The holidays are a great time of year to enjoy good company and even better food.
The turkey, mashed potatoes, drinks, and pastries are delights that we look to with both desire and dread.
The question we may ask ourselves when considering the holiday fare is: “how do I enjoy the delicious food and drink without regretting it later”?
Let’s look at some of the unpleasant after-effects of the holiday indulgences and some simple ways to avoid them.
Common Symptoms of Over-indulgence
Ranging from mild indigestion to a major hangover, overdoing it during the holidays can lead to some unpleasant consequences.
The most common ones include:
- Indigestion and nausea
- Gas and bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Heartburn and acid reflux
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
These symptoms aren’t fun, but some of them may be a sign of a more significant health issue, especially if they are recurrent.
Of course, if you are managing a chronic health condition like high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity, it’s especially important to carefully navigate the holidays.
Five Ways to Stay Healthy During the Holidays
Here are a few strategies to minimize some of the negative aspects of the holiday celebrations and enhance your enjoyment of them.
1. Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated is key if you want to avoid some of the nasty effects of alcohol and any caffeinated beverages. Water also facilitates healthy digestion.
Keep the intake of alcoholic beverages within reason and break it up with glasses of water in between. A half-cup of water before or during the main meal can help you digest your food. More liquid than that may work against you by diluting your digestive enzymes.
2. Don’t Overeat
This one seems obvious, but it’s important to not overlook. Stop loading food onto your plate once its 3/4 full. Eat slowly, taking sips of water in between bites (but not more than a ½ cup total, remember!). You can ask for seconds if you’re still hungry after round one.
The rule of thumb is to eat until you feel about 75% full (there’s that number again) – by the time your brain catches up to your stomach in a few minutes, you will be full!
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
A small amount of this tangy liquid before a meal – ½ to 1 tsp in 1-2 ounces of water – can go a long way to improving your digestion.
Apple cider vinegar can be particularly helpful if your meal contains protein with carbohydrates (like turkey and mashed potato, for instance). Of course, be especially careful using vinegar if you are sensitive to acidic foods or have a history of peptic ulcers.
4. Eat Healthy Snacks
When given the choice of holiday snacks, it’s hard to resist the sweet treats. For most people, a little bit of this is OK. It’s when you start and can’t stop that you run into trouble.
To prevent yourself from downing a bag’s-worth of chocolates, get in the habit of snacking on healthy options like pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Eating a couple of handfuls of these before heading out to the big dinner party may prevent you from over-indulging in sugary foods later.
5. Take Some Deep Breaths
This might sound silly, but it’s extremely powerful!
In many ways, the holidays can be a stressful time. Taking several slow, deep breaths when you feel stressed out can help take the edge off. And 1-2 minutes of deep breathing just before you eat can improve your digestion, believe it or not.
Take Home Message
Remember that you can have a fun holiday season and stay healthy at the same time. With a little planning ahead and the strategies outlined above, you’ll be able to reflect on this time of year with fondness and look forward to a new year of health!
Book An Appointment With Nardini Naturopathic
Are you interested in finding out if you have a nutrient deficiency?
Or perhaps you’d like a review of your overall diet to see where you could be doing better.
Maybe you have food allergies or intolerances and worry you aren’t getting enough nutrients because of your restricted diet.
I’m Dr. Pat Nardini, a naturopathic doctor who offers nutritional counseling services to help ensure all of those gaps in your diet are filled, and that you’re getting enough of all the important nutrients which your body needs to function at its best.
Contact me today for more information, or book a free 15-minute consultation where I will help you understand how naturopathic medicine can help you.
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