If Thanksgiving hadn't become synonymous with stuffing, gravy, butter and other festively dressed saturated fats, it might be one of the healthiest holidays around. Not just because the bird itself is a great source of lean protein. Nor is it those vitamin-rich sweet potatoes (especially not after you put that marshmallow stuff on top of them).

Thanksgiving is about giving thanks and being with family and friends -- two important ways to bust the stress that can age you. Data says that giving thanks can make us younger. For instance, studies of people who kept gratitude journals found that they were more likely to exercise, report fewer physical problems and feel more optimistic about life. Other data has found that friends can boost your chances of top-notch well-being by a factor of five. All of these can turn back your body's clock.

So use the holiday to think of someone who has had an effect on your life -- big or small -- and write that person a note of gratitude (e-mail hasn't been studied, so do it with paper). Or, hopefully, they'll be around your holiday table and you can thank them in person. Fifteen minutes of daily gratitude dramatically decreases stress hormones -- the ones that cause gastrointestinal problems, hormonal problems and artery problems, not to mention headaches, anxiety and more. So while you're fussing with the bird, the centerpiece, the kids' table or your special acorn squash side dish, take a minute to put the "thanks" in "Thanksgiving." Your body will be grateful, too.

The YOU Docs, Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen, are authors of "YOU: Having a Baby." Want more? See "The Dr. Oz Show" on TV (check local listings). To submit questions, go to www.RealAge.com.

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