We all know that Thanksgiving comes with all the yummy family-favorite recipes that include lots of sugar and carbohydrates. For some, this is more calories than you eat in a week you will consume in one day. While one day of overindulgence isn’t too disruptive if you get back on track the following day, but it can cause some digestion issues the night of and the morning after.

Here are some tips and tricks that I often recommend following just prior to going to bed and first thing in the morning.

1.    Thanksgiving evening you might feel a little thirsty. This is due to the salt that is added to the food. In addition, it could also be related to any alcohol that you consumed. Your body is reacting to dehydration. So, drink some water before you go to bed. I would suggest lemon water. Lemon water has a natural acidity to it which helps remove fatty acids in the system and create balance during digestion. Also, continuing to drink water throughout the day, and reducing drinks that create dehydration (coffee, tea, or other energy drinks) will help. This brings us to my second tip. 

2.    Let’s talk about why you might be feeling so tired. While we all know that turkey has an amino acid in it called tryptophan, it may not be the only reason why you are feeling fatigued. When you eat a big meal that has a lot of carbohydrates, it’s hard for the body to process and can also spike your blood sugar level. This can lead to your body feeling a high and then a BIG LOW. So, on Friday, I advise your first meal to be something soluble. It should be something that is easy for your body to digest and has plenty of nutrients, antioxidants, and a healthy balance of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and proteins. This allows your body to quickly feel satiated, but not overly full, and your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard as it did the previous night.

3.    When the digestive system has to go into overload to accommodate food that is higher in caloric energy than it’s used to digesting, it can go into overload. As a result, you may feel bloated, gassy, and just overall puffy. If you’re feeling this way, you also may be experiencing indigestion. So, remember to eat slowly, which allows your body to absorb and respond. Also, eat the lighter foods first. Don’t just dig into the stuffing leftovers. That will only make the situation worse. Keep in mind that if you love stuffing (like I do), a traditional box of stuffing contains more than 5400 mg of sodium. This is more than the recommended daily amount of 2300 mg of sodium and that is just for one item on your plate. Sodium will absolutely create that puffy, bloated, need to unbuckle my pants tight feeling around your waist, hands, and feet….  

Eat slowly, eat wisely, drink water to replenish and avoid dehydration. Most of all, be thankful for the body you are housed in. It carries you through this life. Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving! 

For more tips, follow Rachel Harshfield all season long on Instagram, Facebook and check out her website www.rachelharshfield.com.