December 2021 – The holidays are here, and the chaos has begun!
Holidays…
So many people will go into the holidays saying, “This is the year. This is the year I will not get stressed and run down. This is the year I will take better care of myself.”
YES! This is the year you CAN make it YOUR YEAR!
Between the lower levels of vitamin D in the wintertime due to lack of sun, lower water intake due to lack of heat, increased sugar intake with holiday parties and baking, the food may be more processed due to lack of time, drinking alcohol and stress, the holidays are a time where many people push their body hard into fatigue and into illness.
So how will you make this holiday season, your season? One where you have energy, vitality for the parties and one where you stay well? How will you make this holiday season about others, while still taking care of yourself?
Here are some of my hints:
First and foremost, we need to minimize stress.
People often overindulge in all sorts of things when they are stressed. Too much shopping, too many sugary treats, too much alcohol, too many prepared foods (sound familiar?!)
Plan ahead. We all KNOW the dates of the holidays we celebrate, waiting until a month or a week before to begin planning, buying, etc., can certainly add stress to our lives.
Make freezer meals!
As you are cooking meals, make extra of ones that can be frozen. Label them as to what they are, with a piece of masking tape on the container and write directly on the tape. Now you have homemade, healthy quick meals to heat in the oven and serve on those days you had work, went shopping for gifts after, picked up the kids at after school activities and are too tired to even think about creating a healthy meal for all of you!
If you do push too hard and get sick
Plan ahead, and have on hand elderberry syrup, vitamin C, zinc lozenges, vitamin D (with K2). I also love Flucomune by Ayush Herbs to stop a cold in its tracks. There is nothing worse than getting sick and having to go to the store or find online, the supplements you need NOW!
Making good food choices during the holidays can be done!
- Focus on the people and your connections with them, rather than the food.
- Employing the good, better, best strategy can make those choices, no matter what they are, easier.
- Crowd out the junk with good choices and you won’t miss or even want the other stuff. Have real food choices such as a vegetable tray or charcuterie platter that can satisfy your palate.
- Make food yourself vs buying pre-made. When you are in control of the ingredients that go into your holiday dishes, you can make better choices for you and your family.
- Drink water! Your body needs water, your detox organs need water, your skin will look better with water. Place a glass water bottle or glass of water in every location you are likely to spend more than 5 minutes at, you will drink more water if it is already there, and you don’t have to stop what you are doing to go and get it. This includes next to your bed; you will be surprised how much you drink in your sleep if you are dehydrated!
Tips for Holiday Gatherings
- Before you go to the gathering, VISUALIZE yourself there, talking, laughing, having a great time. Imagine the food and what you will choose!
- Keep a glass of water in your hand at a party, it is much harder to grab another cookie or piece of cake or the temptation of another alcoholic drink, and you remain hydrated!
- Fill your plate with the healthier options and place two cookies on top! ENJOY those cookies thoroughly!
Maintenance, not abstaining for the holidays
This is in mind, body, and food. You will be much happier enjoying the holiday gatherings if you are in a relaxed state and not telling yourself NO throughout. Let’s face it, you can only say no so many times before you talk yourself into a yes. So, go ahead and say yes to two cookies and a beverage of empty calories, just make sure you ENJOY them fully! Try your hardest to eat healthy foods in between the gatherings, the shopping, and the chaos (this actually helps with cravings for sweets!)
Overindulging in stress will lead to overindulging in foods and drinks that really have no nourishment, which will lower your immune system capabilities and you will end up being sick for the holidays!
Remember what the holidays are really about, love, family, friends, togetherness, being grateful, focus on those.
*References:
1) Berry DJ, et al. Vitamin D status has a linear association with seasonal infections and lung function in British adults. Br J Nutr. (2011)
2) Hemilä H, et al. Zinc acetate lozenges for treating the common cold: an individual patient data meta-analysis. Br J Clin Pharmacol. (2016)
3) Tiralongo E, Wee SS, Lea RA. Elderberry Supplementation Reduces Cold Duration and Symptoms in Air-Travellers: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients. (2016)
4) Extra Dose of Vitamin C Based on a Daily Supplementation Shortens the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis of 9 Randomized Controlled Trials. Biomed Res Int. (2018)
This months recipe is Mexican Flank Steak.
Normally, you would slice the flank steak lengthwise, in ½ (You are making two thinner flank steaks). In the case of this one I made, I did not realize the butcher had sliced it SO thin, so I was unable to slice it into two. (Had I realized this ahead of time, I only would have made half the stuffing). However, because I had already made the stuffing, I dropped it into the sauce to cook, so most of the sauce got sucked up into the stuffing. Delicious anyway!
Ingredients:
One 1-1/2-2 pound flank steak
Stuffing ingredients:
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green pepper (I used green, red and yellow)
1 clove minced garlic
½ tsp thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste
In mixing bowl combine:
4 cups of crumbled corn bread
3 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsps. hot green chilies
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco to taste
“Sauce” to cook the flank steak ingredients:
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup celery
½ tsp thyme
½ cup chopped tomatoes (I sometimes use peeled whole tomatoes, and did in this recipe)
2 cloves of minced garlic
½ cup sliced carrots
2 bay leaves
1 cup beef broth
Slice the flank steak lengthwise, in ½ (You are making two thinner flank steaks).
Heat 2 Tablespoons of bacon fat in an iron Dutch Oven
Add:
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 clove minced garlic
Cook slowly on low heat until wilted – about 15 minutes
Add:
½ tsp thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste
In mixing bowl combine:
4 cups of crumbled corn bread
3 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsps. hot green chilies (I am not a fan of heat and omit this step)
Add wilted vegetable mixture and mix well
Spread equal portions on meat, roll and fasten with cooking twine
Salt and pepper each flank steak roll up and brown in 3 Tbsps. bacon fat
Add to fat:
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup celery
½ tsp thyme
½ cup chopped tomatoes
2 cloves of minced garlic
½ cup sliced carrots
2 bay leaves
1 cup beef broth
Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees
Remove the bay leaves, slice and serve with some of the sauce that is left!
We CAN boost our immune systems, and we should! How you eat plays a huge role in this too!
Follow me on social media for informative posts several times a week!
You DESERVE to live a life you love with endless energy!
I help those with thyroid disease to repair damage to gut, blood sugar balance, adrenals and hormones,
so that they too, can have endless energy and truly love and live life again.
Schedule a FREE discovery call below
to see if Nutritional Therapy is right for you!
https://farmorpharma.com/nutritonal-therapy-services/