Before you ask grandma to pass the turkey for the third time...prepare yourself for a day of thanks and giving.

Most important! If you are going to indulge in food and drink, make it a guilt-free day. Enjoy what you put in your body. Be grateful for the bounty before you.

Avoid the holiday food coma and try some healthy tricks.
24 hours before a big day of indulging
* Get rest and eat light
* Fasting is not a good idea because you will overindulge the next day
* Avoid heavy foods (wheat, cheese, sugar, dairy)

30-60 minutes before you belly up to the table
* Drink a glass of room temperature water with a pinch of salt, lime and ginger. You want to be hydrated & jump start the digestion process.
* While snacking often confuses your body and fogs your mind, strategic nibbling before a grazing marathon will get you over the finish line.
** Popcorn sprinkled with coriander & cumin
** Kale chips
** Roasted sunflower seeds w/black pepper, coriander, cumin & salt

Eat, drink and be merry...
* Sip one glass of room-temperature water during the meal. Don’t keep refilling the glass so you don’t flood the engine of digestion.
* Eat easy to digest foods first.
* Drink alcohol (in moderation). I know...but give it a try.
** Wine during the cold winter months helps keep blood flowing.
** Avoid hard liquor. Add sours and bitters to help detox the liver. Mama loves a Moscow Mule with fresh ginger!
** Mix your cocktail with lemon or cranberry juice or seltzer water to dilute the alcohol content.
* Eat desserts close to the main meal. This cuts down on downing excess sweets and helps avoid upsetting the flow of digestion.
* Try not to eat after 8pm.
* Take a walk after eating. Bring the dog, leash the cat or bring a loved one.

The next day…
* Eat light and get back into your routine
* Ginger, carrot, celery & black pepper soup burns off stagnation in your gut and boosts your immune system