If you're feeling a little bloated after the holidays or a long vacation, try the tips below to boost your gut health and improve your eating habits.
Stay hydrated
Sometimes, you may think you're hungry when you're actually just thirsty. Drink lots of water throughout the day to prevent excessive snacking.
Staying hydrated also helps flush toxins out of your system. Consume at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water daily.
Use a refillable water bottle and bring it with you wherever you go so you don't forget to drink some water.
Try a cleansing drink
When you're having digestive issues, try making a DIY bubbly cleansing mineral water. Buy sparkling water, then add one dropper of chlorophyll and trace minerals.
This cleansing drink boosts your mineral intake, promotes liver health and helps you stay hydrated. Enjoy your drink throughout the day so you don't overwhelm your digestive system.
Consume lots of fluids and dietary fiber
If you're feeling sluggish after a vacation, drink more fluids and eat more fiber-rich foods. (Related: Add fiber-rich chia and flax to your diet and boost your heart health.)
After drinking lots of water, eat foods rich in fiber like avocado, berries and other fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables.
Sip bone broth
Consuming bone broth helps boost the health of your gut microbiota. Bone broth can give your gut a break from irritating foods and give it essential nutrients like collagen, which helps repair the gut lining.
Take probiotics
Incorporating a high-quality probiotic into your diet can help relieve indigestion or bloating.
Start by taking a high-quality probiotic every morning with your breakfast smoothie, then rotate your probiotic every six weeks to promote bacterial diversity. Take supplements with at least 50 billion CFU (colony-forming units) to improve your digestion and have a healthier gut microbiome.
Eat mindfully and minimize your sugar intake
Going on a cleanse helps boost your energy levels and revitalize your body. Avoid eating sugary and processed foods. During your cleanse, stock up on fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy snacks. Make it a habit to practice daily mindfulness.
If you're feeling stressed, try meditation and eat more mindfully to avoid unhealthy snacking.
Cook at home
If you're snacking too much while on vacation, manage your eating habits by staying hydrated. You should also focus on cooking more meals at home and using low-inflammatory, whole foods as ingredients.
To manage your blood sugar balance, consume more "good" fats and limit your intake of protein and high-quality carbohydrates.
Clean and reorganize your pantry
If you find yourself eating a lot of junk food, set aside some time to clean out your pantry.
Get rid of expired snacks and stock up on healthy items like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If you see these healthy ingredients in your kitchen, you can easily whip up a healthy snack when you're hungry.
Take a break from not-so-healthy foods.
If you partied too hard on Friday night or during the weekend, help your liver recover by avoiding drinks and foods with alcohol, caffeine and sugar.
Manage your stress levels
Animal studies have shown that psychological stressors can disrupt the balance of intestinal microorganisms, even if the stress is short-lived.
Because stress affects both your physical and mental well-being, identifying daily stressors and addressing them can help improve your gut health.
Promote gut health by avoiding these common stressors.
- Disruption of the circadian rhythm
- Environmental stress (e.g., extreme heat, cold or noise)
- Psychological stress
- Sleep deprivation
Manage your stress levels naturally by trying techniques such as deep breathing exercises and meditation. Having healthy lifestyle habits, following a balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep can also help reduce your stress levels.
When trying to reset your diet, remember that your goal is not to deprive yourself. By promoting gut health, you can also improve your diet and overall well-being.
Sources include:
Please contact us for more information.
