Experts warn of diet delinquency during festive season
Food and drinks are a great part of the festive season and holiday celebrations, however experts warn of the negative results of over-eating and binge drinking, and advise how to have fun without harming your waistline.
UNDENIABLY, the festive season celebrations and gatherings leads to excessive consumption of food and drinks, however the downside of wrong dietary choices threatens to leave a bad taste in your mouth.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nutrition is a critical part of health and development. Unhealthy and excessive diets are major drivers of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) around the world.
The diseases, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lung disease, are collectively responsible for 74% of all deaths worldwide. The risk factors for NCDs are tobacco use, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets which cause devastating health consequences for individuals, families and communities, and threaten to overwhelm health systems.
Heart Failure Society of South Africa zooms in on over-indulgence and how to practise responsible eating during the festive season:
• Budget wisely.
• Don’t eat everything at feasts and parties
• Be choosy and spend calories judiciously on the foods you love.
• Drink some water between helpings
• At a party, don’t stand next to the food table.
Also read: Kathy’s Window: Eating low carb – health breakthrough or fad diet?
• Don’t go out on an empty stomach.
• Wine, beer, and mixed drinks range from 630 to 950 kilojoules. If you drink alcohol, have a glass of water or iced tea or fresh fruit juice mixed with sparkling water in between drinks.
• Avoid alcohol on an empty stomach. Alcohol increases your appetite and diminishes your ability to control what you eat.
• Put on your dancing (or walking) shoes. Dancing is a great way to work off some holiday calories.
• At meals and parties, don’t ignore fruits and vegetables.
• At a buffet, wander around the food table before putting anything on your plate. By checking out all of your options, you might be less inclined to pile on items one after another.
• Don’t shop hungry
The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA) echoes the sentiments and emphasises striking a balance between well-deserved holidays whilst still looking after one’s health.
Also read: Fight the flab this festive season
The HSFSA advises how to keep one’s waistline in shape without spoiling the festive fun. “In the greater context, a couple of unhealthier meals will not make a big difference. However, falling into bad habits over two to three weeks can cause weight gain, ruin any progress made during the year, and make getting back to your healthy habits that much harder. Avoid an all-or-nothing approach. The key is to strike a good balance between a well-deserved holiday whilst still looking after your health.
“Mindful eating helps you to gain control over your eating habits, avoid weight gain and prevent binge eating. Then during your meal, eat slowly, appreciate your food.”
HSFSA cautions against slacking on physical movement, adding that burning kilojoules while over-eating can curb weight gain.
It also strongly advises that alcohol and sugary drinks be consumed in moderation, alongside cold water.
“Avoid binge drinking and aim for a few alcohol-free days per week. And remember, don’t drink and drive.”
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