How To Stay Gut-Healthy Over The Holidays
The holiday season is in full swing! And although this is undeniably a time for celebration and indulgence, it’s also important to stay mindful for gut health.
After all, the delightful feast and festivities have a tendency to wreak havoc on our digestive system in more ways than one. Fortunately, with a few simple tips, it’s quite possible to enjoy the cheer while keeping your gut health in line.
Without further ado, here are eight ways you can stay gut-healthy over the holiday season.
1. Start The Day With Probiotics
One of the best things you can do for your gut would be to kick-off your mornings with a dose of gut-friendly probiotics.
For a more effective probiotic, consider incorporating a Perkii Probiotic Smoothie or Perkii Probiotic Immunity Shots into your breakfast routine. Not only do are these delicious beverages bottled with billions of probiotics but the probiotics themselves also have a signature target-release feature.
This means the good bacteria is protected against the stomach’s acidic environment, as it’s contained within a natural micro-shield. As it travels beyond the stomach and into the gut, the probiotics are released to work their magic.
2. Start Moving After Meals
Another great way to support your gut health and digestion would be to engage in light physical activity after a meal.
By taking a quiet stroll or engaging in gentle yoga, you’ll be stimulating the muscles around the abdomen and supporting the movement of food through the digestive tract.
3. Enjoy Dessert Or Drinks (Not Both)
When it comes to indulging over the holidays, it’s critical to strike a balance. For example, enjoy a tasty dessert or partake in a festive drink - but enjoying both in excess might be a little too much for the gut to handle.
Finding this moderation will help to manage your sugar intake, keep the microbiome balanced, and will reduce any strain on the gut.
4. Practise Mindful Eating
In the whirlwind of the holiday season, our eating habits often get swept away. That's precisely where embracing a mindful eating approach can serve as a saving grace.
Take the time to slow-down, savour every bite, and pay attention to the body’s signals of fullness. This won’t only prevent over-eating, but can also aid with the digestive process and keep your gut in tip-top shape.
5. Manage Stress
The holiday season brings along a lot of joy and excitement - though it can also summon a lot of stress too. A full calendar of family gatherings, holiday shopping, and party planning can certainly take its toll on the mind.
Since these high stress levels can have a negative impact on our mental and gut health, stress management is crucial to practice. Try implementing stress-relieving techniques, such as deep breathing or brief moments of solitude to keep a level head and healthy gut.
6. Prioritise Good Sleep
Amidst the holiday parties and celebrations, it’s important to prioritise your sleep schedule where possible. A good night’s sleep is essential for many aspects of your health and wellbeing - and your digestive system is no exception. Allowing your body to properly regenerate with 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep will help keep the mind clear, while supporting optimal gut function.
7. Limit Sugar
Sugary treats tend to be of abundance over the holiday season, tempting our taste buds at every turn. While enjoying a treat every once and awhile can be harmless, overindulging tends to throw the gut microbiome completely out of balance.
To avoid this, be sure to practise mindful eating over the holiday season, and opt for moderation. If you’re looking for ways to curb your sugar cravings, try home-made fruit-based desserts or dark chocolate sweets as a gut-friendly alternative.
8. Stay Hydrated
During the festive season, when temperatures soar to their peak, staying well-hydrated becomes an essential priority. This holds especially true for your gut health during these holiday months.
Hydrating supports our digestion and ensures our gut functions as it should. Especially if you’re enjoying outdoor activities, aim to increase your water intake as necessary and meet your daily water requirements.
Wrapping Up
Supporting your gut health over the festive season doesn't mean depriving yourself of joyous moments and festive foods.
It’s all about finding a balance that suits you, and making conscious decisions that support your health and wellbeing. By adopting a few of these simple practices into your festivities, you can ensure your gut remains happy and healthy - which will allow you to make the most of this wonderful time of year.
Cheers to a joyful and gut-friendly holiday season!
*The information in this article should be considered as advice only. Before using probiotics or implementing any of the information above, speak with a healthcare professional.
