Meal of the month: Thanksgiving

For November, there's only one obvious choice for the meal of the month. But we're not going to offer tips for a heart-healthy Thanksgiving. Go ahead and enjoy all of your favorite traditional foods, from stuffing to pumpkin pie.

But on this day devoted to gratitude, consider practicing mindful eating when you sit down at the table. A long, leisurely meal shared with family and friends is a good opportunity to try this approach. Being mindful simply means bringing close attention and awareness to whatever you're doing, without judgment. It may help you enjoy your meal more — and avoid that unpleasant, too-full feeling.

Here are some suggestions for practicing mindful eating:

• Before you start eating, spend a few moments to think about all the effort involved to produce the meal in front of you, including the labor of farmers, grocers, and cooks.
• Before your first bite, observe how the food looks and smells.
• Put your utensil down between bites.
• Sip water throughout your meal.
• Take small bites and chew them well, noticing the different flavors and textures.
• Before you help yourself to seconds, take time to reflect if you're actually hungry.

Image: © Larry Williams/Getty Images