As the end of 2010 approaches and the holiday season is upon us, I am getting questions about how to eat healthy through the holidays and how to avoid gaining weight through the festivities.

If you are already conscious of your food intake throughout the year, the holiday season should not be too tasking. When you are sitting at the table and the turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, ham, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie and more are before you, remember these simple strategies:

start with the salad: eat some greens with little or no dressing first. Eating salad first provides fiber and phytonutrients.

Eat proportionally: use a small plate instead of a big one. Divide your plate into 4, fill 1 division with mashed potato and a little gravy, 2 divisions with green beans, 1 division with 2 small slices of turkey or ham. Don't eat both turkey and ham to reduce the acidity in the foods and also reduce your caloric intake. If you remember to use meats as condiments in your food not as main meal, you will do well on your way to having a healthier diet.

Drink water: instead of soda or juice, drink water during the holidays. Water provides the best hydration and reduces caloric intake as well. When drinking water, remember to only drink half your weight in ounces each day. For example, someone who weighs 140 pounds will need 70 ounces of water per day. If you don't like plain water taste, squeeze some lemon in it. Lemon adds flavor and it also alkalizes the water making it a double benefit for your body.

Fruits for dessert: eat plain fruits instead of the pies. If fruits are not on the menu, skip the pie or serve yourself only one forkful. This will give you a taste but not cause you to indulge.

chew your foods until fine: when you are eating anything, chew the food very fine in your mouth before swallowing. Doing this gives your stomach time to send a signal to your brain so your brain can tell you when to stop eating. This keeps you from overeating and virtually eliminates indigestion later.

Here are some other tips for success:
Walk briskly every day for at least 45 minutes. It is better to walk in the morning before the full sun or in the evening just before sunset. You'll avoid exposure to bad rays and your skin will be able to synthesize the precursor to the hormone vitamin D.

Breathe deeply: In our fast-paced world, we only take shallow breaths that leave us deprived of oxygen. Shallow breathing increases stress on the body. Continuous stress contributes to health problems. Keep your breathing conscious and take deep full breathing cycles. This helps to oxygenate your cells and conscious breathing helps us manage stressors.

Keep a healthy mind: think positive, live positively; it's not just a saying, it's a way of life. Wake up every day and look at yourself in the mirror, say, "self, today, I will have a great day. I will be happy, content with what I have and I will make healthy choices." Then get ready for your day and keep that thought in mind throughout the day.

Namaste,

Dr. Abiola