Tips to survive holiday season

Mallika Chopra, healthy living expert and founder and CEO of Intent.com, and Rescue Remedy, the #1 natural stress relief products in the US, are teaming up to help Americans survive the holidays the natural way. The program kicks off with advice from Chopra, to be posted today on Intent.com. Her advice highlights how to prepare for the holidays without the stress or foreboding that typically comes with this time of year. Following the first article, Intent.com and Rescue Remedy will post 12 blogs starting December 25 from a group of carefully selected experts in health, nutrition and relationships.

"The irony of the holiday season is that many of us are unprepared for the stress and anxiety that comes with planning for a joyous and celebratory occasion," says Chopra. "This year's economic downturn may bring additional stress in the form of tighter wallets, a smaller travel budget and family tension in the form of well-meaning, but insensitive, questions about a family member's unemployment. And let's not even get started with the weight gain that comes from indulging too much in holiday snacks..."

Mallika Chopra's tips to survive the holiday season with your physical, emotional and spiritual health intact:

• Set clear intentions about your goals: Whether it is to remain harmonious with your family or staying on budget, setting goals will help you to remain aware of your actions.

• Keep the items of your personal wellness toolkit within reach: Anytime you are tempted to reach for an extra holiday cookie, reach for your toolkit herbal teas, energy bars, all-natural stress relief from Rescue Remedy, or framed pictures of your family and loved ones.

• Find a few moments of alone time: Take some time for yourself, embrace the silence between your thoughts before you feel tempted to micro-manage the family to-do list.

• Be physical: Go for a run, play basketball with your kids, or simply enjoy a walk - releasing endorphins keeps us upbeat, energetic and optimistic.

• Be gracious and give back: Never underestimate the power of saying thank you - to your friends, family, to a higher being, and to yourself.

To mirror the traditional 12 days of Christmas that follow December 25, one article will be posted for each of the 12 days through the New Year. Each expert blog will provide tips on how to survive the holiday crash, start the New Year stress-free and healthy, and manage your family and friends. After the excitement and preparation of the holidays, the days following can be anticlimactic and equally stressful - you've eaten too much, drank too much, and now you are hoping to put the family quarrels behind you. "Let us all end this year with a sense of gratitude and giving to the people around us, as these are the things that make for a meaningful holiday season," says Chopra.