We all enjoy our holiday traditions of eating and drinking special foods and beverages. But these can cause problems for people who need to manage what they eat and drink for medical reasons.
Nutritional management is a major part of living with these conditions-
- diabetes and high cholesterol
- celiac disease/gluten sensitivity
- nut and other food allergies
- lactose intolerance
- overweight/obesity
- alcohol dependence
- heart, kidney, and liver dysfunction
- pregnancy
- migraine
A Pandemic Holiday season
COVID-19 adds an extra layer of needs to safely celebrate the holidays with food, beverages, and gatherings. Here is a link to CDC guidance to minimize risk of spreading the virus through your holiday activities.
Holiday Celebrations and Small Gatherings
“The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful and isolating for many people. Gatherings during the upcoming holidays can be an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends.
This holiday season, consider how your holiday plans can be modified to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to keep your friends, families, and communities healthy and safe.”
PRACTICAL TIPS ON PARTY FOOD AND MEAL PLANNING
Planning ahead to manage holiday stress also applies to cooking, entertaining and eating during the holiday season.
If you plan and prepare holiday meals and parties, remember some attendees need to avoid or restrict certain types of foods.
Offer an ample variety of types of food and drinks so your guests will find something that works for them.
If you have house guests, they will appreciate your asking them about dietary needs or restrictions so you can have food available to meet their needs.
If you have special needs in regards to food, it may be wise to offer to bring a dish to an event , or take food to eat if you will be someone’s house guest.
from The American Diabetes Association
“Holidays can be a time of great anxiety for people with diabetes because it is so focused on food.
Don’t let questions about what to eat, how much to eat, and meal timing dampen your holiday. Plan in advance, so you can fend off stress and fully enjoy the day and keep your diabetes management on track.”
Here are the ADA suggestions for Holiday Meal Planning.
Are you worried about gaining weight from holiday meals, or trying to maintain a weight you have worked to achieve? Then try these
Top Holiday Healthy Eating Hacks
from Charmaine Gregory, M.D. at Fervently Fit
“There is a huge amount of power in being mindful with your eating during this holiday season. “
Try these Edible Christmas Gifts from Dr. Diana, an allergy doctor who blogs about cooking.
Delicious gluten free recipes from PositiveHealthWellness
Addiction Hope
offers advice for those with eating disorders – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder )
” Eating disorders are not about food, it is about the underlying issues which can be triggered by anxiety and stress. Holidays can bring on both increased stress and anxiety and can be difficult for individuals to manage. When a person is in an active eating disorder, there are various ways to cope with the holidays.”
Read more at
Navigating the Holidays with a Food Addiction:
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Adagio Teas.
Gifts for lovers of tea with free wrapping of all items.
watercress words by Dr Aletha 
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