How to manage Christmas from the perspective of nutritional therapists
Christmas is approaching and the topic of eating during the holidays is something we are now frequently discussing with patients in our NutriMUNI outpatient clinic. Christmas is a holiday that is very strongly associated with eating a variety of traditional foods. So what is the ideal way to enjoy the holidays and not be so stressed about food? And how to avoid indigestion?
8 Dec 2023
So what advice does the nutritional therapist Mgr. Kamila Jančeková, Ph.D. and Mgr. Veronika Zelenkova from the Institute of Public Health of the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University and Dietetic counseling office NutriMUNI?
- Try to eat similarly large portions to what you are used to outside the holidays, whether you are eating Christmas dinner or other festive meals.
- Choosing the right ingredients when preparing meals can also help. For example, you can replace some of the mayonnaise in a potato salad with yoghurt, and make a wholemeal dumpling. Always try to include vegetables in the dish.
- Even on Christmas Eve, it is good to maintain regularity in eating. Although tradition tempts us to eat the golden pig, the result is usually that we overeat in the evening after a day of fasting.
- It's okay to eat sweets. But it's better not to eat candy throughout the day, it's hard to control the amount. It's better to include a few pieces of candy as part of a full snack, accompanied by, for example, an unsweetened dairy product and a piece of fruit.
- Alcohol is a great source of energy during the holidays. Try to limit it to at least a toast. Drink plenty of water so you don't drink alcohol to thirst.
- Skip the sugary drinks, there's already plenty of sugar in candy and other Christmas treats.
- Don't forget to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, have a piece with every meal of the day. Try to make sure there is a source of good quality protein and fibre in every main meal. Even a Christmas meal will fill you up if you have some white yoghurt and an apple with it.
- Movement is very important, after a long walk or an afternoon at the ice rink you don't have to worry if you've taken on too much energy.
- Try to pay attention to every meal. While it can be fun to munch on candy during a story, it's easy to lose track of how much you're eating and often not even notice the taste that much. The feeling of satiety often doesn't come and we eat on and on.
- Feel what you eat with all your senses and, above all, don't reproach yourself for what you enjoy.
We wish you a relaxing Advent season and a wonderful Christmas holidays near your loved ones.
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