Scientists blame festive feuds on Xmas dinner

[Drew]

Scientists blame festive feuds on Xmas dinner

Scientists say they know why so many families fall out over Christmas dinner - it's all down to what we eat.

Traditional Christmas fare can lead to repeated changes in blood sugar levels, according to Paul Clayton, president of the forum on food and health at the Royal Society of Medicine.

Dr Clayton and Helen Conn, a food scientist, reviewed the content of the traditional Christmas lunch for a TV programme.

They found that typical Christmas meals were low in micronutrients - a blanket term for vitamins and minerals - but had a high glycaemic index.

Carbohydrates, including bread stuffing, potatoes and bread sauce were among the main culprits.

Salty foods, including crisps and peanuts, drive thirst which on Christmas Day is often quenched with alcohol, a poor combination that could help trigger arguments in an already tense environment, they add.

"There are tremendous psychosocial pressures at Christmas. There are people you haven't seen for ages and maybe don't want to see, you're probably suffering from spending a lot of money and on top of it, you have your blood sugar levels all over the place and that is not a good recipe for a calm, relaxing day," said Dr Clayton.

The scientists have drawn up an alternative Christmas lunch rich in natural tranquillisers to lessen the chances of it all kicking off on the day.

Out go the roast potatoes and in come mashed artichokes. Slowly digested foods, including sprouts, are thinly sliced and tossed in sesame oil.

"One of the main changes is to include foods which are rich in flavanoids, natural compounds that act as tranquillisers," said Dr Clayton. "We hope this gives a calmer, more relaxing Christmas."

[[N0M3RCY] M4TR1XM4N]

This wouldn't suprise me. When people drink they tend to say whatever they think, instead of stopping to consider the consequences.

I'm not sure if the food has an impact too, I don't know.

[Angela]

We could always have Christmas In Hawii with a Hawaiian luau instead

[[N0M3RCY] M4TR1XM4N]

Christmas in Hawaii.....Its alright for some people..........you might have to wait a while for the snow.

[cerina]

I can't remember the last time we had snow at Christmas. I think it was 1962, but I have hibernated since then, so I wouldn't know.

[Sting]

I can't remember the last time we had snow at Christmas. I think it was 1962,

If you want snow we have plenty. I just don't know how to get it to you.

[[N0M3RCY] M4TR1XM4N]

I can't remember the last time we had snow at Christmas. I think it was 1962, but I have hibernated since then, so I wouldn't know.

I'm sure we had snow in the UK since 1962, not that I was born until 1976..........

In 2001 bookmakers paid out on snow in Aberdeen, Cardiff and Manchester, while in 2000 they paid out in the majority of locations in the UK. In 1999 there was technically a White Christmas in Glasgow as snowflakes fell at the city airport. Bookmakers did not pay out on a White Christmas in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

I found this here - http://sourcewire.com/releases/rel_disp ... 01&hilite=

and have a snowy picture too.

[Jack Flash]

Betting on a White Christmas with odds - Look out Las Vegas

[[N0M3RCY] M4TR1XM4N]

Judging by the weather in the UK right now, I would bet against snow personally, but you never know.

[Sting]

The odds in Michigan are very good.

[[N0M3RCY] M4TR1XM4N]

Could you post me some snow please? I'll give you my address..........................never.

[Sting]

By the time the snow got to you it would look like water.

[cerina]

you could send it in a cone, Sting
And the rest of UK gets snow, but I live south of the Downs, and we rarely get any. I got all excited last year when it did start to snow (I was only excited because it was a weekend and I could watch it from inside in the warm), but it only lasted for 6 flakes. Not enough parts for even a mini snowman

[Sting]

you could send it in a cone, Sting

Good thinking!

[[N0M3RCY] M4TR1XM4N]

ok, I will continue to talk about the weather. I remember in January this year we had a ton of snow here. I don't mind snow, but I hate ice. Falling over in the street is not L337 at all.

[Quercus]

Hey wait a minute! In Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL doesn't Tiny Tim throw a snowball at Scrooge?

[[N0M3RCY] M4TR1XM4N]

I've been thinking about that, but I don't know. Why do you ask Q? Maybe you think I am Scrooge, because I'm not a fan of Christmas............

[Jack Flash]

It was sllightly colder a hundred years ago

[[N0M3RCY] M4TR1XM4N]

It was sllightly colder a hundred years ago

Were you there?

I suppose the effect of global warming.............

[Quercus]

It was sllightly colder a hundred years ago

That was back in the 1830's so almost 200 years ago and I suppose that answers my question. I just assumed that it snowed regularly in the UK.

[[N0M3RCY] M4TR1XM4N]

I just assumed that it snowed regularly in the UK.

We have fairly non-descript degrees of grey weather, except in June, July and August when it does get nice and sunny, but then quickly back to grey in September.......I hate the UK, I want to move, but I don't where to move to.

[cerina]

It does snow quite a lot in UK, but I live on the South Coast and the is a range of hills called the South Downs (Don't ask me why they are Downs instead of Ups, I didn't name them) and they protect us from most of the bad weather. I can still have roses blooming in my garden, but 2 miles north, on the other side of the Downs, they can be 3feet deep in snow.