Episode 95
· 17:27
Well, welcome back to another episode of the Real Health Podcast. I am joined with my wife today as we are talking through- Becky, you wanna say hi?
Becky Deubert:Hi, friends.
Dr. Barrett:Yeah. We're gonna talk through, eating healthy or being healthy through the holidays. That's the that's the focus of today. So I brought Becky, along just to kinda talk through some maybe some nutrition things, some food ideas, or even just general planning, how you should go into the season. You know, coming up into mid to end of November through December, early January, you see a lot of increase of illness, and I think there's a few different reasons for that.
Dr. Barrett:One of the big reasons is lack of sunlight, lack of movement, and so making sure that you are being intentional with getting as much sun as you can, moving your body as much as you can throughout the day, continue your training even when it's cold. Those things are really good for the immune system. And then, realizing that, hey. The sun is going down a little earlier, and so make sure that you're not just blasting your brain with blue light till 11 o'clock at night. But that you're intentionally help- setting that circadian rhythm so that you can get a good deep restful sleep and recover for the next day.
Dr. Barrett:Now with that, nutritionally, sugar plays a huge role. Sugar as a massive immune suppressor, creates a lot of inflammation in the body. So we're gonna talk through nutrition and just overall ideas of, how to approach the holiday season. So, Becky.
Becky Deubert:Okay.
Dr. Barrett:When you think about the next I mean, the whirlwind of of going from Halloween candy, but, you know, Thanksgiving
Becky Deubert:Oh my goodness.
Dr. Barrett:And then Christmas, how are you approaching this holiday season for yourself, for your fam, for our family, or and how other families should look at it?
Becky Deubert:Okay. So that is a great question. So I just wanna first say, I love being here with Barrett so much, but I also wanna say I am his, like, I am his gray in his life that he needs.
Dr. Barrett:I don't know. I don't know about that.
Becky Deubert:So what that means is...
Dr. Barrett:She needs more black and white.
Becky Deubert:That's right. So I love health and nutrition so much, but I equally know we have 4 kids. Let's be real. They bring home 10lbs of candy on Halloween, at school functions, cake, birthday parties. It is crazy.
Becky Deubert:I think we talked about this last time I was here. I believe that there is balance in the holiday season.
Dr. Barrett:It's also called weakness and compromising. But, yeah, balance is a good word.
Becky Deubert:He has come a long way in our marriage. I just wanna be relatable to you guys. Whereas, Barrett, sometimes, I'll listen to his podcast, and I'm like, holy moly. I'm just kidding.
Dr. Barrett:It's like year one of marriage all over again.
Becky Deubert:All over again.
Dr. Barrett:Every podcast. Every Friday.
Becky Deubert:Okay. So, by the way, I get quizzed on his podcast, so I do listen to every one. So, yes, starting at Halloween, yes, our kids bring home so much candy. If it were up to Dr. B, daddy, he would trash it all. He would probably fork out twenties by the handful just to get rid of the candy with the kids in a heartbeat.
Dr. Barrett:No question.
Becky Deubert:No question. In their little minds, those 5 pieces of candy they get to keep are, like, the best treasure of their life. You know?
Dr. Barrett:That's true.
Becky Deubert:And maybe a little toy from Target.
Becky Deubert:But, that's the trade off with our family. But going forth into the holidays, what we do with it, like so for instance, every day at school, there is another event. There is another icing party. There is another whatever it is, everything is involved around pounds of sugar. And so I'm just gonna be real with you guys.
Becky Deubert:For our kids, we've kept it really real with them, of trying to teach them the importance of balance in their food. So if they're going to have this treat that they know they have coming later on that day, like, they know that to feel good based on how we've had a conversation is like, hey. What's your nutrition been like during the day? What's your protein been like during the day? Our 5 year old still says is this protein is that protein?
Becky Deubert:I gotta make sure I have my protein before I can have my ice cream. You know? And and so I wish I could tell you there's this easy fix, but the easy fix is us as parents or adults or leaders in their life to set the example. And that is sometimes hard in a holiday season when we wanna indulge, but that is our role as a parent.
Dr. Barrett:That's right.
Becky Deubert:Yeah.
Dr. Barrett:So, you know, I think I think it is important to prioritize protein. Protein is very filling, and so, and when you look at like, Thanksgiving's coming up, where personally, I know I get in trouble is when I'm rash, when I'm starving, and food's not quite ready yet.
Becky Deubert:He- it's called hangry. He gets very hangry.
Dr. Barrett:So at that point, you know, you're just grabbing for anything. So you'll grab and you'll snack on ciete chips, and I'll snack on, you know, sweet potato chips or, you know, cheese board or whatever. And then you realize, like, you just ate a bunch of, like, really empty calories and never ate the actual meal. So making sure one thing that I would recommend is during this holiday season when you're maybe not- you don't know when, dinner's gonna be or Thanksgiving or whatever, making sure that you are eating you're starting your day off with high quality protein intake that's satiating and supportive to keeping your blood sugar levels regulated will prevent you from getting hangry and going ahead and then just ravishing on a bunch of junk throughout the day or snacking throughout the day. So prioritize protein in the morning will help set you up for success...
Becky Deubert:Mhmm.
Dr. Barrett:throughout the day. And when it comes down to let's just say Thanksgiving's coming up. So when it comes down to the Thanksgiving meal, I have a way of looking at that meal and and but, you know, you may not be in control of the kitchen. You may go to a, you know, a family member's house. So how do you prioritize a healthy meal even in an unhealthy setting?
Becky Deubert:Like the time you went to my parents and had to eat jello salad?
Dr. Barrett:I didn't eat it. I just told them. I looked at it, and I said...
Becky Deubert:Coca Cola jello salad. It was...
Dr. Barrett:Yeah. That's not happening. And then my wife was like, that was so rude. I can't believe you didn't eat. And I had 2- I think 2 things on my plate.
Becky Deubert:That was 20 years ago.
Dr. Barrett:Turkey.
Becky Deubert:Just so you know.
Dr. Barrett:I had turkey and probably green beans on my plate.
Becky Deubert:Okay, so I'm gonna encourage you this.
Dr. Barrett:I don't care.
Becky Deubert:Years ago, we created a menu for Thanksgiving, and shared it. But here's where I wanna tell you to start for Thanksgiving. 1, you don't have to be a people pleaser. That's been a hard one for me to learn. You don't have to take everything to make everyone feel okay.
Becky Deubert:It is okay to choose healthier choices. It is okay to bring dishes that you know you like that they may not like. And that is a hard thing for some of us to accept, to not want to indulge like the rest of America does by adding cans of everything. So when Barrett and I were talking about this, my biggest thing to say to you is Thanksgiving, honestly, is such a beautiful holiday that keep your food fresh. Keep your food.
Becky Deubert:If you are in control of anything, I would encourage you try to buy as much fresh as you can and create this beautiful fresh meal with herbs, with all the fresh vegetables. And if you can stay away from as much boxed cans as you possibly can, the result at the end of the meal is not going to be unbuttoning your pants and wanting to sleep all day. It's really gonna bring you some life and beauty of what you just partake in.
Dr. Barrett:Yeah.
Becky Deubert:So I think that's huge.
Dr. Barrett:And we also talk about, you know, picking and choosing. Like, if you're going to, indulge, like, for me personally
Becky Deubert:Pumpkin pie.
Dr. Barrett:Yeah.
Becky Deubert:All day.
Dr. Barrett:All day. Right? Like, I'm going to I'm gonna prioritize where I get my empty calories.
Dr. Barrett:I'm gonna prioritize where I get my junk calories. And so I'm not gonna get it in a casserole. I'm gonna get it in a pie. I'm gonna get it in some type of, like, awesome
Becky Deubert:Or the rolls or something like that.
Dr. Barrett:Not really the rolls. But yeah.
Becky Deubert:Make your yeses be worth a yes. That's what Barrett and I were saying. Like, if you know you want that death by chocolate cake or I mean, that's what I want. Like, if you want these things, then then choose wisely what they like, make your plate knowing, fill it wisely, tons of vegetables, tons of protein, and then choose your other things wisely.
Dr. Barrett:And then and then one of the best things you can do is eat your Thanksgiving meal earlier in the day. When you do that, when you eat it at, like, 3, 4, or 5 instead of 7, 8, 9, if you can do that, what it'll do is it'll help your body just digest the quantity of food and and, potentially, even the excess calories and the excess carbohydrates, sugar in particular. And then after your Thanksgiving meal
Becky Deubert:Walk.
Dr. Barrett:Take a walk.
Becky Deubert:Yeah. It controls your blood sugar, helps your body balance. Yep. Huge.
Dr. Barrett:So go for a family walk, and that's a great way of settling the digestive system and actually helping your body balance blood sugar after meal. So just some thoughts on structuring, if you were to structure and had control over that earlier in the evening on that Thanksgiving meal and then trying to structure your walk.
Becky Deubert:Yeah.
Dr. Barrett:Try to structure a family walk after Thanksgiving meal.
Becky Deubert:Yeah. That's huge. So then from Thanksgiving, going into Christmas, here you are walking into party season and all the fun things, and you wanna partake in everything. And we're not telling you not to do that at all. You should.
Becky Deubert:You should enjoy it, but it goes back to the basics. Make sure you're getting movement in your body. Make sure you're making good nutrition choices throughout the day before those parties. Set yourself up for success because after Christmas is over and you're walking into the new year, do you wanna look back and say, I feel like crap. That was taxing.
Becky Deubert:I'm shot. I need a break from life. Right? And I'll tell you the fastest way to feel that way is to be fueled with garbage through that whole season.
Dr. Barrett:Mhmm.
Becky Deubert:And then you're set up to fill your New Year's resolution because you feel like garbage to start them. So I would encourage you to partake and have fun. Choose your yeses wisely. Have them and have fun, whatever that looks like for you. But know that, you know, you don't want to look back and regret those things.
Dr. Barrett:Yeah. You definitely don't. And when you when you start stacking an evening and another evening, you know, week by week, it becomes a situation where you already feel like junk, so what does it matter? And then that is the wrong attitude to take.
Becky Deubert:Yeah.
Dr. Barrett:Right? At any point, you get off track, get back on
Becky Deubert:Mhmm.
Dr. Barrett:By the next day, resetting the next day. And that may- that may be, hey, I gotta fast the next day. I gotta just like let my body heal from what I just consumed the previous day. But don't also let those days stack to the point where you're you're 30 days, 45 days in, all the way from, you know, Thanksgiving to New Year feeling like garbage. Your immune system's suppressed.
Dr. Barrett:You're not getting sleep. You're not getting movement. You feel like junk. And then it- and then now when you think about New Year's goals and health resolutions, you're doing it out of guilt. You're not doing it out of...
Becky Deubert:Wanting to be better.
Dr. Barrett:a goal mindset.
Becky Deubert:Yeah.
Dr. Barrett:Mhmm. And so don't, yeah, don't let those days stack up on you. And this is a great- this is a great time to actually start to create resolutions and have a thought of where you wanna be next year so that you can manage the waters in this next season properly.
Becky Deubert:Yeah. No. That's so good. I guess the thing that comes to my heart is just to say this. In this amazing season of holidays that we're walking to, which is my most favorite time of the entire year, try to find some things that bring you pleasure with you and your family and friends that maybe don't always have to involve around food or dessert parties.
Becky Deubert:So here's my ask, like, what are your favorite traditions that don't involve food? I know our family has a few of...
Dr. Barrett:What are you talking about?
Becky Deubert:Yeah. Like, doing different, like, craft activities or different outdoor things or going to get, we get a special tree in honor of Barrett's mom that passed away, and the kids spend days working on different ornaments. And, like, we- just lots of different traditions can happen that are not always centered in that area.
Dr. Barrett:Yeah. And then as much as you can, host the party.
Becky Deubert:Yeah!
Dr. Barrett:So you're in control of the food.
Becky Deubert:We love to host.
Dr. Barrett:Uh-huh.
Becky Deubert:Hosting is our favorite.
Dr. Barrett:Because when you- when you host, you're setting the culture and the standard of what's gonna be there, and that helps a that helps a lot. Right? It helps so much with creating a menu that's supportive to your way of looking at food and nutrition in the season. So host the party.
Dr. Barrett:Be the place that people come to. And what a beautiful opportunity to be different. You know, in this season, if you look at- if you look at the life of of Daniel, Daniel lived- so we're talking about if you're not familiar with the character of Daniel in the Bible, Daniel went from a culture of honoring God to a culture of honoring a king by being promoted into this this role, and in his role, he was forced to do things that were not in- were not according to the way he did things. So but he had 2 options. 1, he could compromise, or 2, he could be resolute in his ways.
Dr. Barrett:And, and so he chose, obviously, it's where the Daniel fast comes in, to not indulge in the king's sweets and food, but to be resolute. And he didn't do it in a prideful way, and this is important too, that in this season, it's easy to be on the health high horse and feel like, oh, well, I'm doing this and shame on you for doing that. Let's not be that people. Let's not be the person that says, hey, look at me. I'm so healthy.
Dr. Barrett:I'm awesome, aren't I? I'm not eating that sweet pie. I don't even think about it. Yeah. You do think about it.
Dr. Barrett:Everyone thinks about sugar. Okay? Everyone thinks about the pie, the cookie, and the candy.
Becky Deubert:We all love it.
Dr. Barrett:Absolutely. So, hey, let's be an example by not our words, but our deeds. Let's be an example by being supportive to the people around us and setting a Christ-like example of what it means to love people and serve people and care for people, but yet be resolute in your ways. There is a balance. Right?
Becky Deubert:Yeah.
Dr. Barrett:And in this hyperpolarizing society, it's very easy to be strong in convictions and also very judgmental. How are we supposed to be? We're supposed to be like Christ. We're supposed to be like Daniel. Can we be resolute and not compromise, but at the same time, be graceful and loving towards those around us.
Becky Deubert:That's so good.
Dr. Barrett:And so I would just I would challenge you as we finish up today and talk about this, you know, being healthy in the holidays, it's just as important to be healthy spiritually and emotionally in the holidays, to encourage the people around you, to be an example, to be a light, but to- and do it in a loving and graceful way. What a beautiful opportunity to share Christ by living a life of resoluteness in your health journey, but in a way that people want to ask questions, and they don't feel condemned and guilty about. Any last words?
Becky Deubert:Yeah. No. That's that's so great. I would say yes to everything you just said, and then I would say, make sure you're on some adrenal support, help you through the holidays.
Dr. Barrett:There you go. Ashwagandha 101.
Becky Deubert:There you go.
Dr. Barrett:Awesome. Thanks so much, sweetie, for jumping in.
Becky Deubert:Yeah. Happy holidays. Happy Thanksgiving.
Dr. Barrett:Yeah. We do
Becky Deubert:Early Merry Christmas.
Dr. Barrett:We pray a blessing over you guys this holiday season.
Becky Deubert:We're grateful. Very grateful for you all.
Dr. Barrett:Yeah. Thanks for listening to another episode of the Real Health Podcast.
Becky Deubert:See you.
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