Thanksgiving can be fun and festive for some and emotionally and physically challenging for others. Since seniors are especially vulnerable to certain holiday-related health pitfalls, SCAN Health Plan (According to PR Newswire) offers these five tips to a healthier Thanksgiving – and holiday – season:
- Don’t dine alone. Many senior centers provide opportunities for people to enjoy a hearty Thanksgiving meal in the company of others. Sharing the holiday with others not only lifts your spirits, but provides a well-balanced healthy meal. If you’re able, find out how to volunteer to help prepare and serve this year’s Thanksgiving feast.
- Mind your heart. Calories and fat still count during the holidays. Overeating can lead to everything from heartburn to a heart attack. Limit gravies, butter and other high-fat choices with plenty of vegetables and lean white meat. If you experience chest pain, don’t delay seeing a doctor.
- Drink in moderation. Besides a nasty hangover and obvious safety hazards, over-imbibing can have many negative effects – some social and some physical – including depression, an inflammation of the pancreas, hepatitis and an irregular heartbeat. Limit your intake to no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. And never drink and drive.
- Plan ahead. Be sure to have an up-to-date list of medications you are taking. If you do face a health emergency during the holidays, it’s important for your doctor to know your current medical conditions and have a list of your medications.
- Keep your health in focus. If you feel under the weather – physically or mentally – during the holidays, don’t wait to visit your doctor. Colds, flu and depression are much more common during this season.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner it is important to remember your senior neighbors living alone at home. Invite them to join you for a Thanksgiving day meal. Isolation can often lead to depression in the senior population and holidays often become the dangerous times.
It’s not Thanksgiving without Pecan Pie!
The BBQ Doctor’s Recipe of the week – Grandmother Lassiter’s Pecan Pie
Submitted by: Ginnie Frank/Suzy Holcomb – Resident/Daughter – Lakewood Place, Loudon, TN
Crust:
1 cup all – purpose flour
1/8 cup cold water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup Butter
Sift flour and salt together. Remove a little less than 1/4 cup of this mixture and place in a bowl. Cut into the remaining flour – butter with pastry blender until the grain is pea size. Stir into set aside flour mixture the 1/8 cup cold water to make a smooth paste (you may need to add additional water by tsp. full). Stir the paste into the dough and work it with your hands to make a ball. Refrigerate for 1 hour then form into crust in buttered pie pan.
Pie:
3-4 Large Eggs
2-3 cup White Sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup crushed pecans
dash salt
1 cup white Karo syrup
Mix butter and sugar together. Add vanilla, eggs, corn syrup, and dash of salt. Mix well with butter. Pour into pie crust and top with crushed pecans. Bake 1 hour at 300 degrees. Serves 8-10 slices.
From our Community Families to yours…We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Join us for Dinner or contact a Community today to request your copy of The BBQ Doctor’s Cookbook – A compilation of Classic Recipes from the families, residents and employees of Senior Solutions communities – Antebellum Grove, Warner Robins – GA; Carriage House Inn, Shelbyville – TN; Lakewood Place, Loudon – TN; River Oaks Place, Lenoir City – TN, River Oaks Place, Loudon – TN; Jamestowne Assisted Living, Kingston – TN; Wellspring Senior Living and Oakwood Senior Living, Knoxville – TN.
What are your family favorite dishes for Thanksgiving? Is there a recipe that you’d like to share? Leave it in the comments below and we may publish it in our next cookbook and you will receive a complimentary copy!