Here we are again — the season of all the good food is upon us! Can you even believe Thanksgiving is just about here? Where did the time go?
As the holiday season begins to “heat up” again, as migraine sufferers, we often begin to worry about all the extra foods and drinks that can trigger a migraine, not to mention the extra stress and the extra social occasions that break into our normal routine and throw us off-balance.
I’ve spoken to so many of you about what your biggest health struggle is over the holidays, and inevitably, food and stress are huge ones. Not only do you have to be concerned about the interruption to your normal daily life — where you feel you have at least some semblance of control, but then you have to worry about those extra pounds that you pack on as well. Over-indulgence seems to be par for the course at this time of year. On top of the worry of migraines, you also feel like you undo all of your hard work throughout the year in these last few months, only to start the new year off with new plans of getting your health in order again. And the majority of us stay on that cycle for our whole lives. Sound familiar?
I want you to feel like this year is different. Instead of throwing all caution to the wind and waiting for the new year to roll around to get back on track, I want to help you find your perfect balance of feeling on track and still enjoying the heck out of those yummy holiday dishes. Not only that, but my biggest desire is for you to enjoy the holiday season and not have to worry about being plagued with migraines.
That’s why you should make sure to incorporate these healthy hacks into your Thanksgiving to survive this holiday and get through the entire holiday season in a healthy fashion.
1. Walk it off
Instead of just lounging all day waiting for the big meal to arrive on the table, go for a walk. Actually, my favorite way to start Thanksgiving day is with a morning walk. It helps to set the tone for the day and feels great to start the day with some fresh air. you might even involve your relatives and make it a family affair by taking a long stroll after the big meal, as well. Not only is it relaxing and good quality time, but it will also help you digest your food better.
The biggest advantage to this is that walking will also reduce your stress and ease the tension in your body. These are huge bonuses when it comes to dealing with migraine prevention.
2. Eat your breakfast
You may think you’re heading things off at the pass by not eating breakfast, however by the time you get to that big Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll be so hungry you’ll likely overeat. Make a healthy breakfast choice, and have a hearty salad for lunch. It will keep your blood sugar balanced so you won’t become too hungry, and you’ll have made great choices all day and can indulge a little at Thanksgiving dinner.
As you know, keeping your blood sugar balanced is a great way to prevent migraines. So don’t skip meals during the holidays hoping to make up for the extra food you think you might eat. Practice portion control and keep to three meals per day.
3. Look out for the pitfalls of migraine triggers
Foods are such a huge part of the holiday celebrations, but unfortunately, also one of the biggest migraine triggers. We often worry about the ingredients that might be in some of the dishes we are offered. For example, our family always has green bean casserole as one of our sides. This is great — unless the person making it ordinarily adds Velveeta cheese. So, ahead of time, I always remind that family member that I cannot eat the cheese version and remind them to make it without the cheese.
It’s not worth the risk of eating that food that may taste delicious, but may have you waking up in the morning with a migraine. So check out the menu ahead of time and remind people of things you can’t eat so that you can ensure you have some trigger-free options.
4. Bring a healthy side
Along those same lines, if you’ve been invited elsewhere for Thanksgiving dinner, make your side dish something healthy and something that is migraine-safe. There are lots of tasty options that everyone will love — make a salad with homemade dressing, or bake sweet potatoes and dress them with sprinkles of cinnamon. These are incredibly simple options and loved by all, so you can’t go wrong with either. This is your opportunity to make a couple of dishes that you know you can safely eat. You could also look up healthy Thanksgiving side items or migraine-safe healthy Thanksgiving side dishes on Pinterest to find something not only a little fancier — if you love spending time in the kitchen whipping up new things — but also something you can safely eat without risking a migraine!
5. Savor the desserts
Remember, just because this is a holiday, it’s is not a free license to eat everything on the dessert table! Don’t forget that too much sugar will mess with your blood sugar levels and could trigger a migraine. However, with that said, if your grandma makes the best pumpkin pie, don’t deprive yourself, but ration yourself to a smaller piece. See lots you want to try? Then take bite-sized samples of each, then sit and truly savor them. Don’t overdo it, and don’t eat the dessert that you know will trigger a migraine. Enjoy those “safe” desserts you only get to have a few days per year.
6. Perfect your portions
When filling up your plate, load it up with veggies first, then the rest. When the majority of your plate consists of veggies, you’ll feel fuller without feeling overstuffed. Plus, that gives you room to enjoy that dessert you’ve been pining for too. Not only that, but you know that healthy veggie options are a great option for you as migraine sufferer. Better to have lots of these than indulge in something that could end up making you miserable for the rest of the holiday weekend.
Thanksgiving should be a relaxing holiday that you enjoy, but having a few boundaries for you to follow to keep up your healthy, migraine-preventative lifestyle will go a long way.
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving tradition? Mine is sweet potato casserole (Yes, I know it’s food, but we only get it for this holiday season and I just love it! It’s better than dessert!) ?
Comment below and let me know what your favorite Thanksgiving tradition is – I always love reading what others hold near and dear to their hearts this holiday!
If you are looking for some extra support, why now join my migraine support community on Facebook. Click >>HERE<< to join.