By: Dr. Karen Cummings, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health
THE mission of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) is to ensure that Guyanese are the healthiest within the Caribbean. One essential component in realizing and maintaining a healthy life is nutrition. After all, we are what we eat.

We at the Ministry of Public Health sincerely hope that 2018 was a very good year for all of you. It is now that time of year when we celebrate the season of good cheer. Christmas is truly a special time of year, but a Guyanese Christmas is always somewhat a little more special. One very prominent feature of a true Guyanese Christmas is food.

We go all out to prepare all the scrumptious meals we enjoy this time of year. We indulge wholeheartedly in all the culinary offerings available to our delight and satisfaction. However, I would like to ask that you be mindful and not over indulge. A lot of overeating goes on at Christmas. We must be responsible citizens and enjoy the season in moderation.

A lot of food that is prepared at Christmas are high in calories, fats and sugars. Therefore, it is very important that you pay careful attention to your portion sizes and the frequency with which you repeat some meals. While we do not wish to dampen your Christmas mood, we ask that you be mindful of the risk factors for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs); one of which is poor dieting.

Enjoy your food responsibly
Do not be afraid to join in the Christmas fun and enjoy the culinary delights and treats on offer for you to enjoy. If you are prone to overeating, you may think you would not be able to control yourself if you have just one taste of dessert. Do not worry! With some focus and smart strategies in place to exercise restraint, you can enjoy your Christmas food without overdoing.

On the other hand, if you are a restrained eater and opt for an undressed salad while your family or colleagues enjoy their pepperpot and black cake, perhaps it is time you relax a little and join in. Again, responsibility is the key. Rather than eating too much, have mindful tastes and sensible portions of the shared fare. If it is a buffet, fill your plate with samples of those foods you truly want to try, combined with plenty of lovely plant foods.

Slow down
If you are the type of person who is capable of devouring a meal in five minutes, you need to slow down. Eating slowly not only helps you be mindful about what you are eating, but it also allows you to notice when you have had enough. It takes the body a while to register fullness, so slow it down and let those fullness cues kick in before you feel like you are carrying around Santa’s belly.

Whether it is pepperpot, garlic pork, baked chicken or fish, or black cake, your favourite food should be celebrated and enjoyed. What is important is being able to manage your portions and setting aside a moment to really savour them. There is no point banning yourself from your favourite food at this time of year – instead, have a little and enjoy every mouthful.

Consider the ‘One Plate’ rule
It might be stating the obvious, but it is something to easily overlook in practice, especially when faced with another full canape tray as it swings around the venue once more. Before you are faced with a situation where you are likely to over eat, consider what would be a sensible amount. A good way to do this is to consider a one-plate rule. Have what you like, but make sure it is all on one plate at the same time. If you saw all the food you were eating piled on to one plate, would you really still want it all? It is a sure fire way for the calories to creep up on you.

Sip some water
Have some water with your meals, even if you are having a glass of wine or some other beverage. It is also good to sip on some water in between meals to fill those gaps. It helps to prevent mindless eating and overindulging in those high-sugar, high-calorie drinks. In fact, it would not hurt to make water your preferred beverage throughout the season, before and after meals.

And do not forget, this is the short part of the year. Avoid crash dieting afterwards, but simply return to healthy eating and physical activity, and you can be sure that any pounds that may have insidiously attached themselves to you will be banished soon enough.

Exercise responsible eating as you celebrate this festive season of Christmas.
On behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a blessed, productive and healthy 2019.