As the most festive season of the year fast approaches, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released new guidelines for safely celebrating the holidays while protecting not only your immediate family’s health, but also that of your extended family and friends. In addition, the CDC highlights the fact that holiday dinners are often multigenerational. Because of that, it’s advisable to speak to your internal medicine practitioner about the agency’s guidelines.
With the start of the holiday season – Thanksgiving, a little more than a week away, you may be finalizing your menus and picking up last-minute ingredients. However, it would help if you also prioritize your health and well-being during this time, taking care not to overdo yourself. Here are some wellness tips for ensuring a happy, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving holiday this year.
Dine Alfresco
A recommendation made by the CDC is to avoid crowded, poorly ventilated areas, as there is an increased level of risk in public indoor venues. The CDC writes that “outdoors is safer than indoors.” To minimize risk in these environments, the agency adds that everyone aged two and above wear either cloth or disposable face masks, ensuring they adequately cover both your nose and mouth.
In addition, if you’re gathering with extended family and friends, then you may want to consider entertaining your guests outside. Meteorologists forecast a high of 70ºF for Thursday, November 25, providing optimal weather for your holiday celebration. Plus, the season offers many things to be thankful for, including gorgeous colors – all within your line of vision when you take your holiday meal outside.
Make Smart Choices
According to the Calorie Counter Council, a turkey dinner with all the trimmings can cause you to consume 3,000 calories. If you’re watching specific health markers such as your blood pressure or cholesterol levels, or perhaps even your weight, then you may want to consider making smarter choices. One of the best ways to do this without depriving yourself of delicious foods is to eat in moderation. Plus, if you’re in charge of the meal, you could even swap certain ingredients with healthier alternatives.
Another smart choice is to, either before or after the holiday meal, complete your daily workout. The American Heart Association recommends fitting in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity each week. The association also encourages adding muscle-strengthening exercises twice weekly. Deciding to exercise each day has incredible advantages for both your overall health and well-being.
Remember to Practice Self-Care
With Thanksgiving kicking off the holiday season, not to mention amazing discounts on popular holiday gifts starting the next day – Black Friday, it’s essential to find opportunities to practice self-care. Doing this can help you manage stress as you check items and gifts off your holiday lists. The following are some ideas for practicing self-care, therefore, supporting your health and well-being during the most wonderful time of the year:
- Stay hydrated
- Get enough sleep
- Practice gratitude
- Fit in daily movement
- Choose nutritious snacks
- Treat yourself to a time-out
- Take a hiatus from social media
- Schedule an annual physical with your internal medicine practitioner
See Your Internal Medicine Practitioner
Woodlands Diagnostic Clinic is an internal medicine practice located in Shenandoah, TX, providing comprehensive and compassionate patient-centered health care. Our internal medicine practitioners are committed to optimizing the health and well-being of patients through the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of both acute and chronic medical conditions in an office or teleconference setting. Schedule all your medical appointments with one of Woodlands Diagnostic Clinic’s physicians by calling us at (281) 863-9554.
Woodlands Diagnostic Clinic will be closed on Thursday, November 25, through Saturday, November 27, so that our physicians and staff can enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday. We will reopen on Sunday, November 28. Have a happy, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving!
Resources:
“American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids.” American Heart Association.
“Calories & Fat in Popular Holiday Dishes.” Calorie Control Council, November 4, 2021.
“Holiday Celebrations: Safer Ways to Celebrate Holidays.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), October 15, 2021.
Precker, Michael. “Tackling Turkey Day: Strategies for a Healthy Feast.” American Heart Association News, November 19, 2020.
