There are two things you can count on that come with the holidays: Lots of stress, and lots of food.
I’ve compiled a short and sweet list into FOUR simple steps to stop that painful bloating this season. We want you to be able to enjoy the holiday to the fullest and make it through all of your family’s best cooking. I don’t know about you, but if my grandma is cooking- it’s worth over eating
These back-to-basics steps of proper nutrition were outlined in more depth in my digestion troubleshooting guide.
For more personalized support to save your own time with sustainable protocols to get your healing on the fastback, schedule a call here.
Let’s get to the steps
1. Sit down to eat
Digestion begins in the brain- that first moment you think of or smell food. However, with the state that meals are regularly consumed- the digestion process is often required to take a back seat. This means, a lack of digestive juices that are needed for proper digestion. Sitting down to eat encourages mindfulness, allowing us to savor our food and appreciate the flavors and textures, which can enhance our overall enjoyment and satisfaction. Mindfulness is a skill to work on. Start practicing by sitting down and reconnect with your meal. Stop grazing while you work + stop scrolling, and in turn- stop bloating.
2. Take a few deep breaths
The brain cannot prioritize digestion while it is stressed, or multitasking. This leads to a consequence cascade of digestive difficulties that are unfortunately very common.Rushing through meals while stressed is very hard for the digestive system and when it can’t keep up… Hello, bloating.
Stop rushing, stay present.
3. Drink warm lemon water before your meal
Bitter + acidic foods stimulate digestive juices to start the process of digesting. Lemon specifically, also helps to support the liver + its detoxification processes. This simple hack is some of my client’s favorite tool to calm their digestive symptoms. Try 1/2 lemon in 8oz of warm water. This can be especially helpful before breakfast if you’re having trouble with your appetite in the AM hours.
4. Chew your food (like really well)
Saliva is critical to your digestive process. The enzymes found in saliva work to break down food. This chemical breakdown paired with the manual manipulation of food by your teeth eases the burden on the stomach and lets you digest more easily. After all, your stomach doesn’t have teeth. Aim for 20-3ox per bite (seriously).
I say that it is simple, however that I am aware that it isn’t easy.
Understanding why these habits help you digest better requires an understanding of the connection between stress and gut issues. Bloating, belching, difficulty swallowing, and cramping all have ties with the nervous system.
Read here for more steps to reduce your stress load so you can let go of which you didn’t even realize you were carrying. As a result, we have improved digestion and happier holidays.
For a more in-depth info on improving your gut health read this post.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Leana
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