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Healthy Holidays: Tips for making smart food choices

Newswise — The holidays offer tempting challenges to your healthy-eating plan. Parties have you eating away from home more often, and sweet treats appear unbidden at your office or doorstep. It’s enticing to relax your efforts over the holidays, but your health depends on your diet. Here are some tips from Karen Klatte, M.D., a cardiologist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie.

- Make healthy food choices. Try to stay away from the foods that are heavy in simple carbohydrates, especially sweets and pastries. Typically entrées that don’t have a lot of sauce will be healthier. Choosing turkey breast is fine, but cover it with gravy and you’ll be adding a lot of carbohydrates. There are also hidden carbohydrates in starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, that are converted to sugar, so avoid or limit those foods.

- Limit calories by choosing smaller portions. Then, if you make healthy choices, reward yourself with a small piece of candy or dessert so you don’t feel deprived.

- Exercise. Holidays are a busy time and exercise can help reduce stress, so remember to take time for a brisk walk.

- Watch your alcohol intake. Moderate drinking (a glass a day for women; two for men) is fine. More than that can lead to health problems.