A diet is not something you should have ‘to do’ as much as it is a daily choice

A Healthy You for the Holidays

Capture the sun this holiday season to stay merry and bright. In other words, go to bed early, wake up early and absorb as much daylight as you can during the year’s shortest, darkest days. Other helpful tips: eat lots of plants, wash your hands and take mini-breaks.

That’s the advice of Dr. Katie Baker, medical director of St Joseph Medical Center’s Emergency Department, on how to have a breezy, beautiful end of December versus a dreadful, stressful one.

“For many, this is the happiest time of the year, but for some, it’s the hardest,” she says. “Although it sounds simple, it’s important to get an appropriate amount of sleep and be up when it’s light outside.”

“A diet is not something you should have ‘to do’ as much as it is a daily choice.” And with daily choices comes daily planning. Eating something light, like a salad or fruit, before going to a big family dinner is a good strategy for limiting the consumption of excessive amounts of food and desserts, she says. It’s also a part of a broader goal to simply increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you consume, while decreasing the number of meats and carbs.

So wash your hands frequently, plan ahead for big meals to prevent binge eating, increase your intake of fruits and vegetables and spend time outside during daylight hours. Follow these simple steps and hopefully you and yours will have joy-filled and healthy holidays.