Holiday Overhaul

You don't have to stop eating healthy in order to enjoy the holidays.

I think the hardest part about the holidays is making healthy food happen intensely around the lesser food choices. It takes practice but can be achieved with time and attention. For example, if pie is really going to be an inevitable event, then a large salad needs to make sure it finds your lips, and not the kind with fattening ingredients that end up making the salad a calorie nightmare. Have you seen the calorie totals on some of these fast food salads for example?? Add to that, the dressing and preservatives used. You are pretty much not getting too far health wise, if you're still loading up your salads with extra added calorie giants.

I have a few ideas that can definitely help you control your intake and cravings. Even if you've heard these ideas before, it will serve as reminders.

1) Have 1-2 apples in the morning on an empty stomach, with a 1/2 tsp. of Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. I also recommend an acidophilus supplement.
2) Down a glass of water ten minutes before a meal. (no-brainer.)
3)  Drink hot tea with every meal, preferably black, green or white tea, because it contains L-theanine, which supports digestion and metabolism.
4) Have as many hot meals as you can. This also supports digestion.
5) Take triphala churna. The loose herbs can be mixed with water, but it is very bitter. However, it is said to balance all three doshas of Ayurvedic medicine. When one system is not in balance, the rest slide, eventually egging on illness. If you eat excessive sugar, this can lead to imbalance and physical conditions such as candida, or colds and flu.
6) While you're taking triphala churna, consider taking aswaghanda as well. This herb has an anti-stress, soothing effect on the body.
7) Drink Tulsi tea.
8) Deeply breathe and contemplate your food choice before consuming. Remember that food, as in love, is a decision.
9) Consider a day of raw food and/or juicing one day per week as a weekly health check-in. It is said that mucus builds from toxic matter (ama) staying behind after food is metabolized. Disease accumulates from having excessive mucus in the intestines.
10) Find kale super appealing, and use it for everything! Eat kale with a little olive oil and salt, or wrap around veggie meat, pickles, olives or other foods you like.
11) Make kale chips and salt them well. Crumble and use them as a healthy seasoning for foods.

Oh, and have some almonds. It helps to stave off hunger. But don't go nuts.