Tag: stress

Healthy Holiday Eating: Practical Management Tips

This post shares how holiday foods like marshmallows and eggnog, appear in traditions and songs. Holiday foods can challenge nutritional management of multiple health conditions. Here are practical tips for planning meals to accommodate dietary needs, while offering insights on healthy eating and managing sobriety during festivities. Ultimately, we can celebrate human connections over food.

What do marshmallows, pumpkins, eggnog, popcorn, and pears have in common?

They are foods associated with holiday recipes, and they’re mentioned in songs about Christmas. You’ll also recognize less everyday foods like chestnuts, figgy pudding, collard greens, and wassail.

Recipes from Holiday Carols 

sliced orange, orange with cloves

We enjoy holiday traditions of eating and drinking special foods and beverages; we even sing about them. But these can cause problems for people who need to manage what they eat and drink for medical reasons.

Nutritional management is vital to managing 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
  • hypertension
  • irritable bowel syndrome
variety of party cookies on a plate

Practical tips for planning Holiday parties and meals

Planning ahead to manage holiday stress 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 foods. Offer an ample variety of food and drinks so your guests will find something that works for them.

If you have houseguests, 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 food needs, it is wise to offer to bring a dish to an event or take food to eat if you will be someone’s houseguest.

 

a table setting at a holiday brunch I attended

 

Healthy Eating and the Holidays

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers tips for healthy eating for people with diabetes through the holidays. These are also helpful for others. Click the above link to learn how.

‘Tis the season for family, festivity, and food—lots of food. How do you manage diabetes during the holidays when food temptations are just about everywhere? Try these tips to help you stick to your diabetes meal plan this holiday season.

from the Centers for Disease Control

Tips for Everyone at the Holidays

  • You can still enjoy your favorite holiday treats in moderation. Focus on dishes you really love and can’t get any other time of year.
  • Sometimes there are too many holiday treats to fit into one meal. Instead of overeating, ask your host if you can take a favorite treat home for later.
  • Fill at least half your plate with vegetables and leave less room for unhealthy food.
  • Eat slowly. It takes at least 20 minutes for your brain to realize you’re full, so take your time before deciding if you want seconds.
  • Being active is your secret holiday weapon. It can help you digest your food better and reduce stress.
  • You may not have time for a long walk, but even 10 minutes after a big meal helps.

 

Delicious gluten-free recipes

Even if you are not gluten-sensitive, you may enjoy gluten-free dishes. Some taste even better than their gluten-containing cousins.

 

 

 

Maintaining Sobriety Through the Holidays  

from Addiction Hope 

“Be able to understand your limitations. Is it easy to say no to a drink in a restaurant setting but hard to avoid alcohol in a home environment? What types of scenarios are triggering to you? Knowing this ahead of time can help you work through situations and be prepared for what you might encounter.

Having an exit strategy can be a helpful tool to utilize in times of stress or pressure. This might include stepping out to call a trusted friend for support, going out for a walk, or practicing mindfulness techniques.”

 

 

Most of all, remember what the season is about—celebrating and connecting with the people you care about. When you focus more on the fun, it’s easier to focus less on the food.

CDC
Photo by Nicole Michalou on Pexels.com

 Sharing the HEART of the holidays

As a Christmas gift to me and your friends, please share this post with friends in an email or on your social sites. Thanks.

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you turn health challenges into health opportunities.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

 

a small cute decorative snowman figure

Dr Aletha

Unfortunately, food allergies don’t take a holiday. This post reviews how those with food allergies can eat well and safely.

How to manage food allergy with confidence

Up to 10% of the population have true food allergy, while 50-90% of people who believe they have food allergy may not. An accurate diagnosis is important so the condition can be managed properly when appropriate, but not needlessly..

Keep reading

Expert Advice to Conquer Holiday Stress

Magazine articles, television programs, and music playlists tell us that this is

“the most wonderful time of the year.” 

That is until the extra work of shopping, cooking, decorating, wrapping, planning, and entertaining makes it the least wonderful time.

a gingerbread house

While most of us welcome the chance to celebrate with family and friends, sometimes those encounters create emotional tension and strain. With the sadness we feel when loved ones can’t be with us, either through distance or death,  the season can become the worst of the year.

Prepare for stress

By anticipating these events and feelings, we can prepare ourselves for the physical and emotional stress of the holiday season, and find a way to enjoy the festivities with “hearts glowing.”

Here are links to resources with sound advice for confronting and conquering holiday challenges.

Plan. Make your list and check it twice. Being prepared for parties and presents and having help from family and friends can reduce last-minute stress.

red and gold Christmas tree bulbs

Over-the-top holiday excursions can be stressful, which is not how you should be spending this joyful season. Focus on your holiday traditions — don’t worry about the rest.

Make time for friends, family and good cheer, and embrace relaxation when you can. Don’t neglect the value of sleep, either. Do all that you can to stick to a normal sleep schedule even around all the celebrations and traveling.

Avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol, daytime napping and large meals before bed. These factors can interfere with a good night’s rest.

Mayo Clinic
a decorative snowman figure

The “No Bullish” Guide to Getting Through the Holidays 

Set boundaries, boundaries, boundaries.

 If you’re a “Yes Man/Woman” (someone who always says “yes” and has a hard time saying “no”), then you not only have to deal with the stress of planning for the holiday, but also the overwhelming pressure to please everyone since you’re the reliable person whom everyone depends on (or the schmuck whom everyone takes advantage of), which leads to internal feelings of guilt, exhaustion, anger, and resentment if you can’t carry out all the duties expected of you,

but then blame everyone else for not helping you (you probably also don’t feel comfortable asking for or accepting help, right?)

Freud and Fashion
decorative wrapped packages

11 Holiday Shopping Tips  

Don’t shop ’til you drop
Sticking to your shopping list can help you avoid going off on a spree. It’s also smart to take a break between buys.

Yale University researchers have found that making a purchase can trigger what they call the “shopping momentum effect”—a psychological impulse to buy subsequent items. To counteract the effect, just walk away from the store or computer screen for a few minutes.

And no window-shopping on your way out.

Bank of America

Dealing With Grief  

Accept your feelings — whatever they might be.

Everyone takes his or her own path in grief and mourning. Some may try to avoid sad feelings; others will be bathed in tears. Some feel bad that they aren’t up for enjoying a holiday; others feel guilt because they are feeling joy. However you feel, accept it.

And accept the inevitable ups and downs: You may feel peaceful one moment and gut-wrenchingly sad the next. Try to stay in tune with your own highest truth and you will know how to get through the holiday without judging yourself or others.

AARP

Enjoy “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Eddie Pola and George Wyle.
Arranged by Hawley Ades
Cantare Children’s Choir: Catherine Glaser-Climie
Ron Bennie, Accompanist

Post Images

Photos used in this post -compliments of the photographers at Pixabay 

I took the cover photo of a grandfather and grandson at a local restaurant.

ANOTHER HOLIDAY POST FROM THIS BLOG

Simple Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating

Holiday traditions often involve special foods and beverages, posing challenges for individuals managing medical conditions like diabetes, food allergies, and obesity. Emphasizing mindfulness in eating and understanding personal dietary restrictions can alleviate holiday stress and enhance enjoyment.

Keep reading

Sharing the HEART of the holidays

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you turn health challenges into health opportunities.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha

“Dwell” calmly during this busy season

person holding a lit candle

Many people find using their phones a convenient way to read and meditate on the Bible. And it’s easy to do so with the Dwell Bible App. With Dwell you can listen to and read the Bible and special devotional offerings for Advent, Lent, and throughout the year.

Using this affiliate link helps support this blog and my mission to share the heart of health wherever needed all over the world. Please join me.