photo of a dinner table spread with pumpkin pie, cranberries and more

5 tips for a healthier holiday season

With the holiday season upon us, sweet treats abound. Fortunately,  there are simple ways you can indulge while still making nutritious choices to stay healthy. We checked in with Lindsay Malone, adjunct instructor in the Department of Nutrition at the School of Medicine, to hear some of her tips for healthy actions you can take this holiday season.

From getting rest to making better beverage choices, Malone’s tips are easy to incorporate. Take a look to see what you can do to have a healthier holiday.

1. Drink smart. 

The holidays are often filled with themed beverages and seasonal drink offerings at local coffee shops. But festive beverages such as eggnog, peppermint lattes and Christmas lagers are often high in sugar and calories. These calories can add up fast and don’t have any nutritional value. My advice is to make most of your beverages unsweetened. Add cinnamon to coffee, spruce up your water with frozen cranberries and sip on some peppermint herbal tea to get into the holiday spirit. If there is a brew or specialty coffee drink you enjoy this time of year, make it a treat rather than a daily occurrence.

2. ABV. Always. Bring. Veggies. 

Most holiday meals will have plenty of carbs, meat and sweet treats. Add some color to your holiday table and any social gathering by bringing some vegetables. Pair fresh veggies with a healthy dip like Greek Yogurt Spinach Dip, bring a festive salad topped with pecans and dried cranberries, or roast your favorite winter vegetables like butternut squash and brussels sprouts. Vegetables provide the most nutrients per calorie of any food and are low in calories. 

3. Spend some time resting and digesting. 

Keep your eating within a 12-hour window and save 12 hours for resting and digesting. This type of fasting improves digestion, improves blood sugar and insulin and allows your body time to repair.

4. Get moving. 

Exercise is nature’s medicine. Indoors or out, get moving for improved mood, metabolism and flexibility. Strive for 30 minutes most days of the week. There is no bad weather, only bad clothing choices! Dress warm and enjoy the sites and sounds of winter.

5. Relax like your life depends on it! 

Because it does; stress is bad for your health. Take time to relax, do a puzzle, take a walk, laugh with friends, sit in a sauna, watch a movie—whatever helps you relax. Make time daily for some sort of stress management. Stress management improves sleep and mood as well as hard numbers like blood pressure, blood sugar, even weight.

Learn more about the Department of Nutrition at Case Western Reserve.