By Schuyler Corrigan

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November 26, 2023

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This time of year can introduce all kinds of new and unique meals to people’s diets, and with family visits, traveling, holiday parties and leftovers constantly available, it’s not unusual for our daily diets for the next month or two to be out of sorts. You may quickly notice a change in your digestion with these heavier meals, either with more frequent gas and bloating, a change in your bowel movements, more stomach upset or a sense of sluggishness as your digestive system is trying to adjust to these seasonal food changes. 

 

We have a few tips that we encourage our community to implement this time of year to support their digestion over the holidays without sacrificing or overly restricting shared meals. 

 

Be Mindful of Your Servings

You don’t have to restrict or avoid any foods over the holidays, but rather be mindful of your serving sizes. Fill your plate to one layer high and avoid “piling” foods on your plate initially. You can always enjoy another serving if you take a moment and notice you are actually still hungry. Overeating at meals can be a strain on your digestive system, leading to fatigue, stomach aches and indigestion. 

 

Avoid Drinking Cold Beverages While Eating

Iced beverages can dampen the digestive fire when we eat, making digestion more difficult. Instead, if you need to consume beverages while eating, keep them at room temperature. 

 

Read More: Delicious Vegetable Recipes for the Holidays

 

Try to Keep Your Meals About 4 Hours Apart

For optimal digestion, allow about 4 hours in between meals or snacks. For most people this allows the stomach to more completely digest the food eaten previously and be prepared for the next meal or snack. Notice if you are “grazing” or eating constantly throughout the day. This may lead to altered digestion and feelings of excessive fullness. 

Enjoy Herbal Bitters

Herbal bitters are a lifesaver for heavy holiday meals and aiding digestion when traveling. Bitters help to stimulate your digestion to naturally create extra digestive enzymes to help the stomach break down your macro molecules (proteins, fats, carbs etc) into small more absorbable pieces once they get to your intestines. They’re also supportive of liver detoxification, pancreatic health and enhance nutrient absorption of your foods! There are many different kinds of bitters available to the public. One option is Urban Moonshine’s bitters, or have a practitioner make it more customized for you to keep on hand. Take them directly in your mouth before meals, or add a bit of water and sip throughout the meal. 

 Teas 

There are a number of teas that can assist with digestion including chamomile, fennel or peppermint. But there is also known as Cumin Coriander Fennel tea, where this simple little herbal blend serves as a remarkable aid for your digestion before, during and after meals. You may already have these three delicious herbs in your kitchen pantry, and simply combining ½ tsp of each and steeping in 2 cups hot water for 10 minutes creates this deliciously soothing blend. You can also try Banyan Botanicals CCF tea. 

Read More: RNM’s Holiday Self-Care Guide

If you need personalized nutrition or digestive support this season, consider making an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors. They can help to guide you in making the best decisions for your health and holiday needs through individualized recommendations!