Holiday Guide: Anti-Inflammatory Swaps for Thanksgiving and Beyond

November 26, 2025

The holidays can be joyful and hectic. Travel, late nights, and rich food can leave you bloated, achy, and off your routine. You do not need a perfect plan to feel better. Small, realistic swaps can stabilize blood sugar, calm your gut, and reduce inflammation so you enjoy the season on your terms.

What “Anti-Inflammatory” Really Means

An anti-inflammatory plan focuses on whole foods that steady blood sugar, support the gut lining, and provide micronutrients that resolve—rather than fuel—immune signaling. You emphasize color, fiber, protein, healthy fats, and quality sleep and stress tools.

At Wisconsin Institute of Functional Medicine, this approach pairs with lab-guided care when needed. For the holidays, think practical steps you can repeat most days.

The Simple 3-3-3 Plate Guide

Use this flexible, no-measurement framework anywhere:

3 cups non-starchy vegetables

Leafy greens, crucifers, green beans, Brussels sprouts, roasted carrots, salads.

3 palm-size portions of protein per day

Turkey, salmon, rotisserie chicken, lean beef, eggs, tofu or tempeh (aim for one palm at each meal).

3 servings of healthy fats per day

Olive oil, avocado, olives, nuts, seeds, ghee, or fatty fish.

Optional: 1–2 fists of slow carbs

Sweet potatoes, squash, quinoa, wild rice, or fruit.

This pattern steadies glucose and insulin, supports satiety, and lowers inflammatory cascades.

Holiday Table Swaps That Do Not Feel Restrictive

Turkey

Choose roasted turkey with skin on for flavor. Add a generous ladle of pan juices instead of flour-thickened gravy. If you want gravy, use arrowroot or reduce the drippings.

Stuffing

Try wild rice and mushroom stuffing with celery, herbs, and pecans. If using bread, go heavy on vegetables and broth to reduce the glucose spike.

Potatoes

Mix half mashed cauliflower with mashed potatoes and use olive oil or ghee. Sweet potato halves with cinnamon and butter feel festive with less sugar.

Green Bean Casserole

Sauté green beans with mushrooms, shallots, and almonds in olive oil for crunch and umami without cream soup.

Cranberry Sauce

Simmer cranberries with orange zest and a small amount of maple syrup. The tart fiber helps with portion control.

Dessert

Choose pumpkin pie without extra whipped topping, or baked apples with walnuts and cinnamon. Eat dessert after protein to blunt the glucose rise.

Eating Out Without Anxiety

Restaurant menus can work for you with a simple plan:

Start with a salad or non-starchy vegetable side.
Anchor your meal with protein: grilled salmon, steak, rotisserie chicken, or an omelet.
Swap fries for double vegetables or a baked potato.
Ask for sauces on the side or choose grilled/roasted/blackened prep.
If you want bread, have it with the meal—not before.

Best Breakfast Choices on Busy Travel Days

Protein-forward smoothie

Unsweetened almond milk, quality protein powder, spinach, chia or flax, frozen berries, almond butter.

Egg and avocado plate

Two eggs any style with avocado and sautéed vegetables.

Greek yogurt bowl

Full-fat yogurt with walnuts, seeds, cinnamon, and berries (or coconut yogurt + protein powder if dairy-sensitive).

These options check the 3-3-3 boxes and travel well.

What Is the Best Drink to Reduce Inflammation?

Plain water is the foundation—supporting digestion, lymphatic flow, and joint comfort.

Two helpful add-ons:

Green tea (antioxidant catechins)
Ginger or turmeric tea (soothing for gut and inflammation balance)

If drinking alcohol, pair it with protein-rich meals and alternate with water.

Quick Wins to Reduce Inflammation Today

Walk 10–15 minutes after meals.
Prioritize sleep to reduce cravings and inflammatory markers.
Use 2:1 breathing (4 seconds in, 8 out) for three minutes.
Add omega-3 foods like salmon, sardines, walnuts, chia.
Use herbs and spices such as rosemary, oregano, turmeric, and ginger.

What Is the Best Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plan?

There is no one-size plan. The best plan is the one you can repeat and that keeps glucose, insulin, and symptoms steady.

Core elements include:

Whole, minimally processed foods
Ample non-starchy vegetables
Protein at each meal
Healthy fats
Slow carbs timed around activity
Consistent sleep and stress management

For autoimmune concerns, IBS, or stubborn weight, targeted testing accelerates results.

What to Eat at Someone Else’s Gathering

Bring a dish you love (roasted vegetables or quinoa/arugula salad).
Fill half your plate with vegetables, add a palm of protein, then choose one favorite starchy side.
If grazing, use a small plate and create a mini 3-3-3 sampler.

What Reduces Inflammation Quickly?

You can feel change within 24–48 hours by stacking:

Generous hydration
Post-meal walks
Protein-and-vegetable-based meals
Two days without added sugar/ultra-processed snacks
A full night of sleep
Omega-3 support through food or supplements

How WIFM Can Help

If holiday eating highlights gut issues, joint pain, or stubborn weight, you may benefit from a lab-informed plan.

Our team evaluates:

Hormones
Thyroid
Insulin resistance
Gut health
Nutrients
Sleep patterns
Stress load

We then build a stepwise strategy with measurable progress.

If you are local, explore functional medicine Appleton, or schedule a metabolic check-in to prepare for the New Year.

Your Next Step

You do not need a perfect holiday to feel good in your body.

Use the 3-3-3 framework, prioritize protein and vegetables, hydrate, walk after meals, and protect your sleep.

If you want support, schedule a new-patient visit or metabolic check-in. Our Appleton wellness center is ready to help. If body composition is part of your plan, explore weight loss clinic Appleton to integrate nutrition, movement, and medical oversight.

Happy holidays—here is to feeling clear, mobile, and energized through the season and beyond.