The following post is from community blogger Alison Preston. Alison is a writer, yoga instructor, wellness enthusiast and practicing Buddhist. She tweets under @stretchnbreathe (wellness) and @themoxstopshere. You can check out her other exploits at http://themoxstopshere.com.

As the year draws to a close, our schedules become full with buying gifts, attending parties, and family obligations. The body becomes overworked and the mind less focused. While the holidays are a season of giving, it is especially important to give ourselves the gift of good health. Below are three ways to rejuvenate and stay balanced through the entire holiday season.

A cup of herbal tea is a quick, inexpensive way to rebalance. Head over to True Grounds Café and Coffeehouse in Ball Square and try the Herbal Chai Spice tea. While the tea is steeping, take a moment to smell and take in the combination of scents.  The Rooibos base boosts your immune system with a mini-dose of antioxidants, while the ginger, cardamom and cinnamon warm the body and are beneficial for the digestive system. Because the Herbal Chai Spice uses Rooibos instead of black tea, there’s no caffeine buzz. The Herbal Chai Spice is available to drink in-house as well as for purchase by the ounce. True Grounds is located in Ball Square at 717 Broadway in Somerville.

To stretch your muscles and clear your mind after hours of shopping, try the Restorative Flow class at Be. in Union Yoga. Restorative Flow uses calming and soothing poses that encourage the release of physical and emotional stress. Julia from Be. in Union shares the benefits of  yoga during the winter season:

“The days are getting colder, the body tightens up and people let themselves go. It is very important to take time out. The Restorative Flow class moves slower, poses are held longer, and there are twists and breathing exercises to cleanse the body. The class helps to restore body from all that you’ve done.”
Restorative Flow is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:45pm – 9:00pm. You can find Be. in Union at 11b Bow Street above Bloc 11 Cafe.

During the winter season our immune system can also take a toll. If you start to feel the pre-winter bug coming on, instead of filling the body with over-the-counter remedies, try acupuncture to bring the body back to optimum health. Sheryl Sarokas, licensed acupuncturist and owner of Union Square Acupuncture offers advice for the season:

“As the holidays approach our stress levels will inevitably increase as our schedules get more hectic.  This can have many negative effects on your body such as lowering your immune system, headaches, digestive problems, weight gain and the list goes on.  Union Square Acupuncture has a 30-minute Stress-Buster acupuncture treatment that can be extremely effective for calming your mind and reducing stress levels. This treatment is perfect for those who need a little time out from the chaos or for those who just want to try acupuncture. Throughout December, we are offering this treatment for $35 ($10 off).  Acupressure is also one of the best ways to release tension.  It is easy to self-administer and similar to acupuncture, it stimulates key points on the body to promote the flow of energy in the body. Yintang is one of my favorite points to calm the body, relieve stress, and to treat frontal headaches.  The location is on the forehead,
midway between the medial ends of the two eyebrows.  Some call this point your third eye. Holding your palms together in prayer position, lift them to your forehead.  Using your middle and index fingers, gently touch your third eye between the eyebrows.”

Union Square Acupuncture is located at 21 Bow Street in Union Square.

Have a favorite Somerville “go to” spot for relieving your holiday stress? Let us know in the comments!