Holidays and Health

During the Holidays we tend to pack on the pounds and eat EVERYTHING! Don't worry, I am not immune to this either. We are tempted from Halloween on through the New Year and then don't even mention Easter. It feels like it never ends. For our family it goes through all the way with birthdays from January on through May! My brother is also graduating in May so we might have an extra cake thrown in there. But why do we celebrate with cake, when did that all start? It actually started in ancient Roman culture. Then in the 15th century, German bakeries started selling cakes for birthdays and the modern cake was born. Even back in the days, they used sweets to celebrate special events. It is embedded in our culture so deeply it will take so much to change those traditions. You can help by creating a healthy spread for your next holiday outing or party. Instead of bringing a sugary, fatty cake, spruce up a fruit platter to look festive and cute! You can always add some chocolate to it (chocolate is good for you:)). Substitute whole wheat flour for white flour, or Greek yogurt for sour cream, or low fat cream cheese; there are lots of different things to sub in that make the meal overall a little more nutritious. Not only do we consume more but we also move less. We watch too much TV, snuggle up on the couch, stay in by the fire because it is too cold outside, and the dreary weather gets us down in the seasonal blues. But winter brings on a whole new opportunity to get out and do different activities that we can't do in the summer and spring times. You can try skiing, snowboarding, build a snowman, make snow angels, have a snow ball fight etc. Even if its not snowing, bundle up and go for a walk or a run. You will be surprised at how fast you warm up and how good that fresh, crisp air feels. Don't forget about all the indoor exercising you can do! Gyms are great in the winter with the machines, the indoor pool and so much more. We have to work a little harder in the winter as our bodies try to hibernate as well as our minds! Picking up the habit of exercising and eating right early in the season will better equip you for later when it becomes cold. Get out there and spread a little cheer throughout the holiday season! Get ready for what it is really all about, the birth of our Savior Jesus. Hallelujah!

Gold Bless!