Transform Your Thanksgiving with Simple Wellness Hacks for a Healthier Celebration

As someone who has had the privilege of experiencing American Thanksgiving multiple times throughout my travels, I can confidently say that this holiday represents the heart and soul of family gatherings in the States. My trips have taken me across America for medical lectures, book tours, and reunions with loved ones, and nothing compares to the warmth and unity fostered during this time of gratitude and cornucopia.

What fascinates me, as a Kiwi, is the unique twist each country has on Thanksgiving. In the United States, this cherished holiday falls on the fourth Thursday of November, whereas our friends to the north in Canada celebrate it earlier, on the second Monday of October. The roots of the American Thanksgiving go back to the early 1600s when the Wampanoag people graciously shared their harvest with the English colonists in Plymouth. It’s a beautifully complex history steeped in community and gratitude.

Those early feasts featured a variety of fowl, although there’s a historical debate about whether it was turkey or goose on the menu. In contrast, the Canadian Thanksgiving originated with the explorer Martin Frobisher, who hosted his crew for a meal of salt beef and mushy peas after navigating the Northwest Passage. It’s beautiful to consider how a simple meal can represent profound moments of survival and thankfulness.

As I reflect on these traditions, I am reminded of the phrase I often repeat in my work: “genes are our blueprint, but not our destiny.” In my book, *Biohacking Your Genes*, I dive deep into the ways we can hack our health through thoughtful dietary and lifestyle changes — and Thanksgiving serves up an opportunity to explore two iconic foods: turkey and pumpkin.

Turkey is often the centerpiece of Thanksgiving feasts and can be purchased raw or prepped with brine to enhance its flavor and tenderness. If you’re like many experienced Thanksgiving cooks, you might choose to brine your turkey, soaking it in a salt-water solution for a full day prior to roasting, which helps keep the meat juicy. But, it’s important to take a moment to consider the nutritional implications of this process. Increased levels of sodium and phosphorus can be troubling, particularly for those managing health conditions like hypertension or heart issues; the CDC notes that most Americans consume around 3,600 mg of sodium a day, well above the recommended limits.

Research shows that people with certain genetic markers related to sodium sensitivity should be particularly cautious. The ACE gene, which regulates blood pressure in response to salt intake, means that if your genetic makeup inclines you toward higher blood pressure, you may want to think twice before diving into that brined turkey.

And then there’s pumpkin pie — a dessert so steeped in Thanksgiving nostalgia that it brings back memories for many of us. Can you smell the spices wafting through the kitchen? I can! Pumpkins, which were virtually unknown to Europeans until the age of exploration, have come to symbolize this holiday. The modern pumpkin pie emerged in 1796 from Amelia Simmons’s groundbreaking cookbook, *American Cookery*.

But pumpkin pie is not just a sweet, comforting classic; it’s also a nutritional powerhouse. Brimming with vitamins A, C, and E, pumpkin is increasingly recognized in nutritional science as a superfood that enhances our immune systems. After the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have turned to pumpkin-based foods for their health benefits.

Returning to the question of genetics, you might wonder: is there really a connection between what we eat on Thanksgiving and our genetic makeup? Absolutely! Pumpkins are rich in carotenoids, plant pigments that give them their vibrant color and that our bodies convert into vitamin A. While a slice of pumpkin pie can provide a substantial amount of this nutrient, the efficiency with which our bodies convert carotenoids into active vitamin A varies from person to person, depending on the BCMO1 enzyme they possess.

If you carry the least efficient variant (the GG variant), it’s especially important for you to also incorporate sources of preformed vitamin A into your diet, such as dairy or eggs, or you could load up on pumpkin foods with a little more glee knowing you’re maximizing your nutrient intake.

Thanksgiving isn’t just a time for feasting; it provides a unique opportunity for reflection on our health and traditions, while reminding us to draw connections between our ancestral diets and modern realities. So, as you gather around the table this Thanksgiving, perhaps consider what that turkey, that pumpkin pie, and even the way you cook them might be telling you about your health and heritage. You might just find that your meal holds deeper meaning than you ever imagined.