Hello Reader,
Can you believe we're already deep into the holiday season?
If you're feeling that familiar tug between wanting to enjoy all the festive foods AND keep your body feeling amazing, this one's for you.
Here's the thing - you don't have to choose between holiday joy and feeling good in your body. With a few simple swaps and some gentle rituals, you can absolutely have both. Let's dive into how to make this Christmas season work WITH your wellness goals, not against them.
Why Your Hormones Need Extra Love During the Holidays
The holidays bring extra stress, disrupted sleep, more sugar, and let's be honest - probably a few more glasses of wine than usual. All of this can throw your hormones completely out of whack.
When your hormones are off, everything feels harder. Your energy crashes, your mood swings, and that inflammation fires up like nobody's business. But here's what I want you to know - small, intentional choices can make a HUGE difference.
Simple Anti-Inflammatory Swaps That Actually Taste Amazing
Want to know the secret to enjoying holiday foods without the aftermath? It's all about strategic swaps that pack in nutrients while still giving you that cozy, festive feeling.
Ditch those inflammatory vegetable oils and reach for avocado oil, coconut oil, or grass-fed ghee instead. Your cells will thank you, and honestly, your food will taste better too. These fats actually support hormone production instead of creating chaos in your body.
Traditional white flour might as well be sugar when it comes to your blood sugar response. Try almond flour, coconut flour, or even tiger nut flour in your holiday baking. Your pancreas will stay happy, and you'll avoid that dreaded sugar crash an hour later.
Instead of refined sugar that sends your hormones on a rollercoaster, try pure maple syrup, raw honey, or dates in your holiday treats. These still satisfy that sweet tooth but come with minerals and a gentler impact on your blood sugar.
Here's where the magic happens. Cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and cardamom aren't just delicious - they're powerful anti-inflammatory warriors. Load up your holiday cooking with these, and you're turning every meal into medicine.
Holiday Rituals That Keep Your Hormones Happy
It's not about being perfect - it's about having a few non-negotiable practices that keep you grounded.
5 minutes of morning sunlight (yes, even through clouds) helps regulate your circadian rhythm and supports healthy cortisol patterns. Bundle up with your coffee and just step outside. Your sleep and energy will thank you.
- The 3-3-3 Breathing Reset
When you feel that holiday stress building up, try this: breathe in for 3 counts, hold for 3, breathe out for 3. Do this 3 times. It literally shifts your nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode and helps balance stress hormones.
Before you reach for that holiday cookie, make sure you've had protein. Starting meals with protein or fat (even just a handful of nuts) helps stabilize blood sugar and prevents those energy crashes that make you reach for more sugar later.
Set a gentle boundary around screens after 8pm. I'm not saying be perfect, but blue light late at night messes with melatonin production, which throws off everything else. Try reading a book or having actual conversations instead.
The Gratitude Pause
Before holiday meals, take just 30 seconds to feel grateful for your food and the people you're with. This simple practice activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which improves digestion and reduces stress hormones. Science-backed mindfulness that takes zero extra time.
The pressure to do everything "right" during the holidays can be just as inflammatory as the sugar. Your stress response doesn't care if you're worried about work deadlines or whether you remembered to buy organic cranberries.
This season, what if we focused on progress over perfection? Maybe that means making one healthy swap at each meal instead of overhauling everything. Maybe it means taking three deep breaths instead of a full meditation practice. Maybe it means enjoying that slice of pie AND adding some cinnamon on top.
Your body responds to consistency and kindness way better than it does to restriction and guilt. Trust me on this one.
These simple swaps and rituals become so much easier when you have support and community around you. That's exactly what we're creating in my upcoming masterclass.
Join Us for the January Masterclass — Starting January 8!
The January 4 Week Masterclass begins Thursday, January 8 from 6–7pm and this is for woman who want to feel stronger, lighter, and more in control of their health — without dieting, extremes, or burning themselves out.
This masterclass focuses on the foundations that actually lead to real results: calming stress, reducing inflammation, supporting hormones, and creating habits that your body can sustain.
This is not a workout class. It’s not a diet. And it’s not about pushing harder.
It’s about working with your body instead of against it.
If you’re ready for a smarter, grounded approach to feeling better in your body, this masterclass will give you clarity and direction. Reply to this email to save your spot!
A Glimpse Into the Elora Bliss Retreat
This past weekend, something truly special unfolded in Elora.
Mimosa breakfasts and slow mornings.
Cozy shawls wrapped around shoulders and hearts. Big hugs — the kind that linger. Laughter that filled the room. Tears that softened us and connected us even more deeply.
Bodies released tension. Nervous systems exhaled. Women remembered what it feels like to feel truly supported.
Between nourishing meals, gentle movement, firelight, flowing water, and moments of stillness, something shifted. Not dramatically. Not forcefully. But deeply. The kind of shift that stays with you long after you leave.
The Bliss Retreat in Elora wasn’t about getting away —it was about returning to it aligned with what truly creates your bliss.
It’s the beginning of what comes next.
If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I had gone,” trust that feeling. There are more Bliss Retreats coming, and you’ll have the opportunity to be part of the next one.
Bliss Babe Book Club- December 22nd
Before Christmas arrives — the rush, the gatherings, and the full calendar — we’re creating a moment to slow down and come together.
This month — no assigned book. Instead, bring a passage, a quote, a poem, or a piece of writing that landed in your heart in a way you couldn’t ignore.
⚡ Monday, December 22nd, 6:00–8:00 PM | Jackson-Triggs Winery
Cost: $45 (includes a $5 donation to charity)
We are ending this year in a way that is softer, deeper, and beautifully alive.
We’re counting the days and would love to share this evening with you.
Reply to this email to join us.
For More Upcoming Events:
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With so much love and gratitude,
Core Bliss | Bliss Babe Book Club
silviamagnotta@corebliss.co
www.corebliss.co
