The holiday season is here! The houses are decorated. Our kids are excited about Christmas and Christmas gifts. I love this time of year but I will say when it comes to my medical practice Thanksgiving Day to January 1st I have thought about just closing up shop for those 5-6 weeks. The reason being is I seen many of my patients especially my Diabetics work hard to lower their A1C and fasting Insulin level and reduce their need for much of their Diabetic medication. Of course as you tend to do this you lose weight. That’s great the patients are doing well so what’s the problem? The problem is the holidays equal a lot of parties which means a lot of great food and desserts. Unfortunately the will power just goes out the window until January or even February. Then the reluctant patients return after getting the courage up to come in and tell me much of their hard earned health gain was wiped out over the holidays. They end up feeling angry at themselves. They give me all their reasons why they failed. Then I get discouraged and I feel like I failed the patient because I am thinking there must be some way to help them.
Well after much thought and 15 plus years practicing I think this year I may have an answer. I am now telling my patients to enjoy the holiday festivities. Go ahead have a small piece of cheesecake and try those homemade orange rolls. All I will ask is that my patients get their protein in at every meal. If you weigh 150 pounds you need 75 grams of protein. That’s half your ideal body weight in protein grams daily. I never exceed 100 grams of protein per day. This is not a high protein diet this is exactly what the Medical Physiology text books have said for the last 90 years. As one increases his/her protein intake to medically recommended amount several things happen… sugar cravings decrease, A1C decreases and Fasting Insulin levels drop. So I am to going to worry this holiday season.
Enjoy the parties, the family dinners just remember to hit the protein!
Happy holidays!
John Young MD