It’s that time of year when we start getting together with family and friends to celebrate the holidays, and given that celebratory plans needed to be put on hold during the pandemic, this year is likely to be especially festive. While COVID may have died down in the media, it is still here, along with other typical wintertime illnesses like colds and flu. We also know that the cost of everything has gone up, making it especially challenging to eat healthy as food prices have soared. However, despite all of this our Toronto naturopaths can help you prepare for the holiday season with several little tips. Today we want to talk about stretching your dollar to make healthy, immune boosting meals at home.
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to get the essential vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. And protein is important because among its many important tasks, it is used by the body to repair itself, and to make white blood cells – essentially the army of our immune system. Healthy meals don’t have to be overly complicated, and you can always add flavour to the meal by adding fresh or dried herbs. Fresh culinary herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano (just to name a few!) also have some immune boosting qualities.
So, one way to incorporate all these healthy aspects – fresh fruit and vegetables, protein and culinary herbs – is to check with your local grocery store to see what is on special. For example, a quick peek at a No Frills flyer shows that a whole roasting chicken is on sale this week, along with some root vegetables. Now all you need is to choose some herbs to add into the roasting pan with the chicken and root veggies and you’ll have yourself an easy to prepare nourishing meal. There are many free recipe sites that will provide you with cooking directions and different options for flavouring your meal such as yummly. Our naturopathic doctor, Dr. Reis, loves this recipe in particular because it’s so easy. Once it’s prepared and in the oven then it’s quality time with family and friends.
This is just the start of easy little ways to save money and eat healthy this season. Stay tuned for more ideas. And of course, if you’re interested in putting a more customized twist on your health contact us for a free meet and greet with Dr. Reis.