December. What does this month mean to you?

For many people, December means the end of the year celebrations and therefore the race for gifts and holiday meals. How does this actually translate?

Being the first one at the store to find the perfect gift for Aunt Lucy and the latest console for Cousin Henry, then running to the hypermarket to find the most meaty turkey for the Christmas dinner that we will celebrate with a table that will gather families and friends. By the way, haven't we forgotten the chocolate dessert that will please Grandma Jane?
Few families these days opt for simplicity and therefore these end-of-year events usually rhyme with stress and anxiety.

Indeed, we are far from the traditions of love and peace and we are running towards abundance and materialism. The values of yesteryear have disappeared and we let ourselves be guided towards a destructive purchasing power.

The statistics say it (via a household budget survey): The average family spends more or less 531 euros on holiday gifts. While some months of the year, some families struggle to have a full meal on their plate every night, other months, spending increases on gifts and other year-end gadgets.
A real financial mess.

The end of year celebrations, and especially Christmas, are among the most important sources of stress identified. Whether it is in the relationship or budgetary aspect, December is one of the most stressful months of the year.

What can be done to restore balance and avoid burnout before 2017?

• Find real values and above all, teach our children that gifts come from the heart above all.
• To be with people you love deeply and who bring you happiness and love. Seeing Auntie Therese who doesn't like us, simply because it's Christmas, is absolutely not necessary for your balance.
• Making a meal with love and gratitude
• Buy your Christmas gifts well in advance - to avoid the last minute rush in the shopping malls.
• Prefer to buy your gifts from small artisans who often put love and intention into their creations.
• Don't spend all your savings.
• Send holiday cards to family and friends to let them know you are thinking of them.

Of course, putting all this in place is not always easy. Moreover, our balance is often disturbed by the last eleven months and December often rhymes with intense fatigue. Therefore, we do not need any additional stress and anxiety.

It is then the moment to make a small cure of adaptogenic plants to fight against the daily stress and its harmful consequences, while restoring the vital energy. At the end of this year, this treatment will be the best to counter the problems that knot our stomach.

Here are some interesting plants:

• Ginseng (Panax ginseng) The Chinese ginseng. Ginseng is the most famous adaptogen plant nowadays because it allows to face life whatever the problems are. It is said that Ginseng is a universal remedy.
• Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)
• The Shisandra (Schizandrae chinensis)
• Maca (Lepidium meyenii)
• Ashwaganda (Withania somnifera) : The Indian ginseng
• Eleutherococcus (Eleutherococcus senticosus): The Russian ginseng

Taking cures at the end of the year, which is exhausting and stressful for everyone, can be very interesting in order to fight against the negative effects of the fall-winter period. In addition, these plants allow us to actively fight against the sometimes unconscious discomfort that this holiday season can bring us.

In case of too much stress, linked to an irreversible exhaustion, we advise you to consult a health professional who will be able to advise you on treatments more adapted to your own needs.