Thanksgiving is prime time for indigestion. Avoiding it can keep more joy in your holiday. People have such unique reactions to food, and what works for one person often doesn't for another, advice can be hard to give. So the most important rule becomes paying attention to how YOU feel and stopping before things get worse. Tap into YOUR gut instincts - pun intended ;)
If long lists of what to do get a bit overwhelming, just pick a couple of strategies to use. My favorite is to use mindful eating strategies because it’s about enjoying your food, without overfilling ourselves. Not only will this keep you more comfortable, it really helps keep off extra pounds. And who doesn’t want that?
When you no longer feel light and you start feeling heavier and more bloated stop immediately and consider sipping on some festive cinnamon tea. It takes a bit of courage to do this when others may keep eating. You are the one who gets stuck with the consequences so don’t let others dictate what is right for you. You also might be surprised to see others, in response to you, recognizing they need to stop eating too. You just might inspire others to do the same.
Another overlooked strategy is chewing your food thoroughly. It’s so simple it is easy to forget about. Chewing gets a good start to the digestive process and decreases the work, and discomfort, on your stomach and intestines. An added bonus with chewing your food more- you spend more time enjoying the tastes of your holiday meal too!
While there is a lot of individuality, there are foods that are known to crank up the acid your stomach produces, which will leave you bloating and experiencing reflux. High fat, greasy foods and caffeine are some of the biggest offenders. Fried turkey, egg nog and pumpkin pie in the same setting is a bit of food bomb to set off indigestion. While butter does make everything taste better, putting it on everything won’t make you feel better, so use it judiciously. And make sure to pour off the extra grease on the gravy- it doesn’t add much flavor and worsens indigestion If you like to celebrate with alcohol, be aware that it relaxes stomach muscles. This means if your stomach is full of food you more likely to feel the reflux. If you start experiencing even mild indigestion adding minty or spicy foods to the mix will only worsen it too, so steer clear of these.
If you are reading this and thinking that I just took all the fun out of eating, then just plan on showing up in clothing that is not putting additional pressure on your stomach. I may not be able to take the glutton out of you yet, but there is no sense being glutton for punishment!
Lots of small things can keep you feeling more comfortable, which means you actually get to enjoy your holiday and not just 20 minutes of eating (but let's get both)!
Timing your meal differently can reduce the negative effects of holiday eating too. Dr. Sheer at Harvard conducted some research where participants who ate 2/3 of their total nutrition before 3 pm experienced the most weight loss. This plus additional evidence suggests timing our meals with our circadian rhythm and eating most of your food early in the day maximizes digestion and metabolism. All of this makes a good case to make your holiday feast midday.
If long lists of what to do get a bit overwhelming, just pick a couple strategies to use. My favorite is to use mindful eating strategies because it’s about enjoying your food, without overfilling ourselves. Not only will this keep you more comfortable, it really helps keep off extra pounds. And who doesn’t want that?
Happy Thanksgiving! leave you bloating and experiencing reflux. High fat, greasy foods, and caffeine are some of the biggest offenders. Fried turkey, egg nog and pumpkin pie in the same setting is a bit of food bomb to set off indigestion. While butter does make everything taste better, putting it on everything won’t make you feel better, so use it judiciously. And make sure to pour off the extra grease on the gravy- it doesn’t add much flavor and worsens indigestion If you like to celebrate with alcohol, be aware that it relaxes stomach muscles. This means if your stomach is full of food you more likely to feel the reflux. If you start experiencing even mild indigestion adding minty or spicy foods to the mix will only worsen it too, so steer clear of these.
If you are reading this and thinking that I just took all the fun out of eating, then just plan on showing up in clothing that is not putting additional pressure on your stomach. I may not be able to take the glutton out of you yet, but there is no sense being glutton for punishment!