10 Functional Medicine Tips to Stay Healthy Through the Holidays
The holidays are coming. Health habits start to slip, stress ramps up, and you start thinking, “I’ll just get back on track in January.”
Here’s the truth: You don’t need a detox in January, you just need to stop wrecking your body in November and December.
Most people don’t actually gain much weight over the holidays. What they gain is inflammation, hormone imbalance, poor sleep, and fatigue that carry into the new year.
Let’s change that this time.
Below are 10 simple, evidence-based ways to enjoy the holidays and protect your energy, digestion, and longevity.
1. Eat Protein First (Always)
The order you eat matters. Studies show that eating protein before carbs can reduce glucose spikes by 30–40%. If you’re heading to a party, don’t show up starving, make an Equip protein shake or grab a clean snack like Chomps or Paleovalley beef sticks on the way.
Get 15% off Equip, our favorite clean protein powder brand with code DRPREMER.
2. Salt + Electrolytes Before Alcohol
Alcohol and sugar deplete key minerals, raise cortisol, and wreck your sleep. Take electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium) before you drink, it can literally cut your hangover risk in half.
Get 15% off Redmond ReLyte electrolytes with code PREMERHEALTH.
3. Don’t Skip Breakfast (Especially on Big Days)
Skipping meals before a feast backfires. It leads to blood sugar crashes and overeating later in the day. Start with a protein-heavy breakfast, think eggs, avocado, and greens, to keep your metabolism and hormones stable.
4. Move Before Social Events
A short strength session or 20-minute walk earlier in the day can lower your post-meal glucose response, even if you eat more later. Movement helps your body use glucose efficiently and keeps inflammation down.
5. Prioritize Muscle
Muscle isn’t about vanity, it’s your best longevity tool. It stabilizes blood sugar, regulates hormones, and keeps metabolism strong through the holiday chaos. Aim for 3–4 strength sessions per week, even short ones.
6. Stop Snacking Just to “Graze”
Mindless bites keep your insulin elevated all day and prevent your body from resetting. Give yourself 3–4 hours between meals to fully digest and regulate blood sugar.
7. Keep Blood Sugar Stable at Parties
If dessert’s calling, enjoy it, just pair it with protein or healthy fats. You’ll still satisfy the craving, but without the crash or late-night munchies that follow.
8. Protect Your Sleep Window
One late night can disrupt your circadian rhythm and glucose control for up to 48 hours. Be the second or third to leave. Protecting your sleep is protecting your health. Your future self will thank you.
9. Support Your Liver
Between sugar, alcohol, and stress, your liver is working overtime. Help it out with bitter greens, dandelion tea, or castor oil packs to keep your detox pathways efficient. Your digestion and skin will thank you, too.
10. Take Magnesium at Night
Stress, travel, and sugar all deplete magnesium, and most people don’t get enough. Taking magnesium before bed supports sleep, digestion, and cortisol regulation.
Get 15% off BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough with code DRPREMER.
But Here’s The Real Deal… The Hardest Part Isn’t the Food — It’s the Pressure
The hardest part of the holidays isn’t cookies or cocktails, it’s the pressure to over-commit, to please everyone, and to sacrifice your own baseline. But discipline isn’t restriction, it’s self-respect. Protect your health boundaries, and you’ll enjoy the season even more.
Ready to Feel Your Best This Holiday Season?
Book a Comprehensive Wellness Assessment with Dr. Taylor Premer, in-person or virtual.
You don’t need to start over in January. You just need a smarter plan now. If you’re feeling run down, inflamed, or tired of “pushing through” every winter, we’ll help you uncover the root causes, from stress and hormones to sleep and nutrient gaps, and create a plan to restore your energy, immunity, and balance before the new year.
📍 In Lincoln or Omaha, Nebraska? We’d love to see you in person.
🌎 Not local? We offer virtual visits nationwide.
You don’t have to accept fatigue as normal. This season, give your body the consistency it needs, and feel the difference for yourself.
