Health Confidence Throughout the holidays-Kurtis Clem

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​The holiday season, beginning around Thanksgiving and going through the New Year’s day, can be a time of celebration; parties with food and drink and the pleasure of family and friends. It can also be a stressful time of too much eating and drinking. These events may contribute to weight gain (Stamps, 2012***). 

​Tips for Maintaining Healthy Diet During the Holidays
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1. Pay Attention to Alcohol Consumption 

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It is important during the holiday seasons to smaintain the guideline for drinks per day: two a day for men and one for women. Moderate and responsible alcohol consumption may help maintain weight and maintain a low risk of disease (Government of Canada, 2018***). Considering alternate alcohol options is also useful. Instead of sugary mixers choosing sparkling water with no additives with vodka can go a long way. Choosing a low calorie drink instead of beer can have its benefits in terms of maintaining weight***. 

2. Maintain Healthy Eating Habits

[Illustration Credit: American Association of Diabetes Educators]

​Weight gain during the holiday season is primarily related to portion sizes and overeating***. The consumption of high fat and high calorie food is increased. Controlling portion sizes and eating foods that are nutrient dense such as fruits and vegetables can prevent rapid weight gain (Healthy for Good, 2018). It is important to eat when hungry because dietary restraint can lead to bingeing. (Herman, 1985). Following the plate method can be a useful practice when making your plates during holiday’s (Salafia, 2017). 

**It is okay to enjoy treats, but modification is important**

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3. Get Enough Sleep

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​As with eating habits the holidays can effect sleeping patterns as well. People who prefer to do activities during night time compared to people in the morning have been linked to increased weight gain and risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to less sleep (Shah, 2H018). It is recommended to avoid alcohol and medicines that make you sleepy. As stress levels increase during the holidays it is important to manage sleep schedule. Exposure to linalool, a compound found in lavender has been found to have a calming effect. Placing lavender scented products around the house can help with stress-reduced sleep (Evans, 2018).

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4. Exercise Regularly 

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Exercise during this time of the year is important. Individuals with minimal to no exercise are linked many diseases such as type 2 diabetes, and also weight gain. When around family during the holidays, round up some members to go on walks and hikes together to increase physical activity (Salafia, 2017***). It is important more than ever during this time to get in the recommended aerobic exercise per week because of the excess calories and fats consumed during the holidays (Cleveland, 2018). If a gym isn’t assessable during the holidays there are many workouts online that can be done anywhere. HIIT is interval training (workout posted above) that can be performed anywhere and is a great form of weight loss. 

Nutritional Tips to Survive Holiday Season 

1. Start with a plan (plate method)
2. Be sure to honor your hunger and food desires. (Depriving yourself of favorite foods can lead to binge eating later on.)
3. Add different fruits and vegetables to sweet treats to insure proper vitamin intake.
4. Have different options for breakfast and make sure to eat breakfast to avoid over eating later in the day. (small bite size options are preferred.)
5. Load up on vitamin A, Vitamin C, vitamin E. (Can help battle the extra stress, alcohol and lack of sleep during the holidays).
6. Bring your own healthy dish for your holiday festivities. 

Recipes:

Cauliflower, Turnip, and Rutabaga Mash

• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large or 2 small turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large or 2 small rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (see Recipe Notes)
• 1 bulb of garlic with skin intact (see Recipe Notes)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper, to taste

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Egg Muffins

• 10 eggs 
• 1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese 
• Dash of salt, pepper and garlic powder

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 Vegan Apple Pie with Coconut Oil Crust

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tablespoon raw organic cane sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup solid coconut oil
• 6-8 tablespoon ice water
• about 8 Fuji apples

[Illustration Credit: Lavalt.com]

​References:

​Cleveland Clinic. Aerobic exercise [Internet]. Cleveland: Cleveland Clinic [unknown date] [cited 2018 Nov 2]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7050-aerobic-exercise

Government of Canada. Healthy holiday eating[Internet]. Ottawa: Government of Canada;                    [updated 2013 Nov 26; cited 2018 Dec8]. Available from:https://www.canada.ca/en/health-  canada/services/tips-healthy-eating/seasonal-tips-healthy-eating/healthy-holiday-eating.html.
 
Healthy for Good. 2018. Daily tips to make this holiday season Healthy for Good. American Heart Association. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/healthy-living/eat-smart-month toolkit/2018-esm-daily tips.pdf?la=en&hash=B7191A062626520AF526F00F4B506B1CF04DA551
 
Evans J. The lavender smell really does calmyou down, study confirms. Medical News Bulletin [Internet]. 2018 Nov 26 [cited2018 Dec 8];Health and wellness. Availablefrom:https://www.medicalnewsbulletin.com/lavender-smell-calm/
 
Monica, M.S. 2017. Healthy Eating and Fitness Tips for the Holidays from a Registered
Dietitian Nutritionist. Monica Salafia Practices. Retrieved from https://medicalnewsbulletin.com/tips-staying-healthy-during-holidays/
 
 
Polivy J, Herman CP. Dieting and binging: a causal analysis. Am Psychol. 1985Feb;40(2):193-201.Retrieved from
​https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3857016.
 
Shah H. Is an irregular sleep schedule linkedwith poor health outcomes? Medical News Bulletin [Internet]. 2018 Oct 20 [cited2018 Dec 8];Health and wellness. Available from:https://www.medicalnewsbulletin.com/irregular-sleep-schedule-outcomes/