The Ideal Holiday Meal Plan

Wondering how to enjoy holiday treats without the guilt? Discover how nutrigenomic insights can tailor your diet and exercise for joyful, guilt-free holiday celebrations.

Are you dreading the holidays because you're worried about derailing your health goals?

Many people struggle to balance enjoying holiday treats while maintaining their wellness routines. This often leads to guilt, stress, and yo-yo dieting.

But what if you could indulge in holiday goodies without compromising your health? The key is understanding your unique genetic makeup and using that knowledge to make personalized nutrition choices.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU'LL DISCOVER:

• How to use nutrigenomic insights to navigate holiday eating
• Practical tips for balancing your plate based on your genetic predispositions
• Ways to customize your exercise and lifestyle choices for optimal health during the holidays

Get ready to enjoy the festivities fully without putting your health on the line!

Chapters

• 0:01 Navigating Holiday Health With Nutrigenomics
• 9:27 Maximizing Wellness During the Holiday Season

Transcript

Dr. Tamar: 0:01

High blood glucose not only contributes to weight problems and diabetes, but also accelerates aging and chronic inflammation, which are the basis of most severe chronic diseases. If you want to break the mold of traditional pharmacy and healthcare, you are in the right place. Welcome to the Pivoting Pharmacy with Nutrogenomics podcast, part of the Pharmacy Podcast Network. Here's a little truth bomb. We're all unique, down to our DNA, so it's no wonder we react differently to the same medications, foods and environment. Here's a million-dollar question how can you discover exactly what your body needs, which medication, what foods or supplements and which exercises are right for you? How can you manage chronic conditions like diabetes without more medications? How can you lose weight and keep it off? How do you tap into your genetic blueprints so you can stop surviving and start thriving in health and life? That is the question, and this podcast will give you the answer. I'm your host, dr Tamar Lawful, doctor of pharmacy. Let's pivot into genomics and bring healthcare to higher levels. Welcome back. We are kicking off part two of our Surviving Sugar Season series, so you can embrace the holidays without having to compromise on your health. I'm Dr Lawful, dr Pharmacy and Nutritional Genomics Specialist. Now the last episode we pulled back the curtain on nutrigenomics, diving deep into how our genes can totally shape what and how we should be eating. This week we're going all in. We're crafting your personal holiday survival playbook, because it's 100% doable to indulge in those holiday goodies without veering off your health highway. Let's dive right in. So remember how we talked about the importance of understanding your genetic makeup. Today we apply that knowledge. It's about using our nutrigenomic insights to navigate through the holiday season, traditionally filled with tempting but perhaps not so healthy choices. So personalizing your nutrition is on our agenda. Today. What I'm going to do is walk you through a section of a nutrigenomics report. So we're going to do some role play. Pretend that this is your report. You can download this portion of the report using the link in the show notes. So pause this podcast and click on the link in the show notes for the report and download it so you can follow along. Now this report is from 3x4 Genetics, which groups your genetic insights using a system and pathway-based approach. In this example, we're looking at the glucose-insulin pathway which, as per the report, would have a very high impact on your health outcomes. Remember, we're role-playing here, so pretend these are your results. We would want to look at the glucose-insulin pathway, because our cells run on glucose, which is a simple sugar obtained from the food we eat. High blood glucose not only contributes to weight problems and diabetes, but also accelerates aging and chronic inflammation, which are the basis of most severe chronic diseases. Then we have insulin. Insulin regulates the glucose levels, but its effectiveness is influenced by genes, weight, diet and lifestyle choices. So this part isn't shown on the sample report that I have for you, but your genetic blueprint, or nutrigenomic test, may show genetic variations in genes like the FTO, pparg and TCF7L2 genes. These genes affect the way your body responds to insulin and glucose. They affect your ability to lose weight, your food cravings and where fat will accumulate on your body. So now that you know you have these genes and they're the reason for how you feel when you eat certain foods or why you can't stop eating the barbecue, ribs, mashed potatoes and pecan pie, what can you do to make your genes work for you instead of against you?

Dr. Tamar: 4:14

Let's take a look at your report. You'll see that it identifies three areas diet, lifestyle supplements. These are three areas with very specific recommendations for you and only you. I'm not going to go into all the recommendations in detail. I encourage you to download the report. So let's look at some of the diet recommendations To support better glucose and insulin regulation.

Dr. Tamar: 4:41

The report says that you would want to balance the intake of protein, carbohydrates and fats. You can do this by cutting out added sugars and processed carbs. Prioritize whole grains, quality protein and add unsaturated fats like olives, nuts, seeds, avocado and coconut. What does this translate to for a holiday dinner? Well, for appetizer, you could have smoked salmon on whole grain crackers, or perhaps mixed nuts sprinkled with a touch of sea salt or herbs. For your main course, you could do roast turkey or baked chicken. These are both great sources of protein. Or, if you're vegetarian, do quinoa or brown rice pilaf with herbs and diced vegetables. As a side, you could do a salad of mixed greens with sliced avocado, pumpkin seeds and a vinaigrette dressing, or roasted potatoes or butternut squash with a dash of cinnamon. For dessert, a fruit salad featuring berries, apples and a sprinkle of unsweetened shredded coconut. I'm getting hungry as we speak. With all these food options, this isn't restrictive at all, is it? You've got options, healthy ones.

Dr. Tamar: 5:53

So, moving on to lifestyle changes, this part of the report suggests actions that can better manage the effect of stress on your blood sugar levels. So let's look into those behaviors. Pay attention to any medications you're taking that might impact your CoQ10 or B12, folate and chromium levels, because these impact blood glucose to some degree, especially chromium, which helps improve glucose tolerance and lower blood sugar levels. You can boost your insulin sensitivity by snacking less, trying out intermittent fasting think about 12 to 13 hours of fasting each night and getting into both endurance and strength training. And don't forget about keeping your stress in check, as stress influences your glucose levels. Making relaxation routines like daily rhythmic breathing and meditation a part of your life can really help. The final section includes supplement recommendations that could be used to support the regulation of blood glucose or reduce damage caused by high blood sugars. So check out the report. The link is in the show notes.

Dr. Tamar: 7:00

I do want to touch a little on exercise, because it's not only about what we eat. It's also about staying active and making lifestyle choices that align with your genetic predisposition. Perhaps your genes suggest that you'd benefit more from short, high intensity workouts, or maybe from gentle stress reducing exercises like yoga. This holiday season, it's about customizing your physical activities to stay fit, happy and healthy, even with the extra indulgences. Now picture this it's holiday season, thanksgiving is next week, friend, and your table is laden with scrumptious but sugary treats. Thanks to Nutrigenomic Insights, you now know which types of foods your body can better handle and how you can balance your plate. As we've just reviewed, nutrigenomics can help tailor your entire lifestyle, from diet to exercise and supplements to support your metabolism, mood and overall health during the holidays. It's like having a compass in a forest of food choices.

Dr. Tamar: 7:58

All right, let's get straight to the heart of it. The game changer is to eat with your genetic makeup not just in mind, but as your blueprint. Here's a boss move, friend. Kick things off by building your meals around those non-sugar, genetically blessed foods that leave you feeling full and fired up. Then, and only then, can you sprinkle in those holiday treats. But here's the kicker you do it strategically, in small portions, because you've got the upper hand, you've prepped in every other aspect. So these treats, they're not knocking you off your path, they're just to carry on top.

Dr. Tamar: 8:34

Listen, we dove deep today. This might all sound like it's coming out of left field, but guess what? You don't have to solo this journey to transformation. I'm throwing down an invite for you to dive into what your genes can tell you about hitting those health peaks like a pro. Let's connect for a 15 minute Revive and Thrive consultation. It's just you and me and we're zeroing in on those big, juicy health goals of yours. We'll explore how nutrigenomic testing is your secret weapon to live in your best life. This is your chance to gain killer insights into your health that can revolutionize your diet and lifestyle choices. And there you have it, my friend your personalized guide to slaying this holiday season, armed with the power of genetic insights and a sprinkle of ingenuity. With this arsenal, you're ready to enjoy the festivities fully without putting your health on the line.

Dr. Tamar: 9:27

Thanks for hanging with me today. If you got value out of our time together, I love it. If you've dropped a five-star review and shared your biggest aha moment. And, hey, if you know someone who can level up their health game with a bit of personalized insight, share this episode with them. Let's spread this wealth of knowledge far and wide. Next week on the show, we conclude this three-part series of Surviving Sugar Season. It's going to be the day after Thanksgiving, so how will you do? We're going to talk about managing emotional eating and maintaining balance through the holidays so you can enjoy the festive treats without the guilt of overindulgence. Talk to you next Friday. Until then, always remember to raise the script on health, because together we can bring healthcare to higher levels. You.