[justjim]

Too much sugar, too much fat, too much caffeine, too much wine or just too much food not good! Moderation we all know is the key. As far as soda in N.Y. I just flat out don't think government has any business in the regulation of the size of your soda. How stupid can you be? One 32 oz soda or four 8 oz sodas...... They do make sugar free and I have one occasionally.

Thanksgiving, on this special day, give thanks and eat all and as much as your Ol' body can handle!

[2BNTV]

If one wants to be health concious, then one can eat sparingly for a couple of days before Thanksgiving, so they induldge themselves on the holiday, but still try to eat in moderation.

One meal is not going to kill anyone, but you don't have to overeat. Exercise combined with eating moderatly, should be done throughout the year. I agree it's very easy to overeat, but Thanksgiving is a day to be with people you care about, and enjoying their company.

Nobody puts a gun to one's head and tells them they must eat, until they need a Alka-Seltzer.

[senior citizen]

Thoughts posted on the internet by a psychiatrist.........



''Worrying about carbs, calories and diets is one of the most unproductive things you can do on a holiday that celebrates thankfulness. Instead of giving you a list of healthy side dishes or tips on how to cut out calories, this Thanksgiving I offer just a single piece of advice: slow down.

The actual content of your Thanksgiving dinner matters very little in the grand scheme of things. A few hundred calories here or there can make a difference when projected over weeks and years, but for one meal the impact is negligible. Your body will adjust naturally and you'll burn off those extra calories the next day, so don't worry about it.

But for people trying to get healthy or lose weight, not worrying about food can feel very strange. There is always the fear that if you aren't vigilant and conscious of what and how much you eat you may gorge yourself stupid and all your hopes of fitting into your favorite jeans by the end of the year will be ruined.

Overeating is certainly a possibility when food anxiety is a constant force in your life, but Thanksgiving is a perfect opportunity to start getting over it. Really. It may seem counterintuitive that such a food-forward holiday can be stress free, but let's not forget that the real point of Thanksgiving isn't turkey or pie, but being thankful.

Since most of us won't be harvesting our own meals this year (hats off to anyone who is), it is silly to pretend this particular dinner requires more thankfulness than any other meal we eat. Turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce are tradition, but do not necessarily reflect our 21st century needs and values.

With the emergence of modern media, there are other essential pieces of our lives that we can no longer afford to take for granted. Free time is one. Exercise is another. But most important of all these is our real, human, non-Twitter relationships, particularly those with family and friends. It is far too easy to neglect these basic elements of our existence when we have so many other obligations and distractions, but failure to nurture them can severely affect our overall quality of life.

If you care about your health and want to keep your eating under control on Thursday, why not focus your attention on strengthening relationships and spending time with the people you care about? Instead of worrying about yourself and what you want to accomplish, ask people about themselves and discuss mutual interests.

Let food be part of the celebration, but not the purpose of your day.

Once food is no longer the center of attention the only thing you need to keep in mind is to eat slowly-it is pretty tough to overeat if you are biting and chewing at a snail's pace.

Slow eating helps you eat less food and appreciate it more. It also helps you make wiser food choices, since decisions about what to put on your plate are made less impulsively.

But slow eating does require some conscious effort. If you are in the habit of shoveling food in your mouth without taking time to put down your fork and chew (or breathe), it is easy to slip back into this pattern. Also, if people around you are all guzzling their food in a fury, you might feel a natural compulsion to keep pace and match their eating speed.

I've written before about how to become a slow eater, but at large family dinners some of these tactics can be particularly useful. Start by actively trying to keep conversations engaged while you eat. Chewing and talking are (hopefully) mutually exclusive, so the more you converse the longer it will take you to get through your meal.

Making an effort to put your fork down between bites is another effective way to slow your pace at the dining table. To give your hands something to do between bites, reach for your glass and take regular sips of your water (it is best not to rely exclusively on wine for this tactic) or wipe your lips with your napkin.

And don't forget to chew.

Trying to eat slowly is much easier than trying to summon the will power to skip the mashed potatoes and biscuits.

And slowly savoring the foods you love is far more enjoyable than inventing a clever recipe to replace the sugar or fat in your pumpkin pie.

Spend time with people, enjoy your meal and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.''

[Barefoot]

Village PL, I know you really care about people and want to try to help us have a healthier life. I know you have the best of intentions and that you worry a lot about the obesity rate in adults.

But I think you need to remember that most members of this website are highly intelligent people, and most are over the age of fifty. We've worked hard all our lives to enjoy our Golden Years. And yes, we'd all like to be healthy of course. But we'd also like to enjoy our final lap of the race.

At this stage of life, most of us have probably made our lifestyle choices. We've decided how physically active we want to be, the sports or exercise classes with which we want to be involved. We know what weight we want to maintain. And some of us have decided to just enjoy fresh food every day while socializing with friends, eating in moderation of course. Lots of us enjoy a drink, or an occasional glass of wine.

I applaud your efforts to educate and inform us. But I think most of us have already decided what type of lifestyle we want to pursue.

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Thoughts posted on the internet by a psychiatrist.........



''Worrying about carbs, calories and diets is one of the most unproductive things you can do on a holiday that celebrates thankfulness. Instead of giving you a list of healthy side dishes or tips on how to cut out calories, this Thanksgiving I offer just a single piece of advice: slow down.

The actual content of your Thanksgiving dinner matters very little in the grand scheme of things. A few hundred calories here or there can make a difference when projected over weeks and years, but for one meal the impact is negligible. Your body will adjust naturally and you'll burn off those extra calories the next day, so don't worry about it.

But for people trying to get healthy or lose weight, not worrying about food can feel very strange. There is always the fear that if you aren't vigilant and conscious of what and how much you eat you may gorge yourself stupid and all your hopes of fitting into your favorite jeans by the end of the year will be ruined.

Overeating is certainly a possibility when food anxiety is a constant force in your life, but Thanksgiving is a perfect opportunity to start getting over it. Really. It may seem counterintuitive that such a food-forward holiday can be stress free, but let's not forget that the real point of Thanksgiving isn't turkey or pie, but being thankful.

Since most of us won't be harvesting our own meals this year (hats off to anyone who is), it is silly to pretend this particular dinner requires more thankfulness than any other meal we eat. Turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce are tradition, but do not necessarily reflect our 21st century needs and values.

With the emergence of modern media, there are other essential pieces of our lives that we can no longer afford to take for granted. Free time is one. Exercise is another. But most important of all these is our real, human, non-Twitter relationships, particularly those with family and friends. It is far too easy to neglect these basic elements of our existence when we have so many other obligations and distractions, but failure to nurture them can severely affect our overall quality of life.

If you care about your health and want to keep your eating under control on Thursday, why not focus your attention on strengthening relationships and spending time with the people you care about? Instead of worrying about yourself and what you want to accomplish, ask people about themselves and discuss mutual interests.

Let food be part of the celebration, but not the purpose of your day.

Once food is no longer the center of attention the only thing you need to keep in mind is to eat slowly-it is pretty tough to overeat if you are biting and chewing at a snail's pace.

Slow eating helps you eat less food and appreciate it more. It also helps you make wiser food choices, since decisions about what to put on your plate are made less impulsively.

But slow eating does require some conscious effort. If you are in the habit of shoveling food in your mouth without taking time to put down your fork and chew (or breathe), it is easy to slip back into this pattern. Also, if people around you are all guzzling their food in a fury, you might feel a natural compulsion to keep pace and match their eating speed.

I've written before about how to become a slow eater, but at large family dinners some of these tactics can be particularly useful. Start by actively trying to keep conversations engaged while you eat. Chewing and talking are (hopefully) mutually exclusive, so the more you converse the longer it will take you to get through your meal.

Making an effort to put your fork down between bites is another effective way to slow your pace at the dining table. To give your hands something to do between bites, reach for your glass and take regular sips of your water (it is best not to rely exclusively on wine for this tactic) or wipe your lips with your napkin.

And don't forget to chew.

Trying to eat slowly is much easier than trying to summon the will power to skip the mashed potatoes and biscuits.

And slowly savoring the foods you love is far more enjoyable than inventing a clever recipe to replace the sugar or fat in your pumpkin pie.

Spend time with people, enjoy your meal and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.''

SC:



Eating slowly is a good practice for every meal. It takes a half hour for your brain to signal your body that you are full. It's one of the ways to maintain one's weight, if that is what they want to do.

It's all mind over matter. "If you don't mind. it don't matter". :jester".

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Village PL, I know you really care about people and want to try to help us have a healthier life. I know you have the best of intentions and that you worry a lot about the obesity rate in adults.

But I think you need to remember that most members of this website are highly intelligent people, and most are over the age of fifty. We've worked hard all our lives to enjoy our Golden Years. And yes, we'd all like to be healthy of course. But we'd also like to enjoy our final lap of the race.

At this stage of life, most of us have probably made our lifestyle choices. We've decided how physically active we want to be, the sports or exercise classes with which we want to be involved. We know what weight we want to maintain. And some of us have decided to just enjoy fresh food every day while socializing with friends, eating in moderation of course. Lots of us enjoy a drink, or an occasional glass of wine.

I applaud your efforts to educate and inform us. But I think most of us have already decided what type of lifestyle we want to pursue.

Excellent post.

[jblum315]

Personally I don't want to be one of those people who subsist on egg whites and yogurt and live to be 105 and then die in perfect health. No thanks.

[rubicon]

After reading all of the aforementioned posts it is obvious that most who replied agree that experts are too fickle in their opinions whether they be in the business of food, environment, archaeology or any of the earth sciences

I have a friend who would obsess about such events. I listened once why he proceeded to have a serious debate about which peanut butter was the best, the healthiest with another of my neighbors.

Death will come to us all. Certainly we do make bad choices that may quicken that process such as reckless driving. However often people die because of genetic mutations. I agree with those who speak of moderation in all things...and I do understand there are some people r kiddingly expresses when I speak of moderation, and ï like a lot of moderation". However,the issue of moderation as to be viewed in the long run and not one event.

Erma Bombeck expressed this issue of eating best when she wrote in one of her humorist columns "Just think some passengers waved off the dessert cart" minutes before the Titanic sank" Humor. smiling, laughing seems to be the one ingredient that truly increases longevity

Happy thanksgiving To You All

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by rubicon

After reading all of the aforementioned posts it is obvious that most who replied agree that experts are too fickle in their opinions whether they be in the business of food, environment, archaeology or any of the earth sciences

I have a friend who would obsess about such events. I listened once why he proceeded to have a serious debate about which peanut butter was the best, the healthiest with another of my neighbors.

Death will come to us all. Certainly we do make bad choices that may quicken that process such as reckless driving. However often people die because of genetic mutations. I agree with those who speak of moderation in all things...and I do understand there are some people r kiddingly expresses when I speak of moderation, and ï like a lot of moderation". However,the issue of moderation as to be viewed in the long run and not one event.

Erma Bombeck expressed this issue of eating best when she wrote in one of her humorist columns "Just think some passengers waved off the dessert cart" minutes before the Titanic sank" Humor. smiling, laughing seems to be the one ingredient that truly increases longevity

Happy thanksgiving To You All

I do agree with what you've said......

[graciegirl]

Fear

is a terrible thing.

If we are frightened excessively of things that most others are not, we really need to seek help from a medical professional.

If we are really concerned with food, or germs, or break ins more than most people are, if we cannot throw things away or others who love us are remarking about our behavior, it may be that we have OCD. There are medications for low levels of serotonin. And although we may not feel much different, the others around us will notice a large change in our behavior.

If what we are doing falls outside the perimeters of what MOST people do, and it is noted by others, we may need help.

Anxiety, excessive worry, and OCD behaviors increase as we age.

Some pills may be needed. Being afraid of any medication is a sign too.

If a person lives alone there is no one to push that person toward help, because that person cannot see a problem.

There is no shame to have these things happen. It is not a character weakness at all, just a chemical imbalance that cannot be fixed with proper diet.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by jblum315

Personally I don't want to be one of those people who subsist on egg whites and yogurt and live to be 105 and then die in perfect health. No thanks.

We know plenty of oldsters who slathered cream cheese on their morning bagels and lived to a ripe old age in their mid nineties.....even with all the pastrami, corned beef and other fried foods.......they enjoyed the gatherings with their large family units.

I do believe most of us pass from genetically predisposed conditions........probably hastened along by our polluted environment and all the "stuff" in the modern day pharmaceuticals.

One just has to listen to all of the "side effect warnings" of popular drugs taken by so many today. It's no wonder the body is passed from one specialist to another..........resulting in even more drugs to be taken.

I do not think our human bodies were made for so many chemicals.

The huge increase in breast cancer in much younger women has been hinted to be the result of the modern birth control pills, etc. and in older women, the hormone replacement therapy. Everyone is just afraid to grow old naturally.......or use natural remedies and solutions for their health issues......but, it's like "what came first, the chicken or the egg".
A useless discussion, truly.

Getting back to food, years ago people did enjoy their food without worrying about every little component in it........all of my Italian relatives lived to a ripe old age........but their food was NATURAL for the most part.

Perhaps, even the daily glasses of home made red wine helped in their longevity........along with the olive oil, olives, fresh produce in abundance and NO BUTTER on their Italian breads. None of mine ever put butter on their bread.........

They also ate a lot of legumes (beans, etc., lentils) and garlic which is a natural antibiotic........

Lots of GREENS..........they were into greens (escarole, spinach, broccoli etc., etc., etc.) BEFORE KALE became the fave veggie.

Our son made us some home made "kale chips" when we were all on a two week Maine seacoast family reunion this past summer........not my idea of a veggie. I always loved the Italian greens whether in soups or just on the side.....

LOTS OF FRUIT. Fruit was the daily dessert.

For holidays, they did use the BAKERIES which were abundant in Little Italy, New York City.........it didn't kill them to indulge on holidays........I still remember those pastries , cannoli and pignoli cookies with the almond flavor and pine nuts. They also ate a lot of grapes, pears and oranges. BUT I DO NOT RECALL BOTTLES OF FRUIT JUICE. Just the red wine and dark strong demitasse cups of coffee.

Many grew their own tomatoes, zucchini and other greens.....right in their back yards........and their own mint, basil, etc. as far as herbs....

I guess what I'm trying to say is things were more NATURAL in the old days. Today, everything is processed in the way of food....or chemicals in the way of curative remedies.........except for those who choose a different path and who just choose to live life without worrying about every morsel that passes their lips.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Fear

is a terrible thing.

If we are frightened excessively of things that most others are not, we really need to seek help from a medical professional.

If we are really concerned with food, or germs, or break ins more than most people are, if we cannot throw things away or others who love us are remarking about our behavior, it may be that we have OCD. There are medications for low levels of serotonin. And although we may not feel much different, the others around us will notice a large change in our behavior.

If what we are doing falls outside the perimeters of what MOST people do, and it is noted by others, we may need help.

Anxiety, excessive worry, and OCD behaviors increase as we age.

Some pills may be needed. Being afraid of any medication is a sign too.

If a person lives alone there is no one to push that person toward help, because that person cannot see a problem.

There is no shame to have these things happen. It is not a character weakness at all, just a chemical imbalance that cannot be fixed with proper diet.

That's one of the most condesending posts I have ever read in my entire life, where the poster assumes (without reason or proof of any kind) that the OP must be suffering from some sort of mental illness. It's an unveiled attempt at character assassination, in my opinion.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

That's one of the most condesending posts I have ever read in my entire life, where the poster assumes (without reason or proof of any kind) that the OP must be suffering from some sort of mental illness. It's an unveiled attempt at character assassination, in my opinion.

I didn't believe that I was too anxious. My daughter told me I might have an anxiety disorder and when I asked my physican he felt I worried too much about everything too and prescribed Zoloft. . I didn't look at it as a mental illness in the same way as some might. I think a lot of us have problems like this and it becomes more of an issue when we get older.

I have not noticed much difference in myself, I certainly don't feel drugged or feel euphoric, but my family says I don't worry quite as much. I still worry but apparently I am not driving them crazy.

[redwitch]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

That's one of the most condesending posts I have ever read in my entire life, where the poster assumes (without reason or proof of any kind) that the OP must be suffering from some sort of mental illness. It's an unveiled attempt at character assassination, in my opinion.

Is this one of those if the shoe fits ....? I don't think Gracie was talking about you entirely. I think it was a more generalization that if people become too obsessed with certain things, especially as we age, we might need some help.

Personally, I fit one of her categories -- I can't bear to throw things away. I try, will look at it and remember the meaning behind it and it stays. Definitely not healthy given I have one room stuffed with boxes of things I don't need. So, I guess she's assassinating my character as well. Good thing I don't take it personally, eh?

[KayakerNC]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

That's one of the most condesending posts I have ever read in my entire life, where the poster assumes (without reason or proof of any kind) that the OP must be suffering from some sort of mental illness. It's an unveiled attempt at character assassination, in my opinion.

Wow. I didn't get that at all! You REALLY need to relax.