Top Tips for Reducing Christmas Bloating with Expert Advice

Top Tips for Reducing Christmas Bloating with Expert Advice

Christmas is often a time of food and drink indulgence for many, but all the festive foods can soon lead to problems for your digestive system. There are things that you can do to reduce the risk of Christmas bloating, wind, and general discomfort. Together with Linwoods Health Foods and nutritionist Jane McClenaghan, here are some top tips to for reducing Christmas bloating this festive season!

• Slow Down

Christmas is a busy time and lots of us are rushing around, eating food on the go, and rarely taking the time to sit down at the table to eat our meals properly. This is not good for our digestion – how we eat is just as important as what we eat. Take time to eat your food slowly and enjoy what’s on your plate and you’re off to a great start to help prevent Christmas bloating.

• Add Some Bitter Foods

Traditionally, bitter foods were used as digestive tonics and research shows that bitter foods can be a useful addition to modern diets too, to help manage symptoms of IBS, indigestion, and bloating. Fennel and lemon balm may be particularly useful to reduce bloating and you can add these to your diet through herbal teas.

• Include Flaxseeds in Your Daily Diet

Add a daily dose of flaxseeds to your diet to keep your fibre levels topped up. It’s a good idea to start your day with a healthy breakfast such as porridge or overnight oats, then at least one of your meals is good for you and your digestive system. Make your porridge festive with Linwoods Milled Flax, Chia Seed, Apple & Cinnamon blend – it will make it taste like Christmas! Cinnamon is a warming spice and also one that has been traditionally used as a comforting digestive tonic to reduce bloating and indigestion. Flaxseeds are a great way to keep your digestive system regular and reduce the risk of bloating, constipation, and abdominal pains. You can enjoy milled flaxseeds with your breakfast (great on yoghurt!), in baking, or sprinkled on savoury dishes too.

• Know Your Personal Triggers

We are all different and different people react in different ways to different foods. There are some foods that are likely to be more gas producing and they include Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, beans, lentils, onions, garlic, alcohol, fizzy drinks, dairy products, and foods that are high in sugar or sweeteners. These are foods that are likely to cause bloating for most. You know yourself best and will know if there are any other foods that cause discomfort for you. Know your triggers and choose alternatives when possible or reduce the amount you consume.

• Stay Active

Gentle exercise on a daily basis is a great way to help manage and reduce bloating and to keep your digestion regular. It’s a great idea to head out for a walk after your meal, for example. This is also a great way to spend quality time with your family and enjoy some fresh air outdoors which also helps you sleep better – and good sleep is important for your digestion too.

Hope you’ve enjoyed these top tips for reducing Christmas bloating and that you can enjoy the festive season without the discomfort!

Collaboration.