If you’re like us, you’ll soon be thinking towards the end of the year, all the festivities and reminiscing on what kind of year you’ve had. However you celebrate the holidays, you’ll want to make sure you’re as healthy as possible. So here are our top tips on making your winter holiday a happy one.
Indulge, But Not to Excess!
Indigestion, bloating, hiccups, stomach pain, and ahem, wind, kinda go hand in hand with feasting and enjoying ourselves, for many of us over the holidays.
But it doesn’t have to be that way! We can still enjoy treats, but we can also still be mindful of overdoing things. Whether it is chocolates, roasted potatoes, mulled wine or all three, we don’t have to go all out, just because it’s the festive season.
You don’t want to spend the first half of 2019 working off the end of 2018! Don’t overdo the alcohol either. Being calorie dense isn’t the only worry here. You don’t want to begin 2019 having to hide from colleagues after your ‘performance’ at the office party either…
Make Sure that Turkey is Cooked Right Through
To prevent your food being remembered for all the wrong reasons, make sure you follow the basic rules of food hygiene. Meat needs to be cooked right through – follow the cooking instructions to the letter and use a meat thermometer to make sure your roast is cooked to perfection.
Chilled Foods Deserve Just as Much Attention
Storage is important too, especially at a time when you’re likely to have lots of leftovers. Meat should be cooled right down before being covered and put in the fridge. Always store raw meat on the lower shelf of the fridge to avoid any raw meat juices dripping onto cooked food. If you’re re-heating meat, make sure it’s piping hot. Better still, eat it cold, straight from the fridge with pickles.
If you have a buffet style party spread, cooked and precooked foods (such as shop bought hams etc.) should be left out for no longer than two hours before they need to be covered and put in the fridge.
Get Plenty of Fresh Air
Even if you’re in a State that really feels the cold during the winter and everything gets frozen over, it’s still a good idea to breathe in a few gulps of fresh air. Wrap up warm and get your walking shoes on!
Often, if we have a house full of guests or we’re all crammed into one small space, coughs, colds and other bugs can spread like wildfire. What better way to banish the bugs by getting everyone out for a long walk? It’ll blow away a few cobwebs and give you all space to breathe. Important for also keeping the peace, no doubt!
To keep your immune system in tip-top condition, you could try taking an antioxidant supplement such as acai berry or coriolus. Make sure you add in some fresh fruit around the treats too, as it’s packed with immune-boosting vitamin C.
Wishing you all safe, happy and healthy holidays!
