As dedicated wellness professionals at UNC Health Lenoir, we have worked with patients on managing their health during all walks of life. With the holiday season being full of festive events and food- keeping a healthy mind and body should still be a top priority. The best way to manage your health is by prioritizing nutrition and physical activity. 

The holidays are full of family, friends, delicious food, and great memories. But they are not always consistent with healthy eating. However, it is possible to enjoy the holidays and stay on track with good nutrition. With a few tips you can stay consistent with fueling your body correctly during the holidays, which will have you off to a great start in the new year. 

Find alternatives to your favorite holiday dishes:

You do not have to give up your favorite holiday dishes – they just may need slight alterations. Use less butter and bacon grease in your vegetables. Bake the turkey instead of deep frying. Replace butter with olive oil. Choose whole grain rice or rolls to add more nutrition to your holiday meal. 

Add more vegetables:

Increase the number of vegetables dishes on the dinner table. Roasted vegetables-such as carrots, asparagus or sweet potatoes-can add color and lots of nutrients to your meal plan. Serve a salad or vegetable appetizer before the meal to help increase your vegetable intake. 

Plan ahead:

If you are going to a holiday party, plan your day. Eat breakfast and plan for a light lunch – such as a salad. Move more throughout your day. Bring a vegetable dish to the party. Before grabbing a plate of food, survey all the foods that are being offered. Pick one meat, one carbohydrate and try to fill half of your plate with vegetables. Once you make your plate do not hang around the food table. Move around and mingle with family and friends. Try to stand more than you sit and help clean up (since this will keep you more active). 

Make time to move.

Holiday time means that days are shorter, and our schedules are full! We may feel stressed due to so much hustle and bustle. This is even more reason to find time to be active. We all know the numerous physical benefits that exercise provides but it has also been shown to improve anxiety and depression. UNC Health Lenoir cardiac rehab statistics have shown that exercise can improve patient depression and anxiety by 85%. 

Do not have a full hour every day to devote to going to the gym? Here are a few tips to stay active, even on the busiest days:

• Take a short walk during a break at work.

• Play an outdoor game with your kids or grandkids.

• Use the stairs instead of the elevator or park further away at the grocery store. 

• Get up 30 minutes earlier to stick to your exercise routine.

Medication management during the holidays:

Changes in routine sometimes can lead to errors in taking medications. We all know that forgetting medications or not taking them as prescribed can lead to health complications and hospitalizations. 

Here are a few tips to help with medication adherence during the holiday season:

• If you are currently taking medicines, remember to pack them if you go out of town for the holidays. (Do not forget to pack all your medicines, even the ones you may not need every day).

• Do not skip medicines because of negative side effects.

• Most pharmacies are closed a few days for the holidays. Be sure you have enough to get you through the holiday week. 

In working with patients with chronic conditions, we have seen the importance of managing health by exercise and good nutrition habits. We hope that the tips in this article will help members of our community in their wellness journey.

*This article is based on experiences as a wellness professional and is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your healthcare provider for personalized guidance and treatment options. *

Brittney C. Howard

Certified Cardiac Rehab Professional

Clinical Exercise Physiologist

Cardiac Rehab Program Director

Holly White, RDN, LDN, CDCES

Coordinator of Nutrition and Diabetes Wellness Program

*Registered Dietitian

*Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist