I don’t buy into the message that it’s either pleasure or health—especially when it comes to my Thanksgiving menu.
This time of year is full of health fear-mongering—which isn’t totally unreasonable. The majority of the weight the average American gains over the course of a year happens during the holidays. And it starts this week; aThanksgiving feast can easily total 3,000 calories—50% more than the average person should be consuming in an entire day.
I don’t say this to shame you into gnawing on celery sticks this week. The road to longevity is built on habits that will last decades, not days, and that means allowing yourself the occasional indulgence. If you look forward to your Aunt’s pumpkin pie all year, have it.
My personal Thanksgiving protocol is to follow what I call the 2:1 plan: I balance every high-carb, high-sugar, or calorie-dense dish with two healthy foods (like fiber-rich veggies, lean protein, and healthy fats with omega-3s).
For me, pleasure and health go together—especially during the holidays. You do not have to forgo your favorites to have a meal that is both delicious and doesn’t send your blood glucose on a rollercoaster, trigger inflammation, and leave you feeling bloated and groggy all weekend.
This year, my family is hosting and we’re going to be cooking a few recipes from The Four Horsemen: Food and Wine for Good Times, the cookbook from one of my favorite restaurants in my neighborhood. (This celery salad with dates recipe is addictive and their pumpkin pasta would make a great mac and cheese alternative full of fiber and vitamins A and C.)
Here’s what I recommend eating (and enjoying!) this week.
What I’m doing for my own body
Follow the 2:1 rule
The composition of your overall meal is more important than individual foods when it comes to the impact on your body. Pairing carbs with fiber, protein, and fat triggers a lower blood sugar response than eating carbs alone, for example. So if I’m going to eat something sugary I pair it with two healthy dishes high in fiber, protein, or healthy fat.
Some examples of how that might look for your Thanksgiving menu:
- Candied yams + organic free-range white meat turkey & green beans sauteed with EVOO, garlic and lemon
- Stuffing + chicory salad with shaved pears and hazelnuts & roasted cauliflower tossed with pomegranate seeds
Eat a veggie starter
Studies show that eating vegetables before carbohydrates significantly decreases postprandial glucose and insulin levels. The leading theory is that eating this way delays stomach emptying, slowing the absorption of sugar into the blood stream. I eat my veggies before the carbs on my plate to avoid the energy crash that comes after a big spike in blood glucose and support long-term blood sugar control.
Make healthy alternatives a sport
It’s always a struggle to find the time to try a new healthy recipe so I view the holidays as an opportunity to practice cooking in a healthy way for my family. My Thanksgiving menu includes turkey (I’m not a big fan, but it makes the table) and pumpkin pie, but I’m also planning to serve a seafood dish—herbed wild slow roasted salmon—for a protein alternative high in healthy fats, a big fiber-rich chicory salad, and a huge pan of cauliflower roasted with a high-quality EVOO. This year I’m also making a gluten-free, dairy-free pumpkin pie.
To support the 2:1 rule, I’ll also have a collection of healthy sides and snacks on my Thanksgiving menu including:
- Toasted walnuts and almonds (high in omega-3s and omega-6s)
- Gluten-free sourdough bread (sourdough produces a more stable blood sugar response than traditional bread)
- Gluten-free quinoa stuffing (lower in carbs than traditional stuffing and a complete protein source)
- Cucumbers with fennel, herbs, and buckwheat (high in fiber to help with digestion and bloating)
Fast and sweat
The morning after a big calorie-dense meal, I immediately target that bloated, heavy feeling with a long morning fast and sweaty yoga or sauna session.
What I recommend for you
In addition to the above, these 4 things are proven to reduce inflammation, speed up digestion, and curb bloating:
- Move after your meal. It is so critical to move your body after a big meal. Walking for as little as 2-5 minutes after a meal can lower your blood sugar, according to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine.
- Exercise. A vast body of research supports the anti-inflammatory effect of regular exercise. Studies suggest that the inflammation triggered in your muscles when you exercise prompts the body to release more inflammation-countering T-cells, which help fight the chronic inflammation that can fuel auto-immune disease. It’s okay to take a couple of days off around the holidays. But prioritize getting back to your regular exercise routine on Monday.
- Load up on anti-inflammatory foods. Anti-inflammatory foods, like whole grains, leafy greens, and fruit, are mainstays of a longevity diet. In the days following a particularly inflammatory meal, avoid alcohol and easily-digestable starches, which can fuel inflammation, in favor of a few veggie-heavy, alcohol-free detox days.
- Feed your gut. Sugar-rich foods (like cranberry sauce, candied yams, and pecan pie) feed harmful bacteria in your gut and can throw your microbiome out of balance, which can cause everything from brain fog to constipation. To restore balance, spend the rest of the weekend eating high-fiber foods (broccoli, brussels sprouts, and whole grains), prebiotic foods (watermelon, grapefruit, pomegranate), and probiotic foods (yogurt, pickles, sauerkraut). And if you’re not already, take a probiotic.
If you’re ready to learn more about how critical gut health is to your mental function and digestive function, download my pre-recorded course Healing Your Gut Through Mind and Body.