The holiday season, spanning from Thanksgiving to Christmas, is typically a time for gathering with loved ones over delicious meals. However, it’s not always all festive cheer and happiness. For some individuals, stress and anxiety can escalate as the holidays draw near. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychiatric Association, around 30% of Americans in 2022 reported feeling more stressed about the holidays compared to the previous year. Factors such as budgeting, food preparation, and potentially divisive topics were identified as common stressors. On the flip side, research indicates that positive family relationships play a crucial role in overall well-being. Family ties are enduring, so nurturing positive connections within your family circle can contribute to a longer and healthier life.
Strategies for Alleviating Holiday Stress
Here are some effective ways to minimize holiday stress and refocus on what truly matters: spending quality time with family and friends. As you peruse the following suggestions, seek out approaches that can help alleviate the pressure of hosting gatherings and enhance the significance of the holiday season.
1. Incorporate Others into the Preparation Process
One major source of stress for hosts during Thanksgiving is the extensive preparation involved. Transform the pre-party tasks into a group activity by inviting friends or family members to assist with meal preparation. Even if your kitchen space is limited, you can still engage in a joint cooking session through a video call. Sharing the load of Thanksgiving preparation not only lightens your burden but also fosters a more relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for your guests.
2. Simplify Cleanup Efforts
Post-celebration cleanup can be equally exhausting and stressful. Simplify this process by opting for disposable dishes and napkins, which can be easily sourced from local grocery stores. Many brands now offer compostable alternatives, allowing you to maintain an eco-friendly Thanksgiving celebration without the post-party hassle.
3. Streamline Your Menu
Instead of preparing an array of traditional Thanksgiving dishes, streamline your menu by focusing on a selection of preferred favorites. By reducing the number of sides and desserts, you can save time, effort, and money. Alternatively, consider hosting a Thanksgiving potluck to distribute the cooking responsibilities among participants.
4. Explore Convenient Food Options
If you find yourself overwhelmed by cooking tasks or potluck arrangements, explore ready-made food options available in stores. From pies to cranberry sauces and salads, you can discover a variety of convenient and appetizing selections to complement your Thanksgiving feast.
Introducing Novel Holiday Traditions
While holidays are ideal for upholding cherished traditions, consider incorporating new customs and activities into your celebrations this year.
1. Share Family Recipes
Utilize Thanksgiving as an opportunity to bond as a family beyond the meal itself. Involve children and family members in the kitchen, fostering stronger familial ties and passing down treasured family recipes and culinary traditions. Allocate age-appropriate tasks to engage everyone in the cooking process.
2. Engage in Community Giving
Embrace the spirit of giving back to your community during the holiday season. Volunteer together at a local food shelf, donate to charitable organizations, or engage in acts of kindness to support those in need. This shared experience not only showcases gratitude for your blessings but also strengthens bonds with loved ones.
3. Enjoy Leisure Activities Together
Look for enjoyable activities to partake in as a family during Thanksgiving weekend. Beyond sharing a meal, consider engaging in group games, outdoor walks, or collaborative tasks like assembling puzzles or embarking on a scavenger hunt. Reflect on memories and stories from the past year to deepen familial connections.
4. Learn Something New
Enhance quality time with your loved ones by learning new skills or exploring unfamiliar subjects together. Encourage family members or friends with expertise in certain areas to share their knowledge with the group. Engaging in creative endeavors, such as crafting seasonal decorations or mastering a new craft, can foster togetherness and create lasting memories.
5. Cultivate Gratitude
While expressing gratitude is a traditional Thanksgiving practice, infuse a fresh perspective into this activity. Encourage guests to reflect on their blessings by creating a gratitude collage, engaging in a guessing game centered on thankfulness, or sharing personal anecdotes of appreciation. This innovative approach can add a unique touch to your holiday celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Complementary and Alternative Healthcare – Are they Evidence-based?
While the evidence base in complementary and alternative medicine remains incomplete, there are many good reasons to choose them. You might have tried traditional treatments and found them ineffective. Or you may be looking for an alternative treatment because it has more benefits than conventional care. Alternately, they may look into complementary and alternative medicine as part of a holistic approach for health. It is important for patients to verify that any alternative or complementary medicines they are using have been supported by scientific research. If you’re unsure whether a particular treatment is effective, ask your doctor or pharmacist. It could save you money and time in the long run.
What is the difference between holistic and alternative medicine?
Holistic medicine considers the whole person-mind, body spirit, soul and spirit. Holistic medicine considers all aspects of a person’s health. This includes the spiritual, psychological, and environmental factors that are often overlooked in conventional medicine. Alternative medicine can be used to treat certain conditions like asthma, allergies, arthritis, or other medical issues.
Which types of treatment are not considered part of holistic medicine?
Holistic medicine treats the whole person, not the symptoms. It aids in the recovery of illness by promoting good health and preventing future ones.
Holistic medicine uses natural remedies such as herbs, homeopathy, and acupuncture instead of drugs and surgery.
Holistic medicine involves lifestyle changes such diet, exercise and yoga.
Integrative medicine, also known as Holistic Medicine, integrates all aspects a patient’s mental, physical, and emotional needs into one comprehensive treatment plan.
Holistic medicine emphasizes prevention, early detection and healthy living.
Holistic doctors believe there is no one cause for every condition. Instead, they look at the entire picture, including genetic factors, environmental influences, lifestyle choices, and personal habits.
Holistic practitioners pay more attention to the mind, the emotions, and the spirit than to the body.
Holistic physicians work closely with their patients to determine what will best meet their individual needs.
What is Alternative Medicine?
It is a healing approach that focuses on prevention instead of treating. It encourages people be educated consumers, actively participating in their own health and well being.
Alternative medicine is any method of diagnosis and treatment that doesn’t use conventional (allopathic) medical methods.
What is the difference between alternative medicine and complementary medicine?
Alternative medicine is any treatment that isn’t considered standard by mainstream medical practitioners but which has been shown to have benefits for some conditions. These include homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy and reflexology as well as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Ayurveda and naturopathy. Complementary Medicines are treatments that add to the treatment of conventional medicine. They may also be used in combination with it. These include nutritional supplements like vitamins, minerals or herbs, amino acid, enzymes or probiotics.
Both forms of medicine can be used but are not recommended by many doctors due to lack of evidence or safety concerns.
There is not consensus among health professionals regarding the best approach for integrating CAM in patient care.
Many CAM practices are based on theories developed over thousands of years. However, clinical trials over the past 20 years suggest that some of these therapies might work.
As an example, several studies indicate that acupuncture may relieve pain. The preliminary data suggests that acupuncture may decrease nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy. Other studies suggest that acupuncture may improve symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, migraines, tension headaches, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
Other CAM methods may have therapeutic effects on conditions like HIV/AIDS and diabetes, heart disease or hypertension, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and rheumatoidarthritis.
Although we have limited information about the effectiveness CAM, most experts agree that it can be helpful in the treatment of various diseases.
As a consequence, more people turn to CAM practitioners for relief of common illnesses.
Despite growing popularity, many remain confused about the definition of “alternative” or complementary medicine.
Statistics
- The use of alternative medicine in the US has increased, with a 50 percent increase in expenditures and a 25 percent increase in the use of alternative therapies between 1990 and 1997 in America. (en.wikipedia.org)
- A 15-year systematic review published in 2022 on the global acceptance and use of CAM among medical specialists found the overall acceptance of CAM at 52% and the overall use at 45%. (en.wikipedia.org)
- These studies found that 38.4% concluded positive or possibly positive effects for CAM (12.4%), 4.8% concluded no effect, 0.7% concluded harmful effects, and 56.6% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- According to a 2005 book by a US [116]Institute of Medicine panel, the number of RCTs focused on CAM has risen dramatically. (en.wikipedia.org)
- In the 17% in which they disagreed, a third reader agreed with one of the initial readers to set a rating. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING FOR TENSION-TYPE HEADACHE–PubMed
- PubMed: Randomized controlled trial examining the effects of foot reflexology on hospital anxiety and depression in female older adults.
cam.cancer.gov
webmd.com
nccih.nih.gov
- Statistics on Complementary, Integrative and Health Approaches
- What’s in the Name of Complementary and Alternative Health? NCCIH
How To
How to deal when your girlfriend trusts an alternative medicine.
Internet advice is available for those who are dealing with someone suffering from mental illness. There is not much information available to assist those who believe in alternative medicine.
It seems like there is a big divide between the two. There is a wide range of opinions on conventional medicine.
What happens when you come across someone who believes in alternative treatments for mental health issues?
Because you don’t know where to start, you may feel confused and frustrated. So what do you say to your partner when he tells you he wants to go to an acupuncturist instead of his doctor? Or when he suggests to you that he would prefer to eat gluten-free foods than take antidepressants.
Asking questions is crucial. It’s important to ask them early. This will save you many heartaches later.
So how can you ask difficult questions of him without offending? What if he claims he doesn’t believe doctors? What if he says he doesn’t trust doctors?
Or what if she says that she thinks that antidepressants aren’t working? Do you need to tell her that she’s wrong
Here is where things get tricky. It can cause further irritation if you point it out that she is wrong.
You could also suggest she see a psychiatrist. This might cause more problems that it solves. She may be furious at you for suggesting such a thing. Then again, she may think you’re trying to control her life.
What should you do?
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If you or another person is suffering from a medical issue and you are concerned, consult your doctor or seek out other medical professional treatment as soon as possible. Do not disregard medical advice from a professional or delay seeking it due to information you seen on the blog or website or in any of the linked materials. If you’re experiencing an emergency medical situation, dial 911 or seek emergency medical assistance on the closest phone immediately.
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By: Dick Benson
Title: How to Reduce Holiday Stress and Focus on Family and Friends
Sourced From: alternativemedicine.com/lifestyle-2/focus-on-what-really-matters-this-thanksgiving/
Published Date: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 06:52:50 +0000
Frequently Asked Questions
Complementary and Alternative Healthcare – Are they Evidence-based?
While the evidence base in complementary and alternative medicine remains incomplete, there are many good reasons to choose them. You might have tried traditional treatments and found them ineffective. Or you may be looking for an alternative treatment because it has more benefits than conventional care. Alternately, they may look into complementary and alternative medicine as part of a holistic approach for health. It is important for patients to verify that any alternative or complementary medicines they are using have been supported by scientific research. If you’re unsure whether a particular treatment is effective, ask your doctor or pharmacist. It could save you money and time in the long run.
What is the difference between holistic and alternative medicine?
Holistic medicine considers the whole person-mind, body spirit, soul and spirit. Holistic medicine considers all aspects of a person’s health. This includes the spiritual, psychological, and environmental factors that are often overlooked in conventional medicine. Alternative medicine can be used to treat certain conditions like asthma, allergies, arthritis, or other medical issues.
Which types of treatment are not considered part of holistic medicine?
Holistic medicine treats the whole person, not the symptoms. It aids in the recovery of illness by promoting good health and preventing future ones.
Holistic medicine uses natural remedies such as herbs, homeopathy, and acupuncture instead of drugs and surgery.
Holistic medicine involves lifestyle changes such diet, exercise and yoga.
Integrative medicine, also known as Holistic Medicine, integrates all aspects a patient’s mental, physical, and emotional needs into one comprehensive treatment plan.
Holistic medicine emphasizes prevention, early detection and healthy living.
Holistic doctors believe there is no one cause for every condition. Instead, they look at the entire picture, including genetic factors, environmental influences, lifestyle choices, and personal habits.
Holistic practitioners pay more attention to the mind, the emotions, and the spirit than to the body.
Holistic physicians work closely with their patients to determine what will best meet their individual needs.
What is Alternative Medicine?
It is a healing approach that focuses on prevention instead of treating. It encourages people be educated consumers, actively participating in their own health and well being.
Alternative medicine is any method of diagnosis and treatment that doesn’t use conventional (allopathic) medical methods.
What is the difference between alternative medicine and complementary medicine?
Alternative medicine is any treatment that isn’t considered standard by mainstream medical practitioners but which has been shown to have benefits for some conditions. These include homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy and reflexology as well as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Ayurveda and naturopathy. Complementary Medicines are treatments that add to the treatment of conventional medicine. They may also be used in combination with it. These include nutritional supplements like vitamins, minerals or herbs, amino acid, enzymes or probiotics.
Both forms of medicine can be used but are not recommended by many doctors due to lack of evidence or safety concerns.
There is not consensus among health professionals regarding the best approach for integrating CAM in patient care.
Many CAM practices are based on theories developed over thousands of years. However, clinical trials over the past 20 years suggest that some of these therapies might work.
As an example, several studies indicate that acupuncture may relieve pain. The preliminary data suggests that acupuncture may decrease nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy. Other studies suggest that acupuncture may improve symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, migraines, tension headaches, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
Other CAM methods may have therapeutic effects on conditions like HIV/AIDS and diabetes, heart disease or hypertension, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and rheumatoidarthritis.
Although we have limited information about the effectiveness CAM, most experts agree that it can be helpful in the treatment of various diseases.
As a consequence, more people turn to CAM practitioners for relief of common illnesses.
Despite growing popularity, many remain confused about the definition of “alternative” or complementary medicine.
Statistics
- The use of alternative medicine in the US has increased, with a 50 percent increase in expenditures and a 25 percent increase in the use of alternative therapies between 1990 and 1997 in America. (en.wikipedia.org)
- A 15-year systematic review published in 2022 on the global acceptance and use of CAM among medical specialists found the overall acceptance of CAM at 52% and the overall use at 45%. (en.wikipedia.org)
- These studies found that 38.4% concluded positive or possibly positive effects for CAM (12.4%), 4.8% concluded no effect, 0.7% concluded harmful effects, and 56.6% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- According to a 2005 book by a US [116]Institute of Medicine panel, the number of RCTs focused on CAM has risen dramatically. (en.wikipedia.org)
- In the 17% in which they disagreed, a third reader agreed with one of the initial readers to set a rating. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING FOR TENSION-TYPE HEADACHE–PubMed
- PubMed: Randomized controlled trial examining the effects of foot reflexology on hospital anxiety and depression in female older adults.
cam.cancer.gov
webmd.com
nccih.nih.gov
- Statistics on Complementary, Integrative and Health Approaches
- What’s in the Name of Complementary and Alternative Health? NCCIH
How To
How to deal when your girlfriend trusts an alternative medicine.
Internet advice is available for those who are dealing with someone suffering from mental illness. There is not much information available to assist those who believe in alternative medicine.
It seems like there is a big divide between the two. There is a wide range of opinions on conventional medicine.
What happens when you come across someone who believes in alternative treatments for mental health issues?
Because you don’t know where to start, you may feel confused and frustrated. So what do you say to your partner when he tells you he wants to go to an acupuncturist instead of his doctor? Or when he suggests to you that he would prefer to eat gluten-free foods than take antidepressants.
Asking questions is crucial. It’s important to ask them early. This will save you many heartaches later.
So how can you ask difficult questions of him without offending? What if he claims he doesn’t believe doctors? What if he says he doesn’t trust doctors?
Or what if she says that she thinks that antidepressants aren’t working? Do you need to tell her that she’s wrong
Here is where things get tricky. It can cause further irritation if you point it out that she is wrong.
You could also suggest she see a psychiatrist. This might cause more problems that it solves. She may be furious at you for suggesting such a thing. Then again, she may think you’re trying to control her life.
What should you do?
