This time of year is truly special!
We are blessed to spend time with family while enjoying an abundance of food and holiday cheer. This season is also a popular time for people to start experiencing symptoms of food sensitivities. Discomfort in the stomach, turbulence in the intestines, and a lethargic mood are all common with our holiday eating habits! Today I’d like to introduce a few strategies to help us stay on track! Don’t spend the holidays in a food coma! Instead, be mindful of what you consume, and together we can all enjoy the most wonderful time of year as our happiest and healthiest versions!
Elimination Round!
This is most likely the easiest step to take, depending on your level of discipline. If you love the taste of cheese, but your stomach doesn’t doesn’t agree, then this is a sacrifice you will need to make in order to improve! Gastrointestinal issues are not the only indicators of food sensitivity. Arthritis, skin conditions, headaches and fatigue can all be attributed to a poor diet. Speaking with a nutritional professional is your best option, but on your own, a 30-day reset diet can be a positive first step. Start by eliminating troublesome foods for a month, and then, one at a time, reintroduce them back into your diet. You’ll know right away what does and doesn’t belong!
Keep Calm and Absorb Vitamin D!
If you live in New England, or spend a lot of time indoors, then chances are you might have a deficiency in this essential vitamin! As we approach the winter it seems increasingly difficult to spend enough quality time with the sun, especially when it feels too cold to be outside. Vitamin D helps provide our gut with anti-microbial molecules to maintain healthy gut flora. If you can, spend more time outside basking in the light! Many of us, however, are obligated to spend most of the day indoors. In this case it would be an excellent idea to supplement vitamin D with lunch on a regular basis. The reason I say, “with lunch,” is because D is a fat soluble vitamin, which means it will be more bio-available when taken with a meal!
Fermentation is your Friend!
Probiotic supplements and fermented food (like delicious pickles) are one of the best ways to nurture your gut! Even a small amount of fermented food each day will help keep things running smoothly in your intestines. Drinking kombucha is one popular method, however some people prefer a simple sauerkraut, a slice of sourdough, or a cup of yogurt! Probiotics do a wonderful job aiding digestion while also keeping the bacteria in your gut happy and well fueled!
Avoid Inflammation Always!
With the right food choices, you can completely transform the way you feel! Without the right balance of nutrients we compromise our comfort, our immune defense, and our ability to heal properly. Once you take seriously the types of food you put on your plate, you’ll begin to see the benefits in the long-term. A body with the proper fuel can create new, healthy cells to completely rebuild and revitalize the gut lining! Inflammatory foods can cause an unbelievable amount of stress of the digestive system, and to put it simply, we’re much better off without all of that! Let’s make it simple:
AVOID:
Artificial Sweeteners
Gluten
Soy, Corn, and Canola
Dairy
Fried Food
Grain-Fed Meat
EAT MORE:
Dark Leafy Greens
Turmeric
Blueberries
Dark Chocolate
Ginger
Remember…
The methods we’ve covered today are not a cure-all. The good news is that following this guidance may be incredibly supportive to our gut health! Like I mentioned earlier, if you feel like you need more help, please speak with a dietary physician! If you do not seem to suffer from any food sensitivities, then these strategies will certainly help prevent any future issues!
WellConn 