Thanksgiving marks the beginning of “holiday season,” when loved ones spend time together and food and memories are shared. It is also a time of stress, when people wonder if family and friends will notice gained weight, or how to create a delicious and healthy family meal without scrapping traditional holiday foods. Thankfully, on Friday, November 18 (check local listings for airtimes), the hosts of the Emmy Award-winning syndicated talk show THE DOCTORS, share “easily digestible” tips – perfect to share with your readers – that will help bring the focus back to what really matters!
“Gobble up” these insider tips and show highlights:
• Savor lighter holiday staples – THE DOCTORS hosts celebrity trainer and chef Jesse Brune, who shares healthy organic, whole grain recipes that utilize coconut oil and coconut milk (no dairy or animal fat). And they actually taste better than the classics! Recipes will be available at www.thedoctorstv.com after the show airs. Dishes shared, include:
o Butternut squash soup shooters
o Organic yams
o Green bean casserole with non-fat Greek yogurt
o Heirloom mashed potatoes
o Whole grain stuffing
o Turkey meatloaf cupcakes, topped with mashed potato “frosting”
o Pumpkin pie parfait
• Avoid the Turkey Day daze – When the Thanksgiving “food coma” hits, don’t blame the turkey! Eating a large amount of any food will direct all blood flow to the stomach and intestines, setting in motion the “rest and digest” phase of the parasympathetic nervous system. To avoid the “over-stuffed” feeling:
o Prevention is key:
Pause before that second helping
Consider donating leftover food to a local shelter
Drink a glass of water before the meal and eat up to 20% less food
o If you do overindulge:
Eat a bit of pineapple or papaya, or consider adding them to your holiday recipes; their digestive enzymes will help break up all consumed foods faster
Drink a glass of peppermint tea to help sooth an upset stomach and relieve indigestion
• Serve it right – Bringing out the “nice” china for Thanksgiving dinner guests is great, but if the dishes were made before 1971, test them for lead, using a simple, at-home system that can be purchased at any hardware store. Also, be weary of cooking with older pans:
o Never preheat a non-stick pan without food on it at a high temperature
o Use stainless steel, if possible
o Turn on the overhead fan to help dissipate toxic fumes
o Never use metal utensils on non-stick pans
Note: WE magazine for women wants to thank the public relations firm MPRM Communications for sharing this with our readers. Be sure and tune in November 18th to see these tips in more detail.
