Tag Archives: tips to staying healthy

Holiday Stuffing- How to Eat Smart

Eating Healthy During The Holiday Season

The holiday season is rolling around and with that comes the notorious overeating at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Although it may seem impossible, eating healthy at these dinners can happen. It’s important that you do eat healthy during holiday dinners to help your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Just keep your goal of eating healthy fresh in your mind and avoid the worst foods of Thanksgiving.

Helpful tips

Not sure if you can focus on your goal at dinner? Here are some tips to keep you healthy.

  • Don’t pig out on starter dishes. Most families put out candy or dips as appetizers before serving the turkey or ham. Just wait for the main course and enjoy time with your family instead of the unhealthy snacks.
  • Don’t sit near the candy dish. Why would you put yourself through that agony? Just sit near close friends, good tunes, and a warm fire. You’ll be much happier.
  • Bring a dish with you. If you find out that one of your favorite dishes is unhealthy, bring your own version. For example, if you love sweet potato casserole but know it’s really unhealthy when your mother makes it, bring your own. You can choose to use less butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows to cut some unnecessary calories out of your meal. Here is a list of the food you should avoid.
  • Fill your plate with a variety of food. Fill your plate half full of vegetables, one-quarter white turkey meat (It has fewer calories than dark meat), and the remaining quarter with a healthy carb such as roasted sweet potatoes, a baked potato, or a corn on the cob.
  • Savor every bite of the food. Eat slowly and savor each mouthful. This allows you to enjoy your holiday dinner without going overboard on calories.
  • Say ‘no’ to the food you don’t want. Some people think it’s rude to deny any of the host’s food, that it insults them. Just play it down. Just say, “No thanks, I’m full,” or “Maybe later”. Then, sit back and enjoy the rest of the dinner.

With these tips, you can stay healthy while also keeping your family and friends healthy as they eat too. For more information on eating healthy or best diets during the holiday season, contact Westland Clinic at 734.728.2130 today, we will help you to reach your goals.

6 Ways to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

6 Ways to Stay Healthy

The holidays are fast approaching, and we’re sure your stress levels are starting to rise. The planning, the shopping, and making sure you’re on top of everything can take a toll on any one’s health. We here at Westland Clinic want to make sure you’re healthy for the holidays, which is why we gathered some tips to help you avoiding getting sick.

1. Get your Flu Shot

This is especially true for young children over the age of 6 months and elderly adults. You need to get vaccinated yearly so that your immune system can keep up with influenza virus. The flu virus is constantly changing and your flu shot from the year previous won’t necessarily help against this year’s strain. Our clinics can help you with you and your family’s flu shot call

2. Wipe away germs

Disinfectant wipes can help you and your family stay as healthy as possible by eliminating germs and bacteria on the surfaces you touch. We recommend the following iIn public places such as on planes, trains, cars and buses:  Wipe down armrests, table trays and air vents with disinfectant wipes, grab handles with wipes to avoid common germ areas. At home: Wipe doorknobs, light switches, tv remotes and fridge handles.

3. Snack wisely and say “No” to treats

Sugars and candy are a terrible thing to snack on while trying to stay healthy. Eating right can help your body have enough energy and nutrients to fight off any sickness that might be lurking. We recommend sticking to fruits and veggies with high nutritional values such as apples, blueberries, leafy greens, and other super foods. The best offense against disease is a good defense, so make sure your immune system has the energy it needs.

4. Get plenty of Rest

It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep can do for your overall health. Studies have shown that people who get less than 7 hours of sleep are three times more likely to become sick.  Giving your body enough time at night to get the rest it needs can make the difference between you getting sick or staying healthy. We recommend at least 8 hours a night for a healthy immune

5. Exercise

They say that exercise is one of the best preventative drugs you can take, and we agree. Getting at least 150 minutes a week of light work out activities (such as walking, or casual biking) or 75 minutes a week of vigorous exercise for a healthy lifestyle.

6. Travel safely – Don’t Drink and Drive

Drinking directly affects your motor skills and reaction time. Adding a car into the mix and you’re setting yourself up for failure. Get to your holiday events and parties safely, designate a driver, watch how much you drink, and call a cab if you need to.

We hope these tips have been useful to you! Remember for all your family’s medical needs Millenium Medical group is your local medical group!