Banishing The Bloat & Top Tips For A Healthy, Happy Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner and while we have tucked in our favourite festive treats, we may be feeling a little worse for wear. A very common symptom that occurs is a bloated tummy. Yes I can see that resonating!

How and why does bloating happen?

It could be the change in dietary patterns from eating at irregular times, eating bigger meals, eating different foods, not being in tune with when we are hungry or full or it can also be due to the higher intakes of sugars from alcohol, refined flours from the cakes, mince pies and sugars from all the Christmas treats going around the house or office. Did you know that bloating can also be a combination of other things such as stress, lack of movement, food intolerances, hormonal imbalances, medication or an overgrowth of yeast amongst others? These factors can also lead to a change in the bacteria that our body and gut hosts and cause ‘dysbiosis’.

So what can we do to reduce the discomfort during the festive season?

Mindful eating

Well, eating mindfully might be a saying you have come across already but not applied it yet. It goes a long way and while we may not change our diet during the Christmas period, we can introduce mindful eating.

It helps us eat with all our 5 senses. In other words, noticing how food looks by looking at its colour, size but also how the food smells. Taking time to place food on our tongue, helps us to notice how it feels and tastes before finally starting to chew on the food. Noticing the texture it brings once teeth sink into it as well as the sound and flavour the food carries and lastly how it spreads across our month.

By becoming a slower eater and savouring every bite we automatically develop a mindful way of eating. Mindful eating also helps you realise your body cue for hunger and fullness and help you manage your weight.

If you are on the look out to soothe your bloated tummy, here are our top recommendations for supplements and natural remedies.

One of the most important factors when choosing a remedy, is the quality and purity of those remedies to make sure they do not make matters worse. In other words, those that are entirely devoid of fillers, binders, sugars or other unnecessary ingredients that make more harm than good.

High potency and diversity of clinical bacterial strains found in probiotics such as the Garden of Life Microbiome Formulas (add hyperlink) can help ease the discomfort and reset the balance of microbes in the gut. These contain certified organic prebiotics such as Acacia fibre and Organic Potato Starch. It is our probiotic of choice, because it also free of binders, fillers, preservatives that can further disrupt the balance of bacteria. To top it off, even the capsule is entirely made of natural polysaccharides derived from plants.

Saccharomyces boulaardi is a bacterial strain that has been extensively researched for its ability to support the gut, help modulate to intestinal flora and help the elimination of toxins, bacterial infections and yeast for instance. It is often used as an adjunct to support a body to recover and also support its immune system.

Herbs such as those available as liquid herbal extracts that are alcohol free and devoid of harmful ingredients to the body can provide ideal support. Nature’s Answer’s holistically balanced range only uses coconut derived glycerine as preservative, thus allowing the easy assimilation of herbs, better palatability, longer shelf lives, but it is also suitable for those with allergies or other sensitivities. Being a natural compound, coconut also does not disturb the gut’s microflora, as other preservatives would.

Nature’s Answer Ginger Bitters is a well-balanced formula that may help stimulate our digestive enzymes for better digestion. The herbs included have traditionally been used to support digestion; including are ginger rhizome, cardamom seed, centuary aerial parts, astralagus root, fennel seed, rosemary leaf and gentian root. Ginger bitters may be used before meals as a digestive aid, after meals with symptoms of gas or bloating or for low levels of hydrochloric acid or bile.

Chamomile is traditional plant you may have come across through herbal teas available in supermarkets. It has traditionally been shown to exert wonderful relaxant properties especially on the nervous system, and we have found that it is invaluable especially where tension or symptoms of anxiety may produce digestive disturbances such as bloating. Available in an alcohol-free liquid herbal extract by Nature’s Answer (add hyperlink) which may provide you with the support you need.

A few practical suggestions

- Chew on fennel seeds! Fennel seeds are traditionally revered for its support in calming the smooth muscles of the gastro intestinal system and therefore reduce bloating and stomach cramps.

- Reach out for the least salty appetiser options as salt can cause water retention.

- Increase your potassium levels, by consuming foods like bananas to help counteract the bloating.

- Reach out for more water. It can help your kidneys excrete the excess salt and water from your body quickly and decrease the bloat.

- Slow down on the fizzy drinks.

- Increase your fibre intake at breakfasts when you can stay in control. Given sprouted grains a go?  Not only to have so much more goodness due to the sprouting process, but they are also slightly easier to digest and provide better absorption. Fibre essentially contains natural compounds called ‘enzyme inhibitors’ and ‘phytates’ and these are eliminated in the sprouting process making digestion and assimilation easier for the body. Fibre will also help move things along and eliminate the bloat. (kijani link to organic sprouted chia and flax seed)

- Move: Prior to your Christmas lunch, head out for some fresh air and move those limbs. Of course, if you have time, go for a morning run.

- Try not to stress, as this in turn can impact on digestion! 

We hope that you enjoyed our top tips to help banish the bloat and enjoy a happy Christmas wherever you may be!