Health Matters: Holiday Edition

Smart Holiday Snacking Tips

Go easy on the sides. Stuffing and mashed potatoes can be loaded with hidden butter and cream — all of which can aggravate breakouts and make it harder to fit into your jeans. Try to take just a bite or two, and pile on the salad and veggies to help keep your skin clear and your figure sleek.

Watch your liquid calories. Hot chocolate with marshmallows, and warm, creamy eggnog definitely hit the spot when it’s cold outside. However, they add hidden calories without making you feel full, so be careful how much you drink and go easy on the toppings. The same goes for sweet alcoholic drinks.

Go ahead — eat dessert. Depriving yourself will only make you crave it more — and you may offend your hosts if you refuse to have any. Take one small piece of cheesecake or one small slice of pie (not one of each). For a smarter choice, choose pumpkin pie (which contains fiber and vitamin A) over shortbread or cupcakes (carbs + sugar = more wrinkles).


Holiday Cookies You Won't Feel Guilty About

Holiday Pretzels
Ingredients:
pretzel rods
chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, whatever you like
variety of sprinkles

(Now, granted chocolate chips aren’t exactly heart healthy, but it’s better than those calorie-intense options and you don’t really use very much ... so I will continue ...)

Melt the chocolate chips in a double-boiler. Using a spoon, coat about 1/3 of the pretzel rod with chocolate - allow the excess chocolate to drip a few seconds. Roll the chocolate portion in sprinkles of your choice ... we particularly like to use the peppermint sprinkles. Place on parchment paper to set. When completely cooled, place in a rectangular cookie tin, laying a piece of waxed or parchment paper between the layers.


Gingerbread Men
Ingredients:
¼ cup butter, softened
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg (or egg replacer)
⅓ cup dark molasses
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. ground cloves

Preparation:
1) In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and applesauce until smooth. Add egg and molasses and mix well. In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and spices.
2) Add to sugar and molasses mixture, stirring well.
3) Divide dough in two; cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/4 or 1/8-inch thickness.
4) Cut gingerbread men with a cookie cutter.
5) Add candies or raisins to decorate.
6) Place 1-2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7) Bake 10-12 minutes.
8) Add frosting or more decorations when cool.

Makes 30 cookies.
Per serving: Calories 94, Calories from Fat 16, Fat 1.8g (sat 1g), Cholesterol 11mg, Sodium 48mg, Carbohydrate 18g, Fiber 0.4g, Protein 1.5g


How to Avoid Alcohol 'Red-Face'
Alcohol may get the party going, but it doesn’t agree with everyone. Many people experience flushing, redness, and breakouts when they drink. Alcohol can also aggravate rosacea and cause permanently enlarged veins on the face, especially on the nose, cheeks, and chin.

These symptoms can be especially severe if your body is unable to metabolize alcohol properly. Up to 50 percent of Asians lack the enzymes necessary to metabolize alcohol; it’s common, therefore, for Asians to experience very red, swollen faces and a racing heartbeat, even after very small amounts of alcohol. It has been estimated that 20 to 30 percent of Caucasians also have a flushing response, although it doesn’t tend to be as severe as it is in Asians.

The best way to avoid symptoms is to abstain from alcohol altogether. Stick to club soda, or ask the bartender to mix in some cranberry juice for a spritzer. No one will notice what you’re drinking, but they WILL notice if you’re not drinking anything at all, so play along.

If you want to enjoy a drink or two, here’s how to minimize the damage:

Drink water. Be sure to have one glass of water between each glass of alcohol to avoid dehydration. Remember, dehydration can make wrinkles more apparent and it contributes to hangovers. Rehydrate by drinking plenty of fluids the next morning.

Avoid the worst offenders. Beer and wine — especially red wine — contain compounds that cause flushing, so go for mixed drinks made with distilled alcohol, such as gin, vodka, or whisky.

Go sulfite-free. If you must drink wine, look for sulfite-free wines — there should be an indication on the label. Sulfites, which act as preservatives, can cause flushing and redness. White wines tend to have fewer sulfites than reds. Also look for organic or biodynamic wines because they won’t contain sulfites.

Keep cool. People with rosacea are sensitive to heat as well as alcohol, so stay away from hot Irish coffee and steaming cups of hot cider (with or without alcohol) — or at least let it cool before you drink it.