The feasting season is upon us. Favorite foods and dishes served only on special occasions are among the holidays’ most enduring traditions. One of my family’s is cinnamon rolls. My wife Connie gets up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning and makes them from scratch. At the Whitaker house, the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls is as much a part of the holidays as opening presents.
I’m sure you all have your own favorite holiday treats and will most likely indulge a bit at this time of year. That’s why I want to offer a simple suggestion that will help minimize the aftermath of overeating and help you have a healthy holiday season.
Walk Your Way to a Healthy Holiday
After meals—and, of course, after helping with the dishes—bundle up and take a walk. A brisk 10–15 minute walk after eating helps clear glucose out of the bloodstream and reduces spikes in blood sugar. And getting outside, even if you have to bundle up against the cold, does wonders for your energy and mood. Actually, I suggest you adopt this healthy holiday practice year-round after every meal. You may think of exercise as a walk in the park, but it is a very powerful medical therapy.
In a meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal, researchers from Harvard and Stanford looked at the results of 305 randomized, controlled clinical trials that compared drugs and exercise interventions. Exercise was every bit as effective as statins, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and antiplatelet drugs in reducing premature deaths in patients who had had heart attacks. For stroke rehabilitation, exercise was more effective than medications. And high-risk individuals who took prescription meds to prevent diabetes fared no better than people who engaged in exercise programs.
Prescription Drugs Are Not the Answer
Despite these profound benefits, the authors noted that research is strongly tilted against lifestyle interventions and toward drug studies. “The lopsided nature of modern medical research may fail to detect the most effective treatment for a given condition if that treatment is not a prescription drug.”
Because it’s much easier for physicians to whip out the prescription pad—and for patients to pop pills—there’s little enthusiasm for this lifesaving, health-enhancing activity. Nevertheless, exercise is a viable alternative to medications for the treatment and prevention a wide range of diseases.
Enjoy a Healthy Holiday and Better Health Overall
So enjoy the feasting—and start walking! This simple practice can help you and your family enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season and better health overall.
