Bulletproof your gut to survive the festive feasting

Without a proactive plan to support your gut, festive season eating can leave you feeling bloated, crampy, gassy and uncomfortable with indigestion. 

The hustle and bustle of the holidays can also increase stress and disrupt your normal sleep patterns, which can negatively impact your gut health. 

This combination of factors can disrupt your delicate microbiome, a diverse community of trillions of microbes that play an important role in your overall health and can compromise your digestion and well-being.

Supporting your gut this holiday requires a considered and intentional approach that aids digestion. This plan should include eating foods rich in digestive enzymes, supporting bile and hydrochloric acid production for chemical digestion, and chewing our food properly to maximise mechanical digestion.

Consider the following ways to support your digestive system in between festive feasting: 

• Prioritise fresh produce, eating fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in digestive enzymes like papaya and pineapple.
• Stimulate bile production by incorporating foods like dandelion root, globe artichokes, and turmeric, or bitter greens like endives and chicory. Get more zinc from foods like oysters, wheat germ, and pumpkin seeds, as this mineral is essential for hydrochloric acid production.
• Consume fibre-rich foods, such as flaxseeds, wheat bran, oats, beans, and peas to slow the rate of digestion and improve nutrient absorption.
• Chew your food thoroughly, eating slowly and mindfully. Savour each bite and pay attention to your body’s hunger and fullness cues.

Adding digestive enzymes to your holiday supplement regimen can help support digestion, especially on the occasions when you choose to overindulge a little during the holidays.

A product like Biogen Digestive Enzymes has been formulated to assist in digesting proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fibre, with enzymes derived from either plant or fungal origin.

Another beneficial product is a probiotic supplement like Biogen Probiotic Supreme 9-Strain, which helps balance gut bacteria and improves nutrient absorption to further aid digestion. 

For those travelling to more exotic locations, a probiotic supplement like Biogen Travel-Biotic 9-Strain Acute contains a combination of probiotic strains that research suggests may help to improve or normalise the microbial imbalance that can occur when travelling and reduce the occurrence of traveller’s diarrhoea and potentially protect against infections.

Probiotics can also aid digestion when faced with unfamiliar foods, potentially reducing bloating and discomfort.

While supplements are beneficial, balancing your indulgences with healthier meals is the key to reducing festive season tummy trouble. Also remember to stay hydrated, manage stress, and get regular exercise to optimise your overall digestive health and function this holiday.