The general notion is that the holidays mean feasting and merrymaking, plus the unwanted calories, added weight, and heart or high blood sugar problems.

Let’s focus on your heart, because if you keep it strong, everything else will follow. A point of reference: the No. 1 cause of death in the Philippines is heart attack, and the greatest predisposing factor is stress.

Unless and until it is urgently needed, most would-be heart patients fear having heart by-pass surgery. There have been many cases of successful heart surgeries but many people also experience side effects like changes in mood and personality, partial memory loss and disorientation.

Contrary to common belief, Christmas is the most stressful time of the year. According to Dr. Chris Enriquez, a cardiologist from the Yale School of Medicine and head of the Philippine-based Rapha Health (tel. no. 7573335), a lot of people are not merry, and instead are depressed.

The alarming revelation is that depression is the top cause of suicide worldwide. Medical emergencies during this season include heart attack, stroke, bleeding (from physical injuries caused by accidents), and allergic reactions to food or drugs.

So, how does one manage to celebrate Christmas minus the downside?

Balanced meal

1) Family and friends—bonding time is important, especially being surrounded by those who love you.

2) Eat right—don’t forget your “greens.” You may eat your favorite dishes, whether they are dripping in fat or not—but always have a balanced meal. Never have one kind of dish more than the other.

Whole foods—go for natural and unadulterated. This means fresh greens and fruits. If a certain food is available, for example, an apple, don’t go for the canned version. Or, instead of french fries, eat baked potato instead.

Complex carbohydrates—they can help you lose weight. Include the following in your diet: salad, vegetables, onions, carrots, garlic, fruits, rice (brown, red, purple, black), and beans.

Protein—keep it lean, and not too frequent. Eat one low-protein meal a day, if you cannot be a vegetarian once a day.

Give your heart a break

Heart food—nutrition is the single most important component for heart disease prevention. Julian Whitaker, M.D., author of “Is Heart Surgery Necessary?” strongly emphasizes this fact.

If you go vegetarian twice a week, your kidneys will be less burdened. In short, you are giving them a break.

Water flush—drink 10-15 glasses of water daily. The best would be two glasses upon waking up, one glass between meals, two glasses 30 minutes before lunch, three glasses between lunch and dinner, one glass 30 minutes before dinner, and one to two glasses one hour after dinner.

Butter—while it is high in cholesterol and saturated fats, it is better than margarine. Why? Because margarine is hydrogenated, raises your LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL (good cholesterol). Hydrogenation is the process of converting a vegetable oil into solid form by introducing a

hydrogen atom, which changes the fat molecule. Use cooking oil sparingly.

Best oil—flaxseed oils rank highest in omega 3 at 57 percent.

Go fish—make the fatty fish from the sea your main meal. Supplement with omega 3 or flax oil capsules to ensure heart protection. Include coenzyme Q10 in your daily multi-vitamins and minerals regimen.

3) Stay calm—maintain an attitude of calmness in every way despite the stress of rush shopping, drawing up gift lists, the chaos of delivering these gifts, kitchen preparations—all these while having to appear in charge and in control.

4) Quiet time—give yourself adequate “me” time. Sitting quietly in a corner to reflect on the blessings of your life is enough to lift your spirits.

5) Give—if you give with no expectations of receiving, your pleasant surprises will grow a thousandfold. Give, if only to see a smile on the face of the recipient.

6) Drink moderately—what is moderate to one could be lethal to another. Use your common sense. Drink to feel good but not up to the point of drunkenness.

7) Exercise—if you don’t have time to hit the gym, brisk walk for 24 minutes or jump 100 times on a rebounder. Go biking, you can enjoy it as a group or lone sport.

8) Change your scenery—exchange the asphalt jungle for a real forest or seashore. A change of surroundings guarantees cleaner air and a more relaxed you.

This week’s affirmation: “I am a great giver.”

Love and light!

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