Ahhh, the holidays.....a whirlwind of cooking, eating, family gatherings, gift-exchanging, festive decorating, celebrating, socializing, and...stress. It seems ironic that we get "time off" for the holidays only to fill that time right up with an extensive to-do list, one that is usually more than what most mere mortals can handle. Don't get me wrong--we WANT to do these holiday things. We thumb through magazines and click through websites loaded with inspired ideas that get our holiday cockles all aglow...until the glow fades out and we find ourselves in the middle of a pile of half-wrapped gifts and half-decorated cookies, feeling half-baked, overwhelmed and out of juice. Funny we should mention juice...but more on this later.
Self-Care Is Important During the Holidays
One of the most beautiful features of the holiday season is its emphasis on giving. Whether it's a trip to the mall or local artisan markets to buy presents, sending delicious citrus and special treats from Florida Fruit Shippers to friends and family all over the world, volunteering at a local shelter, or donating food to help fill the shelves of a community food pantry, it is easy to forget that we have to restock our own shelves regularly to keep the momentum of giving spirit going. It's not shelve-ish (er, selfish). In fact, it behooves us to create space for some self-care in the midst of the activity whirlwind. Ironically, a little bit of time spent in taking care of yourself will pay off with more time and energy to keep going
Citrus Can Help!
So what does all of this have to do with juice, and how can citrus possibly help with easing the stress of the season? Well, there are actually a number of ways you can turn to our favorite fruits to help nurture body and mind, depending on how much time you have.
Hydrate with Orange Juice
One of the most overlooked causes of fatigue is dehydration. The equation is simple: we get busy + we forget to hydrate = we get dehydrated. Now, keeping a jug of water nearby is always a good idea. When things are particularly crazy, however, enjoying a tall, cool glass of orange juice once or twice per day in addition to your regular water intake can have amazing restorative effects. Along with its hydration benefits. the blast of vitamin C will infuse your body with a sustaining source of energy and strengthen your immune system (lest we forget that holiday time is also cold and flu season). Orange juice has also been found to alleviate inflammation, and the fiber in its pulp is great for keeping us regular--another stress reliever! And, just the very act of taking a moment to restore and renew by enjoying a drink is restorative in and of itself. Try not to chug it down, but rather take slow and steady sips, enjoying the moment of self-care.
Try a Grapefruit Facial
If you can carve out just a bit of time, try a facial. We hold a lot of tension in our countenance, often without even realizing it. A little nurturing attention to the area can work wonders for stress relief. But what kind of facial do we do, and how do we do it? When you do a search for the latest, greatest rejuvenating facials, most spas will offer some fancy version of a grapefruit or citrus peel treatment. Grapefruits are loaded with anti-inflammatory properties, as well as Vitamin C and its derivatives which lock in moisture to help us look and feel revitalized, so spas love to tout these benefits with their treatments and products. Going to a spa, however, can add stress to your pocketbook. Fortunately, there's no need to pay a spa or even purchase a product boasting grapefruit-extracted ingredients. Look no further than the grapefruit on your kitchen counter, and the plain yogurt (dairy or non-dairy) in your fridge! The recipe is simple: mix the juice from half of a fresh grapefruit with half a cup of plain yogurt, and apply to your skin. Assume a reclining position on the couch or even in a warm bathtub for up to twenty minutes, rinse, and pat dry. Drink a glass of orange juice, take a deep breath, and return to your holiday activities.
With a bit of citrus-enhanced self-care, you can be indeed be assured of a less-stressful, FUN holiday season! From all of us here at Florida Fruit Shippers to you, Happy Holidays!
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/orange-juice-benefits
https://helloglow.co/grapefruit-for-skin
