Happy Thanksgiving

I had a chat about Thanksgiving at my physical therapy session today. We agreed that Thanksgiving is generally a more relaxing holiday celebration… the “drama level” seems to be lower…people tend to get along better. Hey, maybe it’s the turkey.

I recently saw that “turkey meat contains tryptophan, an amino acid that the body needs to make Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and serotonin, a hormone that helps you relax and—yes, makes you sleepy…. another said it make you happy. However, I also read that “turkey has less tryptophan than chicken…… hmmmmm. In an article titled “Does Turkey Make You Tired” it concludes: “Although it may be tempting to blame the turkey, the tryptophan likely doesn’t make you sleepy on its own. Rather, eating foods with tryptophan in addition to a large number of carbohydrates leads to sleepiness. Carbohydrates come from the other typical foods at the Thanksgiving table, such as breads, potatoes, peas, corn, sugary drinks, and desserts.”

Since bringing this up at the Thanksgiving table will likely generate an argument, I’d suggest you leave this BLOG at home on Thursday. Why ruin Thanksgiving by “talking turkey”.

Regardless, let’s take advantage of the more peaceful climate and enjoy the day. Let’s remember to have an “attitude of gratitude’… to be thankful for our many blessings. Let’s call upon the wonderful prayer of St. Francis to guide us through the evening:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

If we live this prayer on Thanksgiving, we should have a good day, regardless of the turkey. Thank you Lord for our many blessings. Happy Thanksgiving !

P.S. The BLOG is going to take a few days off during the Thanksgiving holiday…see you next week….and don’t eat too much.