November, December and January bring bountiful holiday meals.

While it’s tempting to chow down, experts are cautioning about how overindulgence can make you feel mentally and physically crummy in the moment, plus open the door to long-term unhealthy eating habits.

Have the right mindset

Andrew Zasada, MD, provides emergency department care at OSF HealthCare. He says avoiding stuffing yourself starts before you sit down for the meal.

“If you come to the meal hungry, you tend to try to make up for not having breakfast. You load your plate up, which is going to cause you to overeat,” Dr. Zasada says. “Instead, have a light snack an hour or two before you sit down to the meal.

“Put the food in one room and sit down in another room to eat. That necessitates you going there rather than having food available for another fill.”

The meal itself

Enjoy holiday meals, Dr. Zasada says. It’s not a race.

Grab a smaller plate, and take smaller portions of each item. Pretend you’re filling the plate up for a child. You wouldn’t take five rolls and two big slabs of meat for a youngster, so don’t do it for your adult self.

Other tips: Chew slowly. Between bites, put your utensil down, take a drink of water and talk to someone. This allows your stomach to fill up and tell your brain that you’re full.

When you finish eating, leave the table, and go to another room. Staying next to the food increases the temptation to keep nibbling.

If you can’t help it

Dr. Zasada says despite our best efforts, sometimes you overeat during holiday meals. Maybe you don’t want to offend your aunt by not having a slice of her famous pie.

If that happens, Dr. Zasada says there are two pitfalls to avoid: Drinking alcohol and lying down right after the meal.

“That opens up the sphincters of your stomach, slows down digestion and increases the chance for heartburn,” Dr. Zasada says.

Try tea or coffee after a meal instead of alcohol. But if you must indulge in a spirit, Dr. Zasada says to wait at least 90 minutes so your stomach can partially empty.

Instead of lying down for that post-meal nap, sit upright, talk to people or play a game. If the weather is nice, go for a walk.

A word on more serious eating issues

Holiday meals may be difficult for people who suffer from eating disorders, such as binge eating (eating a lot in one sitting and feeling you can’t stop), anorexia nervosa (an unwarranted fear of being overweight which leads to things like starvation) or bulimia nervosa (taking unhealthy steps to avoid weight gain like purging your food).

Dr. Zasada says, in the moment, you should have someone you trust who can help you through the holiday meal and check in with you later. Long term, he says these are serious issues that should be talked about with a health care provider.

“Repeated bulimia will damage your teeth. It’s corrosive. You lose electrolytes when you vomit,” Dr. Zasada says. “You become sick. If you do this repeatedly, you will lose weight in an unhealthy way. You will possibly dehydrate. You will start losing muscle mass.

“It’s just not a good thing.”

Bottom line: Don’t get discouraged

Dr. Zasada says one day of extra eating may make you feel bad, but it isn’t going to derail your overall health.

“One day won’t make you fat,” he says.

Get back into your healthy eating habits the next day while enjoying those leftovers in moderation. If you feel you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight or body image, talk to your primary care provider. They may refer you to a specialist like a dietitian or mental health provider. From there, plans could include a diet and exercise regimen, medication or, in rare cases, weight loss surgery.

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Have a plan.

It's something any health care provider will tell a person with diabetes. Plan your meals and know your body’s red flags and know how to respond. Then, you’re best able to enjoy meals, whether at home, work or out with friends.

Nikki McBeath, RN, BSN, a diabetes resource educator at OSF HealthCare, agrees. She’s sharing tips for a diabetes-friendly lunch that keep your blood sugar in check.

• Generally, McBeath says to choose foods that are high in protein, fiber and healthy fats. Healthy fats can be found in avocados, nuts, seeds, fish, peanut butter and olive oil. Avoid unhealthy fats, like processed meat, fried foods, full-fat dairy, coconut oil and palm oil.
   
• Take Sunday night to meal prep for the week. Then, you don’t have to think about your food choices. It doesn’t have to be a daunting task, McBeath says.
  
  “With a lot of the patients I see, I recommend going to the store and getting steamable bags of vegetables. It’s super easy. You put it in the microwave for three minutes,” McBeath recalls. “There are lots of simple versions of foods. Get them [at the store], and make them quickly at home. It’s easier than people think. They just have to be on the lookout at the store.”
  
  Simple-to-make bagged chicken is another healthy grocery store choice. In fact, a favorite dish of McBeath’s is garlic chicken, Brussels sprouts and brown rice. The American Diabetes Association also has healthy eating tips.
   
• Eating lunch at a restaurant can present challenges. It’s a limited menu, and there’s temptation to lather your morsels in sauces and dressings.
  
  “Go to restaurants that let you substitute ingredients or ask your meal be cooked a certain way. Ask how things are prepared,” McBeath suggests. “Avoid fried foods. Ask for light or fat free dressing. Be mindful of the extra calories that come with big portions.”
  
  When the waiter or waitress asks about dessert, McBeath says moderation is key. She says most desserts are high in carbohydrates due to high sugar, flour and dairy content.
  
  “Throughout the day, count your carbs. Leave some room [in your carb budget] for something sweet,” McBeath says. “Portion yourself. Have the dessert right after your meal. Don’t wait a couple hours because you might be hungry for more.
  
  “Try substitutions like dark chocolate for regular chocolate or white chocolate,” she adds. That’s because dark chocolate has less sugar substitute.
   
• Busy at work? Constantly on the go? Avoid making the fast food drive-through your second home. Instead, McBeath says you can choose a granola bar that’s high in protein, fiber and healthy fats. And watch the serving size. If it’s one or two bars, make that your meal, not the whole box.
  
  “Pair the granola bar with something like string cheese or peanut butter,” McBeath says. “Adding some fiber or protein can make it more of a meal and give it more of a balance for your blood sugar.”
   
• Know your body’s warning signs. Symptoms of high blood sugar, McBeath says, include dry mouth, increased urination and generally not feeling well. Low blood sugar, she says, is more concerning in the moment. You can feel shaky, anxious, have blurred vision and even pass out. So, always have supplies handy. You can eat hard candy, honey or glucose tablets as prescribed by a provider to counteract low blood sugar. Bring your glucose meter to lunch, too.
  
  “Better safe than sorry,” McBeath says.

Learn more

Visit the OSF HealthCare website for healthy recipes and more information about how to manage diabetes.

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Food deserts – neighborhoods that don’t have quick access to a grocery store with healthy options – are, sadly, nothing new. They lead to quick stops at the fast-food place or gas station, where healthy food may be at a premium.

But have you ever taken a deep dive into how food deserts can significantly impact a person’s health? And more importantly, what can be done about the problem?

Clare Spires, an exercise physiologist at OSF HealthCare, has some things to keep in mind. Spires also knows about food insecurity firsthand through her support of two OSF programs: Peace Meal, which provides meals in-home or at a central site to people 60 and older, and Smart Meals, which provides a meal kit for a family of four and teaches them to cook.

“We want diets high in fruits, vegetables and fiber and low in saturated fat. Gas stations and fast-food restaurants provide the flip side. They often provide no fruits and vegetables, food high in saturated fat and no good fiber food,” Spires says.

How to navigate food deserts

• Planning meals for the week is key, Spires says. Estimate how much food you’ll need and how much you have to spend.
   
• If you can’t help but go to the eatery or gas station often, choose healthier options.
  
  “I’ve found gas stations are very similar to grocery stores. As long as you stay on the outside perimeter, you’ll stay away from candy and chips that will be down an aisle,” Spires says. “When you walk in, there’s usually some sort of fresh fruit or vegetable right there. Pretzels are really great filling snacks. Nuts are good for you. You have granola bars too.”
  
  One caveat: Spires says to check labels of packaged salads at the gas station. She says they are often heavy on unhealthy preservatives.
  
  At restaurants, opt for a grilled chicken sandwich and water rather than a cheeseburger and soda. Spires also says healthy choices are sometimes hidden on the kid’s menu. Look there for things like apple slices, and make that your side instead of fries.
   
• When you can get to the grocery store, make wise choices. Spires suggests canned fruits and vegetables that have a long shelf life. For vegetables, look for options with low salt. You can also rinse the veggies at home to remove some of the salt. For fruit, look for options that are canned in 100% juice or water, not syrup.
   
• Consider creating a garden at home or advocating for a community garden in your neighborhood. Spires says this allows you to bank up healthy food for the winter. It’s also likely going to be cheaper, she says, given the rising cost of groceries. And working outside provides benefits to your physical and mental health, too.
  
  “It’s a little extra work, but it pays off in the long run,” Spires says.
   
• Talk with a dietitian, nutritionist or wellness expert about making diet changes.

How to help people who are struggling

Spires says everyone can help in the fight against food insecurity. Get to know your community so you know which groups are struggling, such as parents struggling to afford school lunches for their kids. Then, talk to health care groups, social service groups and government groups about changes. For example, it’s not uncommon for residents to encourage their city council to recruit a grocery store to town.

The consequences

Frequent meals from the gas station or drive through can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

“Fast food is notorious for being high in salt. Those foods retain water in our body and can lead to heart and lung problems,” Spires says.

Childhood obesity, Spires adds, is a big problem in the United States and can set kids up for a lifetime of health problems and doctor visits.

Learn more

If you have concerns about food insecurity, contact the OSF hospital near you to see if it offers a program like Peace Meal or Smart Meals. The OSF HealthCare website has healthy recipes.

Social service agencies or schools in your area can also help. Spires says food pantries typically are open to accommodate adults who work different shifts.

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Knowing food labels pays off

Back to school season has arrived. In addition to the nightly rituals of homework and making sure things are ready for the next day comes the daily “what will they eat for lunch” discussion. For some, that can be a struggle.

Being hungry has an enormous impact on a student’s ability to learn, so you want to make sure your child has enough to eat during the day. At the same time you want it to be healthy, but they have to want to eat it, too. It can be a delicate balance.

Shelby Miller is a pediatric dietitian with the University of Illinois College of Medicine. When it comes to school lunches, Miller says planning ahead is key. Most schools have a menu that is sent out. She encourages families to look at those menus and decide if what’s offered is something their child will eat or not. If they don’t eat lunch they can come home hungry and either eat a huge snack and won’t eat dinner. Or they just eat all night, which can lead to obesity.

Miller says it’s okay to send your child with some healthy extras to go along with the cafeteria lunch.

“If it’s chicken patty sandwich with green beans and a fruit and a milk and the kids like the sandwich and they like the fruit, but maybe they don’t like green beans, send them with some carrots. You can kind of fill that hole with something else,” Miller suggests. “Or if they don’t ever like the sides that go with the main dish, and you want them to have that main thing, whether it be the chicken sandwich or the cheeseburger or the pizza, it’s okay to always send something extra.”

If you pack your child’s lunch, Miller says to try to balance it with all of the food groups including fruits and vegetables, and don’t go overboard on grains. She says if your child doesn’t like the low-fat white milk offered, go for water. Even using flavor drops is okay. The occasional chocolate or strawberry milk often sold by schools is okay on occasion. Think of it as a once-a-week treat.

When it comes to high schoolers, one of the biggest issues is them skipping lunch altogether because they can’t get to the lunchroom with enough time to eat or they head straight to the a la cart lines with pizza, chips or sugary treats. Miller says while those are okay every once in a while, they shouldn’t an everyday occurrence.

“A lot of the high schools in the area do have like a salad bar option, so promoting that a couple times a week. But again it’s okay to have nachos every once in a while. It’s completely okay to have that pizza every once in a while. So coming up with one, maybe two days a week that you let yourself have that a la carte option. Otherwise packing a lunch, having that standard lunch that includes fruits and vegetables or picking from the salad bar line is going to be key,” said Miller.

Another key to making sure your child eats healthy is to make sure adults are setting a good example.

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