Healing Through the Holidays: How to Repair Your Body One Bite at a Time
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.
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What would you do if your most treasured family heirloom got damaged? Perhaps it was a delicate vase handed down from generation to generation or a beautiful quilt sewn by your great, great, grandmother. Would you toss it in the trash? Of course not! You’d probably go on a frantic hunt for the super glue or sewing box and carefully put it back together.
Our bodies are a lot like that vase or quilt—valuable and delicate, but also strong and resilient. Lucky for us, it responds favorably to small shifts in our food choices. Much like a needle and thread mends a torn quilt, every meal and snack we eat has the potential to repair our precious, malleable bodies. This applies to all meals, even (and especially) those enjoyed during the holiday season.
You’re probably wondering how you can activate this potential at holiday meals, which are often thought of as an all-or-nothing deal: either I eat like a bird and forego my favorite family dishes, or I pig out like there’s no tomorrow! The secret lies in adding nutritious foods to your plate without focusing on subtracting anything.
Here are three doable, deprivation-free ways to turn your meals into tiny Fx™ (food as medicine) repair kits for your body this celebratory season and beyond!
Treat Meat as a Side Dish
There’s no reason to eliminate animal protein from your plate but reducing the portion size to that of the palm of your hand is a good idea. Why? Because generally speaking, we don’t have a protein deficit problem in this country, it’s our intake of dietary fiber that is greatly lacking.
I realize that fiber may not be as exciting as prime rib and pork tenderloin, but what if I told you that your body feels otherwise—that it actually prefers fiber?
That raw veggie tray, side of sweet potatoes, and bowl of Brussels sprouts scattered about the dinner table are all full of fiber that your body can use to prevent overeating and alleviate digestive problems like constipation. One thing I’ve learned over the years as a plant-based eater: it’s impossible to overindulge when your stomach is full of plants. And if you happen to overdo it, only the family dog will want to be around you.
Bite-Size Action Step: Trim your meat portion to a quarter of your plate and let vegetables take the lead.
Pile on the Plants
Now for the fun part! To really activate the healing power of food, load the remaining three quarters of your plate with a variety of fiber-filled leafy greens, vegetables, and whole grains. If you really want to boost your body’s renewal, let a serving of beans, peas, or lentils join the party on your plate.
If we were sharing a holiday meal together, here’s what you would see on my plate:
- Center of the plate: a plant-based main dish like Grain and Veggie Stuffed Peppers or a hearty slice of Red Lentil Loaf.
- Two non-starchy veggie side dishes. Some of my favorites are Autumn Harvest Brussels Sprouts, Za’atar Roasted Carrots, and Balsamic Glazed Green Beans
- .One starchy side dish. A few tasty recipes I love that you may enjoy include Rainbow Hash (a mix of sweet and purple potatoes), Creamy Root Vegetable Bake, Sweet Potato Cauliflower Mash, Roasted Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas, or Kale and Quinoa Winter Salad.
Bite Size Action Step: Fill the rest of your plate with a few generous portions of non-starchy vegetables, followed by a portion of starchy veggies. As a guest, consider contributing a leafy green salad, a warm vegetable side, or a platter of raw veggies to ensure your plate is full of plant-powered goodness!
Eat Fruit Before Dessert
I used to roll my eyes at well-meaning advice to choose fruit for dessert. I would say to myself, “you want me to pass on the pie and eat a pear? I don’t think so, Sally!” I was, however, perfectly willing to munch on a piece of fruit before indulging in dessert.
When I tried this tactic, I discovered something very interesting—eating fruit before dessert dimmed my desire for dessert. Don’t take my word for it; test it out for yourself. Sure, you may still decide to eat a slice of pie or a couple of cookies, but I’ll bet you won’t overdo it this year!
Bite Size Action Step: Dish out individual servings of fresh fruit and serve it as a “pre-dessert” dessert. Pineapple or papaya chunks, apple wedges, kiwi slices, and berries are great choices because they contain enzymes to help break down food and ease digestion. If you’re the guest, bring a fruit salad and ask your host to serve it before dessert.
Key Takeaway
I can’t think of a better gift to give yourself than wholesome life-giving food, and there’s no better time to start using food as medicine than today! So go ahead and reimagine your meals as opportunities to give back to your beautiful, forgiving, and resilient body this holiday season.
