Tips for staying healthy and well during the holiday season

For many of us, the Christmas and New Year holiday season is a time of celebration, reflection and taking the opportunity to disconnect from our normal routines and indulge in unique traditions within our communities and our friends and extended families.

While it’s important to make the most of these experiences, it can be challenging to maintain the healthy habits that are equally important to keeping us well and preventing illness, especially during the cold winter months.

However, staying healthy during the holidays doesn’t need to mean big sacrifices. There are many small, simple changes to our holiday routines that can add up to a healthier, more active and mindful festive period. 

Adding plenty of seasonal produce to the menu

Getting five portions of fruit and vegetables in a day is easier than it sounds, even during the holidays. Adding hearty, seasonal vegetables like cauliflower and roasted parsnips to your plate both adds nutritional value and makes for cost-effective (and delicious) side dishes. And one of my seasonal treats is bubble and squeak from all the left-over vegetables from Christmas Day lunch – with a non-stick frying pan, there’s no need for extra fat, so it’s healthy as well as very tasty.

In addition to saving money and improving taste, eating fruits and vegetables that are in season is also better for the environment. Growing foods in season requires fewer artificial elements, such as light and heat, than importing them from abroad.

Visit the NHS website for eight practical tips to help you make healthier food and wellbeing choices.

Taking small steps to stay active

Exercise and physical activity can help manage your body and mind. Whether it is dancing with friends, a brisk dog walk or playing a fun game of sport with family, moving more can be an enjoyable addition to your daily activities, particularly as you’re celebrating with loved ones.

Our Richmond Moves campaign aims to provide residents with resources for keeping active. No matter your age or comfort level with physical activity, the campaign offers useful tips and local support to help get you moving – it only takes 22 minutes of exercise per day to meet the recommended 150 weekly minutes. And if have the time to volunteer, don’t forget local community events such as Parkruns rely on volunteers – you will be made to feel very welcome and valued, whether you walk, run or just volunteer.

Being mindful of alcohol consumption

For many of us, the holidays involve sharing drinks with friends and family, from mulled wine to buck's fizz to brandy, and it can be helpful to think about how this can be done safely. Too much alcohol can have a negative effect on both our body and mind, so it’s important to be mindful of how much you’re consuming and stay hydrated with plenty of water in between alcoholic drinks. And if you are hosting an event, remember to provide non-alcohol refreshments – there are some great low or no alcohol wines and beers and even an alcohol-free G&T, if that’s someone’s favourite tipple!

You can use the Council’s DrinkChecker website to help you stay safe. DrinkChecker can help you set goals to drink less and show you how much you can save in money and calories by reducing your drinking. It also provides information about local support services if you need extra support.

Looking after your mental health

Celebrating the festive season can be a wonderful way to connect with family and friends. For some of us, however, it can also be a stressful period and trigger difficult emotions. Looking after your mental health is so important, and we understand it may be difficult to reach out for help. Whatever you may be going through, there are a wide range of support services and resources on offer to our residents.

There are a range of mental health services available in Richmond. If you need mental health and wellbeing support in a crisis you can call the South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 24/7 mental health support line on 0800 028 8000.

Keeping yourself warm

As we enter a very cold winter, it’s important we take steps to look after ourselves and others. Cold temperatures can negatively impact our health, so try and keep rooms you are in at 18°C. Public Health have shared useful tips on how to keep homes warm and efficient.

In the midst of the cost of living crisis, we know many people will be struggling to keep their homes warm this winter. Our Cost of Living hub has all the information you need about local support available, including the Warm Spaces for Richmond upon Thames residents.

Looking after others

Tis the season for giving, and there are many ways you can help people in the community who are struggling to have a healthy, festive period. Find out more about how you can help with donations. Your support can help keep homes warm and put food on the tables of those who need it this year.

Connecting with community

If you or someone you know is spending Christmas alone and would like to connect with other local residents, there are several local organisations and groups offering activities available for anyone to join.

Ruils, Richmond upon Thames’ independent living charity, has created a useful round-up of these from slide 12 of this resource pack.

2022 has been a tough year for many, so most importantly, be kind to yourself, spend time with close ones and have a wonderful festive period.

Accessing health services during the holidays

The following information will be useful if you need to use health services over the holiday:

• Your local pharmacy is a first port-of-call for minor health concerns. Find out about pharmacy opening hours during the holidays
• Call your GP practice or visit their website to make an appointment for an illness or injury that won’t go away, or access your GP's out of hours service
• For free and urgent medical advice that is not an emergency, call NHS 111 24/7 or access the service online 
• The Richmond Urgent Treatment Centre at Teddington Memorial Hospital is open 8am to 8pm, seven days per week. This service is for when you need urgent medical attention but it is not life-threatening
• You should always call 999 in the event of a medical or mental health emergency

 

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