Thanksgiving Wellness Tips

Enjoy the season while staying happy and healthy

We are all there. Between work, errands, and hustling yourself and or your kids to your next TO DO item, life can seem like a blur. With all the busyness it's so easy to let the fall season slip away, and it can often be a challenge to stay moving at the same pace when the days begin to feel shorter, and more layers of clothing are necessary. I do love me some good fall attire though :)

To help avoid missing all the wonderful sights and sounds of the season we've put together a list of a few of our favorite ways to make the most out of this autumn season while keeping our minds and bodies healthy as well.

1. Pumpkin Everything

Pumpkin is the iconic autumn fruit - (Yes! It's a fruit!) with an impressive nutrient profile, rich in

vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Its nutrients and antioxidants may boost your immune system, protect your eyesight, lower your risk of certain cancers, and promote heart and skin health

2. Get back out into Nature

One of the best parts of getting outside during fall is that the season pretty much surrounds you. Be it strolling along the trails or taking a walk down one of the many streets of your downtown, you have so many opportunities to enjoy all the sights and sounds of the ever-changing fall season. Whatever you do, make sure to always make time for some exercise and use the beauty of nature to help clear you mind, body, and soul.

3. Do a Soup Swap

What’s more comforting on a cold, blustery day than a piping-hot bowl of soup? Ask others to make their favorite soup recipe and divide it out into single-serve containers. Then, get together, and exchange your different soups. It’s a wonderful way to begin a new tradition and introduce a little variety!

4. Slow Down

Think like a bear who wants to hibernate! The night begins to get a little longer and though this brings a longer darkness, I always find comfort in this time of year. It offers us a chance to recharge ourselves and rest a little. This is the time to go inward and then grow out, just like a seed that has fallen. This is a time of change. A time to focus on our families, ourselves, and what the year has brought to all of us. It's really a time for reflection and meeting yourself in the middle.

5. Eat for the season and add color to your foods

Think of foods like pears, apples, dark leafy greens, green or purple cabbage, carrots, parsnips, squash, potatoes, and beets. I have come to really love root vegetables in the fall. There are so many amazing recipes out there for roasting them or adding them to any meal. My go-to is roasted butternut squash and sweet potato cubes with rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper! Super easy and so yummy! Make sure to consume warm foods to keep that energy inside of you charged and warm as well. As much as I love my sweets, I also try to be mindful of my sugar intake during this time of year. I get sluggish and feel "icky" if I eat too much of that. I also make sure to stay hydrated through teas, ginger and lemon water, and warm ciders.

I wish you a very wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love, comfort, and family!

xoxo,

Dr. Ariel Blackburn

Chiropractor

Holistic Health Practitioner

Momma Bear