'Tis the Season for Health: Tips for the Holidays
Eat Healthy During the Holidays and Get Your Nutrition Degree
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| | The holidays are synonymous with an abundance of rich foods and overindulgence. Learn how to cater your cravings for something a little more healthy... |
For many of us, the weeks between November 1 and December 31 mean enjoying hot coffee while staring out at a cold, snowy morning, hustling and bustling to find the perfect gift for someone special, taking an action-packed family vacation or a luxurious getaway to a warm island and, of course, celebrating.
We celebrate at home, at friends' houses and at work. We celebrate with exotic appetizers, elaborate meals and decadent desserts—true holiday nutrition. After all, it wouldn't taste so good if it were healthy.
Nutrition experts emphasize the importance of making good food and physical activity choices every day in order to maintain wellness. Staying in touch with your health and nutrition during the holidays can serve as the best gift you can give yourself. Think about the tremendous sense of pride you will feel when you look in the mirror on January 1, knowing you made the best choices for your well-being.
How can you stick to a holiday nutrition plan that includes some of the great tastes of the season while still maintaining your health as a top priority? Dietary experts offer the following holiday nutrition advice.
- Keep up your exercise routine during the holidays. Whether it's an exercise tape at home for 20 minutes each night or an hour every other morning at the gym, the time you spend devoted to keeping your body fit not only gives you extra energy, but also helps you relieve stress during one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year.
You can also recruit some partygoers or family members to take a walk after dinner—tour the street lights on the block or have a snowball fight. Getting a little exercise between courses not only helps you metabolize your food, but also helps your mind make better choices when you return to face the dessert table. -
- Think in terms of healthiness, not deprivation. You can enjoy a cookie or a sliver of dessert at parties; just be sure to limit your portions. Listen to your body when it says, "I'm full." Better yet, listen when it says, "I'm satisfied." Eat slowly and enjoy each bite of the reasonably-sized portions on your plate. It also helps if you aim toward the low-fat or low-calorie options as much as possible. If you have been tasked with bringing dessert to a gathering, consider some healthy recipe alternatives to traditional holiday treats.
To get recommendations on the right portion sizes for you, refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid.gov. You can also stick with servings of foods in their natural form—that is, turkey without the gravy and vegetables without high-calorie dressings or sauces. -
- Drink plenty of water. Stay hydrated this holiday season by keeping bottled water next to you when shopping, cooking and traveling. Amid the gingerbread lattes, peppermint schnapps, chocolates and fruit cake, it's important to balance the food intake with a little H20. Water will help cleanse your system and aid in digestion, as well as, help you fight common holiday bugs, like a cold or the flu. Water also helps maintain mental alertness during a season of juggling work with festivities, and bustling crowds when holiday shopping. It's an easy way to help your immune system—don't forget the water!
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- Relax and take a few quiet minutes to yourself. People tend to focus more on others than themselves during the holidays, and it's very important to listen to your own needs. When you start to get stressed, close your eyes, breathe deeply, stretch or just sit still. Clear your mind of the day's stresses. Get a massage or take a yoga class. Your health depends on your body, mind and spirit—treat each one to some peaceful moments each day.
The holidays should be a time of happiness and celebration, not frustration and stress. Use these tips to find your healthier self this holiday season.
You can also share these tips with others. If the accomplishment you feel on New Year's Day inspires you to help others maintain lifelong healthiness, consider that earning a nutrition degree may serve as the perfect means for meeting your aspirations. With a nutrition degree, you possess the education and credentials to succeed in a rewarding nutrition or dietitian career where you can make a difference in people's health and well-being.
Visit the Nutrition Schools and Career Resource Center to get more nutrition career information, or return to the Holistic Health Career Center home page.
Sources:
Department of Health, 10/2007
NCPAD, 11/2007
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