With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, you’re probably going to attend many functions and consume tempting treats.
Poor digestion and bloating are amongst many other “costs” you may be paying for having that next bite of obviously excessive, yet irresistible, sugar-laden pumpkin pie.
Overeating over the holidays can create indigestion, because your body may not have sufficient enzymes and hydrochloric acid to digest all the food your body has taken in.
When digestion is not working well, that’s when congestion and bloating begin.
If your digestive system can’t process the excess food quickly enough, the waste may ferment… creating unfriendly bacteria that feeds on the extra food and produces gas in the process. Indigestion produces gas, and gas creates bloating.
And unfavourable signs, such as fatigue, allergies, skin eruptions, illustrating toxic overload may pop up.
Constipation, especially over the holidays, are usually caused by numerous reasons. I’ve included 4 common reasons why you maybe bloated and tips on how to blast the bloat away.
4 Thanksgiving Bloat Causes and Tips for Relief
#1: Insufficient Fiber
You need fibrous foods over the holidays!
Dietary fiber refers to the edible parts of plants or carbohydrates that cannot be digested. You can find fiber in all plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Soluble and insoluble fiber are essential for keeping your intestinal system running smoothly. Soluble fiber allows more water to remain in your stool, making waste easier to pass through your intestines. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your waste, which hastens its passage through your gut and prevents that constipated feeling.
How to fix this:
- Aim for at least 25 grams of total fiber daily by eating lots of fruit and vegetables.
- Start your morning routine right: Drink your green smoothie to start off your day before your festivities.
- When you blend your smoothie with greens, you improve digestive efficiency and gastrointestinal absorption of nutrients from the fruits and vegetables. You also save time because you don’t have to chew as much!
- Eat salad, raw vegetebales, sprouted granola, soup in advance so you don’t feel thrown off before attending a social gathering.
#2: Eating excessive processed foods, animal protein and dairy
This is related to #1.
Excessive meat, or processed foods with unnatural ingredients will also slow down your digestion and set the stage for putrefaction and bloating.
Such foods are also low in fibre, and contain constipating calcium and iron that can hamper your digestion.
How to fix this:
- Limit your meat intake by eating a raw salad/hot soup before the meal/gathering
- Drink hot ginger tea and/or hot lemon water to boost your digestive system. Hot water boosts the digestive system, and “heating” foods like ginger, lemon, cayenne pepper support strength in the digestive system
- Eat Digestive Enzymes: Digestive enzymes can aid digestion. My favourite is Rainbow Light Enzyme.
- Taking magnesium oxide supplements. Magnesium has a natural laxative effect on the body and helps detox
- Pair heavier foods, like animal protein or starches with veggies and salads
#3: Not Drinking Enough Water
You may not be drinking enough water over the holidays, and you need water to de-bloat and hydrate your high-fiber bowel movements.
When you don’t get enough water, your body sometimes retains more water and you’d look puffy…
And, you may end up being full of “shxt” especially since your poop maybe hard…
Plenty of pure water will help dilute and eliminate the toxins and impurities, making your body less likely to get puffy or bloated.
How to fix this:
- Aim for at least 6 cups of water a day
- Adding fruit into your water may water more “palatable”. I like adding oranges, lemon, cucumber to my water.
- Get lots of pure water from the fruits and vegetables in your diet
- Sip hot water (not cold water) in between meals
#4: Not enough good bacteria
Having too little good bacteria can mess with your GI system.
If you don’t have symptoms of gastrointestinal distress such as chronic diarrhea, or bloating, things like that, then you’ve got good bacteria doing their job. You just need to feed them. And that’s what most people are, in the kind of natural state.
However, if you have a funky GI system, you may need to incorporate more good bacteria in your gut.
How to fix this:
- Take a probiotic supplement
- Eat fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi (debatable) and tempeh
- Include raw apple cider vinegar in your diet. It promotes healthy bacterial growth and supports elimination
Happy Thanksgiving and holidays!
xox
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