Well done is better than well said.
~Benjamin Franklin

Does Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?
The Facts About L-Tryptophan

Unless a microwave dinner is your idea of a Thanksgiving feast, you probably have had firsthand experience with the after-dinner fatigue that sets in after the meal. Why do you want a nap? To escape the dishes? Perhaps, but the meal itself plays a big part in the way you feel.

• The turkey is often cited as the culprit in afterdinner lethargy, but the truth is that you could omit the bird altogether and still feel the effects of the feast. Turkey does contain L-tryptophan, an essential amino acid with a documented sleep inducing effect. L-tryptophan is used in the body to produce the B-vitamin, niacin. Tryptophan also can be metabolized into serotonin and melatonin, neurotransmitters that exert a calming effect and regulates sleep. However, L-tryptophan needs to be taken on an empty stomach and without any other amino acids or protein in order to make you drowsy. There's lots of protein in a serving of turkey and it's probably not the only food on the table.

  It's worth noting that other foods contain as much or more tryptophan than turkey (0.333 g of tryptophan per 100 gram edible portion), including chicken (0.292 g of tryptophan per 100 gram edible portion), pork, and cheese. As with turkey, other amino acids are present in these foods besides tryptophan, so they don't make you sleepy.

• L-Tryptophan and Carbohydrates

  L-tryptophan may be found in turkey and other dietary proteins, but it's actually a carbohydrate-rich (as opposed to protein-rich) meal that increases the level of this amino acid in the brain and leads to serotonin synthesis. Carbohydrates stimulate the pancreas to secrete insulin. When this occurs, some amino acids that compete with tryptophan leave the bloodstream and enter muscle cells. This causes an increase in the relative concentration of tryptophan in the bloodstream. Serotonin is synthesized and you feel that familiar sleepy feeling.

• Fats

  Fats slow down the digestive system, giving Thanksgiving dinner plenty of time to take effect. Fats also take a lot of energy to digest, so the body will redirect blood to your digestive system to tackle the job. Since you have less bloodflow elsewhere, you will feel less energetic after eating a meal rich in fats.

• Alcohol

  Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. If alcoholic beverages are part of the holiday celebration, then they will add to the nap-factor.

• Overeating

  It takes a great deal of energy to digest a large meal. When your stomach is full, blood is directed away from other organ systems, including your nervous system. The result? You will feel the need to snooze after any big meal, particularly if it is high in fats and carbohydrates.

• Relaxation

  Although many people find the holidays stressful, the most relaxing part of the festivities is likely to be the meal. No matter what you may have been doing throughout the day, Thanksgiving dinner provides an opportunity to sit back and relax -- a feeling that can carry over after the meal.

So, why are you sleepy after a big turkey dinner? Is eating turkey responsible for the lethargy and drowsiness that often occur after a Thanksgiving feast? Many people believe that consuming turkey can make you sleepy, since turkey meat contains high levels of an amino acid known as tryptophan, one of the so-called essential amino acids (that are essential for protein formation but cannot be manufactured by the body) in our diet. Tryptophan is an important precursor for the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which has a calming, sleep-inducing effect on the brain.

Tryptophan supplements were used as a popular sleeping aid until 1990, when the substance was banned by the U.S. FDA after a batch of contaminated product manufactured in Japan was associated with many cases of a rare and potentially fatal condition known as eosinophilic myalgia.

But the fact that the turkey is responsible for the Thanksgiving evening slump is a myth. For tryptophan to have a sedative effect, it must be taken on an empty stomach. After a "modest" Thanksgiving meal of turkey, stuffing, vegetables, sweet potatoes, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream, you aren't going to experience any sedative effects of tryptophan in the turkey. It's worth noting that turkey isn't the only food rich in tryptophan. Pork, chicken, and cheese also contain tryptophan, yet these foods are not associated with unusual or increased sleepiness after consumption.

The Worldly Traditions of Thanksgiving

Throughout the course of mankind's history, the Earth's bountiful harvest has been celebrated with ceremonies of giving thanks. Prior to the establishment of formal religions, many ancient tillers of the ground believed that their crops contained spirits...spirits which caused the crops to grow and to die. The belief was also strong that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested. Therefore, they had to be destroyed or they would wreak revenge upon the harvesting farmers. Some of these ancient rituals celebrated the defeat of such spirits. Harvest festivals and celebrations of thanksgiving were all held by the ancient Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, Chinese and Egyptians.

The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. The Greek Godess of corn (and of all grains) was named Demeter, who was honored at the festival of Thesmosphoria held each Autumn. On the first day of Thesmosphoria, married women (who possibily connected the business of childbearing to the raising of crops) would build leafy shelters furnished with couches fashioned from plants. On the second day, the Roman ladies fasted but, on the third day, a feast was held and offerings made to Demeter...presents of seed corn, cakes, fruit and pigs. It was hoped that thus, the gratitude of the Goddess for such gifts would grant a good harvest.

The Romans also celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia. This honored their Goddess of Corn...Ceres, from which the word "cereal" is derived. The festival of Cerelia was held each year on October 4th and gifts of pigs, together with the first fruits of the harvest, were offered to Ceres. This Roman celebration included music, parades, games, sports and a thanksgiving feast.

The ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, known as Chung Ch'ui, with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. This day was considered the birthday of the Moon and special "moon cakes," round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was stamped with the picture of a rabbit since it was a rabbit, and not a man, which the Chinese perceived to be on the face of the Moon. Families would gather together to partake of a thanksgiving meal, feasting on roasted pig, harvested fruits and the "moon cakes." It was believed that during the three-day festival of Chung Ch'ui, flowers would fall from the Moon and those who saw them would be rewarded with good fortune.

According to legend, Chung Ch'ui was also an occasion to give thanks for another special occasion. China had been conquered by enemy armies who took control of native homes and provisions. The Chinese found themselves homeless and without food. Many of them staved. In order to free themselves they decided to attack the invaders.

The women baked special "moon cakes" which were distributed to every family. Each cake contained a secret message indicating the time to attack. The invaders were so surprised at the unexpected assault that they were easily defeated. Every year "moon cakes" are said to be eaten in memory of this magnificent victory.

Jewish families also celebrate a harvest festival which they call Sukkoth. Taking place each autumn, the Hebrew Sukkoth has been celebrated for over 3000 years and is known by two names: Hag ha Succot, meaning "Feast of the Tabernacles" and Hag ha Asif, meaning "Feast of Ingathering." Sukkoth begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, five days afterYom Kippur...the most solemn day of the Jewish year.

Sukkoth takes its name from succots, the huts in which Moses and the Israelites lived as they wandered the desert for 40 years before reaching the Promised Land. Succots were made of branches and were easy to assemble, take apart and carry.

When celebrating Sukkoth, which lasts for eight days, the Jewish people build small huts of branches which recall the tabernacles of their ancestors. These huts are constructed only to serve as temporary shelters. The branches are not driven into the ground and the roof is covered with foliage which is spaced to allow light to filter through. Inside the huts are hung fruits and vegetables, including apples, grapes, corn and pomegranates. On the first two nights of Sukkoth, families eat their meals in the huts beneath the evening sky.

The ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honor of Min, God of Vegetation and Fertility. The festival of Min was held during the springtime...the Egyptian's harvest season. It featured a parade in which even the Pharaoh took part. After the parade a great feast was held complete with music, dancing, and sports. When Egyptian farmers harvested their corn, they wept and pretended to be grief-stricken in order to deceive the spirit which they believed dwelt within the corn. If this was not done, they feared that the spirit would become angry when they cut down the corn in the place where it lived.

Today, Annual Days of Thanksgiving are celebrated in the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Laos, Liberia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Grenada and the Virgin Islands.

Sleep and Work

While it’s long been noted that a lack of sleep affects the way workers work, leading to, among other things, a greater risk of error and injuries, new research is now looking at the issue from the other side: how work itself may be affecting the way we sleep.

A confusing cycle? Possibly, but according to Senior Researcher Mikko Harma of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finns have reported an increase in sleeping disorders over the past 30 years. Most recently, a study found that 36 percent of women in that country had trouble sleeping at least once a week; 27 percent of men in the study said the same. But, just six years ago, only 26 percent of women and 20 percent of men reported sleep problems once a week.

The reason for the reported sleeping problems? Said Harma, both occupational stress and abnormal working hours are taking their toll on workers. To solve the problem, Harma noted that he’d like to see more emphasis placed on educating people about the importance sleep and recovery, a focus on par with existing programs that stress nutrition and exercise or the effects of smoking and alcohol.

”In national health matters, sleep and recovery should be included with illness prevention as part of a daily routine,” Harma said. He also noted that preventing work-related sleeping disorders will mean resolving time management and occupational measurement problems. That includes addressing the impact of the 24-hour workplace on workers, including associated workplace ergonomics.

Beer-Brined Turkey - Say Goodbye to Dry
Turkey, and Hello to Savory Meat

When I cooked my first turkey in an attempt to feed an oncoming slew of guests that exceeded 20 people, I wondered to myself what I was going to do. Here I was with this turkey, no idea how to cook it, and a whole bunch of other stuff I had to put my attention on. As it would go, the advice of an elder who'd cooked the turkey the same way for my entire life left me with the same kinda turkey I'd had my entire life... dry, flavorful only if you washed it down with something to drink.

Years later, my beautifully brilliant significant other has introduced me to the joys of Beer Brined turkey, and I just so happened to stumble upon this recipe, courtesy of Emeril Legase's website. If you've never had the pleasure of enjoying a succulent, juicy, Beer-Brined Turkey for thanksgiving, do yourself the favor of taking the extra steps to prepare your thanksgiving turkey this way, this year!!!!

Ingredients