We recently spoke with Audrey Miller MS, RD/LD, a registered dietitian with Evora, a concierge healthcare practice in St. Louis, to discuss nutrition during the holiday season. Audrey gave us some great tips to keep in mind when we are eating, drinking, and being merry with our fellow friends and family! See Audrey's take on a healthy thanksgiving and holiday season below:
By Audrey Miller
It is the holiday season and up first is a holiday centered around eating. Those with myasthenia gravis (MG) can enjoy Thanksgiving even more if you stick to these helpful tips. With special concerns in MG to maintain nutrient balance, avoid fatigue or GI upset, including a low sodium diet, follow these easy tips to keep the holiday enjoyable and stay on track with your diet!
PLAN AHEAD
Prepare meals when you are at your highest energy level. This may mean preparing side dishes as early as 2 days in advance. This includes popular side dishes like scalloped potatoes or green bean casserole. Avoid being physically active before sitting down to eat. Reconsider the family 5k and instead, think about light exercise after eating.
EAT MORE SOFT FOODS
Foods with softer texture are easier to chew and swallow. Popular Thanksgiving foods that are soft include mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, stuffing, pasta, casseroles and pie filling without the crust. Make sure to finely chop turkey and other vegetables. Moisten food with gravy or have little sips of beverages to soften foods. If you require thicker liquids - stock up on thickener packets before travel. Typically, gravy may be considered nectar thick if it has gelatinous characteristics. Overall, take your time eating and eat your protein-rich foods first like meat products.
EAT ALL FOOD GROUPS
Because you may be eating more than you usually do for 1 day out of the year, this does not mean you have to eliminate a food group to make yourself feel better. In fact, basing your meal off of eating every food group may be more satisfying to you. Choose more whole grains, white meat over dark meat, and fill up half of your plate with green vegetables first. Remember, one day is not detrimental to your nutritional health.
*If you have diabetes, keep carbohydrate containing foods to only 1 quarter of your plate. Choose more whole grains and limit sweet desserts like pies. Popular carbohydrate foods at Thanksgiving include potatoes and sweet and/or candied potatoes, corn, stuffing, bread, cranberry sauce.
LIMIT SALT
Purchase fresh or frozen vegetables over canned to cut down on sodium. Avoid using table salt when sitting down to eat. Use gravy sparingly. Check food labels that your ingredients are less than 300 mg sodium per serving. Shop between brands.
Try this quick and easy recipe that is an alternative to mashed potatoes. Avoid fatigue & eat healthy!
Audrey Miller MS, RD/LD
Evora Health
https://evorawomen.com/