Christmas time is special for all of us. Family and friends gatherings, social engagements and plenty of meetings that make us happy and...tired. The Festive season usually comes with excessive food and drink consumption leading us to uncomfortable digestive symptoms such as bloating, flatulence and even colds and flu. These can leave us not only tired but also a few kilos heavier.

Who doesn't love mince pies, cheesecake and crackers?

There is plenty you can do, without avoiding parties and family gatherings. If you are coping with allergies and food intolerances, it can be tricky and very challenging.

Trying to find tasty alternatives can add additional stress to already tedious tasks.

Here are some simple and achievable interventions I am sharing with you.

1. Choose homemade: while choosing homemade food you can be pretty sure that you’re eating much healthier. Processed food is almost always full of sugar and salt and also additional ingredients whose name you can’t even pronounce. You can also bring a healthy meal to share with your family and friends! While cooking and baking, you can modify your recipes by replacing sugar with dried fruits or mashed banana or steam or grilling instead of frying. Or try out some of my recipes for desserts or salads.

2. Be mindful: when you slow down during meals, you‘ll probably eat less and feel satiety faster. Our brain needs about 20 minutes to get the message from the stomach saying “stop eating! I’m already full”. Researchers show that practising mindful eating (eating slowly and without distraction) prevent you from overeating so you’re less likely to gain weight.

3. Take a walk: after dinner, go for a walk. Research shows that inactivity may contribute to weight gain and many other health problems especially if accompanied by overeating. Going for a walk when you’re tired after a sweet dessert or a heavy meal may boost your energy level and also improve your mood. It’s more powerful than another cup of coffee.

4. Snack sensibly: when sweets are in sight, it is harder to refrain from eating them, so try to opt for real for fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds or homemade desserts. When you eat another piece of cake, eat it slowly and mindfully. Another thing to remember is that every time we snack the blood sugar level increases and this contributes to weight gain.

5. Plan beforehand: If you are eating out, ensure you have as much information about where you’ll be eating and look at the menu in advance and decide what and how much you’ll eat. Planning beforehand might help you with healthier food choices and preventing weight gain.