Embrace the Holidays … Without Guilt!

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Written by Lyne Desforges, Registered Holistic Nutritionist

This is not your typical blog post for the holidays. Most blogs will talk about how to resist temptation or how to say ‘no’ without offending anyone. Let’s look at things from a different perspective!

How about we see the Holidays as a time of celebration, a time where families get together and share good food, good stories and good times. Let’s make the holidays a time of gratitude rather than a time of restraint and frustration.

Some blogs will tell you to eat before going to a family dinner so you are less hungry when you are there. Well I say that’s just silly and unrealistic! Instead, practice moderation. Your aunt Josie worked very hard to make her traditional pie. Honour her by having a taste and show gratitude for all the love and hard work she put into making it. Perhaps just resist from eating half of the pie! As Oscar Wilde said:

“Everything in moderation, including moderation!”

So go ahead and taste all the beautiful dishes that have been so lovingly prepared just remain reasonable when filling up your plate – eat with your stomach, not your eyes! Instead, chew carefully, eat slowly and be thankful for every little bite.

Eating mindfully and with gratitude goes a long way towards good digestion. Therefore, let go of guilt. It won’t do you any good. Just enjoy yourself and remember that tomorrow is another day!

1- Nutrition Tip: Practicing moderation can be done in very practical ways. For example, only take one glass of wine for the whole evening and sip slowly to make it last longer. Even better, make a spritzer: half white wine and half mineral water. Add some berries and you cut the toxicity as well! Be careful at parties where appetizers are the only things served. It is easy to overindulge without even noticing it. Set yourself a limit and be selective; for example, just pick out 8 pieces and stick to that. As always, chew slowly and eat mindfully so you can savour every bite.

2- Mental Health Tip: Gratitude is a crucial aspect of Mindfulness. Being grateful has immense power on our internal narrative, self-talk and perception of situations or people. For example, if you are grateful for the members of your family and their individual uniqueness, it might be easier to positively interpret their behaviour that otherwise might be frustrating or “annoying”. (Danika Desforges-Bell M.Sc. Ps.ed.)

3- Naturopathic Tip: Life is about balance which is something the Mediterranean diet promotes quite strongly. The base of the pyramid for the Mediterranean diet is about physical activity and social interaction. Therefore, if you are having a piece of chocolate cake do so without distraction (that means no TV!) as well as surrounded by loved ones. That’s a big part of what makes the Mediterranean diet so good; be active, sit down when you eat, do so without distractions and add a social aspect to every meal. So, it’s alright to have a piece of dark chocolate and a glass of red wine; indulging and pleasure is part of being human just do it sitting down and truly enjoy it. Learn more about the Mediterranean diet. Happy Holidays! ( Dr. Sofie Desforges-Bell ND)