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 meal with protein every 4 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 bar, a bag of nuts, and some jerky in. The apple has fiber and phytonutrients, and the almonds and jerky have fat and protein, and the bar has carbohydrates and fiber.
When we are at that party, if we are not 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 have damaged fats in them that inflame the body and damage our cell membranes with their omega 6 vegetable oils. 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 your 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 receipt 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 real slowly, but if we are really trying to remain health conscious and take care of ourselves, we need to not overly imbibe. After your drink, have diluted fruit juice. I like cherry because of the sleep benefits, mixed with sparkling water. People will not know the difference and you can stay hydrated and hangover free. Kombucha also works since it’s fermented and good for digestion and detox. The small amount of alcohol in it also helps thin the blood
Travel. If I’m traveling for the holidays, I will bring packets of green drinks that include probiotics and an array of super greens. We carry little packets of these at the register at Wild Roots. We carry greens from a company called Vibrant Health that packs a lot of nutrients and probiotics into them. I also take packets of Ener-C or Emergency which will give me extra electrolytes, antioxidants, minerals, B vitamins and vit C. Between these two, I get the nutrition I need for energy and regularity.
Have a happy and healthy Holiday with friends, family, and loved ones and stop into Wild Roots Market to say Hi, or if you have any further nutrition related questions.
