Holiday Gut Health Guide
The holiday season is in full swing and that means our bodies might be getting out of whack. Get ready for the second half of the season with our Holiday Gut Health Survival Guide! We’ve got 9 great tips for you to survive the holiday season with a healthy gut intact!
Step 1: Know your plans in advance and get the details
If you’re traveling out of town or staying close to home, you’re going to want to get as many details as you can about your celebration in advance. Some questions you might want to ask are:
- What time to be there and what time will the food be done?
- Where will everything be? (Parking might be an issue to figure out as well)
- Who will be there?
- How do you need to travel there?
- What’s the bathroom situation (how many are on the route or how many in the house you’ll be at/where to find them)?
- What kind of food will be served/what can you bring (that won’t cause you a flare-up)?
- How many days will you be there?
- What accommodations are available for you to continue your normal routines? (access to gyms or safe walking areas, heating pads, stores, etc.)
Being prepared with answers to these questions is a great way to reduce any anxiety you may have around the holiday. It also allows you to prepare better for anything that may be an obstacle for you and your health.
Step 2: If time management can cause you stress, get your plans on a planner or calendar
Having a handy dandy planner or calendar that helps you remember what you need to do to stay on track can be really helpful. When you see the tasks are in a certain time frame it’s more digestible for your brain so you don’t feel so overwhelmed. This helps your mental health and keeps your stomach from becoming upset.
Step 3: Schedule in rest, relaxation, mindfulness, and exercise times
While you’re using that calendar, make sure to write down the things you need to do to keep yourself feeling good. This can include:
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Relaxation time
- Journaling time
- Mindfulness or meditation time
- Time to read
Writing these things on a schedule may seem silly, but it gives you that time to yourself so you can take care of yourself amidst the chaos that this season brings.
Step 4: Journal and/or meditate during your planning phase to reduce anxiety-related symptoms
While you’re planning, feelings of anxiety or fear may come up — this is totally normal. When that happens, ground yourself and work through the thoughts that you’re facing.
Once you shed light on them, you often can work out a solution. Sometimes you have family members that cause you stress that you know you’ll have to see. Other times it’s the travel that makes you nervous. And sometimes it’s just the season and everything being crazy around you that makes you feel unsettled inside. Whatever it is, bring it to the surface so you can work through it and feel more calm about everything.
Step 5: Be aware of your triggers and make mindful decisions based on them
This is one of the trickier sections where you definitely need to exercise your self-control. If you’ve done CBT or hypnosis these may be helpful to tap back into.
This time of year brings out all the delicious but not-so-healthy triggers. If you’ve seen the trend on any social media, “candy holiday followed by pie holiday followed by cookie holiday followed by alcohol holiday but we call it flu season” they really do have a great point. All of these things lead to systemic inflammation which is something you definitely don’t want — especially with IBS.
So these are the triggers to watch out for:
Step 6: Stay Hydrated
Even when you’re wrecking your gut, staying hydrated can help to soften the blow. Always keep your water on hand and make sure to be drinking it frequently. Hydration is one of the most important factors when it comes to flushing out your system and keeping a clear mind. Bring your favorite water bottle with you everywhere you go and keep it handy.
Step 7: Prepare healthy swaps for your triggers (i.e. carbs, alcohol, etc.)
It’s no fun to have to avoid everything on holidays. You see everyone else overindulging and for one day why not you too? This is a totally understandable viewpoint and we get it.
There are a ton of things out there now that offer a healthy swap for something you love to indulge in with your family without it being the real (and often unhealthy) thing.
Try some pretty mocktails with fresh herbs in them instead of cocktails.
Test out non-alcoholic beer.
Find some healthy and delicious low-carb dessert recipes that can be substituted for your favorites.
Step 8: Prep your gut
You’ve prepped your mind and your calendar. So now it’s time to prep your gut. Doing your mindfulness exercises is a great way to start, but there are a few other ways you can prep your gut. (Ask a doctor which might be best for you)
- Fasting can help to cleanse your digestive tract and allow it to rest before the feasting begins. You can also do this after you’ve overindulged to reset your gut microbiome.
- Take Atrantil to nourish your gut microbiome and reduce inflammation prior to the partying. Start taking it before you have your holiday events and take it on through. It’s a great sidekick this time of year (and a great stocking stuffer for someone who could use a good gut supplement).
- Drink more water than anything else. This helps to remove toxins and keep your cells functioning properly.
- Keep a functional routine that includes plenty of sleep and exercise.
Step 9: Take it easy on yourself, get out of your head, and have fun!
This time of year it’s easy to take yourself too seriously or get stuck in your head overthinking about all of the things. Remember to take deep breaths and remind yourself that you are safe and okay in this moment. Focus on the good things around you and if you slip up, that’s okay too. Forgive yourself and move on to the next right thing.
If worse comes to worst, check out this article to get your gut back on track!