Digesting the Holidays: Simple Tips to Support Your Gut This Season

The holiday season is upon us and you know what that means…

belly troubles.

If your digestion takes a beating during this season, you’re not alone! Digestive upset can have many causes, including…

• Stress

• Eating inflammatory foods (especially sugar)

• Overindulging

• Poor sleep

All of these can certainly happen during the holiday season! I’ll be tackling stress, and the impact it has on you, in future articles.

In this article, you’ll learn actionable tips you can take before, during, and after a meal to support your digestion.

Before the meal

You may not think there’s much you can do before you meal to support your digestion, but there is!

Lemon water

Drinking lemon water BEFORE a meal can support your digestion (1). The citric acid in the lemon juice can boost your stomach acid (2). This is a good thing!

Stomach acid allows your body to break down and digest your food.

Make it

1. Squeeze 1/2 lemon into 4 oz of room temperature water. You can use warm or hot water if you like.

2. Enjoy before your meal.

Take a breath

Do you ever find yourself rushing around during the holidays? You’re making food, hosting, and who knows what else. You rush rush rush only to sit down and quickly eat.

Instead, pause before you eat and breathe.

The way you breathe affects your entire body. You want to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the “rest and digest” part of your nervous system. Breathing exercises can help do this.

Pause & breathe

1. When you sit down to eat, pause.

2. Inhale through your nose for a count of 4.

3. Exhale through your nose (or sigh it out) for a count of 6.

4. The point is to make your exhale longer than your inhale.

During the meal

While enjoying delicious food, there are small actions you can take to support your digestion.

Don’t overload your plate!

If you’re like me, then your eyes are often too big for your stomach! I sometimes pile on way too much food when I’m really hungry.

Take small portions.

Then wait 20 minutes before you get more. This gives your stomach time to let your brain know if you’re still hungry.

Chew Chew Chew

Chewing is the first step of digestion. Start it off right. Chewing and saliva break down food in your mouth. The more it’s broken down the easier it is on the rest of your digestive system.

The more you chew the slower you eat, which is also a HUGE benefit. You’re less likely to overeat because you’ll feel full (3).

How much should you chew? Apparently, the magic number is to chew food 32 times! I was shocked when I learned that.

Plus, if you’re eating harder-to-chew food, such as steak or nuts, then increase that number. For easier-to-chew foods, such as mashed potatoes, you can decrease the number to 10-15.

Eat mindfully

What in the world does it mean to “eat mindfully”? You’re simply paying attention while you’re eating. Taking smaller portions and chewing more will help you eat more mindfully. You can also

• Turn off the TV

• Put your phone away

• Select each bite consciously (don’t shovel the food into your mouth)

• Focus on the smell, taste, and texture of each bite.

After a meal

You can take small actions after you eat to support your digestion.

Move your body

If you tend to plop down on a couch after you eat, move your body instead. Go for a walk. I know this can be a hard one during colder months, but bundle yourself up and move!

Better yet, have your dinner guests all come along!

Even 10 minutes is beneficial.

Use essential oils

Essential oils can support your digestion. Certain essential oils are known to help with constipation, gas, nausea, and muscle spasms.

Make it

• Grab 1oz of your favorite lotion (unscented preferably) or oil (coconut, olive oil, jojoba, etc).

• Add the following essential oils

  • 5 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)

  • 4 drops Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)

  • 3 drops Cardamom (Ellettaria cardamomum)

  • 1 drop Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)

• Mix together. Rub on your belly and breathe deep. Make this ahead of time so you have it ready when needed.

Viparita karani (legs up the wall)

Generally, yoga is not great to do on a full belly. But one pose I do recommend is viparita karani. This pose is relaxing to your nervous system.

You’ll need a wall.

1. Come to the ground with one hip close to the wall.

2. Lay onto your back and bring your legs up the wall. Scooch your bum closer to the wall if needed.

3. If the backs of your legs are tighter then your butt may be further from the wall.

4. Your back is flat on the ground and your arms are out to the sides.

5. Relax here for 2-3 minutes, longer if you like.

6. To come out of the pose, bend your knees so they come toward your chest. Roll to one side and then find your way up.

Which tip are you going to try? I’d love to know, comment below!

Sources:

1. Iida, T. Et al. (2021). Effects of citric acid in lemon water on the human intestinal microbiota: A comparison between pre-meal intake of water and lemon water. International Medical Journal, 28(6), 625-628. 

2. Freitas, D., Boué, F., Benallaoua, M., Airinei, G., Benamouzig, R., Lutton, E., Jourdain, L., Dubuisson, R. M., Maître, X., Darrasse, L., & Le Feunteun, S. (2022). Glycemic response, satiety, gastric secretions and emptying after bread consumption with water, tea or lemon juice: a randomized crossover intervention using MRI. European journal of nutrition, 61(3), 1621–1636.

3. Andrade AM, et al. (2008). Eating slowly led to decreases in energy intake within meals in healthy women. Research Perspectives in Practice, 108(7), 1186-1191.