Thanksgiving is coming up and as much as we love spending time with our families and friends we know holidays can be stressful. Our top tip for a healthy Thanksgiving is to prioritize your mental health and happiness. Here are our top ten tips for having a healthy Thanksgiving 2022!
Tip 1: Move your body
One of the best ways you can have a healthy Thanksgiving is by making movement a priority. This doesn’t mean you have to go out and run a 5K or do a killer workout before your Thanksgiving meal. It simply means to take time to get in gentle movement in throughout the weekend. This can help relieve your body and mind of stress.
Plus, movement is also essential for the digestive system so you’ll definitely want to be on top of that!
We recommend taking a quick walk, doing yoga or taking 15 minutes to stretch in the morning after you wake up. Find a type of movement you enjoy and try to squeeze it in over the next few (busy) days!
Tip 2: Take Breaks
Another important thing to remember to have a healthy thanksgiving is to make sure to take breaks throughout the day and weekend! If you have a long car ride this holiday, it is important to take breaks and stretch your body!
A few quick, simple stretches can increase blood and oxygen flow to your muscles. They can help you avoid getting stiff while sitting for long periods of time. If you’re stuck in traffic, here are a few simple stretches to try!
It’s also important to take breaks if you have lots of cooking to do and will be up on your feet for hours in the kitchen. Make sure to implement a few 10-15 minutes breaks where you can sit down, drink some water and relax.
Tip 3: Hydrate
Another important tip! Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!! Whether you’re traveling, running a turkey trot, are enjoying a few holiday cocktails or just have a busy calendar of events, don’t forget to maintain proper hydration!
It can sometimes be hard to remember to drink water when it’s cold outside. However, your body will definitely thank you later if you remember to drink water!
A helpful tip: if you really struggle to drink water, especially when you’re out of your routine, set a timer for once an hour to remind you to grab a few sips of your water bottle!
Tip 4: Relax
Sometimes it can seem like holidays are go, go, go! And while the hustle and bustle can be fun, it can also be extremely draining.
If you have a busy couple of days coming up, try to block out some predetermined time where you can sit down and relax. You will be much more present and enjoy the busy times more if you are able to take a few minutes to yourself.
Tip 5: Prioritize Mental Health
A healthy Thanksgiving doesn’t just come from eating healthy recipes or going for a run. One of the most important tips for a healthy thanksgiving is to ensure that you prioritize your mental health.
Before your holiday begins, take inventory of where you are mentally. Ask help from those around you and set realistic expectations of yourself to ensure you don’t take on too much.
Holidays come and go every year but you never know what might also be going on in your life at that time. Whether it’s trouble with personal relationships, work, health, or anything else, when holidays come around it can sometimes be hard to see others celebrating and being happy. It’s okay to “not be okay” just because it’s a holiday and you’re expected to be cheerful.
Take a few minutes to recognize where you are and make sure you plan a few activities throughout the weekend that will help your mental health. This could be a walk, time alone, meditation, a self-care routine, etc.
Tip 6: Know Your Boundaries
One of the ways you can prioritize your mental health is by knowing your personal boundaries and respecting them. Personal boundaries are important because they help preserve your ability to relax and enjoy the holiday as intended.
Holidays are hard and sometimes strained relationships with friends and family can be highlighted during this time. Setting boundaries in place will help make the day the most enjoyable for you.
This can include setting an arrival and departure time for guest if you are hosting. Or it can be making a choice to only attend a few select gatherings to ensure you have some time to relax and enjoy.
Tip 7: Meditate
Meditation can be extremely helpful during busy holiday seasons. It can help you relax and gain focus. Being out of routine can be difficult for a lot of people and meditation can help ground you. It helps you to have some peace before all the craziness.
And remember, meditation can look different for everyone. This can be sitting by yourself, using an app or having a yoga flow practice. Just remember to stop, relax, and breathe so you are ready to take on and enjoy the holiday!
Tip 8: Eat
It won’t be Thanksgiving if we didn’t mention eating. Eating is a great way to share joy and community with whoever you are gathered with.
Thanksgiving brings lots and lots of yummy food and you should dig in and enjoy! We love grabbing small portions of all of our favorites (don’t feel like you have to try EVERYTHING) and enjoying our first plate slowly before going back for seconds!
Also, if your family does a big dinner, DO NOT forget to eat breakfast, brunch or lunch!! You can eat a lighter meal but your day and health will be much better if you don’t starve yourself waiting for dinner.
Tip 9: Be Safe – Don’t Drink and Drive
If you choose to participate in alcoholic beverages, do so enjoyably! Thanksgiving is a time for fun and celebration! Be sure that you have a prepared plan for how you will get home if you are at someone else’s house and DO NOT drink and drive!
You can schedule many ride-share services in advance! Decide on the time you will probably want to leave and go ahead and schedule a safe ride for later!
Don’t be that person that ruins someone else holiday forever.
Also, be sure to continue to hydrate with water throughout the day. This includes in-between alcoholic beverages. This will not only make the day (and day after) more enjoyable for you, but will also make you more enjoyable for everyone else!
Tip 10: Enjoy
And last but not least, ENJOY your holiday (whatever that looks like to you!). Set realistic expectations of yourself and boundaries for others. Prioritize your mental and physical health by being active, relaxing, stretching, and enjoying the things you love about this day!
And if the holiday stress just gets to be too much, we’ll always be here for your on Monday to help get that kink out of your neck!
Get Treated at Kaizo Health
Our goal at Kaizo Health is to always get you back to feeling 100%. Our doctors provide treatment to help you be pain-free. We also have a dedicated team that will work with you and your insurance. We want to make sure you get the most from your benefits. You should experience relief for as little cost to you as possible. If you are ready to experience relief from the pain, make an appointment to see us now.
Kaizo Health offers locations in Rockville, MD; Landover, MD; Fort Washington, MD; and Fairfax, VA. Our doctors an evidence-based approach by combining chiropractic care and individualized rehabilitative exercises. We provide the treatment and resources you need to recover your health. We are here to help! If you’d like more information, check out our blog. You can also take our free virtual self-assessment on app here.