It’s the holiday season again and surely there will be lots of merry making and celebrating with family, friends and co-workers. What a beautiful time of the year to share love, joy and great times appreciating one another, bonding and fellowshipping. However, it is also a time where we tend to eat more than we need to as there is an abundance of food, sweets and drinks. This might lead to unintentional weight gain and other digestive difficulties.
Even as we make all these delicious meals, we can be mindful to use healthy ingredients in not just our holiday cooking, but to become the new-normal as well. This article is to raise your awareness and to provide resources that will inspire healthier eating habits. There are a few changes we can make that will make huge differences allowing us to consume meals lower is sodium and unhealthy diet. We should eat food to nourish our bodies not to just fill our tummies. Have you ever wondered why after eating a lot of food sometimes you still feel hungry? That’s because your cells are hungry and have not been given what they need. Our attitude towards food should be one of health, nutrition, and balance, not convenience.
When we eat for convenience and not for health, we tend to reap the by-products of unhealthy habits like constipation & bloating in the short term, and diseases like leaky gut syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, stroke in the long term. For our holiday meals, using lots of spices for flavor and minimal salt, Celtic or Himalayan salt is preferred as they contain more minerals, and are unprocessed and unrefined. I personally use lots of fresh herbs and spices to make my meals so flavorful that the amount of salt needed to compensate taste is minimal. A few examples of herbs and spices I consistently use are fresh rosemary, thyme, onions, basil, and turmeric.
Rather than deep fry the turkey, slowly bake with fresh herbs, spices, and seasonings. Rather than using white flour to bake, use almond flour/meal, coconut flour, or golden flax seed flour. Rather than using canola oil, use unprocessed coconut oil. Rather than drinking endless amounts of soda (diet or not), drink lots of water, green tea, or freshly pressed juice from your own kitchen. Rather than purchasing store bought baked goods, make your own. That way you get to control what goes into your meal and what goes into your body. Rather than purchasing store bought salad dressing, try to make your own with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, spices, and herbs. Also, there are many healthy recipes online. Use the internet to your healthy advantage. Do your research and choose what works best for you. Speaking from experience, of course, these are not only healthy but incredibly delicious.
To avoid eating a lot at once, drink 1-2 cups of water before your meal. This will help you feel fuller over time and reduce the propensity to eat a lot at one sitting. Portion size is also something to watch. Even eating a lot of the healthiest dishes isn’t advisable. Chew your food slowly and thoroughly and stop at the first signal of feeling full. When we pay attention to our body, it always tells us when to stop. Obey that first prompt to stop eating.
We are what we eat and drink. Do not take it for granted regardless of your age, especially when you are young. Ultimately, your body will reward you. See your body as a storehouse. It will give to you in health, quality and life productivity what you give to it. We often use the excuse of being too busy to not eat healthy. However, consider when we get sick, what about all the time lost in doctor’s offices/visitations, time lost from ill health and loss of productivity. Despite maintaining a very busy lifestyle, most of what I eat – about 95% comes from my own kitchen. Yes! We should always make time for what matters to us. It takes dedication and commitment, but it is rewarding. I am more energetic and clear-minded since I made dietary changes, which has resulted in a happier me. So, make time to prepare your own meals and give yourself some love this holiday by cooking healthy.
Article is by Tolu Oyewumi, a Primary Care Physician and Public Health professional.