The holiday season is well underway – everything is decorated and the alcohol and tasty treats are flowing. Between Christmas parties and casual get togethers with friends you are probably eating and drinking more than usual. While everything in moderation is fine, if you are going to indulge – there are a few smarter picks to choose.
Red wine is generally a wise choice as it is loaded with antioxidants that are heart healthy as well as good for the skin. If non-alcoholic is more your thing – a good, pure red grape juice is almost as good and has almost as many benefits as the real thing. Champagne has been huge lately in skincare – there are even people applying it to their skin saying it tightens their pores. Dermatologists and scientists have not yet reported much on this subject yet so we cannot advocate putting it on your skin – but drinking it actually does have some definite benefits. It contains grapes as well, so it carries a lot of the same antioxidant benefits as red wine and also is great for your cardiovascular system – giving you a healthy glow! Just remember to drink LOTS of water to protect your skin and body against the dehydrating effects of alcohol.
If you are going to a party with lots of snacks and desserts – eat a healthy dinner before you go – that way you can treat yourself to a few without being so hungry you’ll shovel them in your mouth all night. Stand closer to the fruit and vegetable trays as these will give you the healthiest treat and add vitamins to your diet. Just watch out for any dips – use salsa if you must dip them in something. Or choose some nuts, or meat and light cheese to snack on rather than anything creamy, fried, or too heavy in calories.
At Christmas dinner I could tell you that the white meat is healthier than the dark meat, and to watch out for too many potatoes and salt which can cause puffiness and bloating – but I’m not going to! It’s one dinner and its Christmas so enjoy!
So indulge a little but try to make healthy choices throughout the season because if you don’t it will show up on your body and skin in the New Year.