If there’s one thing we, as doctors, know, it’s that health doesn’t take a holiday. Whether it’s Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or any other festive occasion, the conditions we treat each day remain just as present. But for our patients, the holiday season becomes a time when health routines get tossed aside under the guise of “cheat days” before “starting fresh in the new year.” 

The problem is that this mindset rarely works out. In a 2020 study,

Oscarsson M, Carlbring P, Andersson G, et al. A large-scale experiment on New Year's resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PLoS One. 2020;15(12):e0234097.

health-related goals made up the most common New Year’s resolutions, with 33% of participants aiming to improve physical health, 20% focusing on weight loss, and 13% committing to better eating habits. However, these resolutions often don’t stick. According to previous research, only 55% of people are still on track after just one month, and by three months, that number drops to 43%.

So, how do we help patients balance holiday joy with health? It starts by dispelling the myths that often lead them astray. Let’s examine four of the most common holiday health misconceptions and how we can guide patients toward evidence-based practices.

Skipping meals to "save calories" before a holiday feast

Many patients believe skipping breakfast or lunch before a big dinner will “balance out” the calories. Unfortunately, this strategy often backfires.

“Skipping meals before a big holiday feast often leads to overindulging later,” explains Dr. Ramit Singh Sambyal, a general physician with ClinicSpots. “When we go into a meal overly hungry, it’s easy to eat too quickly, making it hard for the body to register fullness.” This behavior disrupts blood sugar stability, leading to fatigue, irritability, and poor decision-making. 

 

When we go into a meal overly hungry, it’s easy to eat too quickly, making it hard for the body to register fullness.

 

Research studies have found that skipping meals, especially breakfast and dinner, is associated with a significant risk of weight gain and obesity. 

• An analysis of data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study found an inverse relationship between breakfast frequency and the incidence of obesity.

  Odegaard AO, Jacobs DR, Steffen LM, et al. Breakfast frequency and development of metabolic risk. Diabetes Care. 2013;36:3100–3106.

• Similarly, in a 2020 research, skipping dinner significantly increased the risk of weight gain and obesity in students, with a 42% higher risk for men and 67% for women.

  Yamamoto R, Tomi R, Shinzawa M, et al. Associations of skipping breakfast, lunch, and dinner with weight gain and overweight/obesity in university students: A retrospective cohort study. Nutrients. 2021;13(1):271.

Holiday weight gain is temporary

Seasonal weight gain during the holiday period (mid-November to mid-January) accounts for over half of annual weight increases and is rarely lost afterwards.

Bhutani S, Wells N, Finlayson G, et al. Change in eating pattern as a contributor to energy intake and weight gain during the winter holiday period in obese adults. Int J Obes (Lond). 2020;44(7):1586–1595.

Over decades, this can add up to 15–30 pounds, with obese adults being especially prone to larger gains. 

Physician Dr. Sean Ormond of Atlas Pain Specialists emphasizes, “Most people gain only about a pound during the holidays, which is less alarming than it sounds. However, that small gain can accumulate over time.”

Post-holiday cleanses and quick-fix diets

The idea of “detoxing” after indulgent eating is a pervasive holiday myth. Many cleanses promise quick weight loss and a “reset” for the body. Dr. Ormond weighs in: “The trend of post-holiday cleanses is widespread, but I urge patients to be cautious.” 

“Many cleanses are overly restrictive,” he notes, “and can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Instead, focus on returning to a balanced diet and regular exercise. Make small, sustainable changes rather than trying to erase holiday indulgences in one go.”

Research on detox diets is limited and often poorly designed:

• A 2019 study of 22 women found no health benefits from a detox supplement containing ingredients like papaya leaf, ginger root, and senna leaf after 4 weeks.

  Tinsley G, Urbina S, Santos E, et al. A purported detoxification supplement does not improve body composition, waist circumference, blood markers, or gastrointestinal symptoms in healthy adult females. J Diet Suppl. 2019;16(6):649–658.

• A 2015 study of 84 women showed that a lemon detox diet and a placebo low-calorie diet led to weight loss and lower insulin levels, suggesting calorie restriction—not the detox diet—was responsible for the results.

  Kim MJ, Hwang JH, Ko HJ, et al. Lemon detox diet reduced body fat, insulin resistance, and serum hs-CRP level without hematological changes in overweight Korean women. Nutr Res. 2015;35(5):409–420

Biologically, our bodies don’t need external detox products. The liver and kidneys are natural detoxifiers that efficiently process and eliminate waste. Extreme cleanses can even disrupt electrolyte balance, causing fatigue and irritability. 

The flu shot can give you the flu

Despite public health campaigns, this myth resurfaces every flu season. Patients often worry that getting vaccinated will make them sick, but this belief is unfounded.

“It’s a common concern, but the flu shot can’t give anyone the flu,” says Dr. Sambyal. “Flu vaccines contain either an inactivated virus or just a piece of the virus protein—neither of which can cause illness. Occasionally, mild side effects like soreness or low-grade fever may occur, but these are simply signs that the body is building up immunity.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that flu vaccines reduce the risk of hospitalization by up to 40%.

CDC. This season's flu vaccines reduced flu medical visits and hospitalizations across all ages. February 29, 2024.

For patients with egg allergies, newer egg-free vaccines ensure even broader accessibility.