Holiday health idea round-up

December 8, 12:46 PMNutrition ExaminerAnnie Kay

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Ho-ho-healthy holidays take a little planning. Photo

A little holiday cheer is certainly in order this year. With the dog economy and the stress inducing fallout that goes with it, the holidays haven't come a day too soon. Distraction! All-right!

The Mental Game of Healthy Holidays

Navigating the holidays while keeping it healthy takes planning (of the mental and physical kind), and a compassionate mindset toward your own self-care. Be realistic: aim for maintaining your current weight rather than losing through the holidays, and emphasize the fun side of health whenever you can. Taking walks with family, dancing and playing with the munchkins of your clan are all ways to work a little activity into the party.

Then there's food. Ah, holiday food. I think the best strategies are not to skip meals, especially if you're going to a party, and try to squeeze in as many fruits and vegetables (especially vegetables) as you can. When you encounter your favorite holiday foods, see if you can have a little without having a lot.  If you have it, savor and enjoy. It's esy to overindulge, and if you do, learn from it and move on.

WWW to the Rescue

There's no shortage of advice on the web for surviving the holidays. Here are some of the best I found:

• Web MD has articles, game plans, recipes, and more on their site. I thought this piece on avoiding holiday weight gain had some good ideas.
• Healthy  doesn't have to mean cookie-free. If you know you'll be surrounded by sugar bombs this year, bring along some healthy holiday cookies from Eating Well Magazine.
• Family time isn't fun for everyone. If you want to connect with your family, but  your family struggles with substance abuse, here's a good guide for families  with ideas for dealing with holiday stress and substance abuse. Remember AA and AL-non meetings tend to draw many first timers this time of year. It can feel great to get a little support.
• If you want your gifts to give back in a good way, consider some healthy holiday gift ideas from The Diet Detective.

Most of all, wherver you are, whatever you do, enjoy yourself  through this holiday season.