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• As a dietitian, I follow the Mediterranean diet, but that doesn't mean my family never eats out.
• Dunkin' is an easy place to grab breakfast when we're in a rush.
• I try to avoid overly sugary drinks, but I do order the occasional doughnut as a treat.

As a dietitian who tries to follow the Mediterranean diet, I eat a lot of veggies, beans, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

However, in a pinch, my family and I sometimes have to lean on fast food, especially when we're traveling.

When I visit Dunkin' with my 9-year-old daughter and my husband, I opt for protein-rich options and try to limit any added sugar and sodium.

Here's what I ordered for everyone on our last Dunkin' run.

A hot latte gives me a kick of caffeine.

It's tempting to go for a flavored coffee at Dunkin', but some of them have more sugar than a doughnut.

For example, a small Dunkin' hot coffee with caramel-swirl flavoring has 26 grams of added sugar, while a vanilla sprinkle doughnut only has 16 grams.

Instead, I skip the added sweeteners. Since some dairy is permitted on the Mediterranean diet, a classic latte made with 2% milk gives me the caffeine boost I need without a sugar rush.

Plus, dairy milk adds some protein and nutrients (like calcium).

I'm a fan of the omelet bites.

Although they're processed — aka not very Mediterranean-diet friendly — I love Dunkin's omelet bites for a protein-packed breakfast.

Two of the egg white and veggie bites contain a whopping 13 grams of protein, which keeps me full. As a bonus, they help me get a small start on my daily veggie goals.

My husband's beverage of choice is iced green tea.

My husband, who has elevated blood pressure, enjoys an unsweetened green iced tea.

Some research suggests that green tea may help lower blood pressure, particularly in individuals with hypertension. The catechins and other bioactive compounds are associated with helping relax blood vessels, promote healthy blood flow, and reduce the strain on the cardiovascular system.

The iced, unsweetened version at Dunkin' has no sugar, and there's little to it in terms of calories and sodium, so he tends to get a larger size.

Dunkin's avocado toast is also a good pick for my husband.

Avocado toast is my husband's top food pick at Dunkin', which is convenient for his health needs and our diet.

Avocados are a good source of potassium, a mineral that's also been found to help lower blood pressure. Dunkin's avocado toast contains 371 milligrams of potassium, which is over 10% of the daily recommended intake for men.

Pairing avocado with whole-grain toast provides him with a satisfying on-the-go option that has heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, 6 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein.

Orange juice is my daughter's drink of choice.

Although my daughter doesn't follow any kind of strict diet, I often feed her along the principles of the Mediterranean diet since that's how my husband and I eat.

Even though the juice contains quite a bit of natural sugar from the fruit, I'm OK with her drinking a serving of orange juice (which I portion out from the slightly larger Simply Orange bottle sold at my Dunkin').

It provides her with nutrients like vitamin C and antioxidants. Plus, it helps her get closer to her fruit quota for the day.

She likes the wake-up wrap.

It's not very Mediterranean-diet friendly, but my daughter likes the egg-and-cheese wake-up wrap at Dunkin'.

The serving is relatively tiny, and there isn't a whole grain or veggie in sight, but I'm happy that the 7 grams of protein help keep her satisfied when we're in a pinch.

Plus, the eggs add some vital nutrients, like choline, which is essential to supporting brain health.

I firmly believe an occasional treat can fit into a balanced diet.

Although the Mediterranean diet doesn't allow for a lot of processed foods or added sugars, an occasional treat isn't going to completely throw us off.

Dunkin' is known for its doughnuts, so we usually let our daughter pick the variety and split one between the three of us.

I think it's OK to sometimes eat food purely for the pleasure it provides. By sharing, we reduce the risk of overindulging without feeling deprived.

• After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in my 20s, I went through a series of manic episodes.
• During one manic episode, I partied hard, bought a nightclub, and committed a white-collar crime.
• The charges for my crimes hung over my head for years and still affect my life.

I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 27 after I almost took my life during a major depressive episode. Instead, I ended up in a mental hospital for several days.

Seven years earlier, I'd had my first bipolar episode while studying theology. I went from being top of my class to almost failing because of the effects of depression on my mental capacity. A few months after getting out of the mental hospital, I was hit with a major manic episode.

I describe my mania as the rational part of my brain getting turned off and replaced with recklessness, impulsivity, and bad decision-making. This included partying every night at bars and clubs, womanizing, and developing a drug addiction.

In another manic episode, I committed a white-collar crime that changed my life.

I started making money illegally

In Jacksonville, Florida, I met some new party friends who were making way more money than I was.

They explained their healthcare fraud scheme to me, which involved paying illegal kickbacks to patients and doctors for prescriptions for compounded creams used to treat scars, pain, and migraines. We targeted an insurance company that would reimburse anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000. But the compounded creams were specially made by pharmacists and cost a fraction of that to produce.

In 2014, blinded by my mania, I joined the fraud. It was the easiest money I ever made. I partied much harder than I worked, setting up shop in strip clubs at lunchtime and ordering bottle service. I went on lavish party trips to Miami and Las Vegas.

In May 2015, the FBI raided our office and seized computers, paperwork, records, and prescriptions. I got a lawyer and found out I was potentially facing seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.

I didn't slow down and continued making poor decisions

I should have listened to my lawyer and slowed down, but after a brief depressive episode, another manic episode ensued. I did the exact opposite of what I was advised. I moved to Austin and bought into an after-hours nightclub.

I was partying harder than ever. I even moved my drug dealer into my spare bedroom to get a discount.

Things quickly fell apart, and I blew through hundreds of thousands of dollars — though I didn't fully comprehend how dire my financial situation was becoming.

Everything crashed around me like a house of cards: I ran my club into the ground, blew through all my money, and was evicted from my condo. I basically became homeless, living out of dirt-cheap hotels.

I found a new psychiatrist who helped me get back on track

I'd seen several psychiatrists over the years who prescribed medications, but I had trouble with the side effects. Thankfully, I was able to see a new psychiatrist who still treats me. He was finally able to put me on the right medications for my situation after years of trial and error.

My condition stabilized, and I was able to get a job in finance. I hadn't been charged in the fraud case, so it didn't come up on my background check. I was hoping the government had forgotten about it, but I was finally charged and pleaded guilty in 2019. I was on probation until I received my sentence.

I worked hard for years to get back everything I'd lost while having a potential prison sentence hanging over my head. After I was charged and pleaded guilty, I should have informed my employer. I regret it, but I was scared of being back on the street.

The consequences of my crime still follow me

In January 2023, my employer found out about my conviction and let me go. Having a felony on my record was extremely difficult, and I was turned down for dozens of jobs. I finally got a job as a delivery driver, making one-sixth of what I was making in finance. I had to start my life over a second time, and I moved back in with my family.

After 9 ½ years, I was finally sentenced last week. The judge was merciful and took my mental illness into account — after five years of probation, I was sentenced to time served. It's still surreal to have my life back after a lost decade.

I've done my best to right my many wrongs. I'm living a different lifestyle and haven't touched drugs in years. I've decided my new purpose in life is to let my mess become my message and share my story in hopes of encouraging others who are struggling with mental illness. This year, I started a coaching practice where I'm doing just that, and have begun talking candidly about my struggles with bipolar disorder on social media.

And, for the first time since I lost it nearly 20 years ago, I've finally found my inner peace.

You can follow David Funes' story on social media @bipolarguylovinglife and mybipolarcomeback.com

• Business Insider asked award-winning bartenders what their favorite cocktails are right now.
• Eggnog, mulled wine, and hot toddies are classic winter cocktails for a good reason.
• Simple twists on classic cocktails like old-fashioneds and Sazeracs give them extra pizzazz.

There's no better way to survive the holidays than with a festive cocktail.

Business Insider asked award-winning bartenders from around the world to share their favorite cocktails right now — and what makes them so seasonally special.

You can't go wrong with an old-fashioned.

Tiffanie Barriere — a Tastemakers of the South award winner and cocktail educator with a heavy focus on Black culture — sticks to the classics.

"I'm still a sucker for an old-fashioned," she said. The cocktail is a sipper, not a chugger, so it's great for longer holiday gatherings.

At its core, an old-fashioned only needs three ingredients (bourbon or rye whiskey, water, and bitters), though sugar and orange are often included in basic recipes.

There are also countless ways to remix the drink. Barriere recommends trying different concoctions with things like peach preserves, apple butter, and pumpkin puree. She's even had an old-fashioned made with zucchini soup broth — the possibilities are really endless.

Winter weather calls for hot toddies.

Deniseea Head, a cocktail consultant and storyteller, won VinePair's educator of the year award in 2023 for her work in the drink industry.

Her wintertime staple is a hot toddy. The drink typically calls for hot water, whiskey, lemon, honey, and spices, and she grew up drinking virgin versions on the rare occasion that the temperature dipped in Los Angeles.

"It's festive, warm, and I feel like it's lowkey healing," Head told BI.

Along with her personal connection to this drink, the history of the hot toddy also resonates with her work in connecting cocktails with Black American culture.

"The hot-toddy recipe, in my opinion, has been passed down as somewhat of a cure within the African American culture, specifically because we haven't always had access to things we need," she said.

Daddy Long Legs, another successful bartender who recently placed third in Tales of the Cocktail's Most Imaginative Bartender awards, has similar praise for the hot drink.

The bartender would also love to see people take the cocktail one step further by incorporating soups and broths.

"Personally, I'm brewing an idea for a chicken-noodle-soup hot toddy," they told BI.

Lastly, the simple cocktail is easy to make in big batches, which is perfect for holiday parties and events.

A Sazerac is a lesser-known classic.

Heriberto Mandez, the bar manager at Restaurant Good Luck and a finalist at the 2024 Rochester Cocktail Revival festival, likes to add a little theatrical flair to cocktails to liven up the holiday season.

His favorite drink is a take on a classic Sazerac — a cocktail made with whiskey, bitters, sugar, absinthe, and a citrus garnish. Mandez elevates the drink by caramelizing the absinthe and using a split base of rye whiskey and brandy to pay homage to the cocktail's French and American history.

When everything is assembled, he also lights the cocktail on fire — a fun way to start a conversation at a party or just add a little brightness to the end of the year.

Mulled wine is full of Christmas cheer.

Jose Luis Mora, the lead bartender at the award-winning Sea Grill at Puente Romano Beach Resort in Spain, said he's a fan of many holiday cocktails.

Although seasonal specialties like a winter espresso martini with peppermint or a pumpkin-flavored whiskey sour are fun, Mora finds himself reaching for a staple: glühwein.

Glühwein, or mulled wine, combines ingredients like red wine, vermouth, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and citrus fruits. It's served warm, so it's perfect for any outdoor holiday event.

Don't hate on eggnog.

Liana Oster, who's worked at award-winning bars around the world and is now the beverage director at NoMad London, also loves classics. Her first favorite is eggnog.

"I love the process of making it, drinking it, and often gifting it," she told BI. "I've been lucky to try a number of different styles, some classic, some contemporary, like pumpkin-infused or frozen."

The fact that everyone has their own recipe gives the cocktail a special touch at parties and events.

Break out the punch bowl for your next party.

Charné van Heerden, South Africa's 2023 bartender of the year and the owner of HiBall, said holiday cocktails look a little different in the Southern Hemisphere — it's summer there, after all.

"Hands down, my holiday go-to is any punch-style drink," she told BI. "My easy-to-whip-up recipe consists of rooibos tea, strawberry oleo, citrus, and, of course, brandy (a lot of it)."

She serves it chilled to beat the summer heat, and making a big batch ahead of the party makes it easy for people to top up their glasses.

Spiced cocktails fit the season well.

Stanislav Harcinik, the ambassador at the award-winning Mirror Bar Cocktail Bar in Washington, DC, shared some of his favorite Slovakian holiday cocktails from his homeland.

"In Slovakia, it's very traditional to 'spice' our drinks during the holidays with our own fruit eau-de-vies like slivovica (plum) or jablkovica (apple)," he said. Eau-de-vie is a kind of brandy made with fermented fruits.

To finish off the traditional winter drink, he mixes it with some ginger juice, honey, and lemon.

• President-elect Trump confirmed his intent to use the US military for mass deportations in the US.
• Laws sharply limit the roles that federal troops can fill in US law enforcement.
• Trump could rely on state-led National Guard personnel or attempt to bypass a long-standing law.

President-elect Donald Trump said this week that his incoming administration plans to follow through on his campaign promise of using the US military to execute his mass deportation plan.

This puts his incoming administration on a potential collision course with long-standing laws and practices that sharply limit the use of US troops in law enforcement.

Trump's border czar has said US troops could assist immigration dragnets through non-enforcement roles that involve building structures, gathering intelligence, or flying migrants to the countries they fled. National Guard troops that report to state governors can support law enforcement, but the Posse Comitatus Act bars active-duty and federalized Guardsmen from acting as law enforcement.

Trump could rely on state-led National Guardsmen, however, or attempt to sidestep Posse Comitatus altogether through the Insurrection Act of 1807. But this would be an extreme move that's sure to trigger fierce opposition from state governors, lawsuits, and military officials.

"If the president were looking to use the Instruction Act to enforce immigration as a federal law, that would be a pretty extraordinary use, and that would be way out of custom," Mark Nevitt, who served as a judge advocate general in the US Navy, told Business Insider. "Arguably, there is an authority to do that, but again, it would be way out of the norms of its historic use."

When asked how the incoming administration would confront these limitations, Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump's transition team, said the president-elect "will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation" in US history.

"The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail, like deporting migrant criminals and restoring our economic greatness," Leavitt told Business Insider in an emailed statement. "He will deliver."

What happens if Trump orders the US military to assist?

Each military branch has a civilian general counsel, who would likely be among the first officials to review whether a presidential order complies with the Posse Comitatus Act, said Gary Solis, a former Marine JAG. He described two potential scenarios:

1. The Army's general counsel concludes it is lawful, allowing US armed forces to move forward with Trump's order. This scenario would likely trigger a slew of lawsuits attempting to block its enforcement, Solis said.
2. The general counsel rejects the order, giving lower-level commanders the grounds to refuse it.

"But no law can interpret a presidential order in advance," Solis said. "Some orders would be obviously unlawful, but any order issued from Trump's office would be very carefully worded in an effort to make its execution by the military bulletproof."

Nevitt, an associate law professor at Emory University, said the PCA provision is "really, really nuanced" and doesn't explicitly "prohibit the National Guard from enforcing immigration laws."

The president can legally deploy the National Guard for domestic law enforcement through cooperation with state governors, provided that the military force is operating under state control and not federalized through the Insurrection Act and thus subjected to PCA restrictions.

"You can imagine that some governors will be more excited about this mission than others," Nevitt told BI. "You can fill in the blank on who those might be, but probably more Republican governors that are more friendly to President Trump. Those who are less friendly to President Trump would maybe not be as interested in taking on this mission."

"If President Trump tried to use this authority from a red state like Wyoming or Texas and put those National Guard troops in a blue state that is unwilling to accept them, that would be quite a crisis," he continued. "I think the state that did not want to accept these outside National Guard troops could say this is a violation of their own sovereignty, and they'd have a pretty powerful case that they could find a way to a lawsuit."

What roles can the US military fill?

On his social media platform, Truth Social, the former president this week commented "TRUE!!!" on a post about his plans to "declare a national emergency" and "use military assets" to carry out sweeping raids to deport millions of migrants a year.

Declaring a national emergency can provide the president with a broader set of powers to respond to crises, but it doesn't authorize the military to act as domestic law enforcers. The Trump administration may not attempt to use them as such to avoid triggering a backlash.

Agencies like US Immigration and Customs Enforcement lead efforts to locate and arrest migrants. A more robust immigration crackdown could require building bigger detention centers, where migrants are held through the deportation process. That's where Defense Department funding and personnel could come in.

Trump's "border czar," Thomas Homan, said using military funds would be a "force multiplier" in an immigration crackdown; Trump's first administration redirected billions of dollars from the Pentagon to build sections of the wall on the US-Mexico border.

But Homan, who formerly led ICE, specified that military personnel would be assigned "non-enforcement duties, such as transportation, whether it's on ground or air, infrastructure, building, [and] intelligence."

"We're hoping DoD will help us with air flights because there's a limited number of planes ICE has contracts with, so DoD can certainly help with air flights all across the globe," Homan said in a Tuesday interview on Fox Business Network.

Will troops want to become police?

Aside from the many legal challenges, Nevitt said he thinks that the troops might be reluctant to participate on the stance they signed up to be warfighters — not policemen.

"The military has, historically, not wanted this mission," Nevitt, who served in the Navy for two decades, said. "The federal military forces want to fight and win our nation's wars; they want to secure the nation's national security; they want to do operational deployments."

"In asking federal military forces to enforce immigration laws, there is going to be a strong cultural allergic reaction that's well grounded in civil-military norms," he added.

Nevitt said he thought federal troops carrying out domestic law enforcement would tarnish the "special trust" the American public holds in the military.

"As a veteran, the military is seen as protecting this country, keeping our country safe," he said. "There's going to be a lot of static if President Trump asks the military to do something that is beyond what they have historically been asked to do."