Go Eco-Nuts This Christmas!
Christmas is a time to indulge but it appears we have a rather warped view on what indulgence really is. We view things that are "bad" for our health such as eating high calorie, fatty foods, slobbing about and drinking loads of alcohol as always enjoyable and all healthy foods and activities as some sort of penance. This is no surprise when you learn where the word indulgence was most predominately used. It is a religious term for "the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins." Now that explains it all, obviously we have this very black and white view subconciously passed on over the generations that things are either good but boring or bad but brilliant.
A historic view on indulgence is particularly relevant for Christmas as Christmas itself stems from a pagan feast that gave everyone an opportunity to have one last blow out of stored food before the lean winter months really began in earnest. Indulgence is about pleasure, momentarily forgetting our cares, limitations and responsibilities to wallow in pure, unadulterated enjoyment. And why not, I say. Pleasure and satisfaction are important aspects of good health, neglect them and your emotional and physical well-being will suffer. But this doesn't also mean that your health should suffer, or the planet. Eco-nutrition considers what's best for your health and the environment you live in so here are our top tips for a happy, healthy econut Christmas.
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Go for a free range turkey, reared locally. Turkey is an excellent source of low fat protein but the demand over Christmas means many are brought in from abroad with a huge green miles count. www.bigbarn.co.uk/turkey
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Fill your plate with coloured vegetables. Make at least 50% of your plate coloured vegetables which have a high nutritional density, full of antioxidants to help repair cell damage and lots of prebiotics to keep your beneficial gut flora flourishing. Buy from local farm shops and try what's in season. www.farmshops.org.uk
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Eat oily fish. Oily fish is a great source of anti-inflammatory omega 3. Fish can go halfway round the world frozen before it reaches us. Some is even sent to China to have its bones plucked out. Also wild fish stocks are declining so go for organic farmed fish from the UK. www.thefishsociety.co.uk
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Enjoy the odd nibble. Chocolate, nuts and dried fruit are an essential part of Christmas eating. Nuts, seeds and dried fruit are highly nutritious but check the labels for added sugar, additives and preservatives. Go for luxurious rich, dark chocolates which satisfy in small gorgeous quantities. Also look for the fair trade mark. www.fairtrade.org.uk
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Get outdoors together. Christmas is great fun with lots of people to play with so make the most of the great outdoors and all its feel good health benefits. It's free, invigorating and a valuable source of Vitamin D, essential for healthy bones. www.timeoutdoors.com