Do you look forward to Thanksgiving each year for the drumsticks, sides and desserts? Calorie-rich holiday foods tend to be high in fat and increase your risk for reflux and even colon cancer.
By swapping healthy ingredients for acidic, fatty and spicy foods, you can feast on nutritious dishes that won’t contribute to heartburn or colon polyps.
Does GERD Affect Your Holiday?
There’s nothing more delicious than turkey with gravy and stuffing surrounded by green bean casserole and candied sweet potatoes. You may not savor those flavors very long if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. This is a chronic condition where the stomach’s contents back up into the esophagus.
GERD can feel like burning in your chest or a sour or bitter liquid in your mouth and throat. GERD Awareness Week takes place Nov. 17-23, the week before Thanksgiving Day.
Many of our favorite holiday dishes contain acidic, spicy or fatty ingredients that can aggravate the digestive system:
- Citrus fruits
- Cranberries
- Coffee
- Chocolate
- Peppermint
- Tomatoes
- Butter and oil
- Hot sauce or red pepper flakes
Lower the Fat Without Sacrificing the Fun
The traditional Thanksgiving meal contains copious amounts of butter, cream cheese, half and half and sour cream. People often make gravy out of the turkey fat drippings, and that seasoned turkey skin is so tasty!
Foods rich in fat, however, may require more time to digest and can impair the lower esophageal sphincter, which divides the stomach from the esophagus. Dietary fat intake can also affect the gut microbiome and increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
You can make some healthy swaps for high-fat ingredients:
- Substitute a lean turkey breast for a whole turkey. Drumsticks and dark meat contain more fat.
- Instead of mashed potatoes made with butter, sour cream and cream cheese, mash roasted cauliflower and season it with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Candied sweet potatoes are high in sugar and fat. Why not roast the sweet potatoes in the oven and sprinkle them with a pinch of brown sugar and cinnamon and a tiny square of butter?
- Stuffing usually contains a good amount of butter and eggs. For a lighter option, find a recipe for quinoa salad. It’s high in protein, and you can season it with fresh herbs.
Spice Isn’t Always Nice When It Comes to GERD
Spicy, acidic or minty foods can irritate the esophagus, which can already be inflamed if you suffer from GERD. Inflammation can cause cancer, and chronic inflammation of the colon or esophagus can make you more prone to developing cancer.
Here are some substitutions you can make for spicy, acidic or minty foods this year:
- If cranberries exacerbate your heartburn, you can substitute apple butter, applesauce or chutney.
- Leave off the jalapeno peppers from the cornbread recipe.
- Flavor your foods with herbs, which tend to be easier on the stomach than spices.
- Omit spices like cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, sriracha or chili powder if it irritates your stomach.
- If you are planning to have shrimp for an appetizer, try making a homemade cocktail sauce that does not contain horseradish.
- Instead of having desserts with peppermint or chocolate, consider desserts with fruit.
Temper Your Sweet Tooth with Fresh Fruit
Sugar can intensify GERD symptoms, and people who eat lots of sweets are more prone to the condition. Added sugar can also influence your colon cancer risk. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants who consumed sugar-sweetened drinks and added sugar were at higher risk to develop colon cancer in the proximal part of the colon and were more likely to die from the disease.
Here are some ways you can lower your sugar intake in your Thanksgiving meal:
- Instead of serving soda, punch or apple cider, substitute fruit-infused water or decaffeinated, unsweetened tea.
- Replace pies and cakes with fresh fruit, baked apples or yogurt parfaits.
- Sweeten dishes with maple syrup or agave instead of table sugar.
Make a Resolution to Eat Healthier, and Begin with the Holidays
You don’t need to wait until January to alter your eating habits. Begin with Thanksgiving dinner. During the meal, you can consider important topics like portion control and moderation. After dinner, take a walk together and discuss your family health history as well as warning signs of GERD and colon cancer.
“Spending quality time with family and friends [is] integral to overall well-being and mental health. Starting these [healthier eating] habits during the holiday can lay the foundation for a healthier new year,” said Luis Rustveld, PhD, assistant professor of family and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Colon Cancer Screenings Can Prevent Cancer and Detect It Early
Healthy eating is only one component of colon cancer prevention. Regular testing for colorectal cancer is the best method for early detection and prevention of the disease.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Because young-onset colon cancer is on the rise, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age for colon cancer screening to age 45.
Although there are several types of screenings, colonoscopy is the gold standard because it can prevent and detect colon cancer in one procedure. No other test has therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities.
A colonoscopy allows a gastroenterologist to view the entire colon and rectum to look for abnormalities called polyps. Most polyps are benign, but they can become cancerous over time. Only a colonoscopy allows your doctor to remove precancerous polyps during the procedure to ensure they will not develop into a malignancy.
Other screenings — like stool and blood tests, CT colonography and flexible sigmoidoscopy — can only detect the presence of cancer cells. Therefore, you would need a follow-up colonoscopy if you receive a positive test result.
Make an Appointment for a Colon Cancer Screening
The holiday season may be the busiest time of year, but your health should be your top priority. If you choose colonoscopy, you will only need to repeat the test every 10 years if you get a clean bill of health. It is important to call your insurance company or Medicare to verify your coverage before making your appointment. You may qualify for a free screening colonoscopy.
If you have never had a colon cancer screening, we can help. Our highly skilled gastroenterologists are available in 32 states and the District of Columbia. Call today to make an appointment at a GI center near you.