So here it comes, the holiday we’ve all been waiting for, Thanksgiving! The best part is being able to enjoy the four “F’s”: family, friends, football, and best of all, food! We are certain that your family has the best recipes out there and you can’t wait to splurge. However, overindulgence can also cause painful digestion issues such as bloating, indigestion, nausea, and diarrhea.
Arrowhead Health Centers is here to help you take care of your body at the while still enjoying the food you love. We are all about pain management at Arrowhead. Here are some ways to manage your food intake and keep the pain away.
Eat Smaller Meals
Instead of trying to fit everything into one sitting, try to eat smaller meals more frequently. We recommend about a fist-sized portion with at least three hour intervals in between. Something that might help you eat smaller portions is using an appetizer plate so you literally can’t fit more than you bargained for. Portion control can help with digestion, weight control and reduce the risk of some diseases. You can decrease abdominal pain by snacking. This will decrease cramping because there won’t be too much food in your system at one time.
Reduce Fried Foods
If you want to stay away from diarrhea, gas, and heartburn, we recommend staying away from fried foods. Too many fatty, fried foods can cause painful contractions in your digestive system, and can pass too quickly. Try to limit things that include butters, margarines, oils, creams, and pork products. Instead of choosing the fatty portion of the brisket, choose the lean part or, maybe even non-pork brisket. Choosing to bake items rather than fry them will also help.
Limit High-Fiber Foods
Watch out for high-fiber foods like fruit and vegetable skins, nuts, seeds, leafy-greens and raw vegetables. Foods like these can cause cramping as well as intestinal contractions, and can overwork your digestive system. Also, because they are not digested entirely in the small intestine, you may have “scratchy” or irritating stool or even diarrhea. While fiber in the diet is helpful, the key is moderation. An easy way to limit these types of foods is to skin and deseed any fruits or vegetables you use in cooking or dishes.
Know Yourself
Always be mindful of your personal experiences; your own understanding of your body is a powerful tool. You are the best judge of what you can and cannot handle. If you have an intolerance or allergy, be sure to ask about ingredients in a dish before consuming it. It’s still okay to try new foods this season, just make sure to take note of what those foods do to your body.
Be prepared.
By knowing the tips above and thinking ahead, you can always be prepared. For example, if you are going somewhere for a meal or party bring something with you that you know you can handle and that others will enjoy as well. If nothing else, you can always either bring a snack with you or eat something before going elsewhere.
Call Arrowhead Health
When it comes to pain management, Arrowhead has your back! These tips can help you take care of yourself this holiday season, and we’ll do the rest. There are many different forms of pain, which is why we believe it is important to educate you on how to manage that pain! If you feel you need more assistance with managing your pain, give us a call at 623-334-4000 or visit our Contact Us page.
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