Here’s 8 ways to good gut health this Christmas! (thank us later)…

Hands up who’s looking forward to sticking the Out of Office on, collapsing on the sofa and blissfully (over) indulging?

The Christmas food stash is currently piled high here at Dwell HQ, just waiting to be unwrapped; but this year, wouldn’t it be nice not to have to make Gaviscon your drink of choice, or forfeit the prosecco for peppermint tea come Boxing Day?

Sugar can lead to more bloating, especially if you have candida overgrowth and heartburn too. Swap out for unsalted nuts and, if you can tolerate it, some dried fruit (this can also cause bloating, so if you experience this I would avoid and stick to nuts, olives, slices of meat and dried beans such as roasted chickpeas or broad beans, often found in deli’s).

Try a digestive tea if you feel bloated or full. Peppermint (although avoid if you have heartburn, as it relaxes the sphincter and can allow acid to wash up the throat), ginger, fennel, gentian root, dandelion and artichoke are all options.

Choose dates filled with walnuts or almond nut butter topped with a Brazil nut and don’t overdo the dried fruit as, after all, this is still a high-sugar food. But adding nuts helps to blunt any sugar spike that can lead to low energy dips and weight gain.

I recommend limiting yourself to 1-3 glasses a week and to avoid binge drinking, which is more than around 5 alcoholic drinks a day.

Alcohol also impacts our gut health and disrupts the delicate microbiome balance. If we have dysbiosis (an imbalance between our gut bacteria) then we can experience gut-related issues such as bloating, excess gas, constipation and/ or diarrhoea.

Foods such as olives, a handful of nuts, falafels, hummus and crudites are all great options. Avoid crisps, cake, potatoes/chips, and pastries - the kind of “beige food” that’s devoid of any fibre, so will slow down transit time and aggravate constipation.

Choose ones rich in spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric, which are perfect and great for your gut health and naturally anti-inflammatory. These are also nice chilled and served in a wine glass with some ice and a slice of dried or fresh orange, perfect if you want an evening where you’re not drinking.

Those magical days between Christmas and New Year are an ideal time to use up all that turkey. Add it to soups and stews with lentils, or warm salads; pack dishes out with roasted squashes, sweet potato and other seasonal foods where you can.

Who needs Rennie when you know Nikki?!

Some great advice here and there’s even more tailored to you just a call or message away (clickety-click below). You’ll be well on your way to a happy new year!