EP 23 | Staying Regulated in an Unregulated Season

The holidays don’t have to derail your health — but they do require a different kind of support.

In this episode of The Healing Chronicles, we’re talking about how to stay connected to your body, your energy, and your nervous system during one of the most disruptive times of the year. Because the problem isn’t holiday food or celebrations — it’s the loss of rhythm, safety, and regulation that so many of us experience this season.

This is a gentle, realistic conversation about maintaining anchors instead of chasing perfection.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why the holidays feel so hard on the body (especially if you live with chronic stress or illness)
• How blood sugar, sleep, and the nervous system get thrown off — and how to support them
• Simple daily anchors that help your body feel safe, even when routines change
• Why rest, boundaries, and nourishment matter more than discipline
• How to move through the holidays without needing to “start over” in January

This episode is for anyone who wants to enjoy the season and care for their health, without restriction, guilt, or burnout.

✨ You don’t need to do more.
 ✨ You need to stay connected.

Transcript

Katie: [00:00:00] Let's start by saying the quiet thing out loud Christmas isn't hard because of food It's hard because of pressure disruption and expectation

Amanda: Routines go out the window, sleep shifts. Alcohol appears everywhere, and people comment on your plate.

Katie: Your nervous system is already on the edge because you've taken a bite So today isn't about being perfect

Amanda: It's about structuring the season so your body feels safer and your head doesn't spiral.

Katie: Exactly Mine used to do that every year FYI 

Amanda: This 

is such a hard season for people, and I know it's not just hard for people with chronic illness, it's hard for everybody. Um, I remember growing up and my mom, she didn't hate Christmas, but she found it incredibly overwhelming, overstimulating over everything. And [00:01:00] I could feel like, even as a kid, I could feel that anxiety like building, starting in November and like week after week, getting worse and worse in her.

And I think that's just. Super common, but also when you have food sensitivities or chronic symptoms, the food part of it is just another layer of stress and worry and panic.

Katie: Yeah it's it's overwhelming for a lot of people I mean we don't usually host that many people at all throughout the year so I feel like there's just a lot of pressure even when it comes to how the meal tastes and timings and entertaining people the stimulation of all of that it's a proper anxiety driver even as you mentioned for someone or people that suffer from chronic illness So these [00:02:00] drivers are really really strong when it comes to triggering symptoms because people don't really know how to navigate this type of occasion because they're they're not doing it regularly my mom was the same you know she would she's actually so she used to host like 14 15 people each day and she's just gone the complete other way and she's like I'm not doing it anymore

Amanda: Yeah.

Katie: and is quite happy just to have like Her immediate family there

Amanda: Yeah, I think. I think a few years ago I started to kind of reevaluate Christmas and think about the things that are really, the parts that are really like nostalgic and heartwarming and, and, you know, fill my cup and keep those things in my routine without all of the other added stuff that's [00:03:00] going to cause the anxiety and overwhelm and possible reactions to food and lack of sleep and all of the other things.

And, um, I think that it's important to know that we can make our own traditions and we can do things our own way. Um, we don't have to just kind of follow suit with the way that things are always done in our family or, you know, these expectations that we've all always put on ourselves. Um. It's okay to kind of start fresh and evaluate those things and say like, what do I want to include this holiday season and what can I let go of?

Katie: Absolutely and having the confidence to do that It's just all part of the beautiful journey The beautiful healing journey not just physically but mentally but actually like

Amanda: Yeah.

Katie: a day that is [00:04:00] work with you and work with your body it will actually create a much more pleasant experience but I feel like a lot of people are how will they just have this expectation of the day and how it's gonna go and what it's gonna look like because of tradition or just routine But that doesn't necessarily mean it has to stay that way So even having a different thought process and maybe finding inspiration in what we are gonna talk about today will help you to build out that picture so that you can start to visualize what the day looks like you know through your eyes and through your lens so yeah that's a really cool way of putting it I like that

Amanda: Yeah, so let's, why don't we start by kind of talking about some of the things that can lead us to not feeling our best, or some of these like holiday traps that people get stuck in and, uh, maybe aren't aware [00:05:00] of, like overbooking yourself and under resting, for example. So. Thinking about, well, this person wants me to go here and then I have to see this person and then I need to do this.

And we're usually trying to please everybody, make sure everybody's happy, and that you get time with all of the family and the friends. Um, but I think it's really important that we schedule in time for rest because it, it's important.

Katie: Especially if you are hosting and you are having to entertain a load of people you are on your feet The whole day And the basics the foundations that you've built that keep your symptoms at bay go out the window And it's not about that I used to make the terrible decision of um basically like having breakfast with my family and then waiting for seven plus hours [00:06:00] for the Christmas dinner to be cooked and I don't know about you but one of my main triggers for Crohn's was not eating regularly enough And even though I'm in re remission now I still have it So if I don't eat for say six seven hours and then I eat a meal I will be in pain And a lot of people have this trigger too So just making sure that you don't wait and wait for Christmas dinner and then massively overindulge you're actually structuring your meals so that you are eating regularly and you're not just waiting aimlessly for Christmas dinner or snacking on chocolate or whatever you can get your hands on because you're actually starving hungry but you know that a big dinner's coming up just prioritizing eating every few hours and maybe prepping something I normally prep some stuff that I can grab and go a couple of days before so that I'm not you know going through for these prolonged periods of [00:07:00] time without having any food whatsoever or eating something that's super high in sugar that isn't gonna fill me up at all It's probably just gonna make me feel even worse

Amanda: I believe that setting that foundation of like stabilizing your blood sugar is such a foundational habit and it doesn't quit on the holidays or the, the days where there's events, right? And, um, I know people that do this, I used to be guilty of this, like, well, I know I'm gonna eat all of the things at dinner, so I'll just save all my calories for then.

Yeah. And, uh, it, it absolutely comes back to bite you in the ass because then you are, if you're going there hungry, you are more likely to just kind of be nibbling on sweets and, and grabbing all of the things. And whereas if you kind of treat the day as just a regular day and [00:08:00] eat in your regular eating patterns up until dinner, you're going to feel.

More satisfied, more stable energy, more yourself, and not this crazy like, you know, rabid animal who's eating all of.

Katie: You're not gonna overeat as well so you're not gonna have a huge crash afterwards where you just feel super bloated your gastric eine rate is gonna be a lot slower and you are gonna feel really sluggish and uncomfortable and then that's where the gas starts and you might get abdominal pain et cetera which all can be avoided It's a bit like that analogy you shouldn't go to the supermarket when you feel hungry because you're literally just gonna buy like bubble the amount of food that you need Anything you see you're just gonna be like oh yeah fancy that Grab it You should go into the dinner feeling satisfied And is where mindful [00:09:00] eating really comes into play because you can practice mindful eating throughout the whole day and really just enjoy the textures the different tastes we have a lot of food that we don't usually eat throughout the year So really just sitting with that really processing chewing your food properly is gonna help the digestive process so you can really start to use different mindfulness techniques just on the day but leading up to the day as well And that's gonna really help with digestion and avoiding bloating and and symptoms like that

Amanda: I'm thinking about a client that I used to work with, um, and we were working together around the holidays, and I remember her telling me that we were, we were kind of doing some mindset preparation before the holidays, and she shared that when she would go to her family's dinner, she would eat some of everything because you, they would do like a potluck style where [00:10:00] people have their different dishes and she was such a people pleaser that.

She didn't want someone's feelings to be hurt if she didn't eat some of their dish. So she would like, have a little bit of everything, but it would add up to this massive plate of food that would leave her feeling horrible because she's choosing things that she wouldn't, you know, otherwise eat and like rich foods and sugary foods.

And, and we talked about that and, and I said like, you are absolutely allowed to choose the foods that you like, that are your favorites and that, you know, are relatively safe with you. Like that is absolutely okay to do. But she was just kind of, um, subconsciously like, oh, I can't, I have to eat every, I have to have some of everything.

I think that's like super common too. I.

Katie: Oh yeah That kind of boils down to external validation and [00:11:00] insecurities though because when it comes to people pleasing that's kind of like a whole podcast episode in itself

Amanda: Yeah, definitely something that we haven't really dedicated an episode to. We should maybe write that down.

Katie: We should should write that down because that is just a huge piece of the puzzle and people do suffer a lot with people pleasing It's very very common which then just this level of stress And obviously stress causes inflammation and inflammation causes symptoms so learning from a a psychological perspective how to adjust that mindset and have that mindset shift will again eradicate this snowball effect that a lot of people have who suffer from chronic illness and that brings me onto the whole January I'll fix it later that a lot of people have when it comes to the [00:12:00] holiday season because they do just want to almost let go and think ah Whatever Um this only happens once a year I'll deal with it later but that level of not having any discipline in in that realm actually starts to subconsciously interfere with many different aspects of your life throughout the whole year and also having discipline doesn't necessarily mean restriction You just have to be really smart when it comes to the different choices that you make And these choices will become habitual anyway and part of your lifestyle and that's the shift that you need to make when it comes to something like getting into remission

Amanda: That's such a common pattern that I see this idea that, um, and, and I think it's because people who have chronic illness or chronic symptoms, I think we have so much food noise happening. We spend so much time thinking about our [00:13:00] food and what's going to be beneficial and what's gonna hurt us and, and prep time and all of the things that the holidays come around.

And it's almost like an excuse to just stop, to just eat whatever you want and it'll be fine and I'll start fresh in the new year. But it, it definitely doesn't help you in the short term, and I don't think that it helps you to have an enjoyable holiday experience if you're kind of going completely off the rails, um, eating all the things and then, and usually overeating as well, like you said, and then having to deal with the consequences.

Because even though you're in your mind, you made up your mind that you were going to just, I'm just not gonna care. Your body doesn't. Perceive things the same way, unfortunately.

Katie: And get [00:14:00] curious You know because you can't eat something doesn't mean that you can't create something very very similar but something that you can tolerate this is where like the all or nothing mindset comes into play because when you are presented with a bowl of chocolate or something and then you have that thought well I can't eat that Why is it that you can't make something yourself that you can eat that is Still chocolatey but it doesn't have all the crap in it so your body's gonna digest that much better and you're not gonna have the symptoms But I feel like it's such a busy period and people are shopping and people are entertaining and people are meeting friends that are that are on break too and they almost don't block out this time to actually start being creative with their cooking [00:15:00] and their nutrition So that in the long run they'll have a much more pleasant experience throughout the entire holiday rather than having like this all or nothing mindset and just eating it and then dealing with it later or not having it at all and feeling totally restricted and miserable one extreme or the other But there's actually a middle ground You just need to get creative and curious

Amanda: Yeah, on that note, as you just said, we are definitely not. Um, trying to push this idea that you need to eat perfectly, you need to restrict all treats, um, or stay on a very strict, you know, protocol or diet over the holidays. Um, like you just said, there's a middle ground and there's, there's a way to experience these things.

[00:16:00] Enjoy your holidays and be symptom free. So why don't we break down some of the, what the actual holiday triggers are, what's actually happening in your body?

Katie: One that I was just thinking of actually is the fact that we get so excited over Christmas but for every up there's a down and I was one of these juggling that emotional rollercoaster can be really difficult and I used to feel super fatigued I used to feel like the holidays would just suck all my energy out because I would get so excited and I would be so happy and absolutely buzz in then I'd just have these like huge slumps as well where I didn't wanna speak to anyone and I just wanted to sleep or I just wanted to be in my room and I'd feel really sad and just learning [00:17:00] how to be a lot more stoic around the whole experience will help you to avoid these really high emotional loaded Periods where there is literally just sucking everything out of you and then that is going to feed into cognitively anyway Things like self-control that's gonna be really low So you might start just eating whatever's on the side and that triggers symptoms So it all links together But just learning to be a lot more stoic around this whole season so that you're not having these real highs and lows emotionally will help you to actually feed more energy into things like self-control and appreciation and gratitude and being present so that yeah you don't have these moments of real fatigue

Amanda: I heard once. I can't remember who said this, but excitement [00:18:00] and anxiety are two ends of the same stick.

Katie: Yeah they are

Amanda: If you think about that from a nervous system perspective, um, I have the, the funniest story to illustrate this. So my daughter, when she was probably two or three years old, she used to throw up like she used to.

Get sick every Christmas morning. And the first time that it happened, we thought she had a stomach bug or she picked up something, you know, at daycare. And then the second year, same thing, like literally opening a present barfing on the carpet like, and we're like, oh, that's weird. Like she's sick again.

The third year that it happened, we were like, okay, what is going on here? And then we finally realized like, my daughter tends to [00:19:00] be on the anxious side. Just that's kind of part of her disposition since she was little. But she would get so excited over Christmas that it would literally make her physically sick every year.

And when we finally tuned into that and she was old enough to understand and we kind of explained 'cause we thought maybe she was just eating too many treats on Christmas Eve and we then we really tried to dial that back and, and yeah, it was all coming. It was all stemming from her nervous system and that over excitement.

So I absolutely agree with what you're saying. If we can focus on self-regulation and kind of trying to like, not to say you can't experience joy and excitement, but trying to stay regulated and doing those practices that kind of keep us in that [00:20:00] regulated state, I think goes such a long way.

Katie: Yeah breath work is gonna be really helpful in the in this period because even when we're overstimulated and we're yeah super happy and excited for longer periods of time it's gonna our sleep which is gonna have a huge negative impact You know it's like kids that can't uh sleep on Christmas Eve because they're so excited to see center their emotional regulation the following day and then the days after is shot to pieces So is linking very nicely into keeping emotionally regulated so that you can still prioritize your foundational pointers which is sleep being a huge one

Amanda: Sleep and all of these things, like you said, they all lead into each other. So if we're. Our eating patterns are [00:21:00] disrupted and we're, like you said, missing meals or going long periods of time without eating or, um, eating differently. Not not getting enough protein, not getting enough fiber or like nutritious whole foods.

That has an impact on our nervous system and our ability to self-regulate as well. And when our sleep is disrupted, that also has an impact. And all of these things are constantly influencing another. It's not like you can move one lever and expect other things not to move. They're, they're all touching, they're all connected.

Katie: That anticipation and anxiety around food as well You know thinking like what if I flare or this is gonna trigger me and having that thought process spiral out of control on repeats it's really important to know that your gut Isn't going to [00:22:00] flare because it's weak For example it reacts because your system is overloaded and overload can be nutritional and it can be psychological as well so just keeping that front of mind and and even setting a plan in place you know I do a lot of if then plans with clients which really helps to alleviate a lot of anxiety around occasions like this So you have a plan in place Like what if I eat Christmas dinner and I get severe abdominal pain whatever that looks like for you The symptom that you get most often on repeat that has created this anxiety Um worst case scenario you create an if then plan So then you have uh a resolution and a solution for that particular scenario So your brain is gonna come up with loads of different kind of narratives It's gonna go crazy if you create an if then plan for each of those narratives it's [00:23:00] gonna subconsciously alleviate so much stress and then nine times outta 10 the thing doesn't even happen so that's a really cool little tip that that you can do in your own time pre holiday season whenever that starts for for you

Amanda: 'Cause then you're not, you're not spending all of that energy fearing that worst case scenario. You're, you're like, okay, if this happens and I have to, you know, tell my partner, you know, it's time to go and we we're gonna excuse ourselves or whatever it is, you're like, oh, that's not that bad. Like, it's not the end of the world and I have a plan, so now I don't have to devote so much mental energy to worrying about that.

Katie: And knowing what works well for your body is really important at this stage too because then you can insert that into the if then plan as well If I do flare then I will hydration whatever that looks like for you nutrition whatever that looks like for you your [00:24:00] foundations you know sleep everything that we've discussed on this podcast even when it comes down to protein and fiber you can create a plan so that you are so confident you know exactly what you're going to do That doesn't even bother you anymore And then you can put that all of that energy back into yourself which is gonna set you up for a much more successful holiday period

Amanda: Absolutely.

Katie: The mindset shift I think we've touched on this a little bit but just knowing that mindset shift should be happening especially what is it the 16th of December when we are recording this for sure by now is knowing that this Particular period has absolutely nothing to do with this pass or fail mindset that people have This is about navigation and this can actually be a really beautiful journey that you can start to create like we mentioned at the beginning and build yourself because your [00:25:00] job isn't to avoid every symptom okay It's actually your job to reduce risk and recover quickly and this is how you start to minimize flareups and your trajectory starts to become an upward line rather than Up and down up and down up and down all the time that this one shift can remove so much pressure because you can start to learn about what works well for your body and start to lean into those things And then also obviously what isn't working so that when next year comes around you can start to build on that picture so that you build a really strong foundation of what the holiday season looks like for you and that can continue to cultivate As you heal more you can start to introduce more things

Amanda: Yeah, and I think that just knowing that we can let go of this all or nothing kind of thinking and [00:26:00] black or white thinking, it doesn't have to be one or the other or choosing between. I think that when we go back to talking about expectations and setting realistic expectations for yourself, if you go to an event and you, and you go in with this expectation that.

I am not going to eat any of that. I'm gonna stick to, you know, these certain foods that I know are safe and I'm, and I'm not gonna have anything. Well then if you do have end up having something, a dessert or a glass of wine or something, I think it's more damaging to be so hard on yourself afterward. So if we're setting more realistic expectations around, especially the social gatherings, um, but then not having that mindset of, well, you [00:27:00] know, I screwed it up last night, so I may as well may as well just keep going and I'll start in January.

Like it just, you can end up so far from yourself, so far from your regular routine and then. Struggling with symptoms as a result, like I find one of the best things that I can do over the holidays, even if I have several days off in a row, is still having my foundational routines, like still eating a solid breakfast and still moving my body, and, and treating these days like normal days where you're caring for yourself, but then there's the add-on of the social element instead of just, you know, kind of writing off an entire week and, and dealing with it later.

It's, it is really, it is really [00:28:00] healing to take really good care of yourself and not end up feeling like absolute garbage.

Katie: Everyone knows their baseline Let's be real Everyone knows their baseline And if you push the boundary then that is where people suffer including us and we're very very vigilant of that so it's just about tuning in and listening to your body and giving it what it needs and not feeling like that is a restriction but that is actually you nourishing and looking after yourself and giving yourself love Amanda and I actually wanted to go through how to structure Christmas nutritionally and Being clear right now again going back to the mindset side of things is these aren't rules These aren't things that you should stick to rigidly these are just anchors that you can you can use as almost like [00:29:00] guidelines so that it will help you to navigate the day just to keep these front of mind so that you do make those smart choices which are for your own good that are serving you rather than harming you so yeah Did you want to to start Amanda

Amanda: yes. So these anchors, , first off, I touched on this a little bit earlier, but keeping our kind of foundational meals or our safe base meals. So starting your day, if you can with, um, a, a regular breakfast. A familiar breakfast, something that is, , well tolerated by you. Some, you know, not, not going to the, um, pancakes with whipped cream and all of the things just because it's an option.

, But sticking to that breakfast that creates. [00:30:00] A stable start for your day, a stable blood sugar, high in protein. Um, easily digestible if that's something that you are worried about. , How you start your day really matters in, , in a lot of ways. I think as far as energy levels go, um, just keeping you satisfied and feeling like you have that kind of strong nutritious start to your day is, uh, is huge and something that I try to stay anchored to as much as possible.

Katie: Yeah me too Big one for me I am ravenous every morning and Yeah uh having a predictable breakfast is really really important so a huge one another one that we touched on at the beginning is to not arrive hungry [00:31:00] And this is one of the biggest flare triggers that we both see in our practice because low blood sugar equals higher gut sensitivity and anxiety which is gonna fuel any anxiety that you might be having eat before social events even if it's something small yeah prioritize even if you have a snack after breakfast depending on what time you're eating but just little little and often is gonna be your best friend for the day

Amanda: We touched on this earlier as well, but also choosing if you're going to. Indulge in a treat of sorts. Um, try to choose one at a time. So instead of that idea of eating all of the things because you feel like you have to, or just eating all of the things, because you always have that mindful eating piece, um, [00:32:00] is really, really important in choosing where you're going to, um, indulge and not.

So if there's, , a dessert that you love, that's your favorite thing, by all means have it, but it doesn't mean you have to have that. Plus the cookies, plus the chocolates, plus the alcohol, you know, all of the things. Try to make the indulgences. . Smaller and less, , complicated, if that makes sense.

Katie: This isn't about restriction it's about load management So yeah that's a that's a huge one and also um one of the foundational things Even in day to day is hydration and actually keeping warm matters a lot more than what you think like [00:33:00] cold drinks can trigger symptoms if you are downing a smoothie and then feeling pretty crappy afterwards avoid adding ice to your smoothie or having it really cold Try opting for warmer things dehydration is huge especially over the festive period because a lot of the time We aren't staying as accountable as we should be to the things that really do move the needle and dehydration especially if you are going to someone else's house and maybe you don't feel comfortable keep asking for for a drink then dehydration is is really common long gaps between mills or actually increase urgency and cramping So really start to prioritize warm fluids constant sipping boring but really effective and don't feel guilty or ashamed of either asking for another drink or even asking Hey where is X Y Z And [00:34:00] and just help yourself or asking is it okay if I help myself Again just having that communication is gonna be really key for you

Amanda: And that, that just kind of leads me to just touch on the, the boundary piece. And I think this goes kind of along with what you were saying about creating a if then plan.

Katie: Hmm

Amanda: Boundaries are part of that. So a lot of times people have stress around conversations around their dietary choices or their lifestyle choices or habit choices.

And you know, they don't, they don't want to be picky and choosy with their foods because they don't wanna answer the questions like, are you on a diet? Or, why aren't you having that? Or, you know, why aren't you having a drink? And, and people I think more often than not, will just go with the flow

Katie: Yeah Yeah

Amanda: of causing waves instead of [00:35:00] asking for something else.

If there's, you know, only alcohol on the table and you're asking for water, you don't wanna feel like a burden. Um, but. Those conversations as hard as they are, um, are part of having strong boundaries. So that's not saying that you have to necessarily have the conversation. Um, you don't really owe anybody an explanation why you're choosing what you choose.

But even thinking about what your response could be in that situation. So if you don't want to get into a long, drawn out conversation about why you're making the choices you're making, um, even coming up with a planned response that,

Katie: just gonna say that Yeah you got it

Amanda: yeah, 'cause then that's another piece of the, well, you know, maybe that's a layer of anxiety that's added for you, is you're worried about what people are gonna say [00:36:00] or if people ask you. And, and so coming up with a response, whether it's just short and sweet or. It's injecting some humor, like whatever it is, um, that'll help decrease that mental load too.

But, um, boundaries are absolutely important in, in deciding what they are and how you're going to deal with them in those moments. Is a, is another big, big piece of this as well.

Katie: Yeah have just a few little one-liners in your back pocket so when these comments are made you know exactly what to say in the moment and knowing your response reduces so much anxiety more than reassurance ever will So I think it's yeah a really smart and clever tactic to to use Yeah Well done for mentioning that

Amanda: Yeah. It's like going back to the people pleasing thing and, and I see this as a huge pattern in the clients that I work [00:37:00] with. Most of the clients that I work with. That have chronic illness are people who tend to put everybody else first and put them and think about themselves last, or they're worried about everybody else's feelings before their own or making other people feel uncomfortable.

And, yeah, it's, it's not something that really comes naturally for a lot of people, so it takes work.

Katie: It does Yeah These hard conversations once you start having them obviously become really easy but dipping your toe in and just starting to open up this side of you is gonna really help you to propel forward and actually prevent flare-ups from happening A little bit like pre-deciding or non-negotiables for example what I do Christmas day is I will ensure that I take Teddy out on you Probably take chance out for a walk First thing and keeping that rhythm that I [00:38:00] have day in day out eating slowly or going to bed earlier whatever that might look like just making sure that I am still prioritizing these things not only make me feel good because you feel good once you've achieved something Of course I don't put the pressure on myself of going to the gym or anything like that but having a really beautiful morning walk just to take a moment to myself do some breathing et cetera really set you up for the day ahead and again is gonna help prevent flareups from happening

Amanda: They seem like such simple things, but these simple kind of moments of normalcy from your daily routine, just they serve you so well. Like just taking a walk. It's so easy to skip it, but making sure that you do these things, how, whatever your kind of non-negotiables are, yeah, I absolutely [00:39:00] agree.

They, they're grounding, they're healing, they're regulating for the nervous system and definitely serve you, when we have so much that is out of the ordinary during this time of year.

Katie: A lot of people have this I've got a symptom I need to fix it Mindset when actually preventing that from even happening in the first place is such again a huge piece of the puzzle that just gets completely negated Even symptoms that they don't mean failure You know symptoms during Christmas don't mean that you've ruined everything They mean that your body is just responding to change And what matters is how quickly you regulate afterwards So preventing is is 0.1 and regulating is 0.2 So not just throwing everything out the window and saying well you know I'm suffering now I've got symptoms whatever Let's go crazy no [00:40:00] it's just learning

Amanda: they're like, well, I've screwed it up now. Bring out the eggnog.

Katie: What is eggnog We don't have that over here

Amanda: Really? Oh my gosh.

Katie: no We don't have

Amanda: Um, in, in our household growing up, we, it, it's basically fatty, sugary milk is what it's,

Katie: Oh interesting Where's

Amanda: it's actually, it, it has egg in it, but it's, it's basically like whole milk that you, um, like cook and you add egg to it and sugar and nutmeg, and it makes this rich, creamy, sugary drink that people like to add rum to.

Katie: Wow So is it do the egg scramble like what does the egg

Amanda: No, no,

Katie: Oh

Amanda: it's, um,

Katie: does it cook or does it how does [00:41:00] that

Amanda: yeah, you, I've never actually made it , like myself, I always just buy it. But we kind of like have a joke , in our house because I grew up, my parents would buy eggnog at Christmas and it was like a little treat that we would have. But my husband, his family, that, that didn't exist in his family, so he thinks it's the weirdest thing and he calls it chicken milk.

He's like, what? Why are you buying this? I don't know,

chicken milk. It doesn't sound as appetizing when you call it chicken milk.

Katie: No I suppose that would put you off it

Amanda: But anyways,, I don't know where I was going with that

let's, let's go back to the mindset

Katie: Um

Amanda: that's such a huge part.

Katie: Yeah the likelihood of you actually drinking alcohol over Christmas is quite high unless you are a tea [00:42:00] total so it's just important to consume alcohol with intention doesn't mean that no one can touch it or you should feel bad if you do decide to have a drink yes it increases gut permeability and it will disrupt your sleep and it heightens anxiety but you don't have to go over the top with it And it's kind of like Prioritize eating first if you are gonna drink and make sure you're hydrating and keep it slow and drop all expectations for the next day because you might and nine times outta 10 have symptoms compared to someone that doesn't have chronic illness which you know is absolutely fine Even I have symptoms from drinking alcohol when I'm in remission it's just something that you have to [00:43:00] accept and knowing that you haven't failed just because you've had a drink I feel like because we have a chronic condition we have these crazy expectations I suppose that we are Superheroes because if we have some kind of negative symptom after something like drinking then we are sick and blah blah blah blah We've failed But we actually need to realize that everyone feels terrible after they've had a drink It's not because you have a chronic condition it's what alcohol does to your body So yeah just bearing that in mind too and and alleviating a lot of this pressure that you are maybe putting on yourself around alcohol will really help you just to manage drinking and and those expectations around drinking

Amanda: Absolutely. And I think you're a hundred percent right that , it's so easy to, especially if we've been in a state of remission long term, and then we [00:44:00] do something out of the ordinary and we start to experience symptoms. It can be so easy to have that mentality come in where you're like, oh, oh no, I've failed.

Like, what have I done? But that reframe is so powerful, like even beyond alcohol. Like anybody who goes and eats this massive Christmas dinner and overeats and has a bunch of sweets is gonna feel pretty crappy afterward and experience like digestive upset and all of that stuff. So it doesn't mean that you've failed and it doesn't mean that.

You are going to necessarily go down this, you know, path of flare up and, and that falling into that kind of victim mentality and that moment is way more detrimental than probably the, the substance that you put into your body. I, I remember I used to feel that way [00:45:00] early on 'cause I would eat so well for so long and not experience symptoms and then I would just kind of let loose a little bit and then I would experience symptoms and it was like, I would put so much pressure on myself and, and so much anxiety would creep in.

Like, oh no, is this the start of a flare? And I swear that it was that anxiety and stress that I was causing myself that would make things 10 times worse.

Katie: It's almost like we we have this ideal vision that we should To be able to tolerate anything and everything because we've experienced so much trauma throughout this journey of being chronically ill If we don't meet these expectations of AKA drinking and feeling absolutely fine then yeah Falling into this victim mentality mindset but actually even someone that hasn't got a chronic illness will feel [00:46:00] that way So again just being realistic with your thought patterns is really Important again on this emotional regulation journey

Amanda: And your energy is way better used. If you're did, you know, the next day, if you wake up and you're feeling terrible, instead of using your energy to go down a, a guilt and shame spiral,

Katie: Hmm

Amanda: you can use that energy to start following the plan. Like you said, what's my plan gonna be? Okay, I'm experiencing these symptoms.

What can I do hydrate? You know, eat a , familiar breakfast, go for a walk, do some breath work. Like you have all these tools that you could be using and , not wasting that energy of guilting and shaming yourself.

Katie: That leads nicely into boundary [00:47:00] setting which we have touched on slightly but it's such a huge A topic when it comes to this particular season in the year and any actual big occasion or occasion you can kind of insert these techniques into those scenarios as well Butman like Amanda touched on before you don't owe anyone an explanation of what you decide to eat don't allow yourself to feel shame or being peer pressured into anything you have every single right to eat what you want and to not eat what you don't want again it goes for leaving early If you feel absolutely shattered and fatigued there is no reason why you need to drag the night out and stay somewhere that you don't feel comfortable in If you feel like you're ready to go and of course you can bring your own food [00:48:00] If you are in a a a stage of your healing journey where anxiety is super high about eating out even social anxiety might be tapping into that a little bit There is no reason why you can't bring your own food I did it for years I would bring my own food If someone had a problem with it then that's their issue but just try to think outside the box in terms of what will make you feel good and comfortable And if that includes bringing your own food then that's perfectly fine you can even opt out of conversations that dysregulate you That is not a problem if something spikes your anxiety a bit like scrolling or social media if you see someone's content and it spikes your anxiety view that as a conversation that you want to remove yourself from is not a problem or you shouldn't feel shameful about that or guilty in the slightest Just because something is traditional doesn't mean it's supportive [00:49:00] So you can take yourself out of any situation that you don't feel comfortable in and yeah just give yourself that level of respect

Amanda: I think it's, it's thinking about yourself as, as though you would think of someone you truly care about, like caring for yourself the way that you would care for a child or an elderly relative. Like give yourself that same level of compassion and , respect.

Katie: Exactly Yeah Huge one Um okay post-Christmas reset

Amanda: Yes. So when we talk about going back to normal after the holidays, sometimes we end up so far from our ordinary routine that. It's very common to think, okay, you know, January 1st [00:50:00] I'm start fresh again. That's a very natural kind of idea, just like starting on Monday or starting in the new year, but it doesn't need to be this big restrictive, detox or cleanse or anything.

So if we think about our bodies wanting a state of normalcy, our bodies function best when they're kind of at homeostasis. We're always reaching for that balance, and the holidays do, kind of dysregulate us and, and leave us unbalanced. So the absolute, in my mind, the absolute worst thing that you could do is.

You know, you've, you've teetered this way and now go the exact opposite way to a large degree, which is so [00:51:00] common for people. But all that does is just create more kind of instability and chaos in your body. So my advice is to make the goal to resume normalcy, not some diet or protocol or perfectly restrictive way of eating.

Aim for. Your baseline aim for those starting to resume those habits. Like we said, that even the small ones like taking your, your walk in the morning and starting with a nourishing breakfast and you don't have to wait until January 1st to do that. If your holiday kind of festivities,, are one or two days, then try to resume that normal routine,, as soon as possible and that's gonna serve you well and prevent you from [00:52:00] kind of spiraling down this chaotic all over the place with your eating and your habits.

Katie: Beautiful it's just Real really important to know that you are allowed to enjoy Christmas and care for your gut It's not one thing or the other Healing doesn't stop because you know it's December and it doesn't fall apart because you're human and you want to do different things that you don't usually do because it is the holiday season and you're celebrating structure beats restriction right And also calm beats control Um and having that pressure alleviated mentally and subconsciously even will really help to manage inflammation One never defines your health Just like one salad does not make you skinny And one takeaway Fish [00:53:00] and chips doesn't make you fat It's the same for this just try and implement even just two things that we've mentioned today into your festive season this year and see the difference that it makes compared to prior years And that evidence in itself will build on the confidence that you need to make serious change when it comes to your health markers

Amanda: And celebrate those little wins. 'cause they're really important. I would even say if you, if you listen to this episode and you take. Some of this advice to heart and implement it. Like, send us a message, share your wins with us, because I think that those small little wins, we don't celebrate them enough and we don't make a big deal out of them.

And they're huge because they really do stack up over time. And, and for a person who's never had boundaries before [00:54:00] and never really like stood up for what was best for them, taking one step and and implementing something in a real life scenario is, is amazing. And, and you have to start somewhere. And that one step will lead to the next and lead to the next.

And I think it's important that we just, we celebrate ourselves for those little achievements.

Katie: Absolutely Yeah Write them down on a bit of paper That's what I do Write them down three things every day in the evening and reflect on that and you can get as deep as you want but it's so important to have that evidence in front of you that you can reread and really think about deeply And if Christmas feels stressful rather than joyful then it's not a discipline issue It's a nervous system issue And that is something that we can work on so [00:55:00] bear that in mind too

Amanda: Do. You wanna put some Christmas tunes on at the end?

Katie: Oh my goodness Jingle bells No we don't do that

Amanda: So this will be our last episode of 2025. This will be our finale. This marks the end of our first year of our podcast. It's been almost a year since we started.

Katie: Wow Yes That is a huge milestone something to celebrate So Yeah I I really hope that our listeners have you know taken some valuable insight from what we've been nattering on about over this past year and I can't wait for next year is there anything that our listeners can do if there's anything that they want to know or any like topics that they want to learn about I know one Spotify they can write [00:56:00] comments can't they on the episodes

Amanda: Yeah, so we've already started, kind of scouting some guests for the new year for recording some new episodes, and, I would love to hear what our guests would like to hear about what topics they're interested in. If there's anything we haven't touched on yet. Yeah, you can comment on this episode wherever you're.

Listening to it, whether that's Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or even on YouTube. Write us a comment and let us know if there's anything that you want to hear about or any guests you'd love to hear from in the new year.

Katie: Yeah Anything that you want to learn about or if you've got any questions for Amanda and I about anything then yeah just pop a little comment and we can those in in an episode and do some due diligence and get these topics unraveled but that's not I'm thinking of Christmas presents

Amanda: Unwrapped. We're gonna [00:57:00] unwrap this for you. Merry Christmas.

Katie: hilarious But yeah Merry Christmas to uh to everyone all of our listeners and thank you for the support this year And yeah here's to another year of recording this wonderful podcast

Amanda: Can't wait.