Tips On Staying Healthy During The Holiday Season

Can you believe there is only one week left until Christmas? Yes, the holiday season is upon us, and if you're anything like me, you've been especially busy this month. So busy, you glance at the calendar in disbelief at how quickly the days are going by and a little frightened with all you have left to do before the end of the month... and year.

During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's easy to forget eating well and maintaining a healthy diet, with all the parties and cookies and festive beverages tempting you. Once you get in the habit of eating well, though (habits usually take 21 days to become a daily routine) it's easier to keep to your routine of eating well, despite the temptations around you.

If you're looking to start your day off right, and improve your overall healthy, you should consider taking psyllium fibre. Sounds scary? It's not. It's just a naturally sourced dietary fibre found in Metamucil powder, and it has a long history of use in traditional and herbal medicine. It provides multiple health benefits, like lowering cholesterol and promoting heart health.

Here are some tips from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada to help you stay healthy this holiday season:

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
• Choose a variety of whole and minimally processed foods at every meals.
• Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit at every meal.
• Choose fruits and vegetables as snacks.
• Go with whole grains. Look for whole grain breads, barley, oats, oatmeal, quinoa, and brown rice.
• Choose more vegetarian options like beans, lentils, and nuts. Make sure the meat you're eating is lean, and include fish at least once a week.
• Limit your portion sizes.
• Sip on water all day. This is an easy habit to get into.
• Cook and eat more meals at home. This is a great way for the whole family to get into the habit of healthy eating.
• Get creative and try some new recipes. Here are some great recipe ideas from the Heart and Stroke Foundation. (I love the stir-fry!).
• Try to limit the number of times you eat in a restaurant each month. This can be especially hard during the holidays, so if you're going out to eat, choose restaurants that serve freshly made dishes using whole and minimally processed foods, and choose restaurants that provide nutritional information in their menus.
• Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight can increase your bad cholesterol level. You can get help if you need it through the Heart and Stroke Foundation website.
• Get active. Being physically active will help improve your cholesterol levels and general heart health. Choose activities you like, whatever that may be: biking, swimming, walking, running, or taking part in classes at a gym.
• Be smoke-free. We all know smoking is a risk factor for heart disease. Once you quit, you'll start feeling better and your good cholesterol (HDL) will start to rise.
• Star reading nutrition labelling on the food you buy and pay attention to what a serving is.
• Know your fats. Dietary fats and oils provide our bodies with energy and absorb fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K.
• If you have high cholesterol, sometimes diet and exercise are not enough to lower it. Several drugs are available to lower your blood cholesterol that your doctor might prescribe to you including statins and other cholesterol lowering medicine.

Making lifestyle changes is a great way to control your health and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Just be mindful of what you eat, as what you eat has a huge impact on your overall health. By keeping active and eating well, you'll feel better and the habits will become part of your lifestyle.









Disclaimer: I have been compensated for this post. All views and opinions are my own.