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5 Ways To Beat The Christmas Bloat
We all know that post-Christmas dinner belly bloat can linger throughout the holiday season. Nothing worse than feeling sluggish on your holibobs!
So what happens when we feel bloated after a big meal?
Our parasympathetic nervous system is activated in response to a mass in the gastrointestinal tract, and a specific state of sleepiness.
Some of the most common symptoms of this include:
- Feeling sleepy
- Lethargy
- Stomach pain
- Bloating
- Gas
We've crafted 5 essential tips to help keep you feeling light and lively this Merrymas.
1. Stretch it out.
The festive period tends to be a time for all the wrong foods, and while it's nice to treat ourselves, it's clear our guts simply don't respond too well to copious amounts of sugary, fatty or processed foods. We should be more mindful of what we consume where we can.
To help aid our digestion of these lovely festive foods, we like to take out our yoga mat and stretch our body. Abdominal twists (as seen in the pic above) help massage abdominal organs and stimulate Agni, or digestive fire. Your body's Agni allows you to digest food efficiently, and absorb essential nutrients from your food, according to Ayurveda. By gently twisting your body after a large meal, you encourage fresh blood to flow to your digestive organs. Namasté to that!
2. Digestive Aids
Peppermint may relieve digestive symptoms, such as gas, bloating, and indigestion. Research shows that peppermint can help tame these digestive issues because it has antispasmodic properties. Peppermint tea can be safely enjoyed at any point throughout the day, although it's best enjoyed after a meal to help relieve any digestive problems. Not only is it known to help alleviate IBS symptoms, it also tastes great! Add a dash of maple syrup if you like a bit of sweetness.
Another one of our go-to's is the elixir of all elixirs- Viridian Organic Digestive Elixir. This natural remedy stimulates the digestive system prior to eating, ensuring optimum digestion occurs.
It's also important to understand the importance of supplementing with B Vitamins. Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12 all contribute to normal energy production and help reduce tiredness and fatigue, something we struggle a lot with during the holidays. We recommend acquiring a Co-Enzyme B Complex to counter any tiredness or tummy problems. A deficiency in one or more B-vitamins may affect your digestive health.
3. Increase your fibre intake.
Fibre is hugely important in keeping our digestive systems happy. A high-fibre diet helps our gut microbiome to flourish. As adults, we should be aiming for about 30g of fibre each day.
Flaxseed, which is high in fibre and omega 3 can naturally enhance the fibre content of any meal, so if you find it difficult to eat the recommended amount of fruit and veg in your diet everyday, you can still get your soluble and insoluble fibre requirements by adding Flaxseed.
Chia Seeds are also a potent source of fibre and can be added to porridge, smoothies and any drinks. Very convenient method for increasing your fibre intake! We love the Salba range- 30% more antioxidants than blueberries and 325% more fibre than Oatmeal!
4. Stay hydrated.
Drink more Water! Water has no calories, no fat, no sugar and no carbohydrates. It hydrates us and it's essential to drink lots of it before and after exercise and food.
Sometimes we need a boost of electrolytes if we are very dehydrated. In this case, we recommend the Viridian Sports Electrolyte Fix,
an intense electrolyte liquid, sourced from the Great Salt Lake, Utah in the USA.
Having a supply of Multivitamin Hydration Tablets is also not a bad idea to ensure you are adequately hydrated throughout the party season.
5. Go Pro-biotic!
For when you know you'll be having a heavier meal, it can be good to call on reinforcements like probiotics to help the digestive system. We recommend digestive enzymes and probiotics. These will help keep your digestion and elimination regular.
All in all, it's good to listen to your gut! Happy, healthy holidays to you folks!
If you have any questions with regarding this blog or about any of our products, feel free to contact our team at Discount Health Store who will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have!
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