Make Your Christmas a Little Greener & Cleaner

The alkaline lifestyle encompasses not just what you put in your body, but what you surround yourself with too.

We are smack dab in the middle of what might be the toughest week of the year when it comes to treats, sweets, and plates full of comfort food.

As much as we love Christmas and the other holidays that fall at this time of year, eating so much you feel like you are going to burst is an unfortunate side effect of winter merriment.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have your holly jolly and still feel great, with just a little effort to keep your Christmas clean and green. You can still eat once-a-year treats and enjoy the bounty of the feast, with just a little less acid that drags you down and makes you feel sluggish and bloated.

I’m here to tell you IT IS POSSIBLE and you don’t need to feel deprived or guilty to get there either. Deprivation never works for anything and definitely not when it comes to food.

Instead, I want you to feel satisfied, full of energy, and nourished. That’s exactly what these tips to make your holidays cleaner and greener are going to do for you.

This is a great tip for the holidays because you’re supposed to enjoy yourself! But how many times have you sat down with that big Christmas dinner that took hours to prepare and eaten the entire portion in less than 5 minutes?

I know, I’ve been there! When you eat too fast, you do not give the fullness factors in your stomach and brain time to register. Eat slowly and chew your food. Enjoy it and enjoy the company around you.

Remember, it takes your brain 15 minutes to catch up to your digestive system. So if you eat too fast, it will be way too late before your brain lets you know that you are full.

Also be sure to have a FULL glass of water before you eat. Water and hunger go to the same part of the brain, and when you drink water, you will feel less hungry and won’t have the urge to eat as much. Let’s keep that train of thought going…

This is important for a few reasons. We covered the first one already – all of that water will tell your brain you’re full.

Secondly, the air is dryer as it gets colder and if you’re not sweating as much as you did during the summer, you may not be keeping hydrated well enough. 90% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, and that’s the case just as much during the winter as it is in the summer.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, water helps your body fight acid. Our bodies need an abundant amount of water for all systems to process out the toxins and acids. Plus, the more water you drink, the less alcohol you drink!

Balance out the big, more acidic meal you’re going to eat later in the day with a smoothie for breakfast. It’s is a great way to get some greens in your system early.

Make sure to add your favorite greens, a few berries for antioxidants, some healthy fats like chia seeds and coconut oil, and coconut or almond milk.

Here are a few smoothies to try that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit:

• Peppermint Kiss Smoothie

• Apple Cranberry Smoothie

• Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

Make sure there’s a big salad with lots of colorful ingredients. And how about some sautéed kale and rainbow chard with some lemon juice and garlic? Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Here are a few of our favorite dishes to bring to the Christmas table:

• Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios and Lemon

  – a holiday favorite!

• Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”

• Flash-Sautéed Garlic Green Beans

• Curried Sweet Potato Soup

[Get my anti-inflammatory takes on 9 classic holiday recipes.]

For dessert, you can whip up a chia pudding in 10 minutes it will be the sure hit of the feast!

Sometimes we eat a handful of this junk food and a few bites of that junk food simply because they are sitting around. Having them within eyeshot is just too tempting!

So make sure to have healthy snacks available in your kitchen, even while you’re preparing dishes for the big feast. That will keep you from reaching for highly acidic choices when hunger strikes.

Here are a few tasty options:

• Almond butter with celery and carrot sticks

• Alkaline Super Power Treats

• Avocado slices with lime to keep them fresh for a few hours
• Hummus with cucumber slices
• Cashews and almonds
• Alkaline snack or power bars

• Smoky and Crispy Chickpeas(Warning: these are addictive!)

Getting exercise is a simple step that helps enhance all of the body’s functions. Even if you don’t get in a full workout on the holiday, get moving by going on a walk or doing some crunches, squats, or jumping jacks.

Remember, the acid that stress causes in your body outweighs a million times to one any effect that food or drinks can cause.

And let’s be honest, this time of year is full of stress – in 2020 more than ever. Negative and stressed-out thought patterns can literally poison the brain and the body. So it’s vital you do everything you can to diminish your stress level.

Meditation is one sure-fire way to learn to manage stress and train your brain to be less worried all of the time.

Deep breathing is another great stress reliever. Breathing is so powerful it can lower blood pressure, slow the heartbeat, energize, and most importantly, change your pH within just 1 to 3 minutes.

You could also suggest a family yoga session on Christmas day. Or offer your partner a relaxing massage. Anything to keep stress levels down!

If you’re not getting enough exercise, feeling overly stressed, and not eating as well as you normally do, you’ve got a triple threat to your health and well-being. And that’s often the case on holidays. So it’s extra important to supplement with really high-quality minerals and greens that your body is lacking

Start your day with a scoop of Alkamind Daily Greens in water or a smoothie in the morning so you get 5 whole servings of raw super foods in less than 30 seconds!

And don’t forget, 30 minutes before bed, add a scoop of Alkamind Daily Minerals in water so you sleep better – and recover from the acid during your day!

GET OFF YOUR ACID!

Dr. Daryl