Your Thanksgiving Survival Guide
Thanksgiving marks the start of delicious food, quality family time, and a whole lot of standing and traveling. While your focus is rightly on the turkey and the guest list, it’s easy to forget about your feet, which will carry you through the airport, the kitchen, and hours of socializing. Thanksgiving is on record as the most traveled holiday, but between the gravy, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie, it’s also quite possibly the least healthy. We at New Jersey Podiatric Physicians & Surgeons Group are here to ground you during these festive times. Here’s a Thanksgiving Survival Guide to help.
Travel Smart
If you’re traveling long distances, the combination of sitting still for hours (on a flight or in a car) and high altitude can lead to uncomfortable swelling in your feet and ankles. To counteract this, wear compression socks for long journeys and make a point to get up and walk around every hour.
And when you’re busy cooking or socializing, avoid standing on hard kitchen floors barefoot. Wear cushioned slippers while preparing the meal to prevent the strain that may lead to plantar fasciitis.
Mind Your Diet
The Thanksgiving table is rich with foods that can be triggers for foot pain. Foods high in purines, found in rich meats, gravy, and certain seafood, can quickly elevate uric acid levels and trigger a gout flare-up. Dehydration only makes this risk higher, so mix in some water while you sip your wine.
Manage Your Diabetes
While gout is a risk for many, uncontrolled blood sugar is a foot danger. The holiday meal is packed with refined carbohydrates, starches, and sugary desserts. Even one day of high blood sugar can increase inflammation and slow down your body’s natural healing response.
Since diabetes compromises circulation and nerve health, it’s vital to monitor portions of stuffing, potatoes, and pies. Controlling sugar intake over the holiday is a direct way to protect your feet from inflammation and prevent minor rubs from escalating into non-healing wounds.
Find Your Footing
The stress isn’t just internal. Wearing dress shoes or formal boots that lack cushioning for long periods can lead to serious foot fatigue and pain. Thanksgiving is a home holiday, so if you’re dressing to impress the in-laws, don’t overdo it.
If you are elderly and going to a home with stairs, be mindful of your footing. The fatigue from a long day, combined with navigating an unfamiliar home, can increase the risk of a fall.
If you’re worried about your foot pain, come see the expert team at New Jersey Podiatric Physicians & Surgeons Group. With more than 30 locations, from Newark, NJ, to Cape May, NJ, we value convenience and excellent service for our patients. To schedule an appointment, first find a podiatrist in your area.
