Easter and many other holidays are a great time for family gatherings and celebrations, but it doesn’t mean you should disregard your gut health. Between all the rich, heavy food and sugary treats and alcohol, it’s easy to overindulge and end up feeling bloated and sluggish leaving us with what is often called “gut rot.” There are plenty of ways that we can enjoy Easter gatherings while supporting our gut health and avoid many of those unpleasant symptoms.
Factors that Can Help keep Easter a Gut Healthy Holiday
Every holiday season presents us with many opportunities to overindulge and wreak havoc on our gut. Below we have compiled some tips for supporting your gut health during the Easter season while still being able to enjoy it.
- Focus on Fiber-rich Foods: Fiber is essential for digestive health, as it helps keep things moving along smoothly in the gut. Try to incorporate some fiber-rich foods into your Easter spread, like whole-grain bread, brown rice, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Watch your Portions: It’s easy to get carried away by all the delicious food on offer, but it’s important to be mindful of portion sizes. Eating too much at once can be hard on the digestive system, so try to eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day to keep things moving along smoothly.
- Drink Plenty of Fluids, Especially Water: It encourages the passage of waste through your digestive system and helps soften stools.
- Cut Down on Fatty Foods: A good method is to grill instead of fry, that way you can still have your chips but the healthier way.
- Go Easy on Spicy Food: Many people love spicy food, and it doesn’t bother their digestive system while others find that it upsets their stomach. It’s not just extremely hot foods like chilies that trigger heartburn as milder foods such as garlic and onion can also bring it on.
- Choose Dark Chocolate over Milk Chocolate: Dark chocolate has many health benefits, such as being packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Look for varieties with at least 80% cocoa content for the greatest health benefits. Cocoa is a rich source of polyphenols, a great antioxidant that offers many other health benefits. Cocoa is also rich in fiber and serves as a great prebiotic.
- Limit your Intake of Caffeinated and Fizzy Drinks: These can sometimes boost the acid in your stomach as well as caffeine acting as a diuretic.
- Limit Alcohol Intake: Alcohol can be hard on the digestive system, as it can slow down the digestive process and dehydrate the body. If you do decide to drink, opt for light, low-alcohol beverages such as wine or beer, and be sure to drink plenty of water to help mitigate the effects.
- Incorporate Probiotics and Fermented Foods: Probiotics and fermented foods, such as kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha, are great for digestive health as they help to promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut. If fermented foods are not your thing or won’t be part of your Easter celebration meals, consider taking a probiotic supplement on a regular basis []. Here are some quality probiotics that have been reviewed favorably for a variety of needs.
Final Thoughts
Easter is a time of indulgence, but it doesn’t have to mean compromising our health, particularly when it comes to our gut health. By understanding the impact of certain foods, such as alcohol and sweets, and employing strategies to manage their consumption, you can strike a balance between indulgence and gut-friendly choices. The suggestions discussed above have been shown to keep your gut microbiome and gut health in general in good order. While it can be beneficial to your gut health to adopt an overall healthy lifestyle, you should still talk with a medical professional if you are going to make major dietary changes, major lifestyle changes or begin taking supplements.
Sources
https://loveyourgut.com/all-entries/easter-gut-treats/
https://biotixcare.com/blogs/biotix/how-to-have-a-gut-friendly-get-over-at-your-house-during-easter
https://www.eternalbeing.co.uk/top-tips-for-supporting-your-gut-this-easter/
https://kiddipedia.com.au/handy-tips-for-a-gut-friendly-easter/
