The holiday season is a wonderful time where families and friends come together to celebrate each other. Arguably, one of the most important additions to these times is the various foods decorating the tabletops. It can be quite tempting to overindulge and overeat, in fact, it’s practically encouraged!

However, these carb-heavy and sugar-rich holiday meals have a long-lasting impact on our physical and mental well-being. As the owner of To The Point Acupuncture in Raleigh, NC, I’ve seen numerous patients suffering from the effects of holiday overindulgence well after the season has passed.

A few effects that holiday eating can have on our bodies, both physical and mental, are:

• Weight Gain. Overeating can cause the body to go into alert mode, where chemicals involved in the metabolic and digestive processes work harder than necessary to get rid of the extra food. Unfortunately, this means that to work quickly the food will mostly be stored as fat, resulting in added pounds after the season.
• Changes to Internal Chemistry. The overeating can also trigger internal changes to our body’s natural processes. The pancreas must work harder to create more insulin and remove excess glucose from the blood which will then cause feelings of fatigue and discomfort. That drop in blood sugar results in people craving and turning to more sugar and carb-filled foods to feel better. What a vicious cycle!
• Mood Swings and Depression. The same foods that cause our physical bodies to react negatively, can also impact our mental health. Processed foods that are full of sugar and carbohydrates can cause us to experience symptoms of depression including fatigue, feelings of sadness, and irritability. The drastic changes in blood sugar levels are the culprit.

The good news is that you can restore hormonal balance, reduce cravings, and support digestion with both Chinese herbs and regular acupuncture treatments. I’ve seen many people regain their sense of control and rejuvenate their feelings of health despite over indulging during the holidays. If you’re interested in setting up an appointment to see how you can benefit from acupuncture and/or other forms of traditional Chinese medicine, contact me, Jill Doan, at To The Point Acupuncture.