“Boiled shrimp with lemon or cocktail sauce is a healthier pick than fried hors d’oeuvres. Try having a pot of a roasted vegetable soup, such as carrot or butternut squash, on offer for guests to enjoy. Other healthful starters include stuffed mushrooms, raw veggies with hummus, and seasonal fruit.

Thanksgiving is a great time to serve family recipes like Grandma’s pumpkin pie or your dad’s dinner rolls. Our advice: Don’t mess with your favorite holiday dishes. But do try swapping or adding ingredients to less sacred one.

• Skip the cream. Use Greek yogurt or whole milk instead in mashed potatoes, creamy soups, and creamed onion or spinach recipes.

• Reduce the sugar. Cut it back by 10 to 25 percent in baking recipes. You’ll barely taste the difference.

• Add some fiber. Replace 25 to 50 percent of the all-purpose flour called for in recipes with whole-wheat flour. Or try half all-purpose, half white whole-wheat flour, a lighter, milder version of the whole grain. If your recipe calls for breadcrumbs or panko, opt for whole wheat.

• Upgrade the stuffing. Replace half the white bread with whole wheat, use low-sodium chicken broth, and add extra vegetables, such as carrots, mushrooms, and peppers.

• Be sodium savvy. Using the flavors of the season—thyme, sage, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves—will cut the need for salt.”

CR  Consumer Reports  (https://www.consumerreports.org/healthy-eating/ways-to-eat-smarter-at-thanksgiving-dinner-a2912481484/)

“3 days before thanksgiving

• Defrost your turkey. Thawing a frozen turkey takes time and patience. The best way is to thaw the bird in the coldest area of the fridge with a pan underneath to catch any drips (not on the counter).
• Buy perishable ingredients. Buy your salad greens and perishable vegetables. Wash lettuce leaves now, dry well, and store by packing them in paper towels in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
• Clean the house and set up the table and chairs. Smart tip: put non-cooking household members in charge of cleaning. If you’re having a lot of guests, you may want to set up the table(s) and make sure you have enough space and chairs.”

Food Network (foodnetwork.com)

“The single best way to reduce the risk of seasonal flu and its potentially serious complications is to get vaccinated each year, but good health habits like avoiding people who are sick, covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like flu.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC  (https://www.cdc.gov)

“Symptoms of a cold tend to be mild. You may have a runny nose, cough, congestion, and sore throat. But you won’t usually have the aches and fever that are common with COVID-19 and flu. Often, you’ll feel better in a couple of days.

There’s no cure for the common cold. Typical treatments include rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medicines. Winter is the prime cold and flu season. You’re more likely to be indoors and closer to others when it’s colder outside. Weather also plays a role in the spread of viruses.”

NIH News in Health

“People with an increased risk of lung cancer may consider annual lung cancer screening using low-dose CT scans. Lung cancer screening is generally offered to older adults who have smoked heavily for many years or who have quit in the past 15 years.  If there’s reason to think that you may have lung cancer, your doctor can order a number of tests to look for cancerous cells and to rule out other conditions.  An X-ray image of your lungs, a sample of abnormal cells may be removed in a procedure called a biopsy, and doing the staging of the cancer.”

MAYO CLINIC

“The two major types of lung cancer are small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

SCLC accounts for about 13 percentTrusted Source of all lung cancers. It’s less common than NSCLC, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

However, SCLC is the more aggressive form of lung cancer. With SCLC, the cancer cells tend to grow quickly and travel to other parts of the body, or metastasize, more easily.

Though the majority of lung cancer cases are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Doctors stage NSCLC according to how far it has progressed. Stages range from occult (or hidden) cancer to stage 4 cancer, in which multiple organs may be affected.

The staging system helps doctors determine the best treatment plan, and helps individuals with cancer and their families understand the severity of the disease and the outlook.

There are several different staging systems used around the world, but the most widely used approach is known as the TNM system.”

healthline (https://www.healthline.com/health/lung-cancer-small-cell)

Small and non-small cell lung cancers cause similar symptoms. Sometimes, symptoms do not appear until the cancer reaches a later stage.  The symptoms of small and non-small cell lung cancers are similar, but small cell lung cancer spreads more rapidly. A person may be more likely to experience symptoms after lung cancer has reached a later stage.  Shoulder pain often occurs due to inflammation or muscle injuries. Less frequently, shoulder pain can be a symptom of lung cancer. Although shoulder pain is not a common symptom of lung cancer, any persistent, unexplained pain warrants a visit to a doctor for further investigation. ”

Medical News Today (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com)

“One in five people worldwide develop cancer during their lifetime. Prevention of cancer has become one of the most significant public health challenges of the 21st century. It has a critical role to play in the fight against cancer. Based on current scientific evidence, at least 40% of all cancer cases could be prevented with effective primary prevention measures, and further mortality can be reduced through early detection of tumours.”

International Agency for Research on Cancer   (https://www.iarc.who.int/cancer-topics)

“Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic condition that is present at birth and can affect anyone. It is characterized by medical problems, including cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning challenges. These often occur side by side with striking verbal abilities, highly social personalities, and an affinity for music. WS occurs equally in males and females and in all cultures worldwide. Williams syndrome is caused by the spontaneous deletion of 26-28 genes on chromosome #7 at the time of conception. The deletion can occur in either the egg or the sperm. It is likely that in most families, the child with Williams syndrome is the only one to have the elastin gene condition in his or her entire extended family. There are two DNA tests that can determine if a person has Williams syndrome. The FISH test and the Microarray.”

William Syndrome (https://williams-syndrome.org/what-is-ws)

“Your kidneys and circulatory system depend on each other for good health. The kidneys help filter wastes and extra fluids from blood, using a lot of blood vessels. When the blood vessels become damaged, the nephrons that filter your blood don’t receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to function well. This is why high blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure.”

heart.org (https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/health-threats-from-high-blood-pressure/how-high-blood-pressure-can-lead-to-kidney-damage-or-failure)