IBD
How to eat well during the holidays
In the 11/22/21 Lyfebulb Live chat with IBD Ambassador Nathalie Garcia, Lyfebulb staff discussed with Nathalie many issues, particularly the dietary and social concerns that the holidays bring. Here is some of their advice...
On managing the meal cycle:
· Set little reminders during the holidays to simulate the consistent schedule you have in the non-holiday season. This can help you avoid feeling sick because you forgot to eat when the rhythm was changed.
· Don't let others fool you into bad habits. Holiday expectations can be detrimental when others pressure you into “allowing yourself to enjoy” the food, which actually can mean making yourself feel sick. Don’t punish yourself by accident.
On managing social pressures:
· If you feel like people are watching you and wondering why you are not eating like everyone else, use a smaller plate so you do not feel obligated to “eat everything on your plate”.
· You don’t owe anybody an explanation. It is okay to say “No”, both to food issues and to questions. For example, “No, thank you” works wonders by putting people off one more step. Worrying about the diet issue takes away some joy from the holiday when your mind is busy coming up with stories to explain yourself. So don’t do it!
· To avoid the possibility of offending a host, show gratitude but let them know what you don’t eat, in advance, so they will not be offended at the table.
What say you? Any good tips for enjoying the holidays without hurting your gut or your sanity?
*Here is the link to the Live chat:
1 - 3 of 3 Replies
Patient
This is a great recap with so many excellent tips. I wish I had taken a lot of these into consideration when I was first diagnosed and really sick around the holidays. While most families mean well, sometimes their care is intrusive and uncomfortable, so being prepared on how to handle these situations is definitely recommended.
Agreed. Also, when I have been on very rigid diets (like SCD), I opted to be very clear about what my restrictions were. I always made it clear that I would bring food I could eat and didn't expect anyone to cater to me, but that I would not be eating a lot of the food offered.
This is a good topic, planning your meals specific for your diet and communicating with the host to avoid any surprise feelings or expectations is great! You can't please everyone but pleasing and being faithful to yourself and your own needs is paramount!