Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice: How to Have a Healthy Christmas
This Christmas Day, researchers say the average person will eat 7,000 calories. To put that into perspective, that’s three times your daily recommended caloric intake — and that doesn’t even include Advent calendar chocolates, Christmas Eve cookies, etc. While the holidays are a time for festivity, eating too many calories is anything but a joyful gift for your health and wellness. All the Christmas sugar and excess calories spell trouble for your waistline and your immune system. If you want to have a healthy Christmas without sacrificing the festivities, here’s what you need to know.
How to Have a Healthy Christmas
If you want to have a healthy Christmas, it’s not necessarily about choosing healthier foods (although that helps). From metabolism-boosting supplements to choosing the right main dish on your plate on Christmas day, here’s how to boost your health and wellness while still embracing all of the joy of the season.
1. Focus on the Protein
You don’t have to give up that side of creamy mashed potatoes, or that slice of pie. However, when you’re piling on the food during your Christmas dinner, make protein the main star on your plate. Food has a thermic effect, known as the thermic effect of food (TEF). Scientists use TEF to refer to the way that certain foods require more energy to digest, thus burning more calories.
In a recent study, researchers looked at the TEF of each major macronutrient (fat, protein, and carbohydrates):
- Protein: 30%
- Fat: 3%
- Carbohydrates: 5% to 10%
In other words, digesting protein raises your metabolism far more than any other food. Whether it’s a Christmas ham, some holiday turkey, or even a vegan roast, choose protein over other Christmas dishes.
2. Include Coffee In Your Healthy Christmas Morning
Go ahead, enjoy some coffee on Christmas morning with a dash of peppermint or a swirl of whipped cream. Research suggests that the caffeine in coffee can raise your metabolism by the double digits. Coffee may also specifically be useful for increasing how quickly your body burns body fat.
As an added bonus, coffee is very high in antioxidants, such as plant-based polyphenols. These antioxidants have been shown to boost your immunity and reduce your risks of various diseases, including cancer. Be sure to choose a high-quality coffee or organic if you can.
3. Stay Hydrated
Even if you’re busy rushing around wrapping presents and cooking a big feast, don’t forget the importance of staying hydrated for a healthy Christmas.
Hydration is key for a strong metabolism, as well as a high-functioning immune system. But there’s a startling reason to drink more water when you’re surrounded by tempting treats.
In a few surprising clinical studies, 37% of people thought they were hungry when in fact they were simply dehydrated. Dehydration is commonly confused with hunger, and when you’re dehydrated, you may misinterpret your own body’s urges and be driven to over-eat. By staying hydrated, you:
- Support your immune system
- Enhance your metabolism
- Ensure you’re actually hungry when you decide to eat
4. Take Your Supplements
Fiber supplements during the big day can help improve digestion and also balance your blood sugar, which is key if you’re indulging in sweet treats and high-carbohydrate foods. Other metabolism-enhancing supplements that may help ensure a happy, healthy Christmas include:
- B vitamins
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D
As an added bonus, each of the above supplements also help support your immune system. This is key during the cold and flu season when you’re spending time in the often over- heated indoors and then transitioning to the cold outdoors. They also work well with BioPro-Plus 500, a 100% natural immune system supplement. This drug-free supplement is not a medication, but an aid to help restore your body’s own natural immune response and is a great add-on to a healthy Christmas.
References:
- https://abcnews.go.com/Health/calories-average-american-eats-christmas/story?id=27816914
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258944/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2912010
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/coffee/
- https://pkdcure.org/hunger-vs-thirst/