Tips for Eating Healthy During the Holidays

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With less than a week before Christmas, it’s time to prepare for all those delicious—albeit unhealthy—treats that will be at your disposal this holiday season. Trust me, I get it; it’s hard to turn down pumpkin pie, mac ‘n’ cheese, Christmas cookies, and eggnog. But if you want to be healthy, it’s absolutely necessary that you avoid the temptations that will come your way.

Tip #1: Find a Mantra

Find a word, phrase, or quote that you can repeat to yourself whenever you’re feeling weak. Your mantra should have special meaning to you, something that will keep you motivated to make the right choice. Some examples include:

• I eat to fuel my body, not to satisfy an appetite  
• Note to self: When I eat like crap, I feel like crap
• It’s not a short-term diet, it’s a long-term lifestyle change
• I’m strengthening my ‘resistance’ muscle. It’s getting stronger!
• Looking and feeling amazing is the best revenge

Tip #2: Keep an Inspirational Photo Nearby

There’s a reason that vision boards are so effective. When we have a crystal clear vision of what we want, it helps us to manifest it that much easier. Take some time to sift through a magazine and find some fitness pictures that really inspire you. If you don’t have any magazines, search for images on the Internet. You can either keep a physical copy of this image on your person at all times, or you can store it electronically on your phone. Using pictures of celebrities is fair game.

Tip #3: Reward Yourself With Something Other Than Food

Look, eating healthy is hard work. If you can manage to resist all the temptations this holiday season, make sure you celebrate by rewarding yourself. The reward doesn’t have to be expensive; it can be as simple as taking a nice, hot bath. Other ideas include going to the spa, getting a massage, watching a movie, or going to a concert. Remember: this is a spiritual journey, and you should take part in celebrating the new and improved you.

Why Sweet Potatoes Are Awesome

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With the holidays coming up, there are going to be lots of recipes to test out. While I advocate for indulging and enjoying food with friends and family, I also want to shine a spotlight on one of nature’s hardiest and most healthful creations: the sweet potato! This tasty tuber offers a lot of health benefits and is home to plenty of nutrients. It’s not pretty to look at, but the sweet potato is a healthy and delicious alternative to the ordinary russet!

They provide the good kind of carbs.

Some carbohydrates are actually good for you because your body has to work to process them. Sweet potatoes’ carbs are lower on the glycemic index so they don’t spike your blood sugar as much as regular potatoes, meaning no sugar crashes and better control for people with diabetes.

They’re high in potassium.

We need more potassium in our lives, guys. It helps the body regulate itself by promoting healthy digestion, nourishes nerves, and gives muscles the strength they need. Additionally, potassium can help offset some of the harm sodium, that ever-prevalent ingredient, does to blood pressure. “A high potassium intake is associated with a 20 percent decreased risk of dying from all causes!” says Mother Nature Network.

Sweet potatoes can fight some kinds of cancer.

Sweet potatoes, which are very high in beta carotene, can help ward off prostate and colon cancers. They contain a fat-soluble pigment the body converts into vitamin A, which can prevent the development of these cancers. Vitamin A can also help keep eyes healthy and prevent deterioration of vision.

They promote bone health.

Because sweet potatoes are also high in manganese, they help keep bones healthy and dense. Getting more manganese in a diet is especially healthy for women, as boosting daily intake can lessen the effects of PMS so that women suffer fewer cramps, mood swings, and discomfort.

Sweet potatoes have a lot of other benefits, too, but one of their most lively is the ways they’re cooked! Try this recipe for classic mashed sweet potatoes, easy maple-baked wedges, or a sweet potato and apple soup. Yum!

How to Treat A Horrible Hangover

Although Christmas and New Year’s Eve are behind us, this season is still full of parties and gatherings. The party invites can stack up, often leading to overindulgence in libations. The morning after can mean a headache and damage to all of your body including your skin. Excessive alcohol consumption can severely dehydrate the skin, making it tight, dry and puffy – a hefty price to pay for a night of fun.

Drinking dehydrates the body--so be sure to
hydrate throughout the night.
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Relieve your tight skin with a splash of water. While most of us rely on moisturizer to get rid of dry skin. But did you know that over moisturizing, especially if you are prone to acne, can lead to clogged pores? Instead, try filling the sink with cold water and ice cubes. Once they are melted, splash your face 25 times.

Load up on vitamins. Since alcoholic drinks can deplete vitamins from the skin and body, it is important to load up on topically and internally. Green veggies like kale, spinach, cilantro, mint and parsley contain high concentrations of antioxidants; consuming additional nutrients and electrolytes can also help heal a hung-over body.

Hydrate your body by drinking water. If you get tired of plain old water, munch on strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and watermelon instead. Your body will be able to absorb a lot of water from these fruits. You can also try a sports drink like Gatorade to gain back electrolytes you lost from dehydration the night before.

Practice hangover prevention. Limit your alcohol intake and choose your drinks wisely. Go for drinks with less sugar and you will likely drink slower and less. Try to drink a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you have as well. This provides the dual benefit of slowing your alcohol intake while at the same time rehydrating.  You’ll thank yourself in the morning.

5 Ways Holidays at Home Can Hurt Your Health—and What To Do About It

Try to stay healthy during the holidays by eating in moderation and keeping up an exercise routine--even if it's light.
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Copious amounts of home cooked food, an endless supply of alcohol, and all of your relatives together in one room might sound like a great time around the holidays, but sometimes it can be a bad thing. Despite the good eats and time off from work, holidays can really take a toll on our wellbeing for a variety of reasons.

Don’t get me wrong—I love spending time with my family, and the holidays are wonderful excuse to skip town and get down to see them. But going outside of my normal routine is hard because it’s so easy to miss out on the things that normally keep me healthy—like regular exercise and portion control. Here are some things to keep in mind to maintain your good health this holiday season.

• There are no gyms in sight. If mom’s cabin doesn’t have a treadmill, try weightless workouts to help improve balance, flexibility and core strength. Bring resistance bands, yoga DVDs and maybe a jump rope to help keep your fitness levels from dropping too sharply. I try to get exercise in first thing in the morning when on vacation, because otherwise I just get too busy doing other things. Like drinking eggnog…
• Every holiday meal is enough to feed a small village. The average American will consume over 3,000 calories at a traditional holiday dinner. It can be hard to resist the temptation of high-calorie food when it’s all sitting there on the table. Drink a lot of water, take it easy with the alcohol, and try to stock up on greens and lean proteins. Of course, it is the holidays, so don’t beat yourself up over having a slice of pie or some eggnog—just try to keep things in moderation.
• Don’t mindlessly graze on leftovers and snacks. It’s easy to munch when you have easy access to leftovers and are cozied up inside. Rather than chowing down on whatever crosses your path, try to schedule snacks ahead of time or keep a food journal so you are more aware of what you are eating. I tend to go to the fridge when I’m bored, which is a terrible habit because then I end up eating when I’m not even hungry.
• When traveling and spending all that family time, there is no alone time to decompress. Try to carve out some chunks of alone time, even if you need to wake up earlier than everyone else to get it. I try to schedule ample time between friend & family meet ups, or at least take 15-30 minutes at night to read a book and just be.
• You expect everything to go perfectly and your family to be perfect. Give up hope that all holiday events and gatherings will go as planned. You might think this is finally the time that everything will go right, but you need to realize it won’t. You can only control how you behave and react to others. So take some deep breaths and try to accept your loved ones with an open heart. No one’s family is perfect, which for me means that my dad will drive my sister crazy trying get things ready for dinner, my mom will try to help and will actually make things worse, and my brother and I will sit quietly in the other room while they all get frazzled. But then—this is how the holidays always seem to be, and that’s okay with me. I get to be with family, so I’m happy.

Amp Up Your Diet with These 15 Fruits and Veggies to Avoid the Flu This Season

Parsnips are rich in Vitamin C and one of my favorite winter soup ingredients!
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I work in a small office, yet we’ve consistently had at least one person at a time semi-sick for the past few weeks. When I went home for the holidays, a few of my friends and family members were fighting off sickness, and when I got home, I could feel that winter chill trying to sink into my bones. It’s flu season, and I really don’t want to get it. Do you?

Luckily, I’ve thus far been able to stave off the coughs and chills, fevers and tummy aches. I used to always be the first to get sick, but these days it seems like my immune system is a lot stronger. My hypothesis is that my increased level of exercise and healthy eating over last year is at least partially responsible.

While stocking up on Vitamin C supplements can help if you feel a potential flu coming on, my opinion is that it’s best to approach the situation proactively. Give your body the nutrients it needs to be able to fight sickness as soon as it comes on, not just when you finally feel it. These fruits and veggies will give your immune system a much-needed boost and help you avoid the flu this season:

1. Bananas – Vitamin B6
2. Bell Peppers – Vitamin C
3. Broccoli – Iron
4. Cantaloupe – Vitamin A
5. Carrots – Vitamin A
6. Citrus – Vitamin C
7. Green leafy vegetables – Vitamin C, folic acid
8. Kale – Iron
9. Mushrooms (certain varieties) – Vitamin D
10. Papaya – Vitamin C
11. Parsnip – Vitamin C
12. Pumpkin – Vitamin A
13. Spinach – Vitamin E 
14. Squash – Vitamin A
15. Sweet Potatoes – Vitamin A

Can’t find these veggies fresh? Don’t forget that most produce also comes in frozen varieties, which are usually preserved at peak ripeness. Just make sure that there is no added salt, sugar, or other ingredients. Frozen veggies are great for soups, stews, and stir-fry—all lovely, warm winter meals!

As much as I love eggnog, cookies, hot chocolate, and all those delicious comfort foods, they don’t really help my body out when sickness abounds. So, for now, I’m going to be re-adjusting from my holiday food binge and getting back to basics.

Essential Ingredients for a Healthy Meal… Anytime!

I know I’m not the only one who’s suffering from holiday-itis. I’m exhausted. Are you exhausted? A few days off for the holidays feels long overdue. Whether you’re worn out because things have been crazy at work or school or you’re just ready for a break, there’s one thing that I find gets particularly difficult when I’m tired: eating healthy.

Have you ever noticed that when the stress levels rise, suddenly a frozen pizza or dinner at the local pub out sounds so enticing? When I’ve had a long day (or week), it’s hard to rustle up enough energy to think of a healthy meal (much less cook it). Plus, with the holidays just around the corner, delicious sugary treats like cookies and sweet breads are around in abundance.

This season is full of stress and sugar--but it's still important to keep eating healthy as much as possible!
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So what’s a girl to do? Sure, sometimes I’ll give in and eat that frozen pizza (it’s okay to live sometimes!)—just don’t let it become a habit. The best advice I have is to keep healthy basic ingredients in the house, so that when you don’t have the time or energy to get creative, you still have a healthy meal to eat.

I’ve found that the following ingredients enable me to whip up a quick meal in just a few minutes—and it’s tasty to boot!

Frozen Chicken Breasts or Salmon (you can buy these fresh and freeze them yourself if you prefer)

Just defrost in the microwave or with warm water and then bake, grill, sauté, or stir-fry them as you feel fit. For chicken, I always keep lemon pepper on hand (it really livens the flavor up), and salmon goes well with a simple glaze like honey lemon.

Frozen Vegetables

Frozen veggies certainly aren’t as good as fresh produce, but they can be lifesavers. Choose a medley or particular vegetable that you enjoy, and then on those busy nights you can just steam or sautee them back to life. Add in a little garlic powder, olive oil, and pepper to give them a kick.

Whole Grains

I love wild rice. It takes a little longer to cook, but it’s not exactly work to cook rice. Pairing wild rice with a baked lemon-pepper chicken breast and veggies on the side is a fiber-and-flavor filled meal that’s super easy to boot. If you’re not a fan of wild rice, you can also try cous cous, whole grain pasta (in moderate proportions), or brown rice.

Eggs

I know, eggs are typically a morning food. But, hey, there’s nothing wrong with breakfast at dinner from time to time. Whip up a quick omelet with those frozen veggies and pair it with a side of whole-wheat toast.

 Salad Fixings

I tend to think that dinner should be more complicated than a salad, but that’s not true. When I remember, I try to keep some dark leafy greens (like arugula, spinach, or kale) on hand. Mix those together with some dried cranberries, nuts, cheese, and a tiny bit of dressing and you’ve got yourself a lovely little dinner salad!

Frozen Meatballs and Marinara

I discovered this lovely combo when living with roommates. If you can find lean chicken or turkey meatballs (try Trader Joe’s), this is a super fast meal to whip up. Just cook the meatballs over the stove with some marinara sauce—no pasta necessary! Add some veggies on the side, and it’s a perfectly sized meal.

During the holidays, it can be particularly difficult to keep up a healthy eating regimen. How are you handling the extra excitement, and how do you plan on staying healthy?