Rich food and free-flowing wine can play havoc with digestion, but our expert tips get symptoms sorted. Here’s how to have a happy gut this Christmas.
Meet our experts
- Dr Anton Emmanuel is a specialist gastroenterologist with a particular interest in functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as IBS and acid reflux.
- Kirsten Crothers is a dietician who focuses on digestive-health problems.
ALSO SEE: 8 Tips To Improve Your Gut Health
Head heartburn off at the pass
The main offenders
If you’re prone to heartburn – one in five of us are – you’ll be familiar with the burning pain caused by stomach acid rising into your gullet. Big meals put more pressure on your gut, making heartburn worse, and fatty festive fare stays in the stomach for longer and makes it produce more acid, which only exacerbates the problem.
Tactics to ward it off
Drink plenty of fluids This keeps your bowels moving, so there’s less pressure build-up.
Allow time to digest Don’t lie down straight after a meal; if you do, lie on your left side and lift your head up with pillows.
Stick to regular meals If you’re getting up later than usual, don’t skip meals as big gaps can slow digestion.
Be alcohol aware Eat food when drinking alcohol, and alternate alcohol with water. Don’t have more than 14 units a week – and not all at once!
Quick fix Over-the-counter meds like antacids and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can help. Make sure you take PPIs on an empty stomach. But they’re not good long term, as they can cause other health issues.
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The golden rule of good digestion
Slow down! It’s easy to forget that digestion requires a lot of energy. Eating too fast is a shortcut to overeating and indigestion. So always sit down to eat, take small bites, put cutlery down between mouthfuls, chew until each bite is broken down, and swallow completely before you take another bite.
Stop indigestion in its tracks
The main offenders
Indigestion is the pain that can occur at the top of the stomach and below the breastbone, especially at night. It is either the result of eating too much – which stretches the stomach – or having an empty stomach so there’s too much acid with nothing to buffer it, causing a gnawing pain.
Tactics to ward it off
Eat slowly and regularly Late lunches can mean a long gap without food, leaving you hungry and more prone to eating fast at your next meal. And remember that it takes 20 minutes to realise you’re full, so don’t rush into having a dessert.
Set yourself limits It’s tempting to pick at foods like mince pies, chocolates and sweets, but they are full of kilojoules. So just take a handful of, say, four or five sweets and agree it’s your lot before lunch.
Eat mindfully, noticing the food that you are eating
Choose sensibly Limit fatty pastry-based canapés and cheese, and rather opt for something like vegetable sticks and salsa. Eat mindfully, noticing what you are eating. And set alcohol limits – by the glass, only drinking with a meal, or choosing a spritzer instead.
Quick fix Have some sorbet! Cold water and ice help empty your stomach efficiently to stop indigestion. Most over-the-counter heartburn remedies and anti-nausea and motionsickness pills can ease indigestion. But prevention is better than cure!
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When to worry it’s a warning sign
In rare cases, these symptoms can be a sign of more serious conditions such as ulcers, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and some cancers. If your symptoms don’t respond to lifestyle changes and treatment, then see your GP.
Banish bloating
The main offenders
Bloating is a symptom of most intestinal complaints, but there are lots of causes: stress, irregular meals, hormonal shifts, excessive salt intake, dehydration, too much alcohol, fatty foods and large meal portions. Food sensitivities can also trigger bloating.
Tactics to ward it off
Be portion aware Many people think they’re gluten intolerant because they feel bloated after eating bread and pasta, but they’re just having too much! Restrict portions to two medium slices of bread and 80g dried pasta. Limit cereal to 30 to 40g and dried rice to 75g per serving.
A food diary may highlight trigger foods…
Stay regular Eating regularly ensures that your system works smoothly, and prevents bloating. Stick to three meals a day and aim to drink two litres of water daily.
Keep a food and symptom diary If bloating is an issue, a food diary may highlight trigger foods, or you may find a stress link. A low FODMAP diet can help. (FODMAPs are poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates found in milk, wheat, and some fruit and veg.)
Quick fix Although there are over-the-counter remedies for bloating, there’s no clinical proof they actually help. If you suspect you may have a gluten sensitivity, don’t just stop eating it, but see your GP for a test.
ALSO SEE: How To Decode Your Bloating
Avoid constipation
The main offenders
Constipation affects people differently: it can mean discomfort going to the loo, hard stools, gas or straining. Although it’s caused by a combination of not enough fibre, fluid and exercise, for some people more fibre can make it worse. You don’t need to go to the loo every day – three to five times a week is normal – the key thing is that you pass the stool(s) easily.
Tactics to ward it off
Eat more fruit and veg Aim for five 80g portions daily, but if you try raising your fibre intake and things get worse, then stop. In slow-transit constipation, more bulk-forming fibre actually leads to increased bloating, wind and pain.
Exercise helps Fitness plans often get derailed at Christmas, but you don’t have to go to the gym; even a gentle 30-minute walk is helpful – and can also reduce stress levels if you’re the host!
Don’t forget fluids Out of your regular routine, it’s easy to forget to drink ample fluids. Keep a water bottle at hand and commit to drinking two litres daily, keeping track of how much you’ve had.
Don’t skip meals Eating, and especially chewing, triggers the bowels to move, so if you skip meals you are more likely to develop constipation because it’s not getting that stimulus.
Quick fix Drinking enough fluids is the easiest and quickest way to keep the bowels moving. But if you do have a problem, a short course of over-the-counter laxatives can be a good way to stimulate the gut into movement. However, if it is a consistent problem, see your doctor first, as these meds are not a long-term solution.
ALSO SEE: What The “Body Coach” Does To Stay Fit And Slim In The Holidays
Is it food poisoning?
The odds are that if you feel unwell after eating, it’s an upset stomach from overindulging. But if you become unwell fast, with severe pain and cramps, diarrhoea, nausea and a fever, contact your GP immediately – it may be an infection. Food poisoning should pass, but can be serious, especially in the elderly or children.
