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Post comments and answers either in our comments sections or on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonas-Integrative-Medical-Center/241621760305) to the questions at the end of the article and you’ll be entered to win a $10 gift card from April’s Garden! Contest ends 12/31/11.
Eating Well (and Healthy) Secrets for the Holidays!
I love the holidays! It is a time when we tend to do a better job at expressing gratitude to our situations and loved ones around us. It is a wonderful time to connect with friends and family. And what about those parties! Unfortunately, we have less control over food choices at these parties, especially around the dessert table. This is a great time to share some secrets on taking better care of ourselves through the holidays.
It is very easy to give up our routine to juggle all the extra activities that come with the holidays. If you can hold onto healthy routines such as adequate sleep, good hydration, eating regularly, exercising and avoiding excess alcohol, they will help you stay energized and healthy. And, even though I hate to say it, sometimes saying “No” to invites – back to healthy boundaries and self-care – is a good choice.
When walking the buffet table at a party, using the 10-minute rule can be helpful. If there is something on the table that is calling your name, just walk away for 10 minutes. Sugar cravings can be helped with eating protein with all meals and snacks. A supplement that can help with cravings and balancing sugar is chromium picolinate (200 mcg with meals). Other supplements that can help regulate sugar include: vitamin C, cinnamon, gymnema sylvestre, and vanadium.
My favorite sugar substitute while cooking is semi-soft dates. At a 1:1 substitute ratio for sugar, they are a whole food that is high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Here is a list of healthy sugar substitutes that work well, and won’t raise your blood sugar levels as much as sugar: agave syrup, stevia powder, xylitol, honey, and black strap molasses.
To use oil or not while cooking… There are some wonderful studies that demonstrate cooking with oils such as coconut and olive oil at baking temperatures are safe and healthy as opposed to cooking at higher temperatures, such as frying. With that said, mashed bananas, applesauce, prunes, or plain yogurt are excellent alternatives for cooking oil when baking muffins or cakes. Substitute 1:1 in grandma’s chocolate cake recipe – no one will know the difference!
Happy Holidays! May your season be blessed with wonderful memories and great health. Wishing you and yours many blessings for 2012.
Renae Blanton, MSN, ANP is a Family Nurse Practitioner at Sonas Integrative Medical Center in Durango. She specializes in integrative family medicine with a focus on environmental issues such as lead toxicity, anti-aging, women’s health and chronic disease and illness. She can be reached at 970-247-2500 or www.sonasimc.com.
Test your knowledge!
Post comments and answers either in our comments sections or our facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonas-Integrative-Medical-Center/241621760305) to the following questions and you’ll be entered to win a $10 gift card from April’s Garden! Contest ends 12/31/11.
- You’re at a holiday party and that triple chocolate cake is calling your name. What do you do?
- Eat the entire cake – you deserve it right?
- Hold your breath until you pass out, not only avoiding eating the cake but also giving your host quite a scare
- Step away from the table for 10 minutes – now do you still want a piece of that cake?
- What’s your favorite sugar substitute?
- Semi-soft dates
- Stevia powder
- Agave