12/18/2025
Holiday food doesn’t have to mean holiday discomfort. Here are a few simple eating tips to help you enjoy the holiday season and keep your gut feeling its best.
✅ DOs (What Helps Your Gut)
✔ Do Pace Yourself: Eat slowly and stop when you feel comfortably full — overeating is a top trigger for bloating, reflux, and abdominal pain.
✔ Do Balance Your Plate: Pair rich foods with fiber and protein (veggies, whole grains, lean meats) to support digestion and blood sugar.
✔ Do Stay Hydrated: Water helps prevent constipation and bloating, especially with salty or heavy holiday meals.
✔ Do Keep a Routine When You Can: Eating and using the restroom around your usual schedule helps keep digestion regular — even during travel.
✔ Do Take a Short Walk After Meals: A gentle walk can help reduce bloating and support digestion.
❌ DON’Ts (What Often Triggers Symptoms)
✖ Don’t Overeat Late: Large, late meals increase reflux, heartburn, and overnight discomfort.
✖ Don’t Skip Meals All Day: Arriving starving often leads to overeating and GI upset.
✖ Don’t Overdo Alcohol or Carbonation: Both can worsen reflux, bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
✖ Don’t Ignore New or Worsening Symptoms: Occasional discomfort is common — persistent symptoms are not.
