Avoiding the after Christmas blahs....

     Yes, it's that time of year when everyone is having a party and you are invited. All that sugar and cream cheese and candy starts to take its toll on you and by New Years, you wonder why everyone is sick. Of course, when crowds of people get together, there is bound to be a virus floating around, but there are some things you can do to avoid what I call the "After Christmas Blahs".

#1.  Try to keep the sugar to a minimum. We all love to show off our culinary skills this time of year, and all of those traditional recipes are loaded with sugar.  Every gift you receive has something sweet in it.  When you are at a party or get together, don't load your plate with sweets.  Maybe try one or two of them so you don't overdo it. Even the drinks are loaded with sugar and will give you a high that will make you feel great at first, and then drop you later.  Remember that white flour, corn, potatoes and white rice also turn to sugar in your system, adding to the problem.  Some of the signs of sugar overdose are: dry mouth, dizziness, sleepy or sluggish feeling, and a  headache on your forehead.  Some things you can do to quickly bring your blood sugar under control are: drink a large glass of water, take a jog ( or some other form of exercise),  or eat some protein (nuts, eggs, cheese, meat). Cinnamon is also great for  regulating blood sugar.  Take a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon in unsweetened apple sauce to help keep your levels normal.  My mother-in-law also gave me another suggestion.  She is freezing some of the holiday candies that she was given and saving them for later so she doesn't overdose on them now!

#2.  Eat something raw with the meal.  Those veggie trays are there for a purpose.  Eating something raw with all of that junk will add some raw enzymes to your digestive juices to keep things working. You will also benefit from the antioxidants that will keep your immunities up!  Carrots, celery and raw broccoli are also great sources of fiber to keep things running smoothly.

#3. Prepare for battle. You know that there are viruses and bacteria floating around you, so get your body ready to fight.  Start taking Vitamin C to boost your immunity.  If you feel like you are about to come down with something, start taking nature's own antibiotic: Garlic.  Taking 2 or 3 pills (Kyolic is a good brand at Walmart, doesn't make you smell like you have been eating garlic!) a day will help your body fend off the sickness and may even end one that has already started.  If you feel a sore throat coming on, drink hot tea with honey. The honey will soothe your throat, and the "hot" will help to kill the infection. Salt water is also a great virus killer. Gargling  with it (1 tsp. salt per 1 cup water) or using it in a nasal spray will fend off an infection and will quickly dry up mucous.

#4. Take advantage of your vacation time. In other words: RELAX.  Take that extra nap or sleep in some of the mornings.  We all stay up and out too late during this time of the year.  Not getting enough sleep is another way to make you more prone to illnesses.  If your body is tired, it doesn't have the energy to fight and it won't. 
 
#5 Fill your plate with better choices. Bean dip and salsa with corn chips is better than potato chips and sour cream dip.  Whole grain crackers and cheese will fill you up and keep you filled up much better than chocolate cake and ice cream.  Veggies and fruit will keep you energized and healthier and won't drag you down like punch and cookies.  Keep the sweets to a minimum and fill up on the better choices.

#6.  Watch out for food poisoning.  That crab salad or pasta dish may have been sitting on the table for an hour or more.  Be careful.  Mayonnaise can go bad very quickly.  If you are the hostess, place salads like these on ice so they can stay cold. We are very careful about paying attention to this in the summertime because of the heat, but when you get a large group of people in one area, the room can get just as warm as summer heat!  Make sure that food is properly cooked to the correct temperatures.  According to guidelines for safe food handling, meat dishes need to be cooled as quickly as possible.  Consider the food you serve if you are going to something where you know it will be sitting out for awhile. 

#7.  Don't gorge yourself.  Eat slowly, and chew your food completely.  When you feel satisfied, stop eating.  It is at these times of the year that the food is out all evening and we keep grazing the entire time and make ourselves miserable later.  If your stomach is too full, it can't do its job and you will end up feeling sick and possibly even getting sick.  Use a smaller plate (it tricks your brain into thinking you are eating a lot!), take tiny portions if you must try everything, and don't stand near the food!  If it is out of your line of sight, you will be less tempted to grab some!


     Of course, even when taking all of these steps, there will still be sickness floating around.  But, we may be able to avoid some of the down time by making smarter choices and being prepared for sickness to come.  Who knows, maybe you will be one of those who don't get it this year!

  

Add a little love...er, nutrition.

     I have some very picky eaters in my family.  I have a 5 year old who doesn't eat anything with sauce or cheese on it, so that leaves out your typical kid foods!   It is a struggle that every mom goes through, wondering if her kids are getting enough nutrition from chicken nuggets and Kraft mac-n-cheese. 

     A few years ago, I came across a cookbook that told about hiding different vegetables in "normal" meals in a way that would not be detectable to the typical child's taste.  This lady had a whole system of pureeing various vegetables once a week and freezing them in portion sizes and then using them in her various recipes.  Seemed like a lot of work, but I did like the idea of adding nutrition to every meal. 

     I can remember how my mom dealt with picky eaters when I was growing up.  I recall she would juice fresh green beans and put it in spaghetti sauce.  She would make jello and add yogurt to it (yummy, I may have to ask her about that to try on the kids!), or make special "cookies" with wheat germ and bran in them!
As we got older, we were wise to her tricks, but we also learned to like the good food she cooked and could tolerate a small portion of something that wasn't our favorite.
     So, our next simple step to healthier living, is to try getting some good veggies or protein in your picky eaters by adding it to something they normally eat.  My kids love veggies, but don't like a lot of protein, so I often add refried beans or puree'd black beans to spaghetti sauce.  I've made brownies with spinach and carrots in them and chocolate pudding made with avocado.  I've juiced fresh carrot and celery juice and made jello with it.  I add ground flax and oat flour to cookies and banana bread. I have a great recipe for sweet potato pound cake that everyone loves-- and I make it with whole wheat flour and coconut oil!

     One of my favorite ways to get my kids to eat good vegetables, is to let them eat them in a different way than they normally do.  My kids love frozen peas fresh from the freezer, or a slice of raw sweet potato.  We have eaten carrots with peanut butter raisins on it (celery,too). I just recently found out that my kids love beets, I guess just for the purple color! 

    I would recommend the book Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld (Yes, married to Jerry).  She is the queen of hiding veggies in things.  Her recipes are a little dry because she also cooks extremely low fat (not the best for you-- as we will discuss another time), so instead of using egg whites and lowfat margarine in her recipes, I use whole eggs and butter.  Some of the baking recipes are a little dry and could use another egg or some buttermilk or oat flour to moisten things up. She does tell all about making the puree's in advance and freezing them, if you are interested in that.  I came across another book recently titled How to Cheat on your Man (In the Kitchen) by the Sneaky Chef.  Most of those recipes are things that guys would love with a little extra love added in there!

     I would love to hear your ideas on getting your family to eat right, or some favorite recipes that have some extra goodies added in!