As Thanksgiving approaches, most of you probably have thoughts of fun, family, and football. Oh, and of course, a lot of great tasting (though not great for you) food.
You know it’s not the healthiest of holidays when it spawns a phrase like – food coma! Which is why we put together this list of tips to help you be a little bit healthier this Thanksgiving. (Don’t worry; sacrifices will be minimal.)
#1 – Drink More Water
Experts agree that you should be drinking at least half your bodyweight in ounces of pure water every day. And by water, we don’t mean coffee, or soda, or even tea. The sad truth is that most people don’t reach that benchmark, and some don’t even come close.
Drink 1 to 2 glasses of water about 30 minutes prior to your Thanksgiving feast along with your regular daily water consumption for the day.
Consuming more water does a couple of things. It tricks your body into thinking it’s full faster. Which means you’ll consume less food, fewer calories, and fewer toxins. But water also alkalizes your body.
An acidic body is a sick body. And unfortunately, most of your favorite Thanksgiving foods are also acidic. But if you’re drinking more water, you’ll help offset some of the damage from those acidic foods.
#2 – Decrease Your Sugar Intake
Yes, Thanksgiving is meant to be enjoyed, but the holiday food season is long, so splurge slowly. And try a little healthy substitution!
For instance, instead of buying pre-made cranberry sauce at the store, which is 30% sugar, make your own. It’s easy to do, it’ll contain far less sugar, and taste just as good, if not better. Another great substitution is …
#3 – Replace White Potatoes with Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, so no worries about sugar content. However, it’s the nutrient content of sweet potatoes that make it a great choice. Nutrients that can also offset other damage you’ll be doing to your body on that day.
Whether you go white or sweet, make sure you purchase organic. Your life is filled with enough toxins; no reason to get them from your potatoes, too.
#4 – Your Dessert of Choice: Pumpkin Pie
Another great, healthy substitution! Though, for many of you, it won’t be a hard sell. But for those of you who’d rather have apple pie or pecan pie … consider all the sugar in each of those pies first.
Better to stick with tradition and go pumpkin. Pumpkins, like sweet potatoes, have a healthier nutritional profile, which allows you to get more nutrients and thereby help limit Thanksgiving dessert damage.
#5 – Take a Walk
If you can, take walk before and after eating. (Or in-between bouts of feeding, if that’s more appropriate.) But if you can only take one walk, do it after stuffing yourself.
Taking a walk will help burn some of those calories you just flooded your body with. It will increase blood flow, which will improve digestion, and help stimulate other areas of the body and ward off that dreaded food coma.
I hope these tips help you stay a little bit healthier this Thanksgiving. But if you need one more, it’s this: Moderation!
Bonus Tip: Reduce the Three Ts this Thanksgiving
Real chiropractic care is about allowing your nervous system to function properly and reducing the amount of stress placed on your body. And it begins by reducing the three Ts – toxins, thoughts, and trauma.
Toxins from our environment and food are everywhere, but we can still limit our exposure to them. Negative thoughts are also toxic and should be reduced. And finally, physical trauma – sitting for too long, poor posture, and staring down at your phone or computer all day.
Limit the amount of chemical stress, physical stress, and emotional stress placed on your body, and your body will reward you with years of great service. Even during the holidays, when stress just seems more abundant than normal.
To find a TRUCHIRO in your area that can help you and your family stay healthy, especially during this busy and stressful holiday season, visit www.truchiro.org.
Have a happy, safe, and healthy Thanksgiving!
