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Beating the Christmas bloat

Beating the Christmas bloat

Christmas time….the best time of the year! Family, friends, presents and eating…a lot! It is definitely the time of year that we all get a little indulgent. Who can blame us, there are just so many tasty treats around. The famous Christmas roast, the finger buffets and the endless Christmas parties where far too much alcohol (in my case cocktails!) is consumed!!

Whilst I try to stay in control of what I am eating all year around, come Christmas time I tend to go a little bit crazy but then definitely struggle afterwards. I feel bloated, sluggish and really uncomfortable (not to mention my skin breakout that I suffer with). Luckily BioCare Clinical Nutrition have put together top tips on how to keep your digestive system in good shape, without avoiding your Christmas favourites – sounds perfect hey!

Here are their three top tips for beating the Christmas bloat and helping your digestive system during the festive season:

Try not to over indulge this Christmas.

Introducing some self-control and balance in your diet. For example, if you know you have a family dinner in the evening, arm yourself with a breakfast high in good quality protein, healthy fats and loaded with antioxidants. A healthy ‘fry up’ is an easy and hearty breakfast choice, including poached eggs, wilted spinach, grilled tomatoes, homemade baked beans and sliced avocado. This is a wonderful way to replenish your body. Remember to save your main indulgence for the big day, Christmas Day itself, and enjoy every single mouthful.

Instead of waiting until the New Year, try to gently detox your body throughout the Christmas period.

This can reduce your chances of weight gain and feeling generally fatigued and run down. Green vegetables and fruits really are your friend as they are packed full of nutrients and support the detoxification process of rich food and alcohol from your body. Smoothies including kale, spinach, broccoli, and apples can be a
great way to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs. As it is winter time, you can also put green vegetables into a soup for lunch or dinner, adding in herbs such as coriander, which is highly detoxifying and full of plant chemicals.

Getting Moving

Although it is tempting to curl up on the sofa after eating Christmas dinner, a good way to get your digestion moving is to put on your hat and scarf and go for a walk. Gentle exercise can stimulate the digestion and support healthy passage of stools.

Number 3 is definitely my favourite as a little fresh air is always needed especially to burn of some energy for my little ones! We always feel better after getting outdoors.

They have also put together some tips for giving your digestive system the best start to 2019 – so if you don’t quite feel up to the Christmas tips above, maybe those below for a healthy January will be more suitable (and much needed if you are anything like me!)

Try some Mindfulness

Stress can deplete us of essential nutrients and have a large impact on our digestive system. It would be important to focus on taking time every day to relax as the stressful winter comes to a close. Things like mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, knitting, good sleep hygiene. Spending quality time with family and friends in the outdoors can really help boost your mood and regain

Take some supplements

Taking a good quality probiotic supplement may help regulate digestion and get you back on track. It’s an effective way to keep your gut bacteria levels topped up. I suggest BioCare’s Everyday BioAcidophilus.

After over eating through the Christmas period, it’s important to get our eating habits back on track. Portion control and resisting the urge to eat and snack to excess are easy ways to support the pancreas. As well as leaving a gap between your evening meal and bedtime. This can disrupt sleeping patterns and the gut’s ability to repair at night.

Start the new year in the right way.

Book yourself in for some health checks this January. Get your eyes checked, your ears cleaned (Northern Spire Hearing Services can help with this) and of course your teeth. Start the year as you mean to go on. 

So there you have it, a few simple ways to have a bloat free Christmas and a nice healthy start to the new year. I would love to hear how you get on…

 

 

 

This is a collaboration post

 

 

 

 

 

23 thoughts on “Beating the Christmas bloat

  1. I might have to try this next year! I have a completely different reason for being bloated this year – 9 months of pregnancy, haha!!

  2. This sounds like a great product and perfect for the holidays ( I think we all like to indulge a bit). Thanks for sharing so much great information:)

  3. It is so important to not overeat over the holidays. People forget that with the holidays calories are still important.

  4. I have to admit I’ve already been cheating already and it’s not even Christmas yet! It’s tough during this time of year to keep on track. Great post and info. Thanks for sharing!

  5. I hadn’t a sick kid at thanksgiving so I missed all the food… that part was a good thing about her being sick but Christmas is almost here and we are already indulging in Christmas cookies and candy far more than we should! Thanks for the tips. I need to put them into action!

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