One of the advantages of holidays is that there is always a lot of good food around. Whether it is Christmas dinner or a Labor Day barbecue, you will likely find a full table ready for eating. While this is a good thing, people with delicate stomachs might find that it can be a struggle.
If you don’t want the gastroenterology department of your local hospital to get more work, here are some tips that should help:
Plan Out Everything
The first thing that you should do is to list down exactly what you can expect from your holiday menu. This sounds a bit anal but looking at what is there to eat should help clear a few things for you. For one, it lets you focus on what you want to eat. For example, if your mother has an excellent pot roast, then you should be putting that on your plate and be willing to get a second helping.
You can then trade-off by not getting another serving of the sides. You might also want to limit your dessert servings. Planning also lets you avoid the food you can’t eat if you have allergies or medical conditions.
Watch How You Eat
When you eat, you need to be conscious of what you put into your stomach. Constant snacking and eating can be bad, especially if you want to avoid stressing out your gastrointestinal system. While it is nice to try new dishes out, the holidays might not be the time for it. Besides that, you should try to slow down when you eat. This allows you to chew things better and savor their taste. It also stops you from overeating.
Have Your Medicine Ready
You will want to be fully stocked with any medication that you use to keep your GI system under control. Don’t forget to take them so that your stomach feels fine. Set up a reminder so that no matter how stressful it is, you still take them. You should also fully stock your medicine cabinet with a wide range of stomach medicines that not just you will use.
Antacids should be an essential part of your stock since they are still excellent heartburn treatments even after all these years. There are more modern heartburn solutions like H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors so you should also include them. Another essential is anti-diarrhea medicine. Common over-the-counter ones should be effective enough.
Fibers and Fluids are Your Friends
Constipation can strike during the holidays and it can be a big pain. The best way to resolve it is to stop it from happening at all. This means drinking a lot of fluids and eating a lot of fiber. Fluids should always be simple water. While there are many drinks served during the holidays, they really can’t hydrate you enough to help with your digestion. You should also limit your alcohol intake. As for fiber, that can be a problem since there are not many fiber-rich foods on the holiday dining table. If possible, take fiber supplements to make up for it.
Learn to Relax
Your mental state can surprisingly affect your digestion. The ulcers you get from stress are just one good example. If you don’t want to end up with a churning stomach the entire holiday season, you should learn to relax. Take a break or ask for help from someone. Some stress relief can go a long way to help.
Holiday food is often delicious and memorable. It would be a pity to lose out on getting a taste because your stomach is a bit sensitive. Be careful and do the right planning so that you can enjoy the holidays just as much as anyone.
