The holidays are just around the corner, and for too many of us, that means an ‘excuse’ to stop eating healthy, indulge in holiday treats, and worry about the repercussions when the New Year rolls around.

I can’t tell you how many people I come across come January 1 who are sick. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I’m here to tell you getting sick has nothing to do with that ‘mysterious bug’ that just so happens to show up after New Years (and holiday parties, stress, indulging, etc).

What I mean by that, is it’s all about the terrain.

Let me ask you a question – does the garbage attract the rats, or do the rats bring the garbage. I know, it’s a silly analogy, but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense.

Better yet, what happens when you see a stagant pond? Mosquitos! Well, you can kill off all the mosquitos with chemical sprays and poisons, but guess what happens? THEY COME BACK.

Why? Because you didn’t address the TRUE CAUSE, which is the environment and the terrain for which caused the problem in the first place. Clean the terrain, and magically, the mosquitos and the rats disappear!

You are only as healthy as the terrain in which you live, and your body is only so healthy in regards to the terrain in which your cells live. Is that terrain ACID or ALKALINE?

Staying healthy and full of energy during the holidays is not as difficult as you may think, the good news, is it doesn’t have to be about deprivation either.

You can enjoy all of the goodness the holiday season has to offer and continue to eat nutritious meals that are going to leave you looking as great as you feel.

Just as there’s no need to feel guilty about the way you eat, there’s also no need to feel deprived about the way you eat – if you take a smart approach to the next couple of months.

So here are my top 7 tips for staying alkaline and satisfied all holiday season long.

1. Remember moderation, NOT deprivation.

Deprivation never works for anything and definitely not when it comes to food.

As you go through the holidays, the thing to keep in mind is that your goal is NOT perfection. Perfection is a set up for an inevitable failure. Instead, your goal is to improve your health and well-being over time.

Think in terms of the 80/20 alkaline lifestyle. That means in a day’s time, you want to eat and drink 80% ALKALINE and no more than 20% ACIDIC.

This applies to what’s on each plate as well as a whole week’s worth of meals. So, during any meals that are more acidic, find the alkaline foods and load up on them, like salad and greens.

It’s all about finding a balance. That’s how you can enjoy holiday meals without packing on the pounds and the acid.

2. Find new ways to enjoy acidic favorites.

Maybe you have a cookie recipe you’ve made for decades. Or maybe you always bring a pie to Thanksgiving. Or maybe you can’t wait for potato latkes every Hanukkah.

Traditions don’t need to stop just because you live the alkaline lifestyle! Far from it.

One of my favorite things to do as a raw food chef is to find new, alkaline ways to enjoy classic recipes. You can do this too!

Try these swaps in your favorite recipes:

• Coconut oil for butter
• Veggies like zucchini or cauliflower for potatoes
• Mineral salts like Celtic Grey Sea salt, Himalayan, or Redmond Real Salt for table salt
• Organic stevia, dates, or Lo Han for sugar or other sweeteners
• Cashew cream for whole milk or cream (find my cashew cream recipe here)

3. Hit the gym more than usual.

Listen, I get it. Things get busy at this time of year. It’s harder to make working out a priority, but that’s why it’s even more essential that you do prioritize exercise.

You’re more stressed than usual, you’re not eating as well as you do during warmer months, so you’re taking on more acid. By getting plenty of exercise, you’ll help fight the acid and fight any weight gain that comes with it.

4. Eat highly alkaline when you can.

Not every meal at this time of year is a holiday meal, or even a social one. So, going back to the 80/20 idea, take full advantage of the meals where you can easily eat alkaline.

• Start each morning off with a green smoothie and make extra so you can have some as a snack during the day.
• Treat your family to a delicious alkaline dinner like Apple Cabbage Salad with Beetroot on nights where you don’t have activities going on.
• Keep nutrient-rich, low sugar snacks on hand like pre-cut veggies with hummus or homemade alkaline trail mix (with raw almonds, cashews, cacao nibbs, unsweetened coconut flakes, goji berries, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds).

5. Drink plenty of water.

At this time of year, as the weather gets cooler and cooler, it’s actually harder to stay properly hydrated. During the summer, our bodies crave water to replace what we’ve lost from sweat. But in cooler weather, we don’t have the physical reminder and it often leads to dehydration.

If you’re even a little bit dehydrated, your body will hang on to weight, no matter what you’re trying to do to lose it. And furthermore, if you’ve consumed more acid than usual, water is going to help flush it out of your system and keep your pH balanced.

Aim to drink 3-4 liters of good, pure alkaline water every day:

• High pH: You can test your water for a pH of between 8.0-9.5
• Filtered: Always filter your water because tap water contains traces of bacteria, heavy metals and other toxins. There are 327 known contaminants in tap water.
• Room temperature (ideally): Cold, chilled water is harder for your body to use, and it burns vital energy.
• Avoid bottled water: It’s almost always acidic and filled with BPAs, which are known carcinogens. Use a glass bottle or BPA-Free bottle when you can.
• Add lemon, lime, a pinch of Daily Minerals, or pH drops: These will alkalize your body and will neutralize acids in your system.

6. Share your alkaline lifestyle.

You can’t get away from family get-togethers and holiday parties at this time of year, but you can make them more alkaline.

If you’re bringing a dish to share, make it a big salad with lots of colorful ingredients or some sautéed kale and rainbow chard with some lemon juice and garlic. Choose an alkaline food that everyone will enjoy, and even if there aren’t many other nutritious options, you can always load up on what you brought.

Chelsea and I do this anytime we’re invited to a dinner party or family meal. We’re bringing something anyway, so it might as well be a healthy option for everyone to enjoy.

And you never know… you might inspire others at the event to make a healthier choice!

7. Load up on vitamins and minerals.

It’s even more important than usual to supplement your diet with really high quality vitamins and minerals that your body is lacking as you go through the holiday season.

By taking AlkaMind Daily Greens every morning and AlkaMind Daily Minerals every night 30 minutes before sleep, you’re setting your body up for success so it doesn’t have to do all the hard work of maintaining a neutral pH on its own.