In Episode one hundred and ONE (can you believe it?!), Lisa and Terry kick off the holiday season with a fun, heartfelt, and deeply practical conversation about navigating December with more peace, more presence, and a whole lot less pressure.
After reminiscing about 101 episodes of community stories, small-town gems, and unforgettable guests, your hosts dive into what really happens this time of year — the emotional stress, the sugar swings, the exhaustion, the over-committing, the grief of “first holidays without,” and the constant pressure to be festive even when life feels heavy.
You may laugh, you’ll nod “yes… that’s me,” and you’ll walk away with a handful of simple Living Well tools to help your body, mind, and spirit stay grounded this season.
In this episode, they unpack:
- Why December is secretly one of the most stressful months for your nerve system
- The fight-or-flight pattern and how it wrecks sleep, digestion, and immunity
- Sugar overload (a.k.a. “the parade of poor-choice carbs”) and how to buffer against it
- Holiday grief + emotional pressure and why “performing joy” can backfire
- Hydration hacks (hello, electrolytes, lemon water, and mineral support!)
- Protein-first holiday survival + the bone broth trick
- Why over-exercising backfires for menopausal women
- The power of micro-workouts to keep you moving without spiking cortisol
- Seasonal swaps like clove tea, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon (not cassia!), and broth-based meals
You’ll also hear some good McCoskey humor, a few call-outs to Graham, and Lisa’s newest “Living Well tips” to support energy, digestion, inflammation, and emotional steadiness through all the holiday swirl.
❤️ A December reminder from Terry:
“When you focus on the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Savior, it suddenly becomes easier to make better choices, skip the extra cocktail, go to bed on time, and step out of the pressure. It re-centers everything.”
As we wrap up 2025 and step toward 2026, this episode is your gentle nudge to feel present, not pressured — and to create a holiday rhythm that’s actually nourishing.
If you love it, be sure to like, follow, and share with someone who needs a little holiday exhale.
Living Well Favorites:
👉 Nectar Electrolytes
Our favorite clean, balanced electrolyte mix for rebuilding minerals and preventing “dead water” dehydration.
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👉 Magnesium Decoder Guide
A simple breakdown of each magnesium type, what it helps with, and how to choose the right one for sleep, stress, or digestion.
Grab the free guide: https://livingwellbeauty.myflodesk.com/magnesium
👉 Cymbiotika Magnesium Complex
A high-quality, multi-form magnesium supplement that supports relaxation, blood sugar balance, and stress resilience.
Get 20% off with this link: https://cymbiotika.com/LISAMCCOSKEY
👉 Organic Bone Broth
A protein-rich, gut-supportive way to stay full before holiday events and prevent sugar crashes later.
Delicious collagen support: https://amzn.to/4rRpxww
👉 Binaural Beats / Healing Frequencies Playlist
These calming frequencies help regulate your nervous system and turn down cortisol in just a few minutes.
Listen here: www.wholetones.com
👉 Organic Ceylon Cinnamon
The only cinnamon I recommend — supports blood sugar and digestion without the harmful coumarin found in cheap cassia cinnamon.
https://livingwellbeauty.com/is-your-cinnamon-safe-a-cozy-fall-favorite-w