Eating over the holiday season

The holiday season can be a daunting time for our health. An abundance of yummy food, alcohol, desserts, trips away, family gatherings, parties and celebrations change up our normal routines and can make it difficult to prioritise our health and nutrition. For many of us the holidays mean over-consuming food and alcohol, reduced sleep, limited exercise and generally feeling sluggish. Below are tips to maintain your physical and mental health, to feel good over the holiday season!

  • Listen to your body! Acknowledge when you are truly hungry and when you are satisfied.

  • Balance your meals. Aim to include a source of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and lots of vegetables.

  • On that note, add more veggies to each meal!

  • Go for a walk after a meal. Light exercise after eating stabilises blood sugar levels and promotes digestion. Blood glucose levels reduction is dependent on the type of meal, and the duration of the walk. For example, if you have a carbohydrate rich meal, causing your blood sugar to spike – a great reduction will be seen if you go on a walk right after the meal (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267507/ ).

  • Focus on your family and friends rather than overanalysing and stressing over what to consume! Studies show that stress can slow down your digestive system, which can cause bloating, abdominal pain, constipation and an imbalance of gut bacteria. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22314561/ )

  • Avoid eating too close to bed time. Aim to stop eating 2-3 hours before bed, as this prevents reflux which negatively affects sleep.

  • Stay hydrated!!

    • Consuming 2-3L promotes digestive motility & function, reducing the risk of bloating & constipation.

    • Sip water between meals, rather than during. Consuming liquids during a meal can dilute your digestive juices, which causes digestive upset and undigested food to pass through. (you’ll end up super bloated!)

    • Room temperature drinks

    • Use your urine colour as an indication of your hydration levels; yellow = dehydrated, clear = hydrated!

    • Careful with intakes of caffeine as it causes dehydration (e.g. Coca Cola, coffee, black tea).

  • Stick to your normal eating schedule. Eating every 2-3 hours gives your digestive system to process food, absorb nutrients and keep you energised. Avoid both snacking consistently all day long, and skipping meals – this will end up as over-consuming later.  

Implementing these tips allows you to enjoy the holiday season, while preventing digestive upset, keeping on track with heath goals and ultimately feeling your best!

For extra support over this time, further information or guidance feel free to email me or come in for a chat!

 

Happy holidays,

Sarelle x

Sarelle