As we come closer to Christmas the number of opportunities to indulge in food and drink increases. This means that we put a lot more pressure on our health and especially the gut. If you have IBS, this time of the year has to be difficult for you.
I’m a mild sufferer of IBS and lately, I have been eating more as a Vegan trying to look after myself and what I put into my body. Having said that I do tend to enjoy a meat dish every now and then but this is usually when I’m dining out as I fully stopped buying meat. However, most of us find it difficult to stay healthy in the run up to Christmas due to the abundance of parties and social outings. We tend to get really busy that we forget to take care of our gut and consume more toxins than any other time of the year.
There are a few things that we all can do to take some pressure of our digestion system and try and stay healthy this Christmas. A healthy gut has so many benefits on our overall health from digestion to sleep and it’s important to take care of it.
According to the research conducted by Census Wide, commissioned by Bimuno, where 2,000 adults have been surveyed across the UK to gather insights in dietary habits, revealing that digestive discomfort is a common theme over the festive period. The survey found out that 20% of respondents said they ate or drank so much that it caused stomach issues, 7% of people avoid festive food they LOVE for fear of the digestive repercussions, 12% of the UK avoid sprouts due to digestive discomfort – this is followed by Christmas pudding, egg nog, mulled wine and mince piece. 25% of 25-34 year olds avoid cheese and biscuits; 40% of people admit to feeling tired and run-down over Christmas. Excess eating (43%), rich food (34%), stress of shopping (33%), the change in weather (30%) and drinking alcohol (29%) are the top five causes; 40% of the respondents said it took them up to 2 weeks to feel normal again after the excess of Christmas (it took 6% up to 1 month); 30% of 35-44 year olds think age is making them feel the effects of the Christmas indulgences more.
In order to avoid overindulging in the run up to Christmas, here are few tips that can help you take more control over your health and most importantly your gut.
- Increase your whole food consumption. I personally love starting my day with a nice avocado toast on a wholegrain bread. The healthy mix of fibre and fat keeps me full until lunch and most importantly it feeds a healthy bacteria in the gut.
- Try to decrease your alcohol and sugar consumption during the festive season. I find this to be hard especially if you spend most of your time in the office or if you have clients that invite you to events you can’t skip. However, I try to either stick to sparkling water or have a G&T followed by a sparkling water. I also try and limit my alcohol consumption and drink double the amount of water on the days that I drink it.
- Squeeze in a gym session during your lunch break or before work. This really helps manage the stress of the holiday prep and gives your immune system an extra boost. If you don’t like going to the gym try to meditate 5-10 minutes every morning before work as this really helps to manage your stress levels that can have a really bad impact on your stomach and overall health.
- Make life easier during this hectic period and take a daily supplement. There are lots of good options available, including Bimuno which promotes the growth of ‘good’ bacteria in your gut. I really like Bimuno as you can drink it with plain water or sprinkle it on your food. I personally love having a glass of sparkling water that I make with my SodaStream and I add Bimuno sachet every morning with my avocado toast. Bimuno contains a unique galacto-oligosaccharide that naturally feeds and stimulates the growth of preferred bacteria in the gut, helping to maintain a good balance between the various types of bacteria present – this balance is important in maintaining health and wellness. This can really help you stay healthy in the run-up to Christmas.
This post is in collaboration with Bimuno. The research was also conducted by Bimuno, the daily supplement which helps you maintain a healthy gut which I shared the findings of in this post to help educate on the importance of maintaining a healthy gut. I can also recommend you watch a documentary ‘Gut Reaction’ if you want to find more information about the gut health.
Have a lovely Christmas!
Tania xxx