Maintain Good Health This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, a beloved holiday by many, is right around the corner. It is known to have all the guilty pleasure foods that you only get a few times a year. While enjoying delicious feasts, keep your heart health in mind. Holiday foods are often full of sugar and fat, that is, after all, what makes them so delicious. Here are a few ways to maintain good health this Thanksgiving.

With these tips, you can have the best of both worlds, a fun and healthy Thanksgiving with all your favorites and maybe some new recipes and traditions too.

Start Your Day Off Right

Maintain good health this Thanksgiving by starting your morning off right. Kick off your Thanksgiving festivities with a quick 5k fun run. A 5k is a great way to get your heart rate up and get your blood flowing before you settle in for a long day of feasting and football. Cardio workouts help to strengthen your heart, which is important especially if you are going to be eating foods with high-fat content. 

An early morning 5k on a holiday may not be your idea of time off work well spent, but it will make you feel great and you will have worked up an appetite for the feasting that will take place after. This is a great idea before you consume your favorite foods full of sugar and carbs.

Monitor How Much You Drink

Spiked egg nog and Thanksgiving wine are popular choices around the holiday, but maintain good health this Thanksgiving by monitoring how much you drink. Not only can too much alcohol harm your physical health, but it also impairs you. Monitor how much alcohol you consume and set a limit for yourself.

Many people travel far to see family, so if you are drinking, do so responsibly and make sure you never get behind the wheel after drinking. One or two glasses of Thanksgiving wine may not make you feel over the limit, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. Practice good health and safety and enjoy holiday drinks responsibly. Plan a ride ahead of time, if you have to question it, it shouldn’t be a question. 

Enjoy Your Favorite Foods

Mental health is part of overall health too, and after weeks of eating healthy before the holidays, it is a reward to finally have a sweet treat or to indulge in a few too many dinner rolls with too much butter. But continue to keep in mind that things like butter can cause long-lasting heart problems, so while it is a nice treat, still enjoy it in moderation. Enjoy your favorite foods in moderation, and your health will thank you.

Another way to maintain good health this Thanksgiving is to make sure that you incorporate side dishes that are packed with veggies. Here are a few healthy Thanksgiving side dishes to try. You probably are looking forward to your favorite sides packed with a lot of sugar and carbs, but try one of these to make sure you enjoy the holidays while still feeling great. 

Maintain Good Health With Brookhaven Heart

Call Brookhaven Heart for a routine checkup, or if you are experiencing symptoms of bad health perhaps from all the holiday foods. A 5k won’t maintain your health single-handedly, so call Brookhaven Heart in New Hyde Park at (516) 358-8100 for any health problems you may be experiencing. The Sri Chinmoy Thanksgiving day 5k has something for the whole family, including a kids’ race. Make this Thanksgiving one to remember by including new healthy recipes and habits.