How to avoid getting fat and digestive discomfort at Christmas
During Christmas celebrations and celebrations more excesses of food and drink are committed than the rest of the year, according to more than one third of the population in a study carried out by the Research Center on Phytotherapy (Infito) and the Spanish Society of Dietetics and Food Sciences (Sedca), in a survey of more than 2,400 Spaniards. Of this third, 13 percent suffer digestive discomfort associated with these excesses.
For avoid getting fat and digestive discomfort at Christmas, the most advisable is to control the amounts and consumption of sweets and alcohol, drink plenty of water during the meal and take pharmaceutical preparations of medicinal plants such as milk thistle or artichoke to purify the body and eliminate toxins, according to the experts of Infito and the Sedca.
How to substitute foods to avoid digestive discomfort at Christmas
The Department of Nutrition of the Medical Institute of Obesity (IMEO) has developed a plan of healthy exchanges to avoid the intestinal discomfort of the Christmas excesses. Some food tips to mitigate heartburn, bloating, gas or digestive upset at Christmas are:
- Before meals: consume fruit and vegetables for their contribution in fiber. When they are consumed before meals, they favor the digestive process, decrease the absorption of fats and prevent an increase in cholesterol.
- Appetizers: replace fried foods, cheeses and spreads with lean meats (ham, ham or jerky), seafood and fish.
- Foods: substitute fat proteins (suckling pig, lamb, kid, duck, salmon) for lean proteins (veal, turkey, octopus, sea bream or sea bass).
- Drinks: moderate consumption of red, rosé and cava wines instead of high-grade spirits.
- Dessert: substitute sweets made with nuts, sugars, fats and refined flour for egg custard, custard or roscón without filling.
An average weight gain of up to 4 kilos
Another classic of Christmas are the "bingeing" of food that has several negative consequences for health since they suppose a consumption of many calories in a short period of time, they increase the sensation of swelling and malaise that can last all night and continue during the next day.
According to a study carried out by the European Medical Institute of Obesity (IMEO), Spaniards gain between three and five kilos at Christmas. The problem is not the celebration of the Christmas days itself, but the tendency to continue eating the same in the days surrounding the holidays.
To avoid this, it is advisable to consider real goals, such as staying at the current weight or trying not to take more than one kilo, since for a person who is in the limit, increasing 5 kilos in weight this month may mean crossing the barrier of overweight to the Obesity and this can lead to serious health problems.
The objective should be to consume an adequate volume of foods that provide us with satiety and an adequate supply of nutrients, enjoying family reunions and special meals, but always looking for a balance.
What should we eat at Christmas?
1. First dishes. Rich in vegetables, whether in the form of creams, roasted or steamed.
2. Second courses. Meat or fish, but in smaller portions.
3. Desserts and sweets. Establish a limit, especially for children, trying to find a middle point and trying to control their intake between hours, since excessive consumption can make them not hungry at the main meals of the day.
People with some diseases such as diabetes, overweight or obesity, are the ones who have to be more careful these days and try to control their weight and intake of high-calorie products.
Marisol New
