It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – Help!!!

It can be difficult to eat healthily at this time of year – there are way too many temptations!  Rather than risk offending your hosts or depriving yourself or your guests, try the following swaps and choices that may mitigate at least some of the damage.

1. A tablespoon of unpasteurised Apple Cider Vinegar (with “mother”) in warm water 10 minutes before a meal can help strengthen stomach acid and help you digest your meal.  Also improves insulin sensitivity, and helps burn fat.
2. Drink plenty of water during this season but try not to drink with meals as this can dilute your stomach acid and hamper digestion
3. Support your liver by starting each day with a big mug of warm water and the juice of half a lemon
4. Other foods that are helpful for the liver include bitter veggies such as watercress, rocket, endive, chicory, asparagus, artichoke.  Make a starter of these dressed with olive oil and apple cider vinegar to kick start your digestion.
5. Wherever you are eating try to choose as many differently coloured vegetables as possible. White potatoes don’t count but sweet potatoes do!  We should be aiming for 5 portions of veg per day and 50% of your plate should be vegetables 
6. This is a great time of year for dried fruit – in mince pies, Christmas cake, compotes etc.  But the sugar is very concentrated in dried fruit, so limit how much of this you eat. Instead go for fresh, low sugar fruits such as berries, apple, pear, citrus.
7. Red wine has less sugar than white wine, prosecco, champagne etc and has the additional health benefits of antioxidants and resveratrol (great for heart health) 
8. While spirits don’t come with any similar health benefits, some people find they drink less and suffer less if they chose spirits rather than wine.  So perhaps some good quality gin or vodka with a lower sugar tonic (e.g. Fever-Tree) may be a good switch. Or choose one of the many low/no alcohol drinks on the market.  
9. Don’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach.  If you do, you are much more likely to start nibbling on crisps and peanuts.  By the time you get to the dinner table, you’ve already taken in a few hundred calories!  Try to delay the first glass of wine until you’re sitting down for dinner. 
10. Go for raw nuts rather than salted ones.  And buying them in the shells which you have to crack will reduce how many you eat!
11. Make some Kale Crisps (recipe link) to replace potato crisps
12. Make your own dips such as fresh guacamole or courgette humus (recipe link) served with vegetable crudities or flaxseed crackers (recipe link)
13. A little cheese in moderation is OK, but replace standard cows cheese with organic or raw cheeses and sheep’s or goats cheese.  Serve with grapes, apple slices or celery sticks rather than crackers.
14. Replace milk chocolate with 70%+ dark chocolate. Full of antioxidants, magnesium, polyphenols and flavanols. 
15. Peppermint, ginger or fennel tea can help settle your digestion if you’ve over-indulged
16. And don’t forget your exercise routine.  At least go for a brisk walk each day over the holidays. 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS and see you on the other side!  

Photo by Diliara Garifullina on Unsplash