Do you need to get any repeat medications as you will run out during the holiday? Look at your medications well in advance and get your repeat slips into the chemist or Medical Centre in good time. Neither the ladies at the Medical Centre nor the chemist can look after the population of Selsey in the last few days before Christmas and definitely not on Christmas Eve.
Make sure you have a well stocked first aid cabinet for cuts and bruises, burns (those turkeys can be difficult to get in and out of a hot oven) and minor ailments. Your chemist can advise you on what a well stocked first aid box should contain and often sell first aid kits ready made.
Hands up how many of you eat and/or drink too much over the festive season. Why is it that for a few days over December you feel that the family will not survive without huge tins of chocolates, crisps by the large bag, nuts and other sugar and fat laden “treats” not to mention the last minute dash to the supermarket with a trolley so full that looks as if you are stocking up for a nuclear attack! Many shops will be open again by Boxing Day, so why buy so much food which will probably end up in the dustbin in the New Year? I cannot imagine that many people do not get chocolate of some kind as a gift, so why buy it for you as well?
Plan your menu. Work out exactly what you will feed your family and friends for the meals over the holiday. Write it down. Choose the wine to go with your meal (if you wish it). Then use your menu to make your shopping list. Do not buy anything that is not on the list! If you feel your family cannot survive without some nibbles, then get satumas or clementines (very festive) or other fruit. If you have to eat nuts, get those with the shells on so at least you have to do a bit of work to get them out and it is harder to eat masses of them in a rush. Avoid crisps, cheesy biscuits, other savoury nibbles and chocolate. That way, you won’t be reaching for the indigestion tablets and worrying about weight gain by the New Year. If you want a traditional turkey for your Christmas dinner, think about how many people will be eating it. Do you want to have it as left overs? If not, buy a turkey which is going to be a suitable size. Talk to your butcher. He will be able to recommend the best size of bird. If you want sausages and bacon rolls to accompany the turkey, you will require less turkey meat. If no one likes the dark meat, get a turkey crown. All this means less wastage and could save money as well. Buy vegetables that you know the family will enjoy. Why buy Brussels sprouts if no one is going to eat them?
Stock Roasted Potatoes
This is a low fat but really tasty alternative to traditional roast potatoes and loved by my family and friends.
Medium sized potatoes peeled and then placed in a tablespoon. Make cuts down onto the spoon, as close together as possible, but don’t cut right through the potato. Place into a baking dish, cut side upwards. Use an oven to table dish and it saves washing up!
Fill the dish with chicken stock (I used Knorr cubes) so that the liquid is just over half way up the potatoes.
Melt a tablespoon of butter and brush over the tops of the potatoes then sprinkle with garlic salt.
Put into the oven with the roasting meat and it takes about 1 hour for the potatoes to cook and brown beautifully on top.
Serve.
You can alter the flavour of the stock depending on what meat you are serving and they are truly delicious with the potato absorbing the stock and still having a crisp top.
Try not to overdo the alcohol. Make sure you have lots of water at meals so you are less likely to drink alcohol when thirsty – water to quench your thirst and wine to savour! Do keep an eye on the units as they tend to creep up on you. Remember that alcohol takes time to get out of your system and the more you drink, the longer it takes. Many a person has been breathalysed the morning after and found to be still over the limit, so if you know you are driving, be careful the night before unless you want to lose your license. Don’t push alcohol onto other people. Have soft drinks to offer, or even a nice cup of tea!
After your main festive feast, give it a little while to settle and then take a walk. Exercise will freshen you up and make you feel less sluggish and also help with constipation which is a problem with all this protein laden food! You could even try a brisk walk before you eat whilst the meat is in the oven.
My handy hint for next year is that if you are out during the year and spot the ideal present for friend or family, get it then and keep in a special place (which you will be able to remember). Then next year you won’t have the hassle of present buying at the last minute (not so useful for small children who want the latest “must have” or anything with a guarantee). It also helps to spread the cost.
The Medical Centre will close at lunchtime (1pm) on Christmas Eve to reopen December 29th. We then close for New Year’s Day. In case of an emergency when we are closed please call Harmoni, the GP out of hours service on 0300 130 1313. You can also get advice from NHS Direct on 0845 4646.
May everyone at the Medical Centre wish you a happy, and stress free Christmas and a very healthy New Year.
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