By Pam McGaffin

Naturopathic physician Heidi Lucas has reassuring words for those who have trouble sticking to a healthy diet over the holidays.

"It's okay to treat yourself a little,"says Lucas, who works with cancer patients at Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center (SCTWC) in Seattle. "Give yourself permission to have a piece of pie. Then you'll be less likely to figure all is lost and eat the whole thing."

If you practice moderation while continuing to make healthy choices, you'll feel better without feeling deprived, Lucas says. And you'll also be giving your body nutrients that will help your immune system ward off those seasonal cold and flu bugs.

Big holiday meals, which tend to be heavy in refined carbohydrates, can throw your body into a "food coma," she notes. "You get this big rush of blood sugar, and then your body, as a result, puts out a bunch of insulin. Then you crash."

To avoid those blood-sugar peaks and valleys, make sure your meal includes sufficient protein and fiber to slow down digestion, advises Lucas, one of three naturopathic physicians at SCTWC, a clinic that combines traditional oncology with complementary treatments, including nutrition guidance, acupuncture, Chinese medicine and mind-body medicine.

One way to keep yourself in check over the holidays, Lucas says, is to spoon small portions on your plate, not a big all-you-can-eat pile. You can always go back for seconds.

Lucas also suggests exercise as a way to balance blood sugars and aid digestion. "After you have that meal with your family, go for a nice walk," she says. "Exercise helps keep your metabolism going and burns off those extra calories."

Here are her other tips for healthy holiday eating:

• Go for the gold . . . and green and purple and red: Dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, winter squash, beets, purple cabbage, yellow onions and cranberries are great sources of antioxidants and add color to your holiday table. Dark greens with pomegranates, walnuts and a spicy dressing makes for a flavorful and festive winter salad.
  
  
• Add lean protein to meals and snacks: Ocean fish; organic turkey, Cornish hen, eggs and dairy; range-fed beef; nuts and nut butter; and beans and lentils. Consider a savory non-meat main dish using tofu, beans, mushrooms and grains.
  
  
• Choose fiber: Serve brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice; whole-grain rolls instead of refined, white-flour bread; and don't forget whole, fresh fruits and vegetables and beans and lentils.
  
  
• Select seasonal: Fresh foods in season have better nutrition and flavor and fewer preservatives.
  
  
• Pour it on: Treat yourself to filtered or clean spring water and green and herbal teas.
  
  
• Watch the sugar: Halve the sugar called for in recipes or use honey or maple syrup when baking. Try stevia (an herbal supplement) or agave nectar in place of artificial sweeteners.
  
  
• In moderation: Red wine is an antioxidant and aids with digestion. Have a glass with dinner, but don't drink the bottle.
  
  
• Favor good fats: Olive oil, grape-seed oil and organic butter in the kitchen; flax meal and fish oil as supplements.
  
  
• Spice it up: Curry, chili powder, ginger and cinnamon help with digestion and warm the body. Instead of putting stuffing in the turkey, stick in an onion and bundle of herbs to flavor the meat.

Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center is an affiliate of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a network of hospitals that integrate oncology with complementary and natural therapies. For more information and cancer-fighting tips, call (206) FOR HOPE (367-4673) or visit www.seattlecancerwellness.com.

Pam McGaffin of Moore Ink. PR, writes articles about important health, family and community issues for non-profit organizations.


Here's a nutritious and delicious holiday recipe from Lucas' kitchen.

Savory Roasted Veggies and Greens
1 medium-sized butternut or other winter squash
1 yam
1Yukon gold potato
3 beets
1 yellow onion
2-4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence*
Sea salt to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch rainbow Swiss chard
1 bunch kale
1 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Peel and cube root vegetables; chop onion into one-inch pieces; peel and slice garlic; and place everything on roasting pan. Add oil and spices and mix together until all veggies are coated.

Place in a preheated oven on 400-450 and bake, tossing with a spatula every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven when potatoes are slightly browned and cooked through (about 20-30 minutes).

Chop up washed greens, taking out the tough middle spines, and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add warm roasted veggies fresh from
the oven, as well as the cheese and walnuts. Gently mix until greens are wilted. Serve warm as a side dish for four people.

*Herbes de Provence (thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, fennel, sage and lavender) can be purchased already mixed in the spice section of your grocery store.

No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results.