Christmas is a time for family, holidays, relaxation and fun – it’s not the time to be worrying about what you eat, how you feel or the state of your health. Can you still have a wonderful time and remain relatively healthy? I think so. In the process, though you don’t want to spoil the festive season for anyone else, these tips may be helpful:
1. Be thankful
Did you know that being thankful can actually make you healthier? It’s a medical fact – but being thankful to someone is better than just being thankful. We are thankful to the Lord for the Cross and for a million other reasons, and we need to constantly be aware of how thankful we are to Him. Being thankful to those you love and telling them so, is an enormously valuable and ‘healthy’ exercise as well. Gratitude is an important part of good health and has been shown to enhance sleep, mental and physical energy, appetite control and quality of life.
2. Choose Carefully
If you can’t plan ahead and there is no chance of eating what you would have liked to, just make wise choices from what is on offer. Avoid the sugary, floury stuff as far as possible and go for the fresher foods instead. Instead of piles of bread at the table, opt for some olives or raw nuts to snack on.
3. The 80/20 rule
It’s Christmas, you are on a strict eating plan, and there are wonderful culinary delights everywhere. If you don’t want to throw caution to the wind nor become a wet blanket at every gathering, try practicing the 80/20 rule. Eat as healthily as possible for 80% of the time, the other 20% can be used to indulge a little.
4. Pick your ‘Poison’
If you are on an eating plan such as Low Carb High Fat, you’ll still want to make sure you don’t eat things you’d rather not. The best way to do this is to pick one or two items that you wish to “cheat” with (eg. A piece of Christmas cake, or 2 roast potatoes) – and stick with your choice of one or two items.
5. Keep it Real
Wherever possible, choose real food over processed food. If you are eating out or have a choice of deep fried fish over fresh fish – choose the best real food option. Deep fried fish in the wheat and seed oil concoction will have a negative effect on your health, whereas the grilled fish with a butter sauce will be much tastier and healthier.
6. Drink Up
Make sure you remain well hydrated (with water) throughout the season no matter what else you decide to drink.
7. Sleep Well
If possible, get enough sleep during this time. Too many late nights knock the stuffing out of one, and make the time with your loved ones more difficult to enjoy. Rather plan for early mornings than late nights if the rest of the family are game.
Wishing you a blessed Christmas.
Sally-Ann is a qualified Integrative Functional Nutritional Therapist. Her best-selling book Let Food Be Your Medicine is about to undergo it’s 4th expanded updated edition. She has also co-written the best-selling The Real Meal Revolution with Prof. Tim Noakes, awarded the People’s Choice Book of the Year 2014, and received the 2009/2010 Award for South Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business & Government for her contribution to health.
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