It's what you do before, not after, you eat the mashies

I thought it was interesting that Theresa mentioned in her blog yesterday how she and her family take a stroll after eating more than usual, but within reason, for Thanksgiving.

(I also thought it was interesting that she made fun of me for eating leftover fish for lunch. Yes, some get turned off by the smell of fish reheated in a microwave, but surely, someone as healthy as Theresa would acknowledge the benefits of eating fish for lunch versus any number of things, like frozen entrees—yes, even if they're Lean Cuisines—or sandwiches with half a pound of processed meat. But I'm not being defensive...)

It turns out Theresa and her family might want to take a stroll before they sit down to give thanks. This article in the Wall Street Journal says that it's what you do before you eat your Thanksgiving meal that matters most:

"While going for a walk after eating might help digestion, for example, recent studies suggest that exercising 12 or more hours before the meal can prevent one of the most damaging effects—a post-meal spike in a type of fat called triglycerides."

In an ideal world, researchers recommend people be "consistently active," but short of that, they recommend they take "a long walk" the day before eating their Thanksgiving meal. Surely, that applies to not only Thanksgiving but also other holidays associated with big meals. For some, it might apply to Sundays, in general, when they like to spend the day cooking and baking and eating. I include myself in that last category. This past Sunday, I made black bean soup, chicken enchiladas, chocolate chip and pecan cookies, and cranberry chutney. That last one was in preparation for Thanksgiving, not for the black bean soup or the chicken enchiladas.

It's not exactly good walking weather, here in Maine, the day before Thanksgiving. The temperature is in the low 30s, with a mix of rain, sleet and snow.

That's why I plan on hitting the yoga studio at 5:30.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Liz Beaulieu