Holiday tips for sensitive guts and special diets

If you live with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), have IBS, or are going through a healing diet that makes the holiday season a little tricky, I am sharing my best tips for you right here to experience the holiday season with as much joy and health as possible.

First, take a deep breath.

You will get through the season, and it won’t be all difficult. It’s important not to let the stress of eating, planning, and socializing overtake your life! Slow down and take one day at a time.

Eat well in the time surrounding the holidays

You know there are going to be some treats and foods made not in your kitchen. Support your body by making great food choices in your regular routine.

Bring a dish that you can eat (and share with others)

Bringing food that you made to a party or holiday celebration is certainly the safest way to eat out if you are concerned with feeling ill. However, it can feel isolating to just make something for yourself. That’s why I like the idea of bringing one or two dishes that are safe for you, but that others can enjoy as well.

Load up on herbal teas, bone broth, and warm lemon water

Peppermint and ginger teas are two of my favorites for gut health. For bone broth I prefer homemade or Bonafide Provisions. Warm lemon water has been a recommendation of mine for some time. These drinks are soothing if you are recovering from too many indulgences but are always good add-ins too into your normal routine. I.e, I like warm lemon water first thing in the morning and teas or broth during the day.

Take your supplements

On my most recommended list includes: my favorite digestive enzyme, HCL support, activated charcoal, probiotic, and prebiotics. You can grab my recommendations in my supplement store and receive 10% automatically.

Breathe before you eat

Do not, I repeat, do not skip this one because it seems too simple. Much of digestion builds on top of itself. Breathing and being in calm state is the way the body is designed to be in order to digest properly. If you are sitting down to eat and are stressed, emotional, afraid, or angry, pause right there and do a few rounds of deep breathing. Put one hand over your heart and one on your abdomen and try box breathing. Inhale through your nose for 4-5 seconds. Hold your breath at the top for the same count. Then slowly exhale through your nose for the same count. Hold your breathe at the bottom for the same count. Repeat, and watch how quickly you begin to feel grounded.

Chew really well and really slowly

Don’t sabotage your digestion by swallowing half-chewed bites. You do not have teeth in your stomach, so spend as much time as you can chewing thoroughly and slowly. This goes hand in hand with the breathing. We were not designed to eat in a quick, rushed manner, and that doesn’t change just because our modern world sets that pace.

Go for a walk after eating

Walking is a gentle way to support your digestion and blood sugar. Especially if you overate, go for a 10 minute stroll. You’ll feel more comfortable.

Get your sleep

Lack of sleep is detrimental in SO many ways and that includes for IBD symptoms. Think twice before staying up till 1am and robbing some of your sleep time.