Two years ago I did a bit of research on how to eat responsibly at Thanksgiving thanks to a writing assignment for the Health Journal of "Ladies' Home Journal." After interviewing Ruth Frechman, Spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, and Joy Bauer of Joy Bauer Nutrition, here's what I wrote:
Did the food coma from last year's Thanksgiving feast have you too tired to help with the dishes afterward? That's not your imagination. According to Ruth Frechman, Spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, gorging yourself during the holidays can have physiological and psychological effects. "After you eat a large meal, less blood goes to your brain and more blood goes to your stomach to start the digestion process," she says.
As a result you feel more tired, especially if you've eaten more than usual. Loaded plates and excess calories can also trigger acid reflex problems and can cause insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. Psychologically, a person who overeats at the start of the holiday could easily abandon all dietary discipline, starting the new year in a size bigger than before the turkey feast. "Once you start overeating for special occasions, it's harder to get used to eating less later," says Frechman.
However, with a little planning, you can avoid the holiday bulge without feeling deprived of your favorite foods. Joy Bauer, Founder of Joy Bauer Nutrition (www.joybauernutrition.com) offers these helpful hints:
1) Forgo the appetizers and munch on crudités.
2) Load your plate with white meat turkey and vegetables.
3) Pick one to two heaping tablespoons of a yummy, decadent side dish (mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, or whatever else is your favorite). Meals that are heavy on carbohydrates tend to leave you feeling super bloated.
4) Pick one dessert, or go half on two. Or, if you're strong enough, stop at a taste and pile on the fruit.
5) Always have a club soda in hand (alcoholic beverages can put on the pounds).
6) Hang out with the talkers, not the eaters.
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We can all be thankful we have access to food and live in this great land of plenty.
I will be thankful with every mouthful of Thanksgiving turkey and all the fixins! yum yum
My prayers will be with the less fortunate and the homeless. I wish they all could have a feast every day.
Gratitude and thankfulness are the true hallmarks of this holiday.We in the USA are so used to abundant life that we know that even the homeless and helpless among us have access to a warm Thanksgiving meal.Whether they choose to partake is another story. I have been on the giving and receiving end of abundance and deprivation. When I became homeless because of divorce and mental illness; my own family refused to come for Thanksgiving because of their embarassment at my living situation.So, every Thanksgiving thereafter has been marked with emotional pain for me. Though all has been forgiven and almost forgotten, I always pray the entire day before that God will answer my prayers and allow my day with my family to be blessed with joy and peace, the food is always secondary and coming from a French farm family; that line of thinking is a huge accomplishment!!I recommend that any of you suffering from the turkey triptophan syndrome and complain of stuffing yourselves with too much food just to turn off the tv,save the dishes for later and take a five mile hike through the park or woods and watch the animals scurry around preparing for the winter.Or find a homeless shelter to work atfor the day or evening meal.Walk the talk and lend a hand or better yet, invite those you know or don't know to share the overabundance of your table.You may be entertaining Christ himself in disguise!!!
Hi all, Happy htanksgiving to all. But like the writer above says, we should htink of all those who will be staying home alone with just a small sandvhich or such.We should give thanks for those who have tried so hard to make it and even if they have failed a tleast, they can hold their head up and know the lord will some how take care of them. invite some one over to share a meal and to share your thanks to god for all he does. It may be the only holiday cheer they have this year. Open your doors and hearts this thanksgiving and
show gods love. I especially give thanks tha tI have had another year with my husband because he was so sick and has been in hospital twice
in one year. With heart and kidney probs.i am also so blessed with so many wonderful loving friends.They are the best.So enjoy all your turkeys and dont foget to thank god for allhte htings he has given you.
This year the food banks are reporting less donations than ever! Think about it while you're 'stuffing' yourself for the sake of...?
A local supermarket in conjunction with some charity group was offering a bag of groceries worth $20 for just $10, yet there were few buyers. Maybe 'cause you couldn't take the bag with you? Some people, and I couldn't but notice that they were the poorest among us, were depositing single cans of food or packages of pasta, others passed by with cart ladden with goodies and oblivious to food collection for the least among us.
On Thanksgiving's night while walking my two beloved dogs after 9 p.m., we didn't encounter a single walker in our mile long trek. Next morning I awoke to a beautiful day and gave thanks to my higher being for feeling so good, lite and ready to face the day. May nobody goes hungry anywhere, that's my wish and not only for the holidays.
@Suzan, yes! Some of us have entertained angels unaware...that's my favorite saying and it's happened to me.
Let's all make a point to find out those who are alone this season and invite them home if nothing more than just to sample some cookies and a casual meal.
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