At this time of year there are many delicious foods to tempt us, and eating a healthy diet may not be your top priority. While enjoying good food and drink is obviously one of the pleasures of the season, it doesn’t automatically mean that we have to make unhealthy choices that can cause us problems further down the line.
Here are some tips to help you get through to the New Year and beyond with your wellbeing in great shape.
- Cook with olive oil or avocado oil instead of butter or fat
Roast potatoes are a firm favourite for a festive dinner, but they are not great news for our cholesterol levels if they are cooked in goose fat or butter. Therefore choose olive oil or avocado oil that are ideal for crispy roasting and contain monounsaturated fats, which are more nutritious and better for your cholesterol levels.
For an even healthier choice, swap the roasties for mashed cauliflower, which is full of fibre and lower in calories.
- Eat some greens
Leafy green vegetables might not feature highly in your ideal Christmas dinner, but they are full of nutrients and iron, which is essential for keeping your immune system strong over the party season. They are also full of antioxidants, which can have a protective effect against inflammation and reduce the risk of developing serious diseases.
A great way to ensure that you are getting an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals in your diet at this time of the year is to include some fruit and vegetable powders. These lose none of the nutrient concentration of whole produce and are a convenient way to enrich your diet.
The powders can be added to shakes and smoothies, or sprinkled onto soups and stews. Some products can also be used externally to make cosmetics such as detoxing face masks. For a fix of nutritious greens, pick spinach powder, kale powder, or broccoli powder.
- Get outdoors
It’s cold and dark for much of the time, but if you do have a chance to get outside and enjoy the low winter sun, then it can be lovely and calming to breathe in the fresh air. Exercise will get your circulation going and help to fight off that sluggish feeling of eating a heavy meal or too many chocolates.
- Get plenty of sleep
Sleep is what helps us to restore our immune system and mental balance, so to stay feeling your best it’s important to alternate the late nights with a few early ones. If the frenetic pace of the festivities leaves you feeling frazzled and unable to drop off, try writing down any thoughts or problems that are bugging you and shelve them until the morning.
Make sure that your bedroom is neither too hot or too cold, and is not too light. Invest in some blackout curtains if there is light pollution from outside. If you find it noisy, earplugs or noise cancelling earbuds can help.