This time of year can be really fun and special as we spend time with our loved ones celebrating the holidays. But it can also be a tough time for your body! All the heavy foods, wine, and way too many cookies (guilty!) can do a number on your digestive system. As your body desperately tries to keep up, you are often left feeling tired, bloated, irritable, or foggy, experience diarrhea or constipated (Did you know you can experience both at the same time? Yikes, right?), and maybe even like you have a food hangover. For many people, those are signs of overindulgence or not eating healthy and they come and go. But for some of us, some of those symptoms may be a common, everyday occurrence.

Digestive issues are no fun. Depending on their severity, symptoms can take over your life and actually stop you from being able to do the things you love doing. They can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep, make you anxious or depressed, and push you to laying on the couch all weekend instead of having fun. Digestive issues are quite common. But when eating makes you feel miserable all the time, food can become an enemy. If that sounds like you, please work with a healthcare provider to figure out what’s going on.

Here are a few tips you can try for occasional digestive woes (those with more severe symptoms may also benefit but, again, make sure to work with a healthcare professional before making any dietary changes):

·      Drink more water. Most of us are dehydrated, even if we don’t feel thirsty. Considering that 60% of your body is water, it’s probably a good idea to keep it full! How much? Aim for half your body weight in ounces (example: if you weigh 200 lbs, aim for 100 oz of water every day). Yep. That’s a lot! Start small! One caveat to this, limit water consumption during meals as well as 20 minutes before and 20 minutes after. The water will dilute digestive juices in your stomach and make digestion more difficult and less effective, often leading to digestive issues.

·      Chew your food. Chew each bite at least 25 times. Yep. That’s a lot! Most of us don’t get near that! Yep. Your jaw will be a little sore until those muscles get used to it! But it will be worth it. Digestion actually starts in the mouth. Chewing stimulates the release of certain enzymes that get the process started. If you don’t chew well, those enzymes are not effective and the food enters your stomach behind the ball.

·      Eat more plants. Plants contain fiber but meat, dairy, and eggs do not. Fiber helps to move everything through the entire length of the digestive tract as well as helps to maintain the health of our gut microbiome (the good bacteria in our intestine that helps to digest food and absorb nutrients). Fiber also helps to ensure that excess water is absorbed in the large intestine, which prevents diarrhea and also helps to relieve constipation by keeping things moving at a normal rate. Seems counterintuitive that it does both those things, but fiber really is that special!

·      Eat fermented foods before every meal. This includes pickled beets (my FAV!), pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut, and others. The fermentation process aids digestion and helps the good bacteria in your gut. Just avoid the pickles that contain large amounts of salt or other artificial preservatives or dyes.

·      Eat bitter foods. Bitter foods stimulate your body to start producing digestive enzymes to get ready to start digesting food. Bitter foods include broccoli, kale, dandelion greens, cranberries, cocoa (the real stuff, not hot chocolate mix!), and citrus peel (or zest). Eat a little before every meal.

·      Bitter herbs. Many herbalists create special concoctions called “bitters” that are designed to be taken right before you eat to stimulate digestion or right after you eat to help with digestion. You may be familiar with the bitters you put in your Old Fashioned!

·      Herbal teas. Herbs such as peppermint and ginger are great for digestion. You can make a quick tea by chopping up a 1” piece of fresh ginger and simmering it in 1-2 cups water for 20 minutes. Consume before or after meals or anytime your tummy is upset.

·      Essential oils. A few essential oils that promote digestion include peppermint, ginger, and fennel. Work with a trained professional on proper essential oil usage.

·      Practice yoga. Studies have shown improvements in IBS symptoms with regular yoga practice. These studies are small, and more research is needed, but since yoga is so good for your body and easy to do, the need for excess research before trying this is really non-existent. On a personal note, I have noticed substantial improvements in my digestive symptoms with just 20 minutes of yoga a day.

Pick one or two of these things to try and give it a week or so. Then re-evaluate to see how you feel. If you try these things and are still experiencing symptoms, there may be other issues that need to be addressed by a healthcare provider, such as food allergies, autoimmune disease, anxiety or depression, or chronic constipation. Let me know what works for you!

Happy chewing!

Peace, love & kale!

Lindsay