Maybe it's not just stress that is making you feel like some version of the Bad Holiday Dwarves - Achy, Sleepy, Moody and Cranky. Perhaps it's your candles, your tree or something else on this list of hidden health hazards.

Hopefully some of this info will help to ease and maybe enhance your holiday experience. If all else fails, I find a conversation with a bestie, a glass of wine, a nap, a good cry and a handful of chocolate can all be invaluable tools in salvaging your holidays!

  • Christmas Tree

    The minute your fresh cut tree starts to decay mold begins growing on it and according to some studies mold spore counts go through the roof after day 14. Sneezing, coughing, watery eyes and fatigue can all be the result of allergic sensitivity to pine mold. Experts suggest going artificial or getting your real tree a week before Christmas, so you can toss it before the mold has a chance to get to you.

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  • Scented Candles

    Some commercially-made candles emit an unhealthy array of chemicals as they softly glow, including formaldehyde and lead. Dr. Paula Baille-Hamilton, an environmental health researcher suggest going electric instead of burning candles and adding a bowl of potpourri mix containing mint and citrus which can boost your energy by as much as 20%.

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  • Holiday Shopping

    All that running around, spending hours on your feet, lugging packages and bags all over creation can actually cause muscle tears and inflammation leading to pain and of course fatigue for days after the shopping trip. To ease your pain experts suggest an epsom salts bathtub soak which can alleviate your symptoms by almost 90%.

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  • Party Planning & Lengthy To-Do Lists

    Taking on too much drains your brain of needed gamma-aminobutyric acid or GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps you stay calm and stressing over a get-together can lead to overproduction of cortisol, that idiotic hormone that can lead to exhaustion, overeating and more! The good news is that drinking green tea can fire up your GABA quotient within a day or two. The really good news is that kissing a loved one can instantly lower cortisol by 25%! So the more you kiss, the lower it goes! Hugging for 20 seconds and hand-holding for 10 minutes had very similar effects too.This study was done by the University of North Carolina and makes me wish I'd gone to school there!

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