Healthy Steps to Follow Before You “FEAST”

Dr. Crandall: Holiday Health Tips

• Lose that Excess Weight. Too muchbelly fat, in particular, is toxic, and actually can result in diabetes. However, a loss of just 10 pounds will help lower cholesterol and high blood pressure. But for best results, you need to shed all of your excess poundage. For most people, I recommend getting back to the weight you were when you graduated from high school- as a long term goal. Short-term: loosing just a few pounds before the holidays will prevent you from gaining unnecessaryexcessweight and it may even help in curbing your appetite.
• Follow a plant-based, whole-foods diet.
  Eating meals composed predominantly of fruits, vegetables, and healthy protein sources like legumes, nuts, and soy not only helps you shed pounds, but also regulatescholesterol,blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. The easiest way to do this is to shop from the outer section of the supermarket, and avoid the inner aisles, where all the processed food is found.
• Walk at least one hour a day. A regular exercise program, especially right up to the holidays, is key to maintaining peak heart health. When you walk at least one hour a day, you not only help prevent high blood pressure and diabetes, but your body also creates tiny,collateral blood vesselsthat promote alternative paths for the flow of blood from your heart — preventing a heart attack.