10 Tips for Healthier Eating During the Holidays
The turkey. The ham. The sweet potato casserole and herbed stuffing.
And don’t forget the pumpkin pie and peppermint bark – the menu goes on and on!
The holidays are a food extravaganza and while it’s a scrumptious time of year, it can also be a sugary, salty, and fat-saturated one.
So how do you steer away from unwanted pounds and detrimental health effects while still enjoying everything your plate has to offer?
It’s all about choices and Dr. Graves is sharing his 10 tips on how to make choices that are healthier during the holidays!
1. Eat More Seasonally. Enjoy what our part of the earth has to offer right now and load up on root vegetables, squashes, cauliflower, sweet potato, pears, and apples. They can have better taste and more nutrients when in season.
2. Drink For the Right Reason. If a glass of chardonnay is what you want to pair with your Thanksgiving dinner, go for it! But try not to drink the entire bottle because you need to de-stress (opt for a walk outside instead).
3. Take the Pressure Off. Too much stress and expectation can make us want to binge on unhealthy foods. If you need to, place an order for takeout – it’s okay! Or, make your own healthy side dishes (such as salads and vegetables) and order the main dish from a restaurant.
4. Balance With Lots of Vegetables. A second (or third!) helping of mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing can be delicious, but balance it with an extra serving of vegetables. Or, if you know dinner is going to consist of pizza one night, reach for extra veggies throughout the day so you can indulge at night.
5. Hydrate. Flush your body of sugars, salts, and toxins with plenty of water. Drink a full glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume and at least your weight in ounces of water every day.
6. Choose Fruits or Vegetables For Your Snacks. Having that pie or cake is part of the holidays for many, but be mindful of the extra sugar. Free up sugar space in your daily diet by reaching for a piece of fruit or slices of vegetables instead of processed food. We love having a bowl of clementines, apples, and pears on our kitchen counter for a quick and easy choice.
7. Include Some Superfoods. Not sure which foods will give you the most bang for your buck? Superfoods may be where it’s at. Add one or two of these to your daily diet or even a few times a week for extra immunity, inflammation, and stress management support.
8. Eat Protein with Sugar. If you’re going for that leftover piece of pie before bed, add some turkey to your plate. Protein helps regulate insulin levels, so whether it’s another dessert or glass of champagne, enjoy with protein for balance.
9. Consume Greens at least Once a Day. Guilt can come along with many a holiday meal, so balance it out with eating greens. Add spinach to a smoothie, a kale salad to go with your lunch sandwich, or sautéed Swiss chard to your chicken dinner.
10. Get Plenty of Fiber. It’s important to keep things moving, and your digestive track needs fiber to do this. If you are not eliminating stool at least once a day, try adding more fruits, vegetables and water to your diet and schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Graves to learn of additional recommendations for your specific issue.
Holidays are meant to be fun and part of that is enjoying the foods you love. With a few tweaks in our choices, we can do that guilt-free!
Serving Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, and the greater Denver metro area in-person at our office, as well as those outside of these areas virtually, we are here to provide naturopathic medicine options for everything from relieving holiday stress to calming acid reflux.
If you are in need of extra mental and/or physical health support this holiday season, please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a natural medicine, acupuncture, massage, or holistic counseling appointment.
Oh, and bring your favorite holiday recipe with you!
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