Health For The Holidays!
It’s that time again. The holidays are here. For many people there are gifts to make or purchase, parties to go to, family gatherings to attend, and lots of planning to do. I feel stressed already! Of course, I admit I put these stresses on myself.
With so much to do it is important to take EXTRA good care of yourself at this time. This can be a challenging thing to do when faced with social engagements such as parties and family gatherings with tempting festive food to gorge upon. Here are some of my special tips to help when those difficult moments arise…
Plan ahead. If you are visiting family or going to a party eat before you go, bring food with you, call ahead and ask what kind of food will be served, bring a dish that will be big enough for you to eat and share with others.
Say as little as possible about your diet. Be an example of a healthy person and that will speak for itself. If you talk in detail about your diet you will welcome the possibility of a debate, others may feel uncomfortable and threatened, and you may end up feeling like a freak.
If your host feels sorry for you because you don’t want to eat/drink toxic substances, say “I feel so good eating this way and it’s worth it!” Your enthusiasm will shine and no one can ever tell you how to feel. If others are insulted that you are not eating their food and you have explained that it may make you sick to eat then they are not being considerate to you. When you are a guest in someone’s home they should be concerned that you are comfortable and happy. Right? Answer: make sure you bring your own chow.
Cravings. A beast. The definition of a craving is ‘to long for’ or ‘a desire.’ Temptation will be everywhere and whether you’re happy or gloomy anyone can find cause to lose his or her head.
Ready for the answer? Stay conscious and present in the moment. It really is your choice. The question is: Is the payoff of giving into a craving really worth it to you? When I have a craving I tune in. What is it that I really want? Is it the taste? Do I want sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, spicy, or creamy? Or is it that this gal can’t resist free food? How about the numbing out experience of a starch overload? When we overeat we become so sedated from the chemical reactions in our body that it causes a stimulating effect. Foods such as meat, dairy, wheat, and sugar all contain opiate like substances that induce pleasure sensations in the body and can cause dependency. That means food addiction. So, if you reach for the bread or the pastries your healthy diet may go down the drain. Kaput! Chances are you will soon be dreaming about when you can eat those cupcakes again. If you think you can get away with eating just one, you may want to think again. Remember how you felt last time you gave in.
Solution. Try having some great substitutes on hand. Raw food desserts are delicious. Break open those cookbooks and get the dehydrator on. Mine is on right now!
Negotiate. I do this all the time and I have been eating raw food in great abundance for two decades. So, you want a potato chip. A good tactic is to ask yourself if you can avoid having it today and make a deal with yourself. If you want it tomorrow then you will consider it. Usually, the craving is long forgotten. However, if the next day you are still thinking about that darn potato chip that you missed eating at the party, consider finding a healthier substitute. How about dehydrated crackers or air popped popcorn? If you try this strategy, you may be able to let it go.
Can you let it go? Are you ready? That is the true question. As long as you feel it is okay to still eat food that you know is toxic it will continue to be a temptation and have a hold of you. I haven’t eaten pizza in 20 years and I can watch someone eat it without developing a craving for it. I used to love pizza.
Of course, this blog would not be complete without mentioning the good old colonic. Often, when one is holding old food in the body it will interfere with good digestion and assimilation. Cleansing the colon will help to heal food cravings and improve digestion. Any illustration of a human colon will reveal a thread running along it also known as the nervous system. A full toxic colon will aggravate the nervous system and can create irritability, anxiety, mood swings and those crazy food cravings. There is no better time then now to wipe the slate clean!
Finally, tuning in also means looking deeper inside yourself to see what your craving is really about emotionally. Perhaps, this holiday season you don’t have a mate, or it feels stressful to visit family, you may be grieving a loss in your life, or struggling financially. We all have dilemmas that we contemplate on a daily basis. Instead of feeding the problem with a fast fix of food indulgences why not think of something else. Feed your soul with a walk in the park, call a long missed friend, take a hot bath with essential oils, schedule a massage or sauna, or put on your favorite music and sing and dance. I do!
Gratitude is the best medicine on earth. Even if you can only be grateful for each breath you take. Your life is a treasured gift to cherish during the holiday season.
Happy Holidays!
- Posted by Donna on December 2, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Tagged as: family, holidays, nutrition, relationships
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Great Tips and some real insight into how to politely handle the holiday gatherings… i always volunteer to bring an appetizer or dessert and make something that I can/will eat and that others will love too! no one even notices its something thats soy free, dairy free, gluten free and VEGAN:) YUM! then i just LOAD up on what i brought and am eating along with everyone else!
Great post! I always bring my own food, if I know there won’t be any veggies in sight.
This is a really great post. I never talk about my food choices unless asked and I always bring a dish that I can eat, that is also omnivore approved. I also agree the temptation factor is high during the holidays! You really have some great ideas here. Thanks!
These are all great ideas. Here are some of my survival tips.
1. Don’t come with expectations. Just show up and be with people as they are, not how they should be or where you would like them to be.
2. Your imagination was your first toy, and it still can be.
3. Make believe you’re an anthropologist observing a strange tribe. Take notes!-
4. Had enough to eat? Say no thanks and stand firm. Hide your plate. Or give a very detailed description about what happened the last time you ate too much Thanksgiving dinner. Gross.
5. Pretend you’re a hostage waiting for your release. How much money for your ransom? Who should pay? Maybe you’ll manufacture a wild escape. How should your jailers be punished? Let your imagination run wild.
6. Okay, so Aunt Rose never stops talking and has no manners. You’re not going to change her- you’re stuck. You can sit and steam and ruin things even more for yourself, or you can find ways to dampen your burning fuse. Maybe Aunt Rose wants to be interviewed. Maybe you’re a TV host. Maybe one of you is Oprah in disguise. Take turns, even if Aunt Rose can’t.
7. Try deep breathing. Breathe out and make the room bigger.
8. Tell jokes to yourself, and to anyone else who might have a sense of humor. Keep the mean remarks private though.
9. Remember– all the spiteful things your nasty cousin says tell you lots more about HIM than about you, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. He’s pushy? You’re kung fu master. Let the negative energy flow right past you and back at him. BAM!
10. Try not to leave your body, if you can. Ground yourself by feeling your feet on the floor, your hands in your lap or on the table. Breathe. Focus your attention on something beautiful.
11. If that doesn’t work, how about an out of body experience? How do things look when you’re floating up on the ceiling? Wave to the folks down below. Can anyone see you?
12. Pretend you’re an invisible star or king or Buddha or angel. Knives, sticks, stones, not even nasty words can hurt you.
13. Act like you’re surrounded by Buddhas in disguise, and honor everyone.
Remember- therapy gives you tools you can use for self-defense as well as self-understanding.
All terrific comments and suggestions! Thank you. Have a great holiday.
Great comments and article. I just returned from Hippocrates,which I LOVED!. I’ve been raw without sugar for a month. My energy’s been very low for the last 2 and a half weeks. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am dancing with 10 brain tumors that are mestasized from melanoma. I’m not sure if this diet is the right one for me? would love your advice. Thanks!
Malia- raw food, low sugar, systemic enzymes, probiotics, lots of greens and wheat grass- Hippocrates is the place! Also, infra-red sauna as often as you can and no cell phone!
This is really awesome! I love the idea of piping down about the eating choices and letting my happiness and energy tell the whole story.