This is so common for many of us to eat our way through the holiday season, even as we plan to make “losing weight” one of our primary New Year’s resolutions. But of course this overindulgence only makes it harder on us when the New Year rolls around. Instead of having six kilos to lose, we have added another nine or ten.

Because of the traditions and festivities, EATING is always part and parcel with almost every celebration regardless of culture. We eat because the food is yummy and plentiful and because we believe that since it’s the holidays, calories don’t count this time of year. So, is there really a foolproof way to stop this terrible cycle?

With all of those cookies, candies, fudge, buffet-style dinners, delicious breakfasts, and never-ending snacks, we would be foolish to simply wing it. If you go in unprepared, you stand a much greater chance of failing before you even begin! Thankfully, we can create an easy and effective way to keep the pounds off, while still managing to enjoy the holiday season and a sampling of the foods that come along with it.

Here’s The Three-Pronged Attack

First, the exercise which can be as simple as taking a walk each day, or even every other day. Set up your iPod with your favorite songs (holiday-themed or not) and get out into the great wide open. If the great wide open isn’t your bag, head to the gym or buy a treadmill to do your walking indoors. Studies have shown that walking for at least thirty minutes in your target heart rate is amazingly effective in the battle of the bulge. When you combine the walking with some resistance training, you’ve set up what amounts to a defensive army against the attacking calories.

Second, organise your family activities. Whether it takes the form of outdoor sports, indoor movie watching, or game play, anything you can do to take the focus off of food is a good thing. Does this mean cancelling your special holiday dinner? Of course not! We’re simply talking about shifting the focus from food to the reason for the holidays in the first place: the camaraderie and love between friends and family. Food is just there as a garnishment. As long as it stays that way and doesn’t become the main reason for the gathering, the holidays (and your waistline) will be a lot better off.

Third and lastly, if you have a tendency to get depressed during the holidays, find some things to take your mind off food and put yourself in better spirits. This could be seeking out friends or even strangers in order to partake in holiday events. Or it could be as simple as going outside and breathing in some cool, fresh air and letting the glow of the sun shine on your face. Just try to avoid hitting the cookie jar too often as that only brings a temporary relief. Remember that far from soothing your mind, food is only going to aggravate your health and mar your happiness.

Now, you’ve got yourself a winning plan for staying slim and trim through the holidays. Whenever it seems like it’s getting too hard, just think about the smile you’ll have on your face when everyone else is complaining that their pre-holiday dresses and pants don’t fit anymore. In the meantime, yours don’t either, but for the opposite reason. Come on, if that’s not a holiday miracle, what is?

Well, here’s wishing all my friends

‘A Happy Healthy & Prosperous New Year 2008′!

During this long holiday season, as expected there will be a lot of merriment in shopping, eating and drinking but then it can be also be the most stressful time of the year. So here are the 12 ways suggested to help you to preserve your health and sanity so that you can enjoy your holidays smoothly.

On the first healthy way of X’mas : balanced diet

Watch out the calories of minced pies, log cake, canapes and X’mas punch, your body needs all the different nutrients to maintain health and well being in appropriate amounts through the foods we eat.

On the second healthy way of X’mas : exercise

There should be no excuses to skip it, just because you have to go shopping and/or partying. Just put a side, a minimum of thirty minutes for brisk walking which would burn 150 calories, and if you choose to cycle or running this will burn approximately 300 calories each. This will offset the extra calories intake.

On the third healthy way of X’mas : fruit juices and herbal teas

Over indulgence in greasy, spicy or over eating of foods would cause indigestion. Therefore, blend one banana with either mango or pear juice and drink it as this will relieve stomach inflammation because the drink is smooth and easy to digest. Suggested herbal teas like peppermint, thyme and chamomile would also help indigestion.

On the fourth healthy way of X’mas : moderation

Do you know that for 230gm of turkey breast without skin, the fat contains is 2 gm when compared with the skin on is 26gm. So bear in mind to keep to moderate portion size even though turkey is lean meat but its skin is full of fat. No wonder people put on weight during the holiday seasons.

On the fifth healthy way of X’mas : breathing

One of my favourites, as breathing helps to calm down and reduce mental stress. Take long, slow and deep breaths by breathing in through your nose allowing your stomach to expand at the same time. Hold your breath for two to four counts and then slowly breathe out through your nose while your stomach contracts at the same time. Hold your breath out also between two to four counts before breathing in again. You can do it as many times as you like at any time and any where. Please check with your physician if you have any health concerns before trying this out.

On the sixth healthy way of X’mas : pudding temptation

X’mas pudding is a must for some diehards, after all it is a classic X’mas staple. Guess what is X’mas without the pudding and turkey. Instead of serving the pudding with brandy or rum butter, maybe with plain yoghurt. It is also suggested that instead of the dried fruits in the pudding, maybe serve with fresh fruit salad.

On the seventh healthy way of X’mas : quality time

Share quality time, relax and enjoy with your family and friends during this holiday season of joy. Learn to decline invitations that you rather not attend and also learn to prioritize your tasks to reduce stress levels.

On the eighth healthy way of X’mas : cinnamon-spiced

Spiced up your rice pudding with cinnamon because a study has been carried out in Sweden that cinnamon lowers the blood-glucose levels, hence it could help prevent diabetes because the blood sugar was moving efficiently into the cells. Even the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published a study that cinnamon might help in regulating blood-glucose levels.

On the ninth healthy way of X’mas : snacking

Instead of minced pies which is considered a X’mas snack, it is suggested by the British Dietetic Association to consider a bowl of fresh fruits. Do you know that one mince pie has 250 calories in it? And instead of salted peanuts, you could choose chestnuts which is the only low-fat nuts around. Also, you could opt for reduced-fat crisps or pretzels or even have raw vegetable sticks with low-fat dips.

On the tenth healthy way of X’mas : do a stretch

With all the stress from shopping, cooking and entertaining, its time to loosen up your muscles… stretching, which is another favourite of mine and also this is very simple and easy that can be done at any time and any where as long as you are comfortable.

Go on the floor and sit upright with both legs straight out with hip width apart. Press ankles to the floor and your toes pointed upwards. Next, stretch out both your hands in front of you and take a slow deep breath, then exhale while easing your body towards your toe, all the while keeping your back straight and knees pressed to the ground. This act focuses on stretching your back and calf muscles.

On the eleventh healthy way of X’mas : stop smoking

It is best to kick the habit before the year ends…give up smoking! It is an effective way of protecting yourself against lung and coronary heart diseases. Studies have shown that the risks of cardiovascular complications will be reduced by fifty percent when the body starts to repair the damage after a year.

On the twelveth healthy way of X’mas : detoxing

After all the merriment of eating and drinking, it is time to detox and re-energise, re-hydrate the body system to begin the new year. For flushing the system helps to alleviate indigestion, bloatedness, foggy mind, improves sleep and increases energy levels. Suggestions would be vegetable juices, raw vegetables and filtered water.

Here’s wishing you ‘A Merry X’mas and Happy New Year’ from Enya

I am not sure about you but I find it quite amusing, imagine… we may one day have to get a prescription for our supplements from the doctors. Even massage stones if they do get classified as “medical devices”.

This move by the FDA is designed to once and for all destroy the 1994 DSHEA law that has made supplements “legal” while eliminating nutritional supplements and natural medicine from the United States, ensuring monopoly profits and control by drug companies and the FDA. It is the latest action item by the FDA / Big Pharma conspiracy that will not stop until health freedom has been abolished, drug companies rule the nation, and every citizen is diagnosed with a fictitious disease and drugged up on monopoly-priced pharmaceuticals…by Mike Adams.