How to Increase your Energy Levels over the Holidays

By: Sarah Holvik, B.Sc. Nutritional Science
 
This time of year brings about many changes that can be difficult for our bodies to adjust to. The obvious ones are colder temperatures, less daylight hours, flu season and my favorite, the happily anticipated yet stressful holiday season.  All of these including work/school and extra curricular changes in our schedules can become overwhelming for our bodies natural defense system.  This is the perfect time to nutritionally manipulate our bodies to naturally restore our weakened immune system and create an abundance of energy.  Here are some foods that will help to naturally prime your body during the fall/winter season:

Immune Boosting Foods
Foods with immune-boosting properties are easily found at this time of the year and can be recognized by their vibrant colours.  Carrots, squash, pumpkin, mushrooms, sweet potatoes and my all time favorite fruit of the season: mandarins and oranges.  Try spicing up your tasty treats, tea or coffee with cinnamon, cumin or cloves, which are all effect immune boosting spices.

Energy Foods
To give you extra energy, try adding a trail mix of dried fruits and walnuts, Brazil nuts or roasted soybeans.  They are packed full of protein and good omega-3 fats. Lean fish such as wild salmon, halibut or tuna can provide the energy source we want and have the added benefit of developing and maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system.  For those tasty special occasion baked treats, try the season’s many variety of apples and add ginger for a delicious energy boosting dessert

Foods For Healthy Digestion
With the festivities quickly approaching, it is important to first establish a healthy digestive system to aid us through the rich palates of the holidays.  Yogurt and other fermented dairy products contain good bacteria called Probiotics and are great as snacks. Other foods include oatmeal, great for those brisk mornings; celery in a chicken or tuna salad sandwich for lunch and a pinch of caraway or dill in your dinner dish, all great for digestion.

Antioxidant Foods
To help your body manage increased stress that is oh so familiar at this time of the year, simply add some antioxidant foods and beverages to your diet.  Red kidney beans, pinto beans, red peppers and cayenne are all excellent ingredients for a mouth-watering chili dish.  For all you pasta lovers, add some spinach or eggplant and oregano to your sauce but don’t forget the ginger ale or red wine.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods
To reduce inflammation and increase your flexibility and mobility so that you can burn off all the festive cuisine and enjoy the outdoor beauty of autumn, start adding these foods to your daily diet: Fish or skinless chicken cooked in garlic olive oil with a spiced up rosemary or turmeric brown rice and crisp asparagus will satisfy even your hard to please guests.   Keep in mind that sugary treats, all too common during the holiday season may worsen pain and inflammation – try substituting sugar-loaded desserts with berries and yogurt and a little mint.

To conclude, this season provides us with a wide variety of foods that can be deliciously incorporated in to your everyday diet.
  
Vancouver Nutritionist Sarah Holvik is the owner of nutrition consulting company Manna Health Group. She welcomes questions at sarah@activelivingprogram.com