By Marcey Klein BS, NC
We don’t have to give up and eat everything in sight during this time of year, there is a strategy we can follow for success. With just a few tweaks we can have some fun, let loose a little, but maintain a healthy balance, not going in one extreme or another. It’s important to have fun with friends and family, it’s good for our wellbeing, and it’s good to also take care of ourselves, not letting ourselves fall too far out of balance. The number one rule for success is to never go to a party or restaurant famished. We will set ourselves up for failure that way. Keeping our blood sugar in check helps us make healthy food choices. Remember a higher protein/fat meal in the morning will be important for energy and satiety, and having a snack with protein every 3 hours is important as well for blood sugar. I try to keep snacks in the car with me in case my blood sugar dips. I have a snack bag that I keep an apple, a nutrition bar, a bag of nuts, and some beef jerky. The apple gives me fiber, hydration, and phytonutrients, the almonds and jerky give me fat and protein, and the bar gives me carbohydrates and fiber. I also carry a water bottle wherever I go to keep hydrated, which is important for all body systems. When we are at a get together, and we don’t arrive ravenous, we can make some better food choices. I will scope out the appetizers and completely opt out of the highly refined and processed foods and desserts, these are the ones that wreak havoc on our bodies. I will also opt out of the store bought baked goods, those that have damaged fats and chemicals in them that inflame the body and damage our cell membranes. I will eat an olive tapenade, possibly some cheese and crackers, deviled eggs, definitely the veggies, items that seem home-made, and a few chips. To tell you the truth, sometimes there’s very little at a party that is edible to me, and that’s where my snacks come in. Drinks; these can be tricky. Sip slowly, savor, enjoy. The cheese, crackers, and protein usually served along with our wine help our blood sugar not spike from the alcohol which is naturally high in sugars. When our blood sugar rises and dips too quickly, we get really hungry, a bad recipe for trying to fit into our cute New Year’s outfit. Try to limit your drinks to one if you’re a female and 2 for a male. Some of us will have to sip very slowly, but if we are really making an effort to remain health conscious and take care of ourselves, we need to not overly imbibe. After your drink, have a fruit juice. I like unsweetened cherry juice because of the antioxidant benefits, mixed with sparkling water. People will not know the difference and you can stay hydrated and hangover free. Drinking Kombucha instead of alcohol is a good choice too because it has a little alcohol in it, but it is good for your liver and digestion. Travel: If I’m traveling for the holidays, I will bring packets of green drinks that include probiotics and an array of super greens. Wild Roots carries these little packets at the register. I also take packets of Electrolytes or vitamin packets which will give me extra electrolytes, antioxidants, minerals, B and C vitamins. Remember to wear your face mask around people as the pandemic is still taking place, and stay up on your vaccinations and booster shots to keep your immunity up. I also recommend extra Vitamins D, C, and B, Zinc, Selenium, and Quercetin. Have a happy and healthy holiday with loved ones and stop into Wild Roots to say hi, or if you have any further questions.
