Welcome to Insight into Health, my radio show on listener-supported KSVY 91.3, where I explore ways to make healthy living realistic, enjoyable, and sustainable. I am your host, Allison McKeany, and these are the show notes for the live radio show that aired on November 24th, 2025.
Beyond the What: Health during the Holidays
This is the time of year when patients and acquaintances alike express unease about navigating the holidays alongside their nutrition and health goals.
If that resonates with you, here is my holiday nutrition pep talk:
Perfection is never the goal, which is why I so dislike the idea of “cheating,” for it implies that one is either being “good” or “bad.”
Living healthy is about the long game — a game that also includes the importance of emotional health, which celebration and tradition are a big part of.
If you aren’t sure how to approach the holiday table/buffet/potluck this year, I first encourage you to consider two questions:
What holiday food(s) do you love?
What recipes or dishes are only available this time of year?
Your answers to these two questions are a good starting point for deciding how you will interact with food during this holiday season, or any season, really.
Here’s how it works, using myself as an example:
I love Thanksgiving stuffing, turkey, and homemade cranberry sauce. This is what I’m going to enjoy during my holiday meal this year.
Mashed potatoes? Rolls? I don’t love these this time of year, or any time of year. These are the options I politely decline.
Now, if you are looking for more guidance and are in hopes of some “guardrails” to navigate holiday eating, I am a fan of the MyPlate approach:
As you serve yourself, imagine that your plate is divided into four quadrants.
Portion the carbohydrates you’d like to enjoy (one or several) into one quadrant.
Protein options are portioned into another quadrant.
Produce (fruits &/or vegetables) is portioned into the remaining two quadrants.
My final pep talking point is, once you’ve made your holiday meal selections, please savor every bite. This isn’t a time to feel guilt about food; it is a time for community and connection. I wish you all a wonderful holiday season, whatever that looks like for you.
Let’s Talk: Lyle McKeany and the Enneagram
My husband joined me via Zoom — and it worked! We discussed how he discovered the Enneagram approach — a way of understanding personality — and what we’ve both learned from it. Lyle is an Enneagram Type 9, “The Peacemaker.” It explains his calm demeanor and ability to see things from different perspectives. Lyle has learned that it’s important for him to voice his needs, even though his conflict-avoidant, Type 9, nature makes it challenging.
I was initially skeptical of the Enneagram (a classic trait of my personality type, it turns out), yet now appreciate it as a way of better connecting with myself and others. As an Enneagram Type 6, “The Loyalist,” I value security and support. These tendencies make me excellent at planning, though I have to be careful not to let worry and anxiety get the better of me.
We could have talked for hours about what the Enneagram approach has taught us about ourselves and our relationship. It is amazing how a little perspective on how we each approach the world has helped us better show up for each other every day.
Here’s What I’m… Crafting
You won’t find me crafting very often. I’m much more likely to be experimenting in the kitchen or puttering around in my succulent garden, but every once in a while, the crafting bug gets me.
Shoutout to my moms’ group friend who taught us how to make these during a recent meet-up! It was my first time using Mod Podge — a glue that dries clear, if you, like me, didn’t know — which is painted on any glass jar or bottle, covered with a single-ply paper napkin, and topped with more Mod Podge. It’s that simple. My kind of craft!
Over the weekend, I helped my friend make 15 decorated wine bottles for a gift exchange, and it reminded me how much I appreciate homemade gifts.
I love the thought, time, and energy that goes into something homemade and can only hope that the recipients of my homemade gifts feel the same. ;)
Thanks for being here,
~Allison
Enneagram can be so useful!