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Healthier World with Quest Diagnostics
28 - Actions from insight: Spotlight on healthy holidays (24 min)
00:24:28
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Welcome to Healthier World with Quest Diagnostics. Our goal is to prompt action from Insight as we keep you up to date on current clinical and diagnostic topics in cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine and wellness medicine. Happy holidays everyone. From all of us here at Quest Diagnostics, we've loved spending this year with you and today we're really excited to bring you a special holiday episode. I'm joined today by Patty Bianchi, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator. And we're going to talk today about simple and realistic ways that we can stay mindful and feel our best throughout the holiday season. The holidays are a beautiful time. It's a chance to slow down, take in what matters most and connect with the people that we care about at the same time. This season can also bring a bit of chaos, shifted routines, rich foods and the usual year end stress. Today we're going to focus on how to find the positive in all of this chaos with evidence based habits that support cardiometabolic health while still letting you fully enjoy this season. Welcome, Patty. Thanks for being here with me today.
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Thanks for having me, Mason.
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So I know you've been on the podcast before, Patty, but I would love for you to take this opportunity to reintroduce yourself to the audience. Tell us a little bit more about what you do day to day here at Quest Diagnostics.
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Yes, again, my name is Patty Bianchi. I'm a clinical educator here with the For My Heart program as part of the Cardiometabolic center of Excellence at Cleveland Heart Lab. And I work with our patients one on one while making lifestyle changes to benefit their cardiometabolic health.
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Well, it's so great to have you on today, Patty. We know that the holidays can be a very exciting time. It's a time of celebration. But I want to touch on the other side of the holiday season too. Let's face it, this is sometimes a very high stress time of year. Sometimes financially, sometimes mentally. It's hard to keep your daily routines, keep your physical activity up and this disruption in routines for ourselves and for our families, it can be challenging. What are some of the challenges that you see your patients facing around this holiday season?
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Thanks, Mason. I think you nailed it. The holidays, yes, they are truly a magical time of year. Whether you're searching for the perfect gift for that special loved one. Right. Incorporating these time honored traditions from generations past or gathering with loved ones, all of these things are wonderful. But it really adds to a very long to do list. And you're not alone. Actually, 63% of people report feeling too much pressure around the holidays. And during this time of year, like you said, we face so many challenges that typically don't occur at other times of the year. Whether it's a busy schedule or even an irregular schedule, possibly more social events, parties, whether it's a work holiday party or maybe even it's festive activities with your kids. There's more travel if your family isn't local, and then therefore that impacts your sleep, especially if you're traveling in different time zones. Maybe it's just even staying up later to wrap gifts. And let's not also forget the amount of food overload that's also around during this time of year. People are generally eating out more. They're going to holiday parties. There's just more treats around in the office. This leads to this over consumption of salt, sweets, alcohol, and unfortunately, that can show on the scale our waistline. And also, unfortunately, Maybe in our 2026 cardiometabolic test numbers, whether it's an ELEV, LDL or APOB, or possibly our A1C level as well. So I think something that might surprise listeners is that the average weight gain during the holiday season is anywhere between 0.8 pounds to just under 2 pounds. So I think most people think it's significantly more weight than that between Thanksgiving through New Year's. Unfortunately, though, those who are already overweight or have obesity, they're more likely to gain more than those who are at a healthy weight. I know it goes without saying that weight gain increases our risk of a long list of serious medical conditions, whether it's heart disease, high blood pressure, or even cancers, and even our mental health. So really, the best way to handle weight gain during the holiday is to really not gain it in the first place. I know, I know. Easier said than done, that's for sure. But hopefully, as we talk through some tips, our listeners can feel more confident going into the holiday season.
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Yeah, absolutely. And I think knowledge is power, right? So bringing these tips to the forefront right around the holiday season is going to help to navigate and ground our listeners in what really matters most over the holiday season. Now, I want to zoom in on some of the challenges that you posed here. One not so fun fact that I heard you recently mention is that some of these special drinks, for example, the Starbucks Tall Peppermint Mocha contains as much added Sugar as approximately 9 Oreos. Wow, that's insane to think about. And I, I don't think that that should deter our listeners from enjoying special moments around the holiday season. But unfortunately, Sugar around the holidays does count as much as we don't want it to. So I was wondering, Patty, do you have some tips and tricks that you can share with us about how to navigate all the extra sugar that's surrounding us around the holiday season?
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That's a perfect example, Mason, of just how holiday treats and drinks add up. Something so innocent, right? You're shopping with a friend, your mom, and you grab a quick Starbucks and think about how often that can happen, right? And then in addition, there are sweets all over the place. The work break rooms become these coffee filled minefields, you know, family parties. I don't know about yours, but mine have entire, entire rooms full of desserts. And it just seems that everywhere you turn there's a little gingerbread cookie calling your name. But it is possible for you to enjoy your favorite treats without feeling completely out of control. So I think first and foremost is we need to ditch that all or nothing mentality, right? Complete avoidance restriction is hard and ultimately that just leads to overeating when we finally give in to that sweet treat. Let's face it, we've all been there, myself included. So I think what's important is we have to decide what's worth it and really what's not. So I don't know about you, but not all sweets are created equal in my book. So what's more satisfying is it, is it Nana's pecan pie that she makes once a year? Is it that chocolate cake pop that you find every day in your local coffee shop that you can have any time during the year? So I think it's important to, when you do indulge, take that time to really savor those flavors. Enjoy the treat, don't have any distractions, maybe don't sit there in your car and scarf it down, right? Because really then you're not enjoying it. Also pay attention to how you feel after eating that sweet treat. You know, a piece of pie, a small cookie that's not really going to make or break anything or affect you much. But what about sometimes overdoing it and eating the box of chocolates, right? I don't think we're feeling so great after that. So I encourage you to remember those feelings to help you keep your sweets in check. And lastly, I think what's important is indulge without regret. The holidays are a once in a year time to enjoy your favorite treats. So allow yourself that indulgence because guilt, shame, it just doesn't help us all in the long run.
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Yeah, I think that's a really Great point to give ourselves grace over the holidays and realize, hey, that piece of pie is not going to make or break my entire year. But do consider how you feel afterward, right? I love that. Now, in addition to being bombarded with sweet treats around the holiday season, there's also a high abundance of very rich foods. These meals over the holidays that we eat with family and friends. Can you tell us a little bit about some tips and tricks that you may have about being mindful of our food choices around the holiday season?
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Oh, I'd love to. So there's lots of things that you can do to really enjoy the season without feeling regret come January 1, right? So I can't stress this one enough. Please do not skip meals. It's super tempting to want to skip breakfast, maybe even lunch, and kind of save and stock all those calories for that holiday dinner or holiday party that's coming up in the evening. Let's face it, we have all done that again, myself included. But as we know, it backfires on us, right? So we get to that meal or that party and we are ravenous. Which leads us to one make poor food choices and then on top of it, overeat on these poor food choices. So, you know, respect your body. Eat balanced meals throughout the day that include fiber, rich foods, healthy proteins, healthy fat. Treat it like any other day of the week. Just because it's a Tuesday and the holiday dinner is coming up at night, it should still be treated as just a Tuesday. So I would stick to eating your three square meals a day as well. So I would also want to take this tip just a step further and encourage you to keep your distance from that food table. It really helps to avoid any type of like mindless picking or mindless eating. You know, as the saying goes at a site at a mind, right? So if our back is to that table, we're not going to sit there and pick on that piece of cheese that we've been eyeing. Even though, guess what? You don't even want that piece of cheese. It's just something to do. So if you're prone to picking at food after you've eaten, you may even want to pop a mint or maybe a piece of gum just to keep your mouth busy. I will be honest with you, I use this one pretty often just because I feel like I need to keep my mouth busy and it prevents me from picking on other things that can be on your table. Another tip I always like to touch on observe before you serve. Assess the situation. Look at all the food that's available before you put it on your plate. So what's most appetizing to you? Determine what will you say yes to and what are you going to skip. And honestly, don't even put food on your plate until you know you have a game plan and you can commit to that. I also would suggest watching out for second helpings, right? Did you know that it does take 20 minutes for your stomach to talk to your brain and say, hey Patty, hey Mason, I'm getting full, I don't need anymore. So after finishing your first helping, take that 20 minute break, go have a conversation with someone, go grab a glass of water, I don't know, scroll on your phone, whatever, whatever you can do to waste 20 minutes and then check in on your appetite. You might realize that you're full at that point and you don't need anything else. Or you might say, you know what, I still want something else. But it could be a small portion of a second helping versus maybe before when you just dug right in. Could be another plateful. And how can I not bring up fiber just yet again? So the combination of fat, salt, sugar in many of these foods that are served during the holidays, unfortunately it drives the desire for us to eat more. We all know this. So instead, if we focus on fiber rich foods and healthy sources of protein, it helps to keep us full. And what that does is it stabilizes our blood sugars. Right? There's a science behind eating too. So start with the salad, start with the vegetable crudida, the roasted vegetables. Add in some lean turkey or fish on that plate and then leave some room, maybe even just a small amount, for your favorite sides to indulge in. Lastly, I really encourage people to practice mindful eating and listen to your hunger cues. So really, this tip isn't just a holiday tip, right? This is a tip that we can really apply year round. It's easy to reach for food without even thinking twice about it, especially if you have treats sitting on the counter all day long. Think about if you're working from home, right? It's not even holiday time, but if there's something out on your countertop, there's only so many times you can pass it, where eventually, maybe the third or the fourth time, you just give in and you eat it and you may not have even wanted it. So when we eat mindlessly, it's really difficult for our body to realize, hey, I've had enough to eat. And we often end up eating more and also to the point of feeling uncomfortable. So, you know, pay attention to the flavors, the smells, the textures of the food you're eating. Even at a busy dinner party, you can work on setting your utensil down every couple bites to really fully enjoy the food. Really fully chew what is in your mouth before you pick up that utensil again. I realize that this can be a tough one, as many of us have been raised by our parents. Like, clean your plate, you can't get up from the table. But things are changing, right? And we know better nowadays, just like anything in life here. So I really encourage you to, to stop and ask yourself, am I still hungry?
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Yeah, those are some really great tips. Asking yourself, are you still hungry? And what do you really need in that moment? And along those lines, it's really important to practice moderation with alcohol intake over the holidays, which can be a challenge. How about any tips and tricks that you might have for alcohol consumption over this holiday season?
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I always encourage people, before heading to a holiday event or even your Christmas Day dinner, you know, take a moment and set a limit for yourself. So you might want to consider asking yourself, how much alcohol, if any, do I want to consume tonight? Also, pace yourself. You can alternate that alcoholic beverage with a non alcoholic option like sparkling water with maybe a twist of lime. It's just a great way to pace yourself when you're at these parties for four, four plus hours. Basically.
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Some really excellent points. I appreciate that. So to summarize a little bit here, be mindful of what you're being served, where you sit. Don't skip meals. Those are all really great recommendations. And in particular, I appreciated the advice to sit further from the table. It prevents me from, you know, snatching up an extra dinner roll. And also your advice on waiting 20 minutes before serving yourself a second helping, allowing your stomach to tell your brain, hey, I'm full. And I want to go back to something that you said about being mindful of both your alcohol consumption and your food consumption. And I want to expand on that because I do think that it's relevant in other areas as well. The holidays can bring a lot of pressure, right? Gift giving, spending money, overwhelming schedules, and sometimes even grief and loneliness that can creep up during this time of year. Let's talk about how you might help your patients stay grounded during this hectic time of year.
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You said it, Mason. The holiday season definitely brings joy, it brings happiness, but with a side of stress, right? And it doesn't matter that that side of stress comes with twinkling lights. It's still stress at the end of the day. So many Demands on our time, shopping, cleaning, entertaining parties. And maybe you're even responsible for the magic of it. All right, let's say if you have small children, holiday stress really looks pretty similar to day to day stress and how we feel, right? Whether we're more irritable or maybe can't fall asleep because we're thinking about everything we need to do. The one thing I will reinforce time and again is learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no really just leaves us feeling overwhelmed. So people will understand. If you can't participate in everything, maybe just try saying yes to the events and the things that will bring you joy, not just because it makes somebody else happy. I also think we need to be realistic during this time of year. You know, the holidays don't have to be perfect. They don't have to be exactly like last year. Things change, families change, traditions and rituals can change too, and that's okay. Even our finances, right? We need to keep those in check. We have to be realistic in what we can afford. I know it might sound very cliche and maybe cheesy, but the sentiment behind the gift is more important than the cost. We all know that. I think sometimes we just get caught up in what society wants us to do and do something for yourself. Give back to yourself. I know there's so much talk around self care, right? And there should be, we should be talking about that. We need to set aside some time to do things that we truly enjoy. It can be something as simple as just stepping out on your front porch and taking a few deep breaths and having the sun fall on your face and feeling the warmth around it during this cold time of year. And lastly, I think don't lose sight of what really matters. We talk a lot about gratitude this time of year, right? And research shows us that practicing gratitude just has so many benefits for our health. Whether it's reducing depression, improving our blood pressure levels, and even our quality of sleep, or improving our mood as well. So this doesn't have to really take a lot of time. So something I encourage people to try to do is, you know, ask yourself questions to start to evoke some, some gratitude. So maybe you can even ask yourself, hey, what happened today that was good? Or what am I taking for granted in my life that I can be thankful for? Or which people in my life am I grateful for? You'd be surprised at what a list you could generate from just those simple questions you could be asking yourself.
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Yeah, and I actually resonate so much with that thought. It's really easy to get overwhelmed. But when I do take a step back and remember what it's all about, it's just so grounding. And I'm able to enjoy these crazy moments instead of feeling so overwhelmed by them. Another thing that I find myself doing around this time of year is feeling very scatterbrained. You know, I'm wrapping gifts, so I walk into the kitchen to get the tape, and then I see that the dishwasher hasn't been unloaded completely. So I finish that, and then I remember I have to change the laundry. And then, you know, all of these things are half done. And whenever I feel that way, that's a sign to myself that I need to take a step back, I need to go for a walk, I need to go for a run or do something physical, take a deep breath. And that can be yet another challenge over the holiday season when we're not home, maybe we're traveling or we're not in our daily routine, and we need to find that space and time to give back to ourselves. Do you have any advice on keeping physically active around this time of year?
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Sure. You know, it's hard enough to find time to exercise the rest of the year, but now add on the holidays to that mix, and many of us find that exercise becomes less of a priority on the to do list because it just grows longer and longer and. And actually we should be keeping it on our to do list because it's probably what's going to make us feel better at the end of the day. But there are a few things that we can do to make sure we fit it in. So first, people who are traveling, you can plan ahead, see what options are available in that area. You know, if you're staying with family or friends, maybe there's a local gym that you can get a guest pass to, or maybe your family has equipment that you could use right there, whether it's a treadmill or a StairMaster or elliptical of some sort. Maybe scope out outdoor options, right? Whether it's the trails, the parks, I get it. It's cold out. I totally understand. But guess what? They make gloves and they make hats for. So I say put it on and just run out there and enjoy the cold. And actually you'll warm up rather quickly. You may even want to consider packing a few resistance bands. And you can sneak in what I call kind of like a no frills type of workout. Maybe pull up a free YouTube video on your phone and really you're good to go. Check the box on that you know, don't overthink it. So let's face it, most of us may not be able to stick to our usual exercise routine. And again, as I said, that's okay. Don't get caught up in the oh, I'm not doing, doing enough type of thinking. Every little bit counts. So know what your plan is for your workout based on the amount of time that you have and the equipment that you have. So this tends to start to shift your mentality into I'm doing what I can with what I have and feel good about that. I also encourage you to schedule your workouts. I think this is a tip again, that is not just for this time of year, but for all during the year, carving out a specific time that you're going to exercise. You will be more likely to do it if it's on the calendar versus waking up and saying, I am going to work out today. And then guess what, Mason, like you said, you see the dishes sitting there, the laundry piling up, and then you're just not doing any of that at that point. So I encourage you to put it on the calendar. Take this even a step further. Try waking up even 20 minutes or 40 minutes early to get in a quick exercise session. You may even want to try to get an accountability partner to help you stick with, with your workouts even during the holiday season. But maybe that can even transition into January or February as well. Whether it's the neighbor down the block or friend or spouse. And ultimately use any opportunity to move. Take the extra laps at the mall, right? Take the stairs, march in place. I don't care if you do squats or push ups, pace on the phone. That's my thing. I can put earbuds in and I'm just pacing all over the place. And you'd be surprised. You look down and you're, you're 3,000 steps in and it's just, you didn't even feel like you did anything. And all these little things that you do daily just keep your body moving. And there's actually a name for it. It's what we call non exercise activity thermogenesis, or there's an acronym for that because that's way too long to say. It's called neat. N E A T. Neat activity can be just about anything that moves your body in some way. And it really helps you just burn some extra calories here and there and keeps you sitting less and just moving more. And maybe we need to start thinking about doing some neat during the holiday season.
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Yeah, there's actually a professional athlete that I recently heard say, don't let optimal get in the way of beneficial. And you know what? This month we need to remember that progress is progress, movement is movement. I appreciate you bringing that up because I do think that that's really important. Patty, thank you so much for chatting with me about some of the tips and tricks that you have and you share with your patients. It's always so illuminating. Do you have any final thoughts that we haven't covered today?
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Yeah. Just to piggyback on what you said, Mason, you know, don't overwhelm yourself. Consider choosing one or two tips that we discussed today to focus on during the holiday season. You know, pay attention to what's important. I know food plays a really big role during the holidays, but start to shift that focus as well on family, friends, laughter. Gosh, we could all use a lot of laughter any time of the year. Then give yourself some grace. So if you let some of your healthy habits slip this holiday season, you don't need to feel shame. Being healthy is a journey, and one season doesn't define your success.
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Wonderfully put. Well, thank you so much, Patty. Thanks for coming on and sharing your tips with us.
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Until next time, thanks again for having me, Mason.
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That's a wrap on this episode of Healthier World with Quest Diagnostics. Please follow us on your favorite podcast app and be sure to check out Quest Diagnostics Clinical Education center for more recent sources, including educational webinars and research publications. Thank you for joining us today as we work to create a healthier world one life at a time.