We are right in the midst of the holiday season and chances are, you’re probably baking holiday cookies, breads, and sipping on your favorite holiday beverages. However, why make your New Year’s resolutions more challenging by eating unhealthy foods right before the New Year? Instead, choose from healthier options of your traditional favorites.
Instead of relying on a ham or turkey as your main course, center your proteins and carbohydrates around the vegetables. Fill half of your plate up with vegetables, and use the other half for proteins and carbohydrates.
This year, focus on the vegetables and try making asparagus with balsamic vinaigrette, green bean almondine, sweet potatoes with maple syrup, roasted carrots, roasted potatoes with olive oil, stuffed bell peppers, or diced and roasted butternut squash. Use these healthy foods as your main course and you won’t leave the table bloated or ready for a nap!
You can easily make your holiday desserts healthier by substituting simple ingredients. Use maple syrup or stevia rather than refined white sugar, oat flour or coconut flour instead of white flour or whole wheat flour, and use coconut oil instead of vegetable, olive, or canola oil. Use non-dairy milks and make your desserts completely allergen-free.
Healthy holiday meals are much easier to prepare than you’d think. They usually take fewer ingredients than traditional recipes, and the cooking time is usually much shorter. Regardless, cooking during the holidays can be hard on the neck, back, and shoulders. To protect yourself from pain, remember to take a break from cooking every two hours. Give yourself some time to rest before going back in the kitchen to finish up.
If you will be lifting heavy objects in the kitchen, make sure you are lifting properly and that you are not reaching out in front of you to lift heavy objects. Remember to pull the oven rack out and bring the heavy objects as close to you as possible before lifting them.
The holidays can be physically and mentally exhausting, so it is important to allow yourself some time to relax, especially when it’s cold outside. Cold weather can be tough on the body, so it’s important to treat yourself right!
If you have suffered a back injury during the holidays or maybe you’ve been dealing with back pain for a while, please contact Premier Health Chiropractors. Our experienced and licensed chiropractors can help you to manage pain in a non-invasive and holistic way. Chiropractic care can benefit the entire family. Schedule your appointment with Premier Health Chiropractors and feel better in the New Year!