Make It a Healing Holiday With the Gift of Anti-inflammatory Food

Why wait until New Year’s Day to get back on your healing plan? You can keep your physical therapy commitment to yourself even as you enjoy one festive meal after another. With a little intention, the holidays can feel more fun, more flavorful, and more restorative…and anti-inflammatory.

Inflammation: The Holiday Healing Roadblock

Inflammation creates one of the biggest challenges I see with patients. It’s a natural response to injury, but it still “gets in the way” of healing. Pain from inflammation can force us to delay certain therapies, which slows down progress.

Your daily diet influences inflammation more than most people realize. When you eat mindfully, you keep yourself in a stronger position to heal.

Holiday Mode Doesn’t Have to Slow Your Progress

The holidays invite us to slow down, rest, and spend time at home—all good things. But that same downtime can derail physical therapy if we default to sugary treats and heavy meals.

With a little planning, though, your holiday downtime can become a healing opportunity. Pair it with mindful eating, and you stay fully on track while still enjoying the season.

We’ve gathered a few of our favorite finds for healthy-but-festive holiday dishes. You can also tweak your own traditions by choosing better ingredients. Many swaps improve the flavor, too. A quick search for anti-inflammatory or antioxidant ingredients will give you plenty of ideas.

The “Do Less, Do More” Approach to an Anti-inflammatory Menu

You don’t need to give up hearty holiday foods. Just do less of the “not-so-good” stuff and more of the “good” stuff. Small shifts make a big difference.

Do less:
· Highly processed meats
· Fried foods
· Sweets made with refined sugar
· Heavy cream-based dishes
· Sugary alcoholic drinks

Do more:
• Lean protein
• Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
• Bright, deeply colored vegetables
• Antioxidant fruits like cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, apples, oranges, clementines, grapefruit, pomegranates
• Better oils like