Dr. Dodge: Passion for Health

One of the characteristics of the Holiday Season is a dinner table laden with wonderful dishes that are created for the festive   meals of the season. Even in hard times, people anticipate a tasty holiday feast with loved ones, and that is part of what makes the season special. 

The trick to navigating the holidays healthfully is to enjoy the season while avoiding pitfalls and seductive surfeit. Following are some navigation tips that I have found helpful through the years.

Not all of them may appeal to you, but that’s OK. My purpose in this essay is simply to give you ideas on how to cope with too much rich food. You decide what tips you want to use in your life. 

The first tip is to be smart in your choices of food and drink. There are still some gray areas where ideal nutritional answers remain unclear, but there is more agreement today about wise food choices than was true fifty years ago when I first became interested in good nutrition. 

Today, there is a broad consensus that vegetables and fruit servings are at the heart of a healthy diet. Fortunately, there are usually plentiful choices of such servings on most holiday tables, so it’s not difficult to get in at least five servings a day, even on holidays. Consistently choosing more than five fruit and vegetable servings to eat every day is a sign of nutritional wisdom. 

Whole grains, beans, nuts, and brown rice are also good food choices for their vitamin, mineral, and high fiber content. They are increasingly popular, though white flour is still common in many recipes and foods. Using whole-wheat flour instead is good if possible. 

Protein comes from plant and animal sources. Ideal protein intake remains controversial, but increasing scientific evidence suggests that lower protein intake is healthier for most of us. The jury is still out on this question. In the meantime, meat-eaters are wise to select white meat preferentially, and go light on their helpings. Don’t load up the dinner plate entirely with meat! 

Desserts and sweet snacks are the most tempting and the most problematic items on the holiday scene. Most are made from sugar, fat, white flour, and/or dairy components, all controversial. 

Because of growing scientific evidence about the dangers of excess sugar intake, the American Heart Association recently advised cutting sugar consumption sharply to reduce risks of obesity and cardiovascular disease. Clearly, it is wise to go light on sweets. That also means avoiding or minimizing soft drinks and all other sugar-loaded beverages! 

Is it possible to eat heartily and healthfully and not gain weight? Definitely! I enjoy my food greatly, and my weight has held steady for over forty years. I indulge in a sweet dessert occasionally, but by eating wisely ninety percent of the time, I enjoy my food without guilt all the time. Eating heartily and healthfully is something anyone can do! 

Enjoy your holiday meals. Don’t over-indulge to the point of feeling miserable. If possible, walk or do yoga exercises at least thirty minutes a day. Have a wonderful Holiday Season!