The holidays are fast approaching, and while we are all busy finalizing our plans to either host family or visit them, many of us are also working on plans for how we are going to approach the holiday feasts so we don’t gain any extra pounds. While maintaining a healthy weight is definitely important, there is arguably something more important that you should be thinking about as we approach the holiday season: how you are going to keep your gut healthy.
After all, your gut does a lot more than just digest the food you eat. It also plays an important role when it comes to keeping other parts of your body healthy, such as your brain, your skin, and your immune system. Not to mention, taking care of your gut during the holidays will help reduce your chances of feeling bloated, gassy, or experiencing other types of gut discomfort after all the festivities have come to an end.
Ways to Support Your Gut During the Holidays
With that in mind, let us reassure you that taking care of your gut during the holiday season doesn’t mean you need to deprive yourself of your favorite festive treats. Instead, if you do a little planning and prep work now, you will still be able to enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie or a few gingerbread cookies throughout the next few weeks. Here are some of our favorite ways to maintain a healthy gut while you enjoy all that the holidays have to offer.
1. Fill Up On Fiber
Fiber is one of the easiest ways to support your digestive system. Your body’s natural digestive enzymes aren’t able to digest fiber, so instead, it is passed on to your gut microbes to be turned into metabolites like short-chain fatty acids. Once absorbed by your body, these short-chain fatty acids help with metabolism and other body functions.
There are many sources of fiber that you can rely on, such as whole grains, potatoes, leafy green vegetables, legumes, broccoli, and much more. Including these high-fiber foods in your diet will help nourish your gut so you can enjoy the holidays.
2. Mind What and How You Eat
Yes, sometimes it’s convenient to grab a quick snack and eat on the go while we are on the way to our next holiday activity. However, we want to encourage you to slow down and be more mindful while you are eating. A good place to start is to eat slowly and fully taste and enjoy each bite you take instead of just scarfing it down. When you eat too quickly, you are more likely to inhale excess air and overeat, which can lead to digestive discomfort later. Of course, you’ll also want to be mindful of what you are choosing to eat. While a quick grab-and-go snack like a bag of potato chips may be appealing at the moment, it probably won’t nourish your body as effectively as something more natural like an apple or a handful of mixed nuts.
3. Stay Hydrated
You already know that keeping yourself properly hydrated is one of the best things you can do to keep your body as healthy as possible, and the same thing is true during the holidays. Staying hydrated during this festive season will benefit all of the systems in your body, including your digestive system. When you are well hydrated, it will be easier for food to pass through your digestive tract, making the process much more effective. What’s more? A properly hydrated body will also help ensure that the nutrients from your food can be easily absorbed and transported to where they are needed in your body.
4. Move After Meals
During the festive season, you may want to become a couch potato after eating your favorite dishes, but your gut will thank you if you get up and move a little after each meal. Of course, you don’t want to jump right into an intense workout, but something as simple as taking a walk around the block or helping clean the kitchen can help your body digest the food you just ate and keep digestive discomforts like bloating at bay. Moving your body after eating is a simple way you can care for your gut and keep yourself feeling as healthy as possible through the rest of the holiday season.
5. Turn to Probiotics
If you really want to make sure your gut microbiome stays as balanced as possible, probiotics can provide the support you are looking for. These living microorganisms are fantastic for helping keep your gut healthy by seeding it with good bacteria. Probiotics can be found in foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi. If you’re unsure about adding these foods to your holiday meal plan, you can also get these helpful microbes in supplement form. That way, you can just add them to your daily supplement routine and get on with your day.
6. Embrace Enzymes
If you do anything on this list, then do this—support your body with digestive enzymes. These mighty enzymes are responsible for facilitating digestion from the mouth all the way to the intestines, and they are naturally produced by your body. However, most of us simply don’t have enough to handle the types or amount of food we fill our plates with during the holiday season. When we don’t have an adequate amount of enzymes to help break down and assimilate food, we are very likely to experience digestive discomfort. While certain foods like pineapple, mangoes, and raw honey contain digestive enzymes, you can also find them in supplement form. This means that caring for your gut can be as easy as taking a single capsule before, during, or after your meal!
The Essentials of Holiday Gut Support
Digestive discomfort doesn’t have to be a common factor in your life this holiday season. With a few simple tricks and a powerful gut-support pack like Essentials, you can give your gut all the nourishment and support it needs to keep you feeling your best no matter what your celebrations look like.
With probiotics, digestive enzymes, and the powerful superfood known as organic Wild Microalgae™, these convenient daily packs are a powerful tool to have in your gut-health toolbox this holiday season and beyond.
The best part? You can put Essentials to the test risk-free with our 60-day money-back guarantee.