Holiday gut health survival guide

How to keep your gut healthy during the holidays

During the holiday season, it’s easy to find ourselves overindulging in foods we may not be used to. While the festivities bring joy, they may also bring unwanted challenges to your digestive system.

Paying special attention to your gut health is essential to navigate this holiday season with comfort and well-being.

Today, we’re talking all things supplement recommendations and lifestyle tips for better digestion.

Please note: This post contains affiliate links to supplement recommendations in our Fullscript store. The Nutrition Clinic for Digestive Health earns a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Enzymes

Who needs to take digestive enzymes?

Anyone with bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and undigested food in stools may benefit from taking extra enzymes for digestive support.

• Enzymes play a crucial role in breaking down the foods we consume, aiding digestion, and absorbing nutrients.
• During the holidays, when our meals may be richer and more varied, supplementing with digestive enzymes can be beneficial.
• Enzymes come from foods and can be taken in supplement form.

Food sources of digestive enzymes

The following foods naturally contain enzymes, are normally well tolerated, and can help support digestion.

• Pineapples
• Papayas
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Honey
• Kiwi
• Kefir
• Sauerkraut

Enzyme supplement recommendations

If you need additional enzyme support, here are some of our favorite products and tips for using them.

• Similase – a comprehensive digestive enzyme that helps digest and absorb nutrients from carbs, fats, and proteins
• Similase GFCF is a must-have for anyone who needs to avoid gluten or dairy! This product helps break down gluten and casein, specifically in case you accidentally come into contact with them when dining out. This is NOT a license to eat gluten and dairy – it does help with accidental exposure, though. 
• Enzymix Pro – this includes enzymes and hydrochloric acid (HCl). If you have a problem digesting foods high in protein, this might be just what you need! Do NOT take this enzyme if you are on a PPI or acid-reducing medication.

Gallbladder support

Who needs gallbladder support?

Anyone who has had their gallbladder removed! Yes, you can live a pretty normal life without a gallbladder, but it does serve important functions that are NOT automatically replaced.

• For example, the gallbladder stores a more concentrated form of bile, which is more potent (and therefore more effective) than the bile the liver excretes. Bile quality and concentration are really important because they help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and also support detoxification.

Gallbladder supplement recommendation

If you’ve had your gallbladder removed, we recommend taking Digestion GB at every meal – no matter the season!

Probiotics

The holidays are a season filled with travel, temporary shifts in diet, and other changes in your usual environment. All of this may disrupt the balance of your gut microbiome, which can impact digestion and overall well-being.

Probiotics, the friendly bacteria that reside in your gut, play a pivotal role in maintaining this balance. 

Who needs probiotics?

Anyone looking to optimize gut health and/or looking for immune system support.

Food sources of probiotics include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. Just one serving of one of these foods a day can help maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in your gut. 

Probiotic supplement recommendation

If you’re looking to supplement, we love Megasporebiotic. It’s a spore-based, broad-spectrum probiotic that specifically helps with leaky gut. 

How to take: We recommend starting with one capsule every other day for one week. If tolerated, increase to one capsule daily for one week. If tolerated, increase to two capsules daily.

Heartburn and acid reflux

It’s not uncommon for people to experience flare-ups of acid reflux during the holidays. Here are some of our favorite tips to prevent that from happening.

Acid reflux triggers

Be sure to avoid the common food triggers for heartburn and reflux:

• Caffeinated drinks, carbonated drinks, greasy or fatty foods, spicy food, citrus fruits and juices
• Tomatoes or anything tomato-based, onions, peppermint, chocolate

Lifestyle tips to help reduce heartburn and reflux include:

• Avoid skipping meals, as that can cause you to overeat later in the day and cause more reflux. 
• Avoid the following activities for two to four hours after eating:
  • Bending over
  • Lying down to sleep
  • Sitting in a reclined position 
• Eat smaller meals throughout the day
• Raise the head of your bed 6-8 inches; this can be done by placing the head of the bed on blocks 6-8 inches high or by sleeping on a wedge.
• Avoid alcohol and nicotine.

Acid reflux supplement recommendations

The following products help to control heartburn and reflux by soothing and protecting the lining of the GI tract:

• Deglycerized licorice (DGL) – increases mucus production, which can protect the esophagus from stomach acid; it may also treat ulcers. How to take: Chew two tablets before meals when experiencing symptoms.

• Zinc Carnosine – this form of zinc supports healing and relieves discomfort by coating the lining of the GI tract. How to take: take one capsule twice a day with meals.

• Alginate + – while OTC and prescription antacids neutralize stomach acid, alginates are slightly different.  Alginates work with your stomach acid to form a gel (also known as a raft) that protects your stomach by holding acids (preventing them from rising to your esophagus but also creating a barrier to protect your stomach lining. Cool, right!? Also – I love that it comes from seaweed 🙂  How to take: take one capsule three times daily with a full glass of water as needed for reflux.

Combination support

For more extensive digestive support (for people suffering from heartburn, bloating, and other forms of indigestion, we also like Heartburn Advantage.

• Heartburn Advantage – this formula combines zinc-carnosine, artichoke, ginger root, and DGL at researched doses to help reduce occasional heartburn, nausea, upset stomach, and bloating. How to take: take one in the morning + evening after meals.

Lifestyle tips for better digestion 

Remember, you can’t supplement your way out of poor lifestyle choices. Make sure you’re also working on the following so you can feel your best.

• Hydration – make sure you stay well-hydrated! Water aids in digestion and helps prevent constipation.
• Mindful Eating – Take time to savor your meals, chewing food thoroughly. This promotes better digestion and allows your body to signal when it’s full.
• Herbal Teas – Incorporate soothing herbal teas after meals to calm the digestive system.

Remember everyone has a unique digestive system, so it’s essential to listen to your body and make adjustments based on what works best for you!

We wish you a joyful and gut-healthy holiday season!