Don't Overeat! — Rebecca Riyana Sang

(published in Delicious Living Magazine)

Holiday festivities go hand in hand with tempting belt-busters. Calorie-bomb desserts, butter-laden mashed potatoes, and alcoholic drinks can leave you feeling uncomfortably full and sabotage your weight maintenance efforts. In fact, a typical Thanksgiving meal can contain a whopping 3,000 calories, according to the Calorie Control Council. But overeating isn’t your unavoidable destiny. Heed these simple, smart tips to ensure a healthy, happy party season.

Stabilize blood sugar. You often overeat because blood sugar drops, leading you to reach for quick-energy carbohydrates like white bread, crackers, and cookies. If you’re prone to overeating, try gymnema, an herb that delays gluclose absorption, stabilizing blood sugar. Take 15-30 drops of gymnema tincture twice a day, morning and night.

Take bitters. If you know you’re about to have a big, heavy meal, bitter herbs stimulate your liver to better process fats and complex carbohydrates that can cause digestive distress. Place 2-5 drops of Oregon Grape root tincture onto your tongue 10-15 minutes before you eat.

Soothe with ginger. At some point almost everyone overeats and experiences symptoms like nausea, bloating, heartburn, and gas. Ginger is a centuries-old remedy that can alleviate indigestion — and it works quickly. Simmer 4 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger in 2 cups of water for 10-15 minutes; sip slowly after eating.