How to curb your sugar intake and why
Not many weeks to go before the feast of the holidays begins.
Everyone has their own ways of coping with shopping, gift wrapping, organising travels, seeing family, going for parties and seeing friends and family. Be it from overeating at gatherings to stress munching cookies while sorting out presents, the red string that runs through all of that is FOOD.
Yummy food. Rich, sweet, indulgent food.
These 8 tips should make it easier for you to stay healthier during the festive season:
1) Stay hydrated – whilst dashing around many of us forget to drink. Fruits and vegetables that are high in water content will be absorbed slower by the body thus helping to give a longer feeling of fullness.
2) Pack snacks to avoid fast food (my personal favourites are some carrots and hummus).
3) Start each meal with a salad (get those greens in before the trimmings). Protein and fibre are the main helpers of keeping the sugar intake and ultimately the waistline down. They help to increase the metabolism and turn down the appetite-stimulating hormones.
4) Drink smarter – alcohol contains a lot of hidden sugars and often leads to a spike in blood sugar which follows the classic ‘crash’ with a ravenous appetite.
5) Eat mindfully – If you are distracted you will ignore your body signals of fullness and often overeat.
6) Clothes – An elastic waistband is much more forgiving than a belt. Also, it is fun to dress up nice for the holidays so let's also get some function out of our clothes and let them give us a little reminder when we are full – avoiding the excess slice of cake.
7) Indulge a little – lots of us deprive ourselves of treats all year round or the weeks leading up to the holiday, to then end up having an unplanned binge due to elevated stress and heightened emotions. Treat yourself in the run up and throughout the festive season and this is less likely to happen. Just remember - eEverything in moderation – Nothing in excess!
8) Get plenty of sleep – Sleeping less than 5 hours will significantly impact on hormones which regulate hunger. Studies found that tired subjects’ reward centres activated when looking at images of unhealthy foods - proving why that slice of care (or tiramisu in my case) looks even more appealing after little sleep.
These tips don’t just work for the holiday period. Here is a goal: See if you can keep them up into January! Life is about making the most of everything, experiencing new things and most definitely new foods! It should never come at the expense of your health though.
Looking after yourself is an ever-evolving journey of learning, adapting and enjoying. If we manage to control our sugar intake, we are more likely to stay healthy and not suffer from obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cholesterol problems or chronic inflammation.
In essence, we are what we eat and it shows. I have seen a lot of clients who have to take anti-inflammatories regularly as inflammation in their bodies and joints never settles. Many of them were never suggested to change their diet.
Check-in with your chiropractor to make sure that your nervous system is as healthy as it can be, tweak a few things in your diet for the better, e voilà. You will not only look better but also feel better and enjoy the holidays with all they have to offer (guilt-free).