Ease up on festivities: Dr Grinch

TRASH the turkey, pot the pudding and bin the beer – Dr Grinch is stealing your Christmas feast with Australia’s leading medicos saying salad is the festive fare we should be scoffing instead.

And forget about a nap, the Australian Medical Association recommends a healthy bike ride after lunch instead.

“God knows I’m going to get clobbered on the day myself by those around me saying, ‘C’mon Doc, lighten up’,” AMA vice-president Dr Tony Bartone said.

The AMA warned that booze quaffing, seafood troughing Aussies could consume “three times as many kilojoules as they need” just on Christmas Day.

Dr Bartone suggested swapping full-fat cream for yoghurt, ditching chips, eating salad and “watching the alcohol intake”.

“Instead of a post-lunch nap, go for a walk or a bike ride, or encourage others in a game of cricket,” he said.

But nutritionist and author Fiona Tuck said it was “ridiculous” people were made to feel guilty about Christmas consumption.

“What you do on Christmas Day – one day of the year – is not going to have any longterm health effects whatsoever, it’s what people do for the rest of the year.”