My friend Rachel just told me about something she just recently read. It said that in the states we have holidays that center around candy, followed by pies, followed by cookies and desserts, and then followed by cocktails and alcohol. We call it flu season, but we should be calling it something else.
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I realized when I was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 that the holidays were going to be really difficult for me to navigate. I was so used to making the big Thanksgiving meal with all the casseroles loaded with butter and sugar, baking holiday sugar cookies that taste like heaven, and popping the champagne and wine with friends to ring in the new year. Changing my diet and lifestyle made me dread these last few months of the year. Because of my diagnosis and the new diet and protocols that I “had” to follow in order to not feed the cancer and survive made it challenging both physically and emotionally.
The first year of this new healing lifestyle was hard, it was stressful, and to be totally honest I was so salty about it… and that wasn’t very fun. But over time I realized more than anything that it was my mindset that I needed to change. I didn’t “have to” follow this healing diet… I was choosing to. It was my choice to juice, it was my choice to eat raw salads (a lot of salads) and my choice to drink a club soda with a lime or a splash of pineapple juice over a glass of wine.
Over time it got easier. I realized that in order to stay the course and own this new life, I had to be prepared, which meant I had to bring my food with me. Bringing a beautiful and delicious salad to make sure that I had my healing foods available and extra to share made it easier to feel good about my choices in those situations. And even if I took a bite of some of those other traditional fixins’, I didn’t feel as guilty.
Shifting my mindset was the most important thing I did to navigate the holidays as a cancer thriver… notice how I didn’t say survivor?? Instead of focusing on the food, I focused on the festivities, connection, and being with the people I care about. Rather than thinking I “have” to eat the vegetables, I had to shift my thinking to: I “get” to eat these amazing vegetables. It took some time and a lot of prayer (asking God to change my attitude and help me not be salty about this healing journey, but instead to be grateful and sweet to those around me). I noticed that after being consistent with my plan, my body felt so much better feeding it this way and my palette changed to actually crave healing foods…And you never know just who else you might influence through your actions and attitude.
So as you navigate this holiday season, here are a few tips that can help:
Be prepared to bring food that you can eat (salads, fruit, a lentil soup, veggie tray with a hummus dip). I recently brought a fruit plate to a dinner event and added a few sprigs of mint to dress up the strawberries, blueberries, and grapes. When I took the wrap off the top, I even heard some oohs and ahhs from people impressed with my simple, but beautiful display of healthy sweets 🙂
Try some new recipes and have fun with it- I have some favorite websites that I have looked up recipes that do holidays the healthy way:
But seriously, just look up recipes of some of your favorite holiday foods and see if you can find a healthier version of it. As an example, a sweet potato casserole looks more like a roasted organic sweet potato with the extras on the side (i.e. butter, brown sugar, cinnamon) so everyone can have it “their way”!
Mushrooms are incredibly good for your immune health and have a meat-like texture (like portobello, king oyster mushrooms, or even lions mane) and you can find some cool recipes to season them like a scallop, or like meat. I follow this guy on Instagram (@nomeatdisco) and he puts together some delicious no-meat meals… AMAZING!
Prep your body for the big meal… Much like sports teams have rituals before the big game, you can prep your body with a little Apple Cider Vinegar in water (I personally enjoy seltzer water and a tablespoon of ACV) before a meal. It helps to reduce blood glucose levels after eating.
Drink Green Tea 30-45 minutes after your meals as it helps aid digestion. Green tea also has potent antioxidants (like EGCG) and flavonoids that help protect against cellular damage.
Take a walk after you eat – 20 minutes will help your body burn up the glucose from your holiday meal so it doesn’t store it as fat.
Don’t go to holiday gatherings/parties starving, eat something healthy first (a green protein smoothie would be perfect).
If you’re at a party, don’t stand around the food, socialize away from it if you can.
Journal and pray through this season – setting intentions about how you are going to handle the social season and make some healthier alternative to the traditional dessert that just might surprise you.
If you’re in active healing, being consistent with your healing protocol is crucial, but remember that this is a healing season, not forever.
You’re running a marathon, not a sprint. And just like an athlete trains, so must you.
You must train your mind to think positively.
You must train your spirit to be filled with gratitude.
You must train your body to do the things necessary to heal.
As we are in full swing with the holidays, the food, the festivities, the shopping and the stress… I hope you will find these few tips helpful to navigate the holidays.
If you found this helpful, please go to my website (www.kbhealthcoaching.com) and sign up for my newsletter! I’ll be sending out frequent healthy tips and inspiration to keep you focused on your healing journey.
Onward & Upward,
Kay
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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