7. SABOTAGE THE MAIL: There is an inordinate amount of mail
during the holidays. Keep a wastebasket next to the place where you open
your mail and discard anything that you do not want to read. This will
avoid an after holiday desk mess.
8. PREPARE YOURSELF EMOTIONALLY: The holidays can take a toll on
your emotions if you have family members with whom you have an uneasy
relationship. Rehearse the possible scenarios before time and things
will go much better. If a certain person always manages to push your
buttons, be prepared and don't allow it to happen.
9. AVOID LONELINESS: If you do not have a network of family or
friends who live nearby, contact a local church, synagogue or community
center and inquire about what is going on for the holidays. There are
usually Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and other activities
scheduled. Offer to bring a vegetarian dish and you will be instantly
popular!
10. REACH OUT TO SOMEONE IN NEED: Offer to help an elderly person
with errands or take in a child who would not have a holiday otherwise.
Cook a macrobiotic meal for someone who is very busy. Doing something
nice for someone else will raise your self-esteem and bring feelings of
the joy of the season to your soul.
11. KEEP EXERCISING: Keep up with your daily walk or whatever
exercise routine you usually follow. If it's very cold outside, bundle
up; the cold air is good for you!
12. SCHEDULE A MASSAGE: If you want to look and feel your best,
make arrangements to have a shiatsu massage. Ask your massage therapist
to pay some extra attention to your face so that you will look your best
at holiday parties. Allow a bit of time afterwards to let the relaxation
sink in.
13. MAKE YOUR LAST CALL EARLY: Allow three hours for your food to
digest and the same if you drink alcohol. Metabolizing alcohol disrupts
sleep.
14. MEDITATE: Numerous clinical studies have measured dips in the
immune defenses of stressed-out people. So don't forget to take a few
minutes of time every day to close your eyes and meditate. Picture your
thoughts as clouds and let them float up to the sky.
15. SCHEDULE A TRIP TO BARBADOS: Every February, Christina and
Bob host a trip there. Everyone always raves about what a great time
they have at this tropical paradise. You have had an economical holiday
so treat yourself to a vacation on the beach.
16. BREATHE STRESS AWAY: When we're stressed, we breathe in a
shallow manner, not diaphragmatically. Put your hand on your stomach and
inhale through your nose as you mentally count to four. Your stomach
should be expanding as you inhale and retracting as you exhale. This
will signal your body to slow down and relax.
17. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS: Having sincere gratitude for what you
have is a blessing. Be appreciative that you have made the decision to
have a healthy, stress free holiday. Be thankful for all of the good
people and things in your life.
18. TAKE TIME FOR ROMANCE: Taking the time for romance is a gift
for you and your partner. Make a beautiful lunch or dinner and plan a
quiet time with just the two of you. Unplug the telephone and let the
romance of the season carry you away.
19. GET PLENTY OF SLEEP: In the wintertime, the long hours of
darkness signal people to sleep longer. However during the hectic
holiday season, we are busier than ever, and burning the candle at both
ends can have a negative effect on our health Getting the proper amount
of sleep gives your body the time it needs to repair tissue damage and
maintain the immune system.
20. MAKE PROFOUND NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS: Make a promise to be
the best person that you can be in the coming year. Think about ways to
make your macrobiotic practice better and your cooking more interesting
and delicious. Make an agreement with yourself that every holiday in the
future will be even more stress free than this one. Congratulate
yourself for pulling it all off and having had a fun holiday!
Christina's beauty book "Glow" has the following recipes for remedies
that will help you to cope with stress and look your holiday best!
Originally published in
Christina
Cooks Holiday 2002
Recipes
SHIITAKE TEA
This simple tea will help to regulate kidney moisture, get rid of dark
circles under your eyes and also help you to have more restful sleep at
night.
1 dried shiitake mushroom
1 cup spring water
1 splash shoyu
Soak the mushroom in water until tender, about 20 minutes. Finely mince
and place, with the soaking water, in a saucepan. Bring to a boil
uncovered. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the
shoyu and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Drink the liquid and eat the
mushrooms while hot.
KOMBU TEA
Kombu has many benefits including fortifying blood quality, restoring
nervous system function and aiding in the production of strong, lustrous
hair.
4 inch piece kombu
4 cups spring water
Place the kombu and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, covered.
Reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid reduces in half, 10 to 15
minutes. Remove kombu. Drink one cup while hot. You may reheat any
remaining tea for another serving.
SWEET BARLEY MALT KUZU
To rid our faces of those annoying little frown lines, we need to relax
our liver and this simple, sweet and sour tea is just the ticket.
1 cup spring water
1 teaspoon kuzu
1 tablespoon barley malt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve the kuzu.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the tea thickens and
clears, about 3 minutes. Drink hot.
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