15:18 9th December 2017 | OverIndulge

Festive Season Holidays Balanced LifeStyle OverIndulging Long Periods Festive Feasting General Check-Up LifeStyle Choices Diabetes Pregnancy

Almost everybody looks forward to December and January holidays. These are usually times that call for spending quality time with loved ones, celebrating and lots of feasting – often all at once. Depending on traditions, religion and culture, an abundance of incredible dishes and sometimes alcoholic drinks may both be available for consumption. Long periods of resting and relaxation are also common.

Festive Season Struggles

Living a balanced lifestyle and enjoying things in moderation are both already difficult in general, but during the festive season it may feel almost impossible to pass up a cookie, box of chocolates or an extra helping of those side dishes you only eat during that time of year. Then there is the question of exercising. After overindulging, the last thing many people probably want to do is exercise. Or, there are so many outings planned and events to attend that exercising is the last thing on one’s mind. Long periods of resting are also very tempting.

What are the Risks of Overindulging?

Overindulging can lead to bloating, fatigue, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. Over the long term, frequent overindulging can pose numerous health risks – including the development of diabetes – which is on the rise in Nigeria. Diabetes can be fatal when not diagnosed, treated and frequently monitored.

CURRENTLY, NEARLY FIVE MILLION NIGERIANS SUFFER FROM DIABETES.

Festive Season Feasting Tips

It might not seem important, but thinking about your diet and trying to control your holiday habits can greatly benefit your health in the short term and long term. Here are a few tips to consider:

1. Choose certain days to indulge, but do not overindulge! Then, try to eat balanced meals on other days.
2. Plan meals for your ‘balanced’ days to avoid choosing convenient options that might not be as healthy.
3. Make sure you have healthy snacks to keep you satisfied in between meals and to help ensure that you do not overeat when it is time for the next substantial meal.
4. Before choosing a restaurant or café when you want to dine out, look at the menus online or contact the establishments to find out if there are healthy meals available.
5. Your routine might be quite different during the holidays, so do not forget to take prescription medicines (for example cholesterol and blood pressure meds) or to test your heart rate, blood pressure or glucose levels, if you have to do this daily. To be safe, set reminders, preferably on your phone if you always have it on you. Also, make sure you have enough medicine (and take a valid and current prescription with you) if you plan on spending the holidays away from home.
6. Make time to exercise. If you can get into the habit of exercising first thing in the morning, even better. Get friends and family involved to make it easier and more fun.
7. If you drink alcohol, you should enjoy it in moderation. Try to choose beverages with fewer calories and lower alcohol content. Overindulging, drinking on an empty stomach and neglecting to hydrate can all have dangerous consequences.

Take Control of Your Health

At Bridge Clinic we believe in educating our patients about healthy lifestyle choices as part of our preventative care philosophy. Early diagnosis of certain diseases and conditions allows for treatment and management of these diseases and conditions to help ensure a better quality of life.

We offer various screening procedures to detect and diagnose conditions such as diabetes. To test for diabetes we measure the amount of glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream.

Diabetes and Pregnancy

Mothers who suffer from diabetes during pregnancy are at increased risk for preeclampsia, a potentially fatal disorder. Babies born to mothers with diabetes are at higher risk for obesity as well as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease when they reach adulthood.

Get in Touch Today

Put your health and the health of your family first. Book an appointment to visit our Medicentre before and after the festive season for check-ups and routine tests. Doing this also has the added benefit of bolstering your chances of conception too!

Email: enquiries@thebridgeclinic.com
Call:    01 631 0092 / +234 (0)1 631 0092

Visit:   66 Oduduwa Way, Ikeja GRA

Book Appointment

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