Health News
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
With Thanksgiving just two days away, I?d like to talk about all of the positive
associations of food and family that we don?t often hear about. Food has now become ?the enemy? ? it?s loaded with calories fat, sugar, and salt ? and in such large portions!
When it comes to the holidays, it?s important to be a mindful eater, but also allow yourself to be a ?smart splurger? with some of your family?s favorite indulgences.
Many families have traditional favorites for Thanksgiving, and this can be wonderfully comforting, bringing back years of happy memories. It?s such a warm feeling to know that generations of your family have enjoyed these same dishes; it?s a nice way to include food as part of your family traditions.
For some people, the beloved dishes are modified for healthier eating, and the essence remains the same. But many people resist changing, or updating, holiday recipes. The positive food memories are so strong that it?s a treat to eat, not just for the taste, but for the good feelings that come with the old favorite. You might have seen this scenario at your own holiday meals, when someone decides to experiment with a new dish, and people are outraged. ?What happened to Aunt Helen?s bread stuffing? We don?t want jalapeno cornbread stuffing from Cooking Light Magazine!? Sound familiar?
If you don?t have some favorite holiday foods, I?d suggest creating some new, perhaps healthier, food traditions for your friends and family. Creating your own ?food memories? for your loved ones can certainly enhance the enjoyment of your holiday gatherings!
Have a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!
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By Dr. Madelyn FernstromYou might be surprised to hear that the day after Thanksgiving can be a big barrier for many people when it comes to sticking with a healthy lifestyle over the holidays. This is the day most people make the decision to indulge...
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Health News
Creating Holiday Food Memories
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
associations of food and family that we don?t often hear about. Food has now become ?the enemy? ? it?s loaded with calories fat, sugar, and salt ? and in such large portions!
When it comes to the holidays, it?s important to be a mindful eater, but also allow yourself to be a ?smart splurger? with some of your family?s favorite indulgences.
Many families have traditional favorites for Thanksgiving, and this can be wonderfully comforting, bringing back years of happy memories. It?s such a warm feeling to know that generations of your family have enjoyed these same dishes; it?s a nice way to include food as part of your family traditions.
For some people, the beloved dishes are modified for healthier eating, and the essence remains the same. But many people resist changing, or updating, holiday recipes. The positive food memories are so strong that it?s a treat to eat, not just for the taste, but for the good feelings that come with the old favorite. You might have seen this scenario at your own holiday meals, when someone decides to experiment with a new dish, and people are outraged. ?What happened to Aunt Helen?s bread stuffing? We don?t want jalapeno cornbread stuffing from Cooking Light Magazine!? Sound familiar?
If you don?t have some favorite holiday foods, I?d suggest creating some new, perhaps healthier, food traditions for your friends and family. Creating your own ?food memories? for your loved ones can certainly enhance the enjoyment of your holiday gatherings!
Have a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!
- Holiday Season Energy Boosters
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom With the holiday season adding extra activities to our already busy lives, we all sometimes feel we?re running low on energy. And this lack of energy can become a barrier to enjoyment. Below are three of my favorite strategies...
- Do You Have ?eaters Remorse??
By Dr. Madelyn FernstromYou might be surprised to hear that the day after Thanksgiving can be a big barrier for many people when it comes to sticking with a healthy lifestyle over the holidays. This is the day most people make the decision to indulge...
- Enjoy The Holiday Weekend!
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom By the time you?re reading this, it will be the start of a long holiday weekend for most of us. You may be celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa ? or if you?re a Seinfeld fan, perhaps ?Festivus? (for the rest-of-us!). While...
- Beware Of The Office Candy Jar!
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom With the Thanksgiving holiday behind us, a predictable food phenomenon occurs in offices everywhere: the sudden appearance of holiday candy jars, filled to the brim with all kinds of treats! Even on desks of the most healthful...
- Let The Holiday Season Begin!
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Today marks the unofficial start of the holiday season, and it begins with shopping! While you might not be scanning the store shelves at midnight, the start of the season puts a lot of added pressure on all of us, only one of...