Four Ways to Avoid the Holiday Spread. American School of Natural Health (ASNH) would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season, regardless of religion or creed. This is a great time to share love and celebrate the year, it is often the time that excess food and drink can wreak havoc with our wellness goals, even for we holistic health lovers! Here are four tips to keep consumption and weight under control:

1. Eat something healthy first! Much like going shopping on an empty stomach, going to an event and being offered highly tempting ‘treat’ foods (fruit mince tarts, brie, camembert, eggnog etc.) when you are really hungry is a recipe for disaster in the willpower stakes. Give yourself a break by eating a nourishing snack before social gatherings where you know you’ll be tempted – a mixed vegetable soup with barley or brown rice, a baked potato with mixed beans and natural yogurt or piece of fish with lemon and greens – so you can snack sensibly and enjoy a little of what you fancy rather than overdo it. Also, by lining your stomach with something wholesome, you’re a little less likely to suffer a hangover if you do have a couple of holiday tipples.

2. Drink something first! Beverages is often where we max out on calories. Drink a large glass of water, sparkling or still, or an herbal tea before drinking anything else, and also between alcoholic drinks to make sure you are able to sip for flavor rather than gulping due to thirst.

3. Organize active holiday get-togethers – A game of Twister, a themed dance party, a bowling match or a fun squash tournament or even a friends and family hike are novel ways of celebrating the holiday season and can keep you fit and active.

4. Meet at a vegan restaurant – Whilst there’s plenty of unhealthy choices that can be made from vegan cuisine, there’s every chance that the menu will be lower in saturated fat and higher in plant proteins – it could be a great way to introduce your family and friends to healthier eating options for the new year ahead. 

We hope this information will help you avoid the rapid weight gain associated with the holiday season. For more information regarding this topic as well as other topics relating to natural health, consider taking one of our natural health courses or programs. Learn how you can achieve optimal health and show others how they can achieve this as well.