How to reduce stress before Holiday season?

Summary: How can you reduce stress before the holidays?

The column discusses tips for better managing stress and overeating during the holidays: starting meals with a salad to stabilize blood sugar levels, using small plates to control portions, and eating lightly before a party to avoid excessive hunger.

Lynn Goneau stresses the importance of staying hydrated by drinking water between alcoholic drinks, and of not skipping meals to maintain glycemic balance. Cortisol, the stress hormone, is also mentioned for its negative effects on health, notably the accumulation of abdominal fat. Finally, Lynn Goneau recommends supplements to support the brain, improve memory and promote restful sleep available from La Boite à Grains.

1. Holiday food tips :

• Start with a salad: rich in fiber, it slows carbohydrate absorption and stabilizes blood sugar levels.
• Use small plates: for smaller portions and slower eating.
• Eat lightly before a party: Avoid overeating out of excessive hunger. For example, an apple and some nuts may be enough.

2. Hydration and alcohol management:

• Drink water (or non-alcoholic beverages such as sparkling water) between each alcoholic drink to limit dehydration and its effects the next day.

3. Maintain regular meals:

• Don't skip meals to "save" calories: this disrupts blood sugar levels and can lead to uncontrolled bingeing.

4. Stress and cortisol:

• Cortisol, the stress hormone, can cause insomnia, negative emotions and promote the accumulation of abdominal fat. It's important to manage sources of stress, even those perceived as positive.

5. Recommended supplements :

• Brilliant mind Source of omega-3 for cognition and cardiovascular health.
• Memory Boost improves memory and concentration.
• Restorative sleep Helps calm restlessness and promotes quality sleep.

To remember:

Dealing with stress and excess during the festive season requires thoughtful choices, both on the plate and in daily habits.

About the author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specialized in :

• Digestive health
• Hormonal health
• Stress and fatigue
• Memory and concentration
• Weight management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host at 104.7 FM

Radio host at 104.7 FM on the Cogeco network. Frédéric Bisson has hosted L'Outaouais Maintenant from 3 to 5 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcription

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM: 

We'd like to think that we're heading towards a period where we can lie back, rest and relax during the holiday season, but it always ends up being a rather stressful, very stressful time for some people. I'm talking about me, who's a bit of a wild child and doesn't really like parties. Lynn Goneau naturopath in La Boite à Grains is with us to talk about it. Hello.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Hello Fred.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

You have to avoid stress, but that's not always possible. So when you're stuck in that situation, you have a few tricks to help you manage it better.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Especially when we get to the holiday season, it's always a little marathon before we get there with all the tasks we have to do, especially when we see in the meals when we go to parties, then we have to eat big meals.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Sometimes we eat too much, then it hurts us for the next few days and all that. So I love your first trick. Start with a little salad.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Well, it's a fact of life to start with a salad. It's full of vitamins and minerals. Above all, it's the fiber. That's what's most interesting about a salad, because it fills up your stomach. It'll even make a little net in your stomach. So all the carbohydrates and sugars you're going to want to consume afterwards will enter the bloodstream more slowly. So they won't raise your glycemic index as much.

Another trick is to take smaller portions. To do this, you can use smaller plates, even if your plate is smaller. You'll take more time to savor the food. That's a good

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

That's a good trick. If you feel you haven't made enough food for the visit, that, small plates like that, they eat less anyway. That's true, that's true. This is good.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, we don't eat too fast either because the plate is smaller. It feels like you don't have much. We'll take the time to savour it.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

But you shouldn't go to a place like that when you're really hungry and your stomach is screaming.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

No? Actually, I have a little trick, Fred, and I often do it before going to parties like this, and that's that I'll eat lightly before I leave. I know that when I get there, I won't be afraid of starving, of being the first in line, of getting food.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Direct in the fridge.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

It can be nuts with an apple. It makes a little base. It's even better because when I arrive in the evening, it makes a little base for my first consumption.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Also, yes.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Because when you skip meals or go a long time without eating, and then you come in and take a drink, you know how hard it hits.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Yes, it's often unfortunate. But speaking of liquid alcohol consumption, it's not what hydrates us.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

You are dehydrated. Fred, it's very important to stay hydrated and to drink a nice, big glass of water between drinks. It can be, it can also be Perrier if you prefer bubbles, but at least to hydrate, that's always my thing. It's a glass of water for every drink.

Because that's really what makes it a bit harder the next day. It's the fact that you're really dehydrated.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

I'm learning that not eating too much beforehand to save space and then taking in more calories during a meal isn't a good idea.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

No, actually, skipping meals to allow yourself to eat more. When you get to the party, that's going to affect your blood sugar. Fred pilots. You're so hungry, because your blood sugar has often gone off the rails by then. You're going to eat just about anything. You can even end up with hypoglycemia or be a little unbalanced, so it's not ideal. Stick to three meals a day, then skip one because you're going to get drunk at a party.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Okay, good. But cortisol, the stress hormone. What does it have to do with anything?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

We all agree that cortisol is the main hormone associated with stress. When we're stressed, well, cortisol comes out in large quantities. If you increase cortisol, just a little, once in a while, that's acceptable. But when all the time, cortisol in the ceiling, that's where it causes insomnia problems. It could be negative emotions. And often yes, we don't associate it all the time, but it's excess abdominal fat. That's how you get a big belly, with stress, hormones, especially cortisol. We see it in both men and women. When they are, there's stress, fresh in not just negative stress. It can be positive stress.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Some supplements to recommend, especially for this time of year, for the stress and all that it brings.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, then in fact, there is the innovative formula of 3 Brains company. This is a Canadian company that offers products based on the connection of the body's three brains. So we're talking about the heart, the intestine and the brain, and they've come out with a product called Esprit brillant. This is a really great source of omega-3. It will help support both cognitive and cardiovascular functions. The other product is Memory Boost, which will boost memory and concentration with nutrients to supply the brain with energy and antioxidants to protect the brain against the notorious free radicals. And the third product, Sommeil réparateur, has a fine combination of herbs to promote good sleep, particularly in cases of agitation or mental stress.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Well, if we want to know more about that, we'll see you at La Boite à Grains, we can ask you questions about anything.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, indeed, I am at La Boite à grains Tuesdays at the Gatineau branch, from 12pm to 5pm. It's a pleasure for me to meet people and discuss any health-related issues they may have.