December is upon us and its arrival heralds the beginning of the Christmas and New Year celebrations. While it is good to relax, enjoy, and indulge in what the holidays have to offer, we cannot be too complacent, especially when it comes to our diet and health.
In a study published in the journal of the American Heart Association, it was found that cases of death related to cardiovascular diseases see a spike around December and January. To explain this phenomenon, several factors were determined. Among the list of explanations, one of the risk factors mentioned is the abrupt change in the exercise, work, diet, and drinking patterns which people adapt during the said holidays.
With that being the case, this should serve as a reminder of the importance of staying healthy even during this holiday season. This, of course, does not mean you can no longer enjoy and participate in the festivities. Even while being careful, you can still eat, play, and have your share of the fun. You just need to take some extra effort and precaution to stay fit and healthy.
If you are not sure about what to do, don’t worry. Just follow these few steps from the Kumainments:
Kumainment #3. Eat fruits and vegetables- While it is very basic, this Kumainment is so easy to neglect especially during this holiday season when the preferred choice of food are meats and sweets. Sure, you can still have some of them but remember to balance them by eating a good amount of fruits and vegetables.
Kumainment #6. Make sure that your food and drinks are clean and safe for consumption – During the holiday season, there’s just so much food being prepared. With so much, there are times when they are not prepared or stored properly. To make sure your tummy stays happy and healthy, make it a point to make sure that the food and beverage does not smell and taste funny before you dig in. Also, when you are the one preparing the food, make sure you observe proper handling and hygiene. For leftovers, store them properly and if possible, don’t keep them for so long that it’ll start to shelter unwelcome organisms.
Kumainment #8 Eat less of salty, sweet, and oily foods- If we are allowed to describe Filipino party delicacies in only three words, it would most probably these- sweet, salty, and oily. While they can taste really good, it is best to take them in moderation as too much of them can lead to increased risks of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, hypertension, heart attack, and diabetes to name a few.
Kumainment #10 Be Active – The holiday season is not an excuse to skip out on your exercise and work outs. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It is precisely because of the holiday season do you have to move and workout more. Not only does doing so burn the excess calories and toxins you have accumulated in your body, it also helps you keep your mental state healthy and stress-free.
Aside from those mentioned, it is also important to note that for this year’s celebrations, additional caution must be observed. With the Covid 19 virus still in our midst, we should also observe pandemic guidelines and protocols such as social distancing, wearing of protective gears, and proper hygiene. By doing all these, we can experience the holidays and welcome the new year in good health and spirit. bmb/rdp
Source:
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.cir.0000151424.02045.f7
