A Healthy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of the best times of the year as people get to take time off from their regular activities, relax, and spend time with friends and family. This holiday is also known for the great amounts of food that is consumed on the day. Though Thanksgiving is a great time to make delicious foods and enjoy company, there is also a negative side to it. That negative side being what one big meal can do to affect your body.
Depending on how much is consumed by the individual, some short-term effects can take place. When eating so much food, your stomach expands to meet the food intake level. This could lead to some discomfort in the stomach area which is due to the amount of food consumed, as well as, the kinds of food consumed. Thanksgiving meals include a lot of starchy dishes that can cause a sudden spike in blood sugar. This could then cause physical symptoms that include bloating, heartburn, and possibly headaches. Though these are not the worst things your body could go through, certain people will need to monitor their intake more than others, like those with diabetes or with a history of vascular problems. Another symptom that people may notice is fatigue due to your body using so much energy to digest the elevated food intake.
The short-term effects may not seem like too big of a problem, but one long-term effect that could take place is if the Thanksgiving meal goes beyond that of the day of Thanksgiving. If there was a habit that was formed of consuming similar amounts of food as the day of Thanksgiving, this could lead to other complications and negative effects.
That being said, there are a few tips that can be performed to make sure you can be the healthiest as possible this Thanksgiving. One tip is as simple as eating a healthy breakfast. Not skipping breakfast is very important to make sure to not overindulge at the official Thanksgiving meal. Another great healthy act is to simply “walk it off.” Taking a walk by yourself or with friends and family will help burn some of those gained calories and get your headspace right after possibly being inside all day. One more tip is to stay hydrated. When eating a lot of sodium-concentrated foods, drinking water will help digest those foods. Staying hydrated will also help you make better decisions when selecting portion sizes and can kick-start your metabolism.
Bloomington Health Foundation would like to wish you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving this year. Remember to check back here for more health tips all year long!
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