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Tips For Staying Healthy During The Holidays
Dr. John Young Offers Tips On How To Stay Healthy Despite The Seasonal Snacks
It’s time for those elaborate and delicious holiday dinners with friends and family. During the holidays, it’s often glazed ham or roast turkey that's the centre of attention. But in South Asian homes, it's elaborate desserts, heavy curried dishes with loads of cream, and decadent meats. It's almost hard to stay healthy during these months. But not to fear. Dr. John Young, a medical doctor with more than 15 years of experience working in emergency rooms and pediatric hospitals, is here to help.
Dr. Young specializes in treating patients who have chronic diseases like diabetes by addressing not just the symptoms but also physiological issues. He also offers Young Health products, which incorporate the latest biochemical, physiological, and Nobel Prize–winning advances for optimal cellular nutrition. Young's professional achievements also include the book Beyond Treatment.
Young observes, “There’s a spike in heart attacks and other cardiac issues. The incidence of pneumonia cases spikes — in both cold and warm climates. And deaths from natural causes spike. In fact, more people die of natural causes on Christmas Day than any other day of the year!”
Here are some of the tips Young offers to help you stay healthy this season and throughout the year.
Eat Well
Protein is especially necessary for good health. Dr. Young recommends that you eat 1 gram for every 2.2 pounds of body weight daily. While fruits and vegetables are essential and necessary for health, he says, “Our immune system is made up of proteins — our bones are 40 percent protein. We need protein.”
When calculating your protein intake, you should consider eating an egg (8 grams) and 8 ounces of fish or chicken, which have about 30 grams of protein. If you're a vegetarian or vegan, like many South Asians, then you should consume green peas, quinoa, beans, nuts and nut butter, chick peas, tofu, edamame, and leafy greens — to name a few options. You should eat more than 100 grams of protein-rich foods a day.
Vitamin D Intake
Vitamin D is important to your health — especially when there's less sunlight during daylight savings time and the holidays. Vitamin D is a hormone, not a vitamin, and the best source is sunshine. Unfortunately, many of us don't get sunshine in the winter, as we stay inside to keep warm. As a result, many of us have vitamin D deficiency and should be taking supplements to make sure our bodies are healthy.
Dr. Young explains, “Vitamin D is crucial to many physiological systems, including our immune defenses. It helps fight bacterial and viral infections, including the flu. It supports our cardiovascular system; optimal vitamin D levels can reduce hypertension, heart attacks and stroke.” He says, “If I feel I’m coming down with a cold, I’ll take 40,000 units of vitamin D at bedtime. The next morning, I usually feel like a new person.”
Maintain Your Regimen
This is an important formula to make sure you're healthy enough to cope with stress during the holidays. Dr. Young says, “One of the many cellular benefits of exercise is that it increases the oxygen in our bloodstream. Every cell in our body requires oxygen, so consider exercise another means of feeding your cells.”
Stress management is also key to remaining healthy during the holidays, “Take time out to meditate, listen to music, or take a walk in the woods. It feels good — and it’s good for you!”
Featured Image: foodnetwork
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