Healthy alternatives to traditional holiday food and coctails

It hardly needs to be said anymore, although sometimes it’s all any of us can think about; 2020 has been a stressful year. There is a definite feeling of uncertainty that COVID 19 has brought as many aspects of everyday life seem to be put indefinitely on hold. Coping with stress due to COVID 19 is real! Uncertainty is not something that humans deal with easily, and it leads to stressful situations. Stress may seem like an abstract concept, but it can have real effects on our bodies and minds. Stress is regulated by the hypothalamus, which is a region of the brain. The hypothalamus sends signals to the adrenal glands to release stress hormones such as cortisol. These hormones can be beneficial in aiding our bodies and minds in an emergency, so not all stress is bad. However, long term stress can cause a multitude of health problems mentally as well as physically. Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and headaches are just a few of the conditions caused by chronic stress. Acknowledging the stress may not change the uncertainty of the times, but it can aid in finding better ways to cope and reduce stress factors.

ALCOHOL OPTIONS

It hardly needs to be said anymore, although sometimes it’s all any of us can think about; 2020 has been a stressful year. There is a definite feeling of uncertainty that COVID 19 has brought as many aspects of everyday life seem to be put indefinitely on hold. Coping with stress due to COVID 19 is real! Uncertainty is not something that humans deal with easily, and it leads to stressful situations. Stress may seem like an abstract concept, but it can have real effects on our bodies and minds. Stress is regulated by the hypothalamus, which is a region of the brain. The hypothalamus sends signals to the adrenal glands to release stress hormones such as cortisol. These hormones can be beneficial in aiding our bodies and minds in an emergency, so not all stress is bad. However, long term stress can cause a multitude of health problems mentally as well as physically. Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and headaches are just a few of the conditions caused by chronic stress. Acknowledging the stress may not change the uncertainty of the times, but it can aid in finding better ways to cope and reduce stress factors.

ALCOHOL OPTIONS

Do you know that you can keep your liquid calories in check without opting for the common alcoholic beverages? Choosing wine or spritzer would go a long way in reducing your calories intake. Also, you can keep your heart healthy because of the influence of resveratrol on it. Resveratrol is an antioxidant present in red wine that ensures continuous blood vessel patency. This will, in turn, increase blood flow to and from the heart, ensuring its optimum functioning.

If you are not a big fan of red wine, a glass of champagne is another festive drink that can serve as a substitute because it has lower calories and fat. More importantly, the bubbly appearance makes it easier to sip slowly on a glass of champagne, which helps to control the number of calories getting into your system at a time.

DIP ALTERNATIVES

Thanksgiving time means there will be many things to eat and drink. Why rely so much on the calorie-filled appetizers, when there are several other dips waiting to be consumed? Yogurt dips will do you so good this season, compared to the regular full-fat dips. Plain non-fat Greek yogurt contains only 20 calories, whereas regular sour cream has about 60 calories and sometimes more. Choosing the yogurt alternative automatically translates to saving your body 40 calories or more. This will go a long way in helping you keep your wellness goals in tact during the holiday season and beyond.