Small habits to support your gut, your nervous system, and your energy — especially during a full season.
Every year around this time, I hear women say things like:
“I love the holidays, but my stomach never loves them back.”
“I feel so bloated after family gatherings.”
“Everything feels off — my sleep, my stress, my digestion.”
The holidays aren’t the problem.
It’s the pace we move through them.
Fast.
Rushed.
Stressed.
Eating on autopilot.
Barely breathing.
Barely checking in with how our body feels.
And when you layer stress + sugar + overeating + less movement + less sleep…
your gut feels it first.
Your gut is deeply connected to your nervous system, breath, and daily movement — the things that often disappear during a busy season.
The good news?
You don’t have to overhaul anything.
Tiny, doable actions can make a big difference in how your belly — and your whole body — feel.
These are gentle practices you can use before, during, and after holiday meals to support digestion, calm your system, and help you stay clear, steady, and comfortable.
Before Your Meal
You might not think much about your digestion before you sit down to eat, but this is the perfect time to set your body up for success.
1. Sip Lemon Water
Start your meal off right by drinking lemon water beforehand. The citric acid in lemon juice can naturally boost your stomach acid, helping your body break down and digest food more effectively.
How to Make It:
- Squeeze half a lemon into 4 oz of room temperature or warm water.
- Sip slowly before you eat.
This small step helps your body prepare for the meal instead of surprising it.
2. Take a Slow Breath Before You Eat
Your digestion only works well when your nervous system feels safe.
If you’re anxious, rushed, or overstimulated, your body is in “fight or flight,” not “rest and digest.”
Just one slow inhale and exhale can shift that.
Try This:
- Inhale through your nose for a count of 4.
- Exhale through your nose (or sigh it out) for a count of 6.
Repeat a few rounds.
You will literally feel your body soften.
This is brain longevity + nervous system regulation at work.
During Your Meal
How you eat is just as important as what you eat. These small changes can make a big difference.
1.Start Smaller Than You Think You Need
Holiday tables make it easy to overload your plate… and your system.
Starting with smaller portions lets your gut and brain talk to each other.(They do that through the vagus nerve — which also loves slow breathing, by the way.)
Remember: it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that you’re full.
2. Chew More Than You Normally Do
Digestion starts in your mouth, and many don’t realize this alone solves half their bloating or discomfort.
Chewing well also forces you to slow down — which your nervous system and gut both adore.
Aim for:
10–20 chews for soft foods
More for dense foods
(And no, it doesn’t have to be perfect.)
3.Eat Without Multitasking
Your brain cannot digest your food and your stress at the same time.
It chooses the stress.
So the more “presence” you bring to your meal, the less strain you put on your belly.
Try turning off the TV, lowering voices, softening the environment — anything that helps you stay connected to your body.
After Your Meal
Digestion doesn’t stop when you put down your fork. Here are a few ways to keep things moving comfortably post-meal.
1. Go for a Walk
A 10-minute walk helps your body:
- move food through the digestive tract
- stabilize blood sugar
- wake up your circulation
- reduce that heavy, sluggish feeling
This is functional movement at its simplest.
2. Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
This is one of my go-to nervous system resets — especially during full seasons.
No, it’s not “yoga after a meal.”
It’s nervous system support.
This position:
- calms the vagus nerve
- reduces stress hormones
- supports the digestive process
- helps your body come back to neutral
You’ll feel your breathing deepen without trying.
How to Do It:
- Sit with one hip close to a wall.
- Lie back and swing your legs up the wall.
- Adjust so your back is flat on the ground and your legs are vertical.
- Relax your arms out to the sides.
- Stay here for 2-3 minutes (or longer if you like).
When you're ready to come out, bend your knees, roll to one side, and slowly sit up.
Make the Holidays Easier on Your Belly
The holidays don’t need to feel like a tug-of-war between joy and discomfort.
Supporting your digestion isn’t about restriction…
or perfection…
or avoiding the foods you love.
It’s about supporting your body in the small moments — the way you breathe, pause, chew, move, unwind.
Because when your digestion feels better, you feel better.
And you deserve to move through this season with:
✨ a steady gut
✨ a clear mind
✨ a calm nervous system
✨ and a body that feels like your own
Which tip will you try first?
I’d truly love to hear. 💛
Wanna learn more about the benefits of a short walk post-meals? Check this out!
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. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02762-2
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.
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