Surviving the Sugar Carbs of the Holidays
December 13, 2004
By: Dr. Sonja Pettersen N.M.D.

We all know that excess carbs are "bad" and refined carbs are down right "evil", but it’s the holiday season and although our intentions may be "pure", we are mere mortals and still have to face the challenge of temptation at social functions.

Whether it’s the pumpkin pie, the butter tarts or the chocolate martinis that tie our hands and force themselves upon us, our bodies are likely to come across more carbs than they are used to. So here are some ways to help combat the harmful effects of sugars after you have consumed them.

First, drink lots of pure water, especially if your temptation is the alcohol variety. The water will also allow you to process the carbs (and the sodium) better and help prevent you from eating too much more.

Second, try to balance carbs and protein so have a scoop of whey protein powder to help maintain equilibrium, to fill you up, and for its immune-boosting benefits.

Sugars use up B vitamins so taking a multi-B vitamin is a great way to help the enzymes have all the cofactors they need to handle the sugar.

Many minerals, including zinc, magnesium and chromium are also important in blood sugar regulation so taking a multi-mineral will help too. Vanadyl sulfate, vitamin E, biotin, taurine, calcium and CoQ 10 are other nutrients that help with sugar handling. Many supplement companies make a combination to help maintain healthy blood sugars. We use Biotics’ Bio-Glycozyme Forte or GlucoBalance and Metagenics Metaglycemics.

Glutamine is great to prevent the sugar cravings and to help the gut handle the odd combination of party foods you may encounter.

Choose some high-fiber snacks to help slow the rise in blood sugar. Vegetables are an excellent choice since they will also have other beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Taking an additional antioxidant supplement will also help protect your tissues from the damages of sugar and alcohol. There are many choices available, alpha-lipoic acid is great for insulin sensitivity and an antioxidant.

Fish oils will decrease carb cravings and will help the sugar be stored in the muscle and not as fat. It will also help to block sugar absorption and helps burn fat. In addition, it is an anti-inflammatory to help combat the side-effects of “bad” foods.

There are also excellent botanicals to help manage sugars. Fenugreek is one we use often since it helps to slow the absorption of sugar from the gut and increase insulin receptors so the sugar can be put away much quicker. Another great herb is gymnema sylvestre which translates from Hindi to sugar destroyer. It works very well to lower blood sugars so must be used with medical supervision. If taken before a meal, you will not even taste the sugar in the food, so it won’t be nearly as appealing and prevent you from over-indulging. Bitter gourd and banaba tree are other botanicals we use too.

My personal favourite is a greens supplement. A scoop of greens in a glass of cold water is a great way to prevent the "sugar bomb" effect. I have found that the best tasting one on the market is Greens First by Doctor Greens (even my four year old will drink it if I add lemon juice).

If you didn’t pack your supplements and you are eating and drinking anyways, choose red wine for the powerful antioxidant, resveratrol, and then choose veggies and fish for good sources of minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids and protein. Add plenty of clean water and you should manage just fine.

Of course, prevention is always the best medicine and avoiding refined carbs would be the easiest way to maintain your body comp. On the other hand, I am a firm believer in feeding the soul and if eggnog and shortbread are part of your family tradition then savour every morsel (in moderation) and use some of the strategies listed above to help your body handle the "spirit" of the holiday.

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