it is estimated that during the holidays we gain between three and four kilos and that, as a consequence, in the following months, consultations about pathologies related to obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular risk. Although exact figures of this last data are not known, the reality exceeds the statistics: on January 7, more than one has a hard time buttoning their pants and the gyms have a August with new clients.

The objective of this initiative is to show that, at Christmas, you can eat healthy without giving up eating well, as well as to provide dietary guidelines for hypertensive people, since, according to the SEH-LESHA, hypertension is the first factor of risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Although these recommendations are specially designed for people with hypertension problems, Seh-Lelha recommends applying them as general guidelines, adapting them to our needs and habits.

Five tips to take care of ourselves at Christmas
1- Avoid not eating the day before. “During the holidays we should try to commit as few excesses as possible” warns the Seh-Lelha, so it is as bad to sin by eating a lot as it is to avoid food the days before the big Christmas celebrations. “We can slightly restrict the amount of food we eat before the holidays, but if we suppress it, the impact of nutrients on our body will be more abrupt,” says specialist Teresa Gijón, responsible for the campaign. The expert also recommends snacking on fruit or yogurt and not going too long without eating so as not to arrive at Christmas dinner hungry.

2- Serve yourself on a plate instead of picking up the food with your hand. “In this way”, explains Gijón, “we will better control what we consume than if we snack”.

3 – Chew slowly. Although it seems like obvious and repeated advice, it is important to remember it. The feeling of satiety takes time to reach the brain, therefore, eating slowly will prevent us from swelling and we will also digest food better. Gijón also adds that it will help us to moderate ourselves with the appetizers. “You have to avoid having two Cola-Colas before eating, even if they are light, and starters such as sausages, anchovies, olives, etc.” As an alternative, the specialist points out shellfish as a recommended appetizer if taken in moderation. As for the menu, the expert recommends serving fish instead of meat at dinner, since it is better digested, and accompany it with vegetables, avoiding heavy sauces. For dessert, it is better to choose something that has fruit, since then it is likely that we will consume nougats and Christmas sweets.

4- Alcohol: your worst enemy. “An excess of alcohol can calorically crush a meal,” warns Gijón. Drinking two glasses of wine is not important, but if we add another two beers to the aperitif and end up drinking cava or champagne, it is not surprising that the scale shows three kilos more in January.

5- Do a purifying diet. The day after a celebration, our body will welcome a break with a light diet. La Seh-Lelha also recommends taking walks during the day after the most important festivals. Combining a good diet with physical activity is a constant guideline to enjoy good health.
In addition, Seh-Lelha reminds hypertensive patients not to forget their medication during the holidays, especially if they go on a trip, because it is easier to get lost.

A low-salt Christmas menu
Acrame leaves us a Christmas menu proposal that adapts to these tips and is perfect for hypertensives, since it does not contain more salt than that of the food itself.

Starter: Hummus of artichokes, mushrooms and eels. It is a delicious and original recipe that hardly takes time and that we can leave half cooked the day before. After preparing the hummus beforehand, “you just have to skip the eels and mushrooms before serving and sprinkle it with a crunchy artichoke”, they explain from Acrame. Although it can be served as a dip with bread, from the Association, they choose to put small portions in a few appetizer spoons.

Another healthy option is the traditional piquillo peppers stuffed with eels with bechamel or piquillo sauce.

Second: Baked sea bass. From Acrame they offer a version steamed and then submerged in a smoked fishbone and leek to give it more flavor. It is served on a base of potatoes and sprinkled with onion.