A Healthy Holiday Guide

16 Dec 2022

Navigating the holidays while trying to maintain your healing progress can be challenging, to say the least. Nearly all my patients report a significant worsening of their symptoms after the holidays, blaming the late nights, celebratory drinks & treats that are typical this time of year. The festive season is meant to be enjoyed, but it doesn’t have to leave you with a terrible holiday hangover afterwards. Here are some tips to navigate the end of year with less negative impact on your health.

1. Take a hydration break between drinks

Avoid drinking two alcoholic beverages in a row. Space your drinks out with a glass of water, or better yet a hydrating mocktail! I love using naturally flavoured sparkling waters, herbal tinctures and bitters to make myself a healthy spritzer. Use fresh herbs and citrus for flavour or try an alcohol free spirit (there are so many available nowadays). Always serve in a fancy glass to keep the festive feeling going!

2. Eat your veggies first

Fill up on veggies before diving into the rest of your holiday meal. It will keep you feeling full longer, promote balanced blood sugar levels and feed your healthy gut bacteria. These combined benefits will make it much easier to say no to that third helping of cake and minimize the digestive upset that is typical after big holiday meals. 

3. Move your body 

After eating a big holiday meal it’s easy to crash on the couch and get comfortable. However, moving for just a few minutes after a meal helps to jumpstart digestion and minimizes the looming blood sugar spike. Tidying up for 10 minutes or playing with the kids are great ways to get some movement in – no need to go for a run after dinner.

4. Eat sweets last

Keep the sweet treats for after dinner, not before. Eating sugar first thing is a surefire way to trigger a blood sugar roller coaster. By saving sweets for after a meal, you minimize the impact desserts have on your blood sugar. This strategy will also make sugar cravings less intense because you’ve already filled up on satiating macronutrients, like protein and fat, from your meal. 

5. Make time for YOU

The holidays are often energy-draining because we put all the emphasis on others while neglecting our own needs. Most of us are stressing about what gifts to give, preparing to host a gathering and attempting to tie up year-end loose ends while running from one social engagement to the next, without time to recover in between. Prioritize some YOU time this holiday! Read that book that’s been sitting on your bedside table, finish that art project you’ve forgotten about, or just draw yourself a nice warm bath and light some candles. Taking some time to recharge is not frivolous or a waste of time – it is a necessary part of being human! Treat yourself nicely without any guilt 🙂

Dr. Kim Vance, ND

Natural Choice Medical Clinic

Guelph, Ontario