{"id":68257,"date":"2025-11-24T23:06:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T23:06:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/68257\/"},"modified":"2025-11-24T23:06:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T23:06:07","slug":"experts-share-tips-for-enjoying-a-heart-healthy-thanksgiving-without-sacrificing-tradition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/68257\/","title":{"rendered":"Experts share tips for enjoying a heart-healthy Thanksgiving without sacrificing tradition"},"content":{"rendered":"

(TNND) \u2014 Struggle with making your food heart-healthy? That task may be even more difficult on Thanksgiving. <\/p>\n

Although Turkey is one of the leanest and nutrient-dense meats, it can be hard to stay on track when it comes to heart health due to wondrous Thanksgiving sides. It is also high in important vitamins, such as B and protein.<\/p>\n

“Turkey breast is very low in fat, which makes it appealing for those watching cholesterol, calorie intake, or overall heart health,” Jen Messer, a registered dietitian and president of the New Hampshire Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told USA Today<\/a>. <\/p>\n

However, it is possible to enjoy your favorite foods on Thanksgiving with a couple of swaps and edits to those traditional meals. <\/p>\n

Dr. Ramy Sadek, a board-certified cardiologist practicing at UCR Health in Riverside, California, offers up suggestions to enjoy the holiday without risking your heart health, according to UC Riverside<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Tiny efforts can make a big difference<\/p>\n

To take the pressure off, when it comes to the Thanksgiving portion, balance can be put before restriction, Sadek suggests. <\/p>\n

“A simple guide is to fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter with lean protein like turkey, and a quarter with starches. Using a smaller plate and taking a brief pause before seconds helps you enjoy the meal without excess sodium or calories,” Sadek said.<\/p>\n

Making some simple ingridient swaps can also be key. Instead of using white-bread for stuffing, use whole-grain bread. Try olive oil instead of butter and base ingredients with low sodium.<\/p>\n

Eating tips<\/p>\n

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not best to skip breakfast on Thanksgiving to save room for dinner. Eating a light breakfast can help regulate blood sugar. <\/p>\n

After a big Thanksgiving meal, it’s tempting to curl up on the couch, watch football and take a nap. But a walk is what’s best for health. <\/p>\n

“A gentle walk, even for 10 to 15 minutes, can help with digestion and lower post-meal blood sugar. Drink plenty of water to offset sodium, avoid lying down right away, and take any heart medications as prescribed,” Sadek said. <\/p>\n

And what about alcohol? In moderation is key. Excess alcohol can increase the risk for blood pressure; it may not be the best idea to try it out on the holiday. <\/p>\n

Try these swaps and tips for a heart-healthy Thanksgiving! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"(TNND) \u2014 Struggle with making your food heart-healthy? That task may be even more difficult on Thanksgiving. Although…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":68258,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[151,153,152],"class_list":["post-68257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield-headlines","tag-bakersfield-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68257"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68257\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}