Health Experts Debunk 6 Popular Myths About Holiday Habits
- The holidays can be a time of excess, which can wreak havoc on your health.
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during the holidays is possible.
- Experts debunk 6 common health myths regarding holiday habits.
Parties, outings, dinners, brunches, and lunches. While the holiday season is packed with fun, it can also cause stress as you try to maintain a healthy lifestyle while engaging in festivities.
“The holidays are such an amazing and special time of year. But we also know this season can be a very chaotic and stressful time. We have a tendency to make poorer food choices and make less time for physical activity during these times,” Daniel Hermann, MD, a cardiologist at Memorial Hermann in Houston, told Healthline.
A 2023 surveyTrusted Source from the American Heart Association found that the holidays are more stressful than taxes, and more than three-quarters of the people surveyed agree that they overlooked their health needs during the holidays.
“[It] is very challenging to stay heart healthy during the holidays given the distractions from an abundance of high-caloric, high sodium, and high fat foods along with increased consumption of alcohol at social gatherings,” Laxmi Mehta, MD, a noninvasive cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical, told Healthline. “Also, relaxed schedules and travel results in a disruption of exercise routines.”
Add in the pressures of social gatherings and gift-giving, and prioritizing health comes last.
To help you navigate making healthy choices, experts debunk the most common myths about eating healthy and keeping stress-free during the holidays.
Even though the season feels fast-paced and hectic, taking a few minutes to relax and recharge is possible.
First, prioritize sleep by aiming for 7 to 9 hours. Second, continue to practice what makes you feel relaxed, whether it’s daily walks, reading, or watching a movie.
“Practicing relaxation techniques, like deep breathing, yoga, or meditation, is helpful too,” said Mehta. “And equally important is to set boundaries by not saying yes to everything and make realistic plans on what they can truly accomplish without being overwhelmed.”
As tempting as it is to skip meals to “save your calories” for later, there are mixed messages on the benefits of doing so.
Some research shows that skipping meals may have positive effects on blood sugar and bad cholesterol, while other evidence reports that doing so may make you hungrier and lead to overeating.
One study found that meal skipping is associated with a higher mortality risk.
In general, Hermann said it is best to follow a heart healthy diet and lifestyle that you can make a habit and maintain. “Fad diets are, as a general rule, not maintained for the long term.”
