Snack on the head: how to save your health during the New Year holidays

"Herring under a fur coat", "Mimosa", Olivier are dishes that almost no New Year's feast can do without. This holiday is also traditionally celebrated with alcohol. It is important to combine alcohol with food correctly and not to finish salads and other dishes during all New Year holidays, doctors warn. This will help to avoid poisoning and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. How to prepare for the New Year's feast and avoid health problems during the January holidays is in the Izvestia article.

How long can salads be stored?

New Year's Eve is associated with lavish feasts, but it can be dangerous to prolong the eating of festive dishes for several days, warned Mariana Jutova, dietitian at JSC "Medicine".

"Traditional salads with mayonnaise, fish or dairy products, if stored improperly, become a favorable environment for bacteria after 24-48 hours," she told Izvestia. — When eating such dishes, the risk of poisoning increases, especially in children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

At temperatures from +2 to +6 degrees, "Herring under a fur coat" can be safely stored for up to two days, jelly for up to five days, baked meat for three or four days. Olivier, if properly stored, can be eaten for two days, and the Mimosa salad remains fresh for 24-36 hours.

Desserts with cream are stored in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours, and pies and homemade cookies for up to five days. Sliced vegetables and fruits should be consumed immediately, for a maximum of 24 hours.

Tatiana Golovchanskaya, a gastroenterologist at the Soft Medical Center clinic, reminded that ready meals should not be left on the table for more than two hours.

"If you consume foods that have been stored at room temperature for a long time, you can get poisoning," she warned.

During the New Year holidays, Russians are much more likely than at normal times to go to doctors with injuries and poisoning, insurance companies Rosgosstrakh and Consent told Izvestia. And due to excessive alcohol consumption, pickles and fatty sauces, the number of patients with heart attacks and strokes is increasing, said Maria Matveeva, an endocrinologist and nutritionist at the Cognitive Health Center.

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The wrong combination of foods and overeating can lead to pancreatitis and heartburn.

How not to overeat during the New Year holidays

Elena Shcherbina, a clinical psychologist at Alter, noted that many people restrain their appetite all day before the New Year's feast, and in the evening they eat much more than usual.

— If in everyday life a person denies himself his favorite pastries, olivier and fried chicken, then on New Year's Eve he can "snap" and finally afford all the treats at once, — the expert added.

In addition, most people enter December tired, emotionally exhausted, and want to relax with food and alcohol.

— In order not to overeat on New Year's Eve, you should eat well during the day, — the psychologist advises. — If you feel tired, healthy ways to relieve tension will help, such as breathing exercises, walking, massage, sleep, and physical activity.

According to psychologist Natalia Naumova, many people may overeat on New Year's Eve if food is the only or main entertainment of the evening, so it is important to think not only about the festive table, but also about activities.

During the feast, doctors advise giving preference to protein products. Nutritionist Mariana Jutova also noted that it is better to eat about 200 grams of salad at a time, and for sweets the norm is up to 50 grams per day.

— On New Year's Eve, chewing celery with water without gas is not the best way to celebrate the holiday. A balance is important: eat right throughout the year, keep fit, and the small joys of life that accompany a festive atmosphere are quite acceptable," said Yulia Malevannaya, General Director of the Research Institute of Functional Nutrition.

She also shared the basics of proper table behavior: do not mix drinks, eat a lot of proper food and drink enough water.

2-3 days before the celebration, the doctor recommended increasing the proportion of easily digestible animal proteins in the diet and adding eggs to the diet. But it is better to limit the consumption of heavy, fatty and spicy foods so as not to overload the liver, doctors advise.

— On the day of the feast, be sure to have a hearty breakfast and lunch with protein foods, such as omelets, chicken, fish. In any case, do not come to the party hungry! — said Yulia Malevannaya. — During the feast, try to snack on protein foods: meat, fish, cheese. They slow down the absorption of alcohol and provide material for its processing.

It is better to choose healthier cooking options — baking or steaming, rather than frying, said Maria Matveeva, an endocrinologist and nutritionist at the Cognitive Health Center.

Gastroenterologist Tatiana Golovchanskaya advises following the "rule of three" — a flexible meal plan that involves three main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as 1-2 snacks in between.

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How to save your health

Almost no New Year's feast is complete without alcohol. They mostly drink champagne or sparkling wine.

"Alcohol causes dehydration, which is the main cause of headaches, dry mouth and weakness in the morning," Yulia Malevannaya emphasized and recommended drinking a glass of pure non—carbonated water for every glass of alcohol during the feast.

According to her, this will significantly reduce the load on the liver and the degree of intoxication. Also, to relieve the symptoms of a hangover, a day or two before the feast and on New Year's Eve itself, you can drink succinic acid (the substance has antioxidant properties. — Ed.), the expert added.

Before going to bed after the celebration, she also recommended that you drink 1-2 large glasses of water, and in the morning continue drinking water in small portions, with lemon.

For men, the safe dose of alcohol is up to 30 grams of pure ethanol per day, gastroenterologist Andrey Yakushev reminded Izvestia.

— This is about 150 ml of wine. For women — up to 15 g. This is 75 ml of wine," he explained.

Alcohol consumption, regardless of the degree of strength and its type, is a risk factor that can provoke an exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, intoxication and alcoholic hepatitis, doctors have warned.

According to experts, ordering ready-made food from restaurants and catering should also be done with caution. It is important to control the temperature regime, check the origin of the products and the expiration date. And if you have an allergy, carefully study the composition of dishes, including sauces and salads.

— In some places, the rules of food storage and transportation have been violated, which potentially increases the risk of poisoning. The reasons may be, for example, undercooked eggs or meat, unpasteurized milk, or poor hygiene in cooking areas," said gastroenterologist Tatiana Golovchanskaya.

The next day after the New Year's feast, it is better to have a light breakfast: broth, eggs, banana or fermented dairy products, doctors advised.

After the holidays, it is important to gently return to your usual routine of moderate activity and balanced nutrition, said Artem Opalnitsky, nutritionist and fitness trainer at DDX Fitness.

"You can start with light activities, such as walking outdoors, skating or skiing — this is a great way to activate your metabolism," he said.

According to the expert, physical activity will help you feel better and avoid gaining excess weight after the holidays.