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Tips for the Holiday Season

Eat healthy first.

If you have company or family holiday parties to attend, be proactive and control hunger by eating a healthy meal or snack before you arrive to the party. You can even bring along a yummy weight loss shake packet or protein bar that complies with the diet to enjoy just before or during the party to ensure that they are satiated enough to avoid giving in to hunger and overeating. Shakes and bars are delicious and scientifically designed for the highest level of satiety to curb hunger and cravings.

Bring your own portion-controlled plate and cup

Those large dinner plates can cause people to pile on far more than a single portion of food, and people are inclined to try and finish all the food on their plate. To help with this, bring your own smaller plate, maybe even find one with sectioned out portions, so you are aware of how much you are consuming. Bring a five ounce cup and limit oneself to one high calorie beverage a night, and stick to water for the rest of the night.
Eat mindfully.
People often overeat because

they revert to unconscious eating, recognize when you are full. Eating mindfully helps to slow down and focus on what you are eating and how much to create a better connection between physiological need and mental state. This can also help you make healthier choices about food selection in addition to eating less.
Buddy up.
When possible, you can identify a friend, family member, coworker, or significant other who can be your support system through the holidays. This person may also be on a diet, have similar weight loss goals, or may be someone who can just be there to eat healthier with, and remind you of your goals (without shaming). It is important that this buddy be positive and uplifting, and can help bring a sense of joy and camaraderie to the pursuit of eating healthy during the holidays.
Do you have someone that can support you in this way?

For more healthy tips and recipes, visit heart.org/eatsmartmonth
 

Pumpkin Tart with Oat Crust

Ingredients
* 1½ cups rolled oats
* ¼ cup flaxseed meal (freshly milled)
* 3 tbsp unsalted almond butter
* 2 – 4 Tbsp. unsweetened plant-based milk
* 1 15oz. can canned pumpkin
* 3/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
* ⅓ cup pitted whole dates
* ¼ cup pure maple syrup
* 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
* 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
* 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
* ¼ tsp sea salt (optional)
* 1 recipe Aquafaba Cream (optional) Recipe below
 
Method
* Preheat oven to 375°F.

1. For crust, in a food processor combine oats, 4 tbs. of the flaxseed meal and the almond butter. Cover and pulse until mixed. With processor running, slowly add 2 to 4 tbsp. milk until mixture starts to cling together and is slightly moistened. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removeable bottom.
2. For the filling, combine the remaining 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal with ¼ cup water; let stand 5 minutes. Add to food processor with the next eight ingredients (through salt). Cover and process until smooth. Spread filling into crust.
3. Bake 50-55 minutes or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes. Chill 2-8 hours. Remove sides of tart pan. If desired, serve tart with Aquafaba cream.
4. Aquafaba cream in a medium bowl beat ¼ cup chickpea liquid (drained from a can of chickpeas), 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, and 1 tsp vanilla with a mixer on medium to high until foamy. Beat on high until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). 

Recipe contributor Nancy Macklin at Forks Over Knives:  https://www.forksoverknives.com/contributors/nancy-macklin/ 

New Review Investigates the Role of Diet, Lifestyle, and

Nutritional Status in Severe Infections

We are currently seeing a worldwide pandemic from a novel virus that has impacted public health as well as the economy. Most of the attention has been focused on social distancing guidelines, wearing masks, proper hygiene, laboratory testing, and contact tracing. These are all important; however, public health discussions have not been focused around lifestyle and nutritional strategies to support optimal immune function. This is essential as significant risk factors for poorer outcomes are associated with chronic inflammatory diseases such as type II diabetes, obesity, chronic lung and cardiovascular diseases, as well as the elderly population. The link between infection severity and comorbidity has been seen in other viral infections as well.

In a review published recently on Nutrients, researchers investigated the role of diet, lifestyle, and nutritional status in severe infections.  

Chronic inflammation has been involved in the onset and development of most if not all chronic diseases and it exacerbates viral infections. Current treatments to address inflammation in this novel virus have included first line antiviral medications, and specific anti-inflammatory and antimalarial medications; however, long term use of some of these medications has been associated with cardiovascular side effects.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the role of nutrition in supporting the immune system. 

Poor diet and lifestyle choices are associated with low grade inflammation and increased oxidative stress, leading to the development of chronic disease and comorbidity. For example, a higher body mass index (BMI) has led to complications from this novel viral infection. Individuals with obesity have a higher risk of pulmonary issues and comorbidity which compromise heart and lung function and increase the risk of developing severe diseases from the virus.

Although there are no known single foods, supplements, or protocols to prevent the infection, it is clear that nutritional status plays a significant role in patient outcomes. The research team notes at a minimum, individuals should be obtaining the recommended daily allowances for nutrients that play a role in supporting immune function. This virus will likely be around for some time, so maintaining an optimal nutritional status is essential and something that each individual can control. The elderly population is at greatest risk and common deficiencies among them include vitamins C and D, folate, and zinc.

A Mediterranean diet is an ideal diet as it includes foods that have both immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory compounds. These foods are rich in essential vitamins and minerals as well as polyphenolic compounds.

Omega-3 fatty acids are also essential for supporting the immune system as they help resolve the inflammatory response and have potential antithrombotic effects. EPA and DHA act as substrates for the production of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) which may help reduce viral replication. 

Vitamin C has been used for decades for colds and influenza. Regular vitamin C supplementation has been shown to help reduce the symptoms and duration of a cold. Dosing at 1 to 2 grams per day is recommended as it has been effective in helping prevent upper respiratory tract infections. 

The research on vitamin D has continued to emerge, as it has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Individuals that are deficient will experience the most benefits and increasing vitamin D levels may reduce the risk of infection. The recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is only 800 IU. The research team recommends supplementing with 10,000 IU of vitamin D daily for several weeks to increase vitamin D levels and then decrease to 5,000 IU per day. The target vitamin D concentration should be between 40 ng/mL to 60 ng/mL. It is also important to optimize both vitamins A and K along with vitamin D as these fat soluble vitamins have intricate interrelationships with each other.

Zinc is essential for the development of immune cells and a cofactor for many enzymes. Zinc may help reduce the viral replication as well as the effects of the gastrointestinal and lower respiratory symptoms of this novel virus. It is suggested to have a zinc intake between 30 mg to 50 mg/day to help with influenza and coronaviruses.

These results demonstrate the importance of diet, lifestyle, and nutritional status and their role in immune function. It is difficult for most individuals to obtain an optimal intake of all these nutrients in the diet, and therefore, supplementation should be considered. Other nutrients to consider include tocotrienols, geranylgeraniol, resveratrol, quercetin, and melatonin. 

By Michael Jurgelewicz, DC, DACBN, DCBCN, CNS

Source: Zabetakis I, Lordan R, et al. COVID-19: The Inflammation Link and the Role of Nutrition in Potential Mitigation. Nutrients. 2020 May 19;12(5), 1466. 

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