A GUILT-FREE CHRISTMAS TO ENJOY

Christmas is right around the corner and that means quality time with family, and let's face it, the incredible temptation for Christmas cookies, mulled wine and a dessert here and there... Whilst those "exemptions" during the holidays are justified, they often bring out our

guilt and might even start a whole spiral of negative self-talk, esteem and often makes you feel like you abandoned all your good eating habits!

But no more! It's time we get real with ourselves and take on responsibility for our heating patterns at this special time! After all, this is supposed to be a time to celebrate, appreciate and nourish your body and soul!

As a Nutritionist, I thought about how I can change little habits throughout this time now so that everybody can still enjoy the celebrations and spend quality time with others (who might not necessarily be as health-conscious) whilst kicking those dietary patterns that leave us to feel sooo guilty afterwards! And that's what I have come up with...

A Nutritionist's top 6 tips for a healthier Christmas:

1. Have 4h no-eating windows between meals and snacks [1]

Allowing a 4-hour window between meals and snacks ensures that all the food that you have eaten is properly digested, the nutrients are taken up and the digestive tract is properly cleared again. Physiologically speaking, in the time in between meals, the musculature of our gastrointestinal system makes wave-like contractions to move our food through the tracks, whilst cleaning itself and cleansing everything. If you are constantly snacking, the wavelike movement, also called peristalsis, is stopped. This might cause a change in gut hormones, down-regulating the speed and efficacy of our metabolism and toxins can accumulate easier.

Recap: Having a 4 h window between meals helps to keep your gut healthy, boosts metabolism and supports hormonal signalling between the gut and the nervous system, thus enhancing mood!

2. Consider intermittent fasting for 3 days a week [2]

As previously already discussed on my page, I am big on aligning our daily habits with our external environment, meaning adapting our activities and dietary habits to the day and night rhythm. Because we as humans have evolutionary been exposed to those cycles, our body is very closely regulated to function differently to specific times of the day/night. Physiological functions, such as coordination, muscular strength, blood pressure, temperature, cholesterol, melatonin and testosterone production and regulation are heavily impacted by the time of the day. Therefore, also our digestive and metabolic processes, such as the ability to produce digestive enzymes, increase our metabolic expenditure and use fat as an energy source (burning fat) are also tightly controlled by mealtimes.

Intermittent fasting aims to align our body with the external rhythm, whilst allowing the body to tap into energy depots (fat tissue) more easily, which promotes overall better metabolic function and weight loss, as well as improving the health of each of our billions of cells.

Recap: When limiting your eating window from 8 am to 4/5 pm on 3 days a week, you enable your body to efficiently support weight loss, by stimulating energy production from your adipose (or fat) tissue, whilst improving your body's ability to communicate with its systems. Furthermore, you give your body time to cleanse itself, re-calibrate and renew old, damaged cells.

3. Focus on your daily intake of veggies, fibre and protein [3]

Providing your body with sufficient minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients (secondary active plant substances) will improve your metabolic health, by providing anti-inflammatory properties. During the holidays, the overall consumption of refined sugars, carbohydrates, saturated fats and trans fats are going up drastically, which all are pro-inflammatory, and that's okay short-term! But, we need to keep an eye out for all the actual nutrients our body needs to compensate for the inflammation that is created internally as well! Protein and fibre support a healthy blood sugar balance, whilst giving us satisfaction from a meal and providing fuel for our good gut bacteria, which help regulate our metabolism to keep it on track! Some tips and tricks to boost fibre and protein during the festive season:

• Almond and coconut flour instead of refined all-purpose flour for baking

• Adding legumes into your dishes

• Aim for 5x 75g of vegetables per day

• Eat the rainbow!

• Plan your meal around protein: each meal should contain around 25 g of protein

• Cool your cooked potato, rice and pasta before consumption

Recap: Planning your meals around fibre and protein can help you feel full and satisfied and prevent you from overeating. Both are also involved in feeding your gut bacteria, which are highly regulated for our metabolism, mood and satisfaction, and therefore will reduce your need for constant snacking. Eating colourful fruit and vegetables will support the counteraction of the induced inflammatory state of all the greasy and sweet foods consumed throughout the holidays.

4. Bitters are your best friend throughout this period of abundance

Bitter foods stimulate the secretion of your digestive enzymes, which are responsible for breaking down the food you have eaten and extracting the nutrients that are contained. During the holidays, many people often overload their digestive system, so having this little extra support to help break down your food comes in handy, especially when we eat a bit more fat. Bitters work most efficiently when eaten 20-30 minutes before the main meal, just like the Italian's do it with their entree rocket salad!

Another trick, if you feel like you have eaten too much on Christmas eve, is to swap dessert for some digestive-active fruits, such as pineapple, kiwi and papaya. Those fruits contain the phytochemicals papain, bromelain and actinidin, which all support the breakdown of foods as well!

Bitter foods:

• Bitter Melon

• Watercress

• Endive

• Rocket

• Radicchio

• Lemon

• Apple cider vinegar

Recap: Bitter foods support our enzyme production and help digest food properly to feel more energized! Entree watercress-rocket salad and papaya, pineapple, kiwi desert is the best over-eating remedy!

5. Keep your body moving

Exercising daily, or simply going for a 30-minute walk outdoors per day significantly improves your overall health. It's well known how beneficial it is for the body to be moved every day, as it benefits every single cell, system and physiological function in the body. Whilst increasing your energy expenditure (how much energy you burn), exercise also optimizes your metabolic pathways. Maybe a nice walk with the family along the beach, in the bush, or in the forest is a nice activity to do after a cozy Christmas lunch or dinner!

Recap: Aim for 160 minutes of moderate exercise per week. If nothing else, go for a 30-minute walk outdoors every day!

6. Best foods to include throughout the holidays:

Cinnamon:

• supports healthy blood sugar regulation

• Its sweet taste can substitute sugars in drinks and perhaps even Christmas cookies

Broccoli Sprouts:

• Adding sprouts to your avo toast or into your salads boosts overall nutrients and support healthy liver detoxification and cleansing, which can support your feeling of comfort in your own skin

Turmeric:

• Contains curcuminoids, which are highly anti-inflammatory compounds that have the ability to counteract inflammation and enhance metabolic and digestive function

• A turmeric latte (freshly made) might set a Christmassy tone

Lemon & Ginger:

• Both foods are considered pro-kinetic, meaning digestive stimulative, as they promote peristalsis (the muscular movement of the gastrointestinal tract) and overall digestion

• Lemons are considered bitters, see the previous section

• Both contain anti-inflammatory compounds as well

Purple Carrots and Cabbage:

• The purple colour is due to the phytonutrient anthocyanins, which are highly anti-inflammatory. Purple carrots also contain more beta-carotene (orange colouring substance) which is also highly anti-inflammatory

• Cabbage contains sulphur, which feeds your beneficial gut bacteria, whilst promoting healthy detoxification

Don't forget about the Protein!

• Eggs

• Salmon

• Tofu

• Beef

• Chicken breast

• Lamb

• Turkey

• Cottage Cheese

• Greek Yogurt

• Chickpeas

• Lentils

• Tempeh

• Edamame

Last but not least,

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

- Your Maike!

References:

[1] E. Deloose, P. Janssen, I. Depoortere, and J. Tack, ‘The migrating motor complex: control mechanisms and its role in health and disease’, Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol., vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 271–285, Mar. 2012, doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2012.57.

[2] K. Kessler and O. Pivovarova-Ramich, ‘Meal Timing, Aging, and Metabolic Health’, Int. J. Mol. Sci., vol. 20, no. 8, p. E1911, Apr. 2019, doi: 10.3390/ijms20081911.

[3] ‘Protein, weight management, and satiety | The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | Oxford Academic’. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/87/5/1558S/4650426 (accessed Nov. 29, 2021).