Important things to note about health during Thanksgiving
There is a special occasion that happens every year that is a special time to offer thanks and gratitude for the year that is almost about to end. That is THANKSGIVING. During this time, a lot of people put their diets on hold to splurge on the feast that is being prepared by their friends and loved ones. Many of us often forget about our health during this festive time. But, because of the pandemic, a lot of us haven’t celebrated this festivity in the past 2 years, so we expect a more festive celebration this year, and people may be going above and beyond for this year’s thanksgiving.
It is not bad to celebrate thanksgiving and have a feast, but we must not forget about our health and what the food we eat may affect us in any way. Below are some tips that we can do in order for us to enjoy thanksgiving, and still remain healthy.
1. Prepare a healthy Thanksgiving menu- we normally think that holidays lead to weight gain. That is because of the food that we eat. It is important to balance our diet. This tips may help in preparing our Thanksgiving meal:
a. Go easy on the butter
b. Use less salt (swap table salt for sea salt)
c. Reduce the use of dairy products, such as cheese and cream
2. Eat what you like but in moderation- even though there are healthy options available for us, we always tend to think that this only happens once a year and eat anything that we like. That is always the case. We just need to control ourselves with the amount of food that we eat during this time in order not to overfeed ourselves and regret the day after.
a. Go for smaller portions instead of heaping mounds of food on your plate
b. Pay attention to what you are eating
c. Give food time to settle before going for seconds
d. Listen to your body
3. Drink enough water- water is always good for our health. Instead of drinking juice, sodas or alcohol, better drink water to avoid empty calories and excess sugar.
4. Engage in physical activity- before Thanksgiving arrives, it is better to exercise beforehand and have a calorie deficit before splurging in the thanksgiving meal.
5. Get plenty of rest- taking care of our body is important. But taking care of our mind is as important. Not getting enough sleep affects our mood by amplifying negative emotions and ruining our mood. So, it is advised to have an ample amount of sleep before joining the festivities to have a good mood all throughout Thanksgiving.
6. Lend a hand to others- many people are having a hard time and don’t have enough budget to celebrate Thanksgiving. If you have extra, it is better to give food to those people who are in difficult times. This also helps our well-being and also uplift those who are less fortunate.
7. Enjoy the day- Thanksgiving is meant to be enjoyed. After all the preparations you made, there might be some problems that may arise. Don’t beat yourself up because of that, just go with the flow and enjoy the day. Talk to your loved ones who are present that time and if possible, have video calls to those who are far away. Always be thankful for everything that has happened to you and have a positive outlook in life.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!