Thanksgiving traditions that can boost health and wellness

USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology experts Carin Kreutzer and Leah Buturain Schneider shared Thanksgiving tips that benefit both the mind and body.

Mind: Give thanks

23 nov 2017--Gratitude is good for you. Research shows it can lower blood pressure, decrease depression and improve quality of life.
"Gratitude works," said Buturain Schneider, a gerontologist, theologian and mindful aging expert at USC.
But gratitude is not a feeling, it is a behavior we can practice every day of the year, she said.
"You can strengthen an awareness of gratitude by sharing what you are thankful for or letting people know you appreciate them. Expressing this helps build bridges, connects us to the sacrifices of others and allows us to see abundance rather than what we lack."

Serve up strong relationships

Social isolation has recently been cited as possibly being more harmful to health than smoking or obesity. Despite the headaches of travel and stress that family dynamics can bring, Thanksgiving helps build community by encouraging shared experiences with family and friends, or even welcoming strangers.
"Until age 80, most people say they want to be healthy. After 80, people say what matters most is relationships," Buturain Schneider said. "The Thanksgiving holiday is a powerful reminder of how coming together to share a meal can provide a sense of fellowship and belonging that many people, particularly older adults, are missing in their lives."

Extend a helping hand

Many homeless shelters and retirement communities are inundated with individuals who sign up to serve meals on Thanksgiving. And like gratitude, research shows that helping others can bring health benefits to the giver.
"We feel most alive when using our gifts and helping other people," Buturain Schneider said. "The challenge is to make time in our lives to do this year-round so the recipients can express their own gratitude and get support on more than just one holiday."

Body: Make lunch your largest meal

Research Increasingly shows that it is not just what we eat, but when we eat that matters. Many families eat their Thanksgiving meal in the afternoon, not in the evening, and that is a step in the right direction for all days, said dietitian Kreutzer, director of the Master of Science in Nutrition, Healthspan, and Longevity program at the USC Leonard Davis School.
"Our bodies are more efficient at burning calories during the day when we are active versus storing excess calories as fat at night while we sleep. Front-loading calories gives you time to digest all those calories well before bedtime, which can have benefits for weight loss and overall health, including controlling weight and managing and preventing diabetes and obesity."

Move after meals

From local Turkey trots to family flag football games, Thanksgiving offers annual opportunities to exercise. Along with maintaining a healthy diet, moderate daily activity is a proven intervention that can reduce risk for a variety of diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's.
"Thanksgiving is the perfect time to begin to incorporate movement into your day. A daily walk or other form of movement is good for your body and your brain."

Leave some leftovers

Some people actually prefer Friday's turkey sandwich to Thursday's main meal. Whatever your choice, it's important to spread the bounty. Practicing portion control at every meal helps ensure we don't eat too much in one sitting.
"When it comes to protein, three to four ounces is enough for most people," Kreutzer said. "Saving food for the next few days allows you to enjoy the meal multiple times and spares you from taking in too many calories at once."


Provided by University of Southern California

The art of being mentally healthy

Researchers at The University of Western Australia have found that engagement in the arts for enjoyment, entertainment or as a hobby, for two or more hours a week, is associated with good mental wellbeing.

12 jan 2016--The award-winning study, published in BMC Public Health, is the first internationally to quantify the relationship between mental wellbeing and arts engagement in the general population.
Lead author Dr Christina Davies said good mental health was the foundation for individual and community wellbeing, yet every year one in five Australians experience mental illness.
"People need a range of easy enjoyable options they can use to stay well," she said.
"Depending on a person's interests, the arts can provide a range of health enhancing opportunities, activities and events."
Dr Davies said whether a person preferred listening to music, reading, colouring, creative writing, watching movies or attending concerts, the knowledge that arts engagement positively impacts mental wellbeing was empowering.
"Arts engagement increases happiness, confidence, self-esteem and reduces stress and social isolation," she said.
"It results in the creation of good memories and has an impact on a person's knowledge and skills.
"People need to give themselves permission to be creative and to make time for the arts activities and events that they enjoy."
Dr Davies said the study, which won a Department of Health Future Health WA Award, the Public Health Association (WA) Post Graduate Award and the Arts and Health Australia Award for Excellence, provided new insights into the relationship between the arts and population health.
The ground-breaking research forms part of Dr Davies "Healthy Arts" PhD. The study was funded by Healthway and the Department of Health WA. Her PhD supervisors and co-authors were Professor Matthew Knuiman and Associate Professor Michael Rosenberg, senior academics in health promotion and public health.

More information: Christina Davies et al. The art of being mentally healthy: a study to quantify the relationship between recreational arts engagement and mental well-being in the general population, BMC Public Health (2016). DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-2672-7


Provided by University of Western Australia

Luggage-lifting tips for safe travels

Pack like a pro to help avoid injury.

21 dec 2013—Carrying and lifting heavy luggage during the holidays can lead to neck, wrist, back and shoulder pain and injuries unless you take proper safety precautions, an orthopedic surgeon says.

In 2012, nearly 54,000 luggage-related injuries occurred in the United States, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

"Holiday travel can be uniquely stressful and physically taxing, especially when transporting heavy and cumbersome luggage," said Dr. Warner Pinchback, a spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

"To ensure that you arrive at your holiday destination free from pain, it's important to know how to optimally choose, pack, carry and lift your luggage," he added in an academy news release.

The academy offers the following luggage safety tips:

• When buying new luggage, select a sturdy, lightweight piece with wheels and a handle.
• Don't overpack. Try to carry items in a few smaller bags instead of one large suitcase. Keep in mind that many airlines restrict the size and weight of carry-on luggage.
• Bend your knees when lifting. The safe way to hoist a heavy item such as luggage is to stand alongside of it, bend at the knees—not the waist—and use your leg muscles as you grab the handle and straighten up. Be sure to hold the bag close to your body when lifting.
• Take care when storing luggage in overhead compartments. The first step is to lift the piece to the top of the seat. Then, with one hand on each side of the piece, lift the suitcase up. Place the wheel-side in the compartment first, then push the bag to the back of the compartment.
• Keep your back straight. When lifting and carrying luggage, point your toes in the direction you are headed, and then turn your entire body in that direction. Don't twist your back.
• Take it slow. Don't try to rush when lifting or carrying a suitcase. It's a good idea to ask for help if you are having trouble with a bag that is too heavy or an awkward shape.
• Check your bags. Don't attempt to carry heavy luggage for long periods of time or for long distances, such as through a large airport terminal.
• Carry your luggage when climbing stairs, don't drag it behind you.
• Even backpacks can be too heavy. Make sure if you wear a backpack that both shoulder straps are padded and adjusted properly. Use all the compartments to help distribute the weight of your items evenly. Don't sling the bag over one shoulder because this can cause muscle strain.

More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers holiday health and safety tips.

How to prevent, treat a New Year's hangover

01 jan 2012-- New Year’s Eve is fast approaching and many plan on ringing in the new year with a few drinks.

Dr. Aaron Michelfelder, a Loyola University Health System family physician, offers these tips on how to avoid the misery of a New Year's hangover:

Before the party:

• Plan to drink moderately -- a maximum of five drinks for men and three drinks for women during a minimum three-hour periode.

During the party:

• Eat first, and then drink, not the other way around. Food slows the absorption of alcohol.

• Drink slowly.

• To prevent dehydration, drink a glass of water after each alcoholic drink.

• Take a B vitamin supplement.

After the party:

• Do not drink and drive.

• Get as much sleep as possible.

• The morning after:

• Take another B vitamin.

• Drink lots of water.

• Exercise (if you can stand it). During vigorous exercise, blood circulates three times as fast as it does when you are sitting on the couch. And the faster you circulate blood through your liver and kidneys, the faster your body will remove the toxins.

What doesn't work:

• Coffee will make you more alert, but it won't prevent or help a hangover.

• Forget "hair of the dog" -- the notion that having a drink can relieve a hangover. It will only make you feel worse.

Provided by Loyola University Health System