Let's Talk Turkey

     That time of year is upon us again -- the time of indulgence, decadence, and revelry.  Better known as the holidays - and more specifically this month, Thanksgiving.  The turkey and trimmings can be a delight or disaster.  Whether you enjoy the varied offerings of the holiday table or over-indulge in them depends entirely on you.  So here's a few things you can do to keep this Thanksgiving's dinner from turning you into a turkey!

   

  1. ) GRAZE, not devour 

   VS 

          There's always so much food on the holiday table, so enjoy it all, but do so with a minimalist approach.  Try a bite of this and a bite of that, but don't pile it on.  Especially if you'll have the spread out all day.  If every time you walk by the table you limit yourself to one little sliver of turkey or ham instead of a plate full of slices, you'll feel much better the day after.  Limit yourself to just one spoonful of sweet potato casserole each meal, rather than half the bowl.  I know it's hard, trust me, but you can do it!!

2.) Go for the light 

          For almost everything you can concoct in the kitchen these days, somewhere out there in internet land, there's a lighter or less fat version of the recipe.  Sometimes it's as simple as swapping out an ingredient or two.  In place of oil in many baking recipes, you can substitute apple sauce as a great alternative.  At Thanksgiving, an any other time of year, you can substitute canned pumpkin to make great, flavorful treats that are better for you.  
          Check out this great article from the Mayo Clinic on ingredient substitutions:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00585

3.) Listen to your gauge

          Just as a gas pump will shut off when your vehicle's gas tank is full -- you stomach will signal you when it's full.  When you feel that full sensation--STOP eating!  You're body will tell you when it's hungry again.  It does this for a reason.  If you learn to let your stomach control your eating and not your brain (I know this sounds a little strange, but go with me), you will see a big difference.  Eating based on your body's triggers and not your emotions' triggers can hugely impact your body.  Many people eat past the point of need because they simply want to.  You always hate yourself after you stuff yourself so full you can barely move.  And then you want to nap -- which is the worst thing you can do after over-indulging.  So treat your emotional eating like a child.  Tell it no.  Listen to your body.

4. ) Go for a walk

          The best thing you can do after a meal, especially after an over-indulgent one, is to move.  Regardless of what you've heard about turkey and it's tryptophan-backed sleep-inducing -- it can only make you sleepy if you let it.  Here's an instance where you SHOULDN'T listen to your body.  After you're full (especially when you're stuffed) your brain (that pesky thing is always causing problems where food is concerned) sends signals to your body that it needs rest and digest all that food you just ate.  The compound tryptophan in turkey aids in that signal by creating a sense of sleepiness.  You can battle those urges by not sitting down.  Get up, go for a walk, even if it's just around the block.  That little bit of exercise will actually rev up your metabolism and help your body digest the food quicker.  Plus, you just might burn off a few calories of that pumpkin pie, too.  Some of you out there will rail against going for a walk after eating because it can cause heartburn or reflex to worsen.  This is simply  not true.  Notice, I did not say that you should go to Crossfit right after eating.  That wouldn't be good for anyone.  You might have to taste that turkey twice--the bad way.  True, strenuous activity right after eating can cause you problems, but a simple stroll down the driveway and around the neighborhood will do you nothing but good!  If heartburn is giving your grief, it's not the walk that did you in -- it's the extra slice of pumpkin pie.  Put down the fork, grab a couple of Tums, and do not repeat that mistake again.  See # 3!!!

          Even if after all your efforts, Turkey Day 2013 turns into an over-indulgent fete a' fete -- just remember: You haven't completely wrecked your new healthy lifestyle -- you've just had a setback.  

Now, dust yourself off and get back on the treadmill and have a carrot stick.  And remember Christmas is coming and you have another chance to resist the massive temptation all over again!





Here's some great recipes to lighten up your Thanksgiving table:

Again, our friends at the Mayo Clinic have some great suggestions:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thanksgiving-recipes/NU00643

One of my favorite recipes sites, Allrecipes.com has some great ones, too:
http://allrecipes.com/howto/healthy-thanksgiving-recipes/

of course Food Network has your hook-up:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy-eating/healthy-thanksgiving-recipes/pictures/index.html

And one more:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/thanksgiving_collection_1

Don't FALL into Flu Season!

     Football season is in full swing. The leaves are starting to fall. Halloween is a week away, which means Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner!! Yes, that means it must be fall! And with fall comes lots of fun things. But fall also brings a few bad things. Like fall allergy season--(Those peanuts sure smell good being picked, but oh my do they do a number on our allergies!)-- and cough/cold season, flu season, and pneumonia season. You know, all the good things.

     So, what can you do to make sure your fall and winter don't include sickness? One of the most important steps to take in preventing illness this fall is to get vaccinated! Getting a yearly flu shot not only protects you but all those around you from the flu. We know, we know...We've heard all the excuses. We'll get to that in a minute. Did you know that there is also a pneumonia vaccine? People over the age of 65 or people who are at a higher risk of developing pneumonia (i.e. smokers, heavy alcohol drinkers, asthmatics) should receive a pneumonia vaccine once at least every five years.

     Another MAJOR and IMPORTANT thing to prevent illness is to WASH YOUR HANDS. You know the old saying, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness?" Well, there just might be some truth to that, especially as far as germs are concerned. There is no better way to prevent illness than to clean it! Germs can't hurt you if they don't touch you! Frequent hand washing and cleaning of areas that frequently touched is a necessity to prevent germs in ANY season from attacking. Pay special attention to babies' toys and anything than they put in their mouths (which is, let's face it, EVERYTHING!), food preparation areas, and frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs. Bleach is the best (and fortunately, cheapest) cleaner you can buy. It can be used to clean ANYTHING -- even food. Here's a great article that tells you ways to use bleach: http://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/12-smart-ways-to-use-bleach/

     Now, back to the flu shots.  I know that there are people reading this who will give ten thousand reasons why they won't get a flu shot.  We've probably heard just about all of them.  The truth is: most of the things you think you know about flu shots are NOT true.

Myth 1 : Getting the flu shot will give me the flu.

Fact: The flu shot does NOT contain live virus.  LIVE viruses are what make you sick.  THEREFORE, getting the flu shot does NOT give you the flu.  

"But how do you explain that I got the flu shot last year and a week later I got the flu."

Simple.  The flu vaccine takes approximately two (can be up to four) weeks to help your body develop it's fullest immunity.  So, you will not be protected from the flu right after your shot.  It will take a few weeks to "kick in", so to speak.  Therefore, do NOT wait until late in the season to get your flu shot.  If you haven't already gotten it -- NOW is the time!

"Well, okay, my friend got the flu shot and she got the flu two months later."

So, another fact, flu vaccinations will not prevent everyone from getting the flu.  This year's vaccination is based on the most common and dangerous strains from last year.  So, it is possible that the type of virus that infected your friend was a strain not covered in the flu vaccine.  But more likely than not, your friend experienced a much milder form of illness than she would have had she not been vaccinated.  While the flu vaccine does not prevent "everyone" "always" getting the flu -- it helps to minimize the severity of the symptoms, plus provide protection for those who come in contact with you, to decrease their risk.

Myth 2: I don't have kids or I live alone, and I'm always very careful to avoid sick people.

Fact : Germs lurk around every corner.  You can come in contact with people who don't even know they are sick yet.  Plus-- you can pass the flu virus to others, even if you don't become sick yourself.

You are carrying virus germs well before you know that you are sick, so ANYONE you come in contact with is at risk of sharing your germs.  Whether it's at the grocery store, the soccer fields, the drug store, or anywhere you might come in contact with others -- you can pass on germs -- AND those germs can get passed on to you.  No matter how careful you might be, others might not be so careful.  Especially anywhere there are children -- there are germs.  So, just because you think you have avoided all the germ "traps", I assure you, they are still lurking in an unsuspecting corner waiting to strike!

Myth 3 : It's just a little cold -- I can handle being sick for a few days.

Fact: The flu virus is responsible for 200,000 hospitalizations and thousands of deaths each year.  Many of these were otherwise healthy persons before getting the flu.

The flu is NOT a common cold.  Flu virus can be much harder for your body to fight and can cause much worse symptoms than just your average "cold".  Dehydration is a common cause of hospitalization and can further exacerbate the damage caused by the virus.  You might be lucky -- but you're more likely to NOT be.  Not to mention feeling like you've been hit by a bus, you won't be allowed (for the safety of your coworkers) to come back to work until you're 100%, so think about being out of work for a week or more.  Does that make it seem a little more serious?

Myth 4 : I've already had the flu this year (or even this season), so I can't get it again.

Fact: There are different strains of the virus, and just because you have been infected by one doesn't mean you can't be infected by another.

Just because you've already been diagnosed with flu does NOT mean you can't get it again.  While your body does develop antibodies that fight the strain you've already had, there's always the possibility of being infected by another.  Even if you've already had the flu this season, you can still be vaccinated to help prevent another attack.


Getting a flu shot is very simple these days.  You can get one at your doctor's office, the health department, or many of our local pharmacies.  It only takes a few seconds to actually get the injection -- and you should only feel a pinch.  Some people do have soreness where the injection occurred (usually in the arm) for a few hours.  Taking 2 acetaminophen before getting your vaccination will help to minimize that.

Remember: It only takes a few minutes to get a flu vaccine.  It could save your from being ill -- or, even save your life or someone else's!  Get vaccinated today!

Be a Hero!  Save Lives!

Get Vaccinated Against the Flu TODAY!!