Bloating. We’ve all been there and felt that—especially when your social calendar is popping off with holiday parties, and not every one includes an ugly sweater big enough for you to safely unzip your jeans.
Well+Good Council member and celeb nutritionist Kimberly Snyder feels you. “The holidays are a time when we all tend to stray away from our normal diets,” says the Solluna founder. “It also includes stress in the form of shopping, crowded parking lots, traffic, dealing with relatives we don’t usually see, family drama, and the like.”
In other words, you’ve got a lot on your literal and figurative plate, which is when maintaining a cordial relationship with your gut is crucial. Think: Prioritizing gut-friendly (and festive!) bevs like Health-Ade Kombucha, adding smart ingredients to your seasonal faves, and actually pausing to appreciate all the tastiness—because it’s a season to savor, after all.
Scroll down for Snyder’s 3 tips on how to get rid of bloating and make your festive feasting enjoyable—not uncomfortable.
1. Incorporate gut-friendly ingredients strategically
You can absolutely take part in all of the warming, nostalgia-boosting dishes you love, says Snyder—just add in some health boosters like ginger while you’re at it.
“It enhances metabolism and digestion, helping foods move through the GI tract more speedily,” Snyder explains. “Try adding an inch or so of sliced ginger to steep in your hot water with lemon in the morning as well as into soups and stir-fries.”
Ginger isn’t the only superhero ingredient coming to save your bloated belly. Snyder suggests tapping both potassium- and fiber-rich foods into your holiday eating schedule too, like bananas, whole grains, and artichokes.
“Potassium can provide relief from bloating by balancing and circulating body fluids,” Snyder notes. And we all know what fiber does, but for a refresher: “It moves food through the gastrointestinal tract quickly for better digestion.”
2. Enjoy your mealtime—slowly
It’s hard not to scarf down hours worth of work in the kitchen in only 10 minutes, but Snyder suggests taking a little breather. Slowing down to taste the food (instead of shove, swallow, repeat) will result in filling up faster, which means you won’t even have to unbutton your aforementioned pants.
Not only are you filling up at a rate your body is actually okay with, you’re making the digestion process a piece of cake (no pun intended). “Food that is well chewed is easier to digest than large chunks of food,” Snyder says.
Plus, isn’t the point of a holiday party to talk and interact with the people you don’t get to see every day? Take advantage of this time instead of sprinting back for seconds (okay, maybe after you chat about your life updates).
3. Choose your beverages wisely
There may be a whole refrigerator filled with soda at your grandma’s house, but as per usual, water is actually your best friend. “Water helps flush food and impurities through the digestive system,” Snyder explains.
But if you are in need of some fizz in your system, kombucha is your go-to. “Kombucha provides some beneficial bacterium to boost gut health,” says the nutritionist. “It’s a great replacement in particular for people that love soda or fizzy drinks.”
Plus, you don’t have to sacrifice seasonal flavors by opting for a glass of Health-Ade Kombucha. “It’s an organic brand that tastes great,” Snyder says. And as for the limited-edition holiday flavor? “I love the fact that it includes warming ginger!”
In partnership with Health-Ade Kombucha™
Top photo: Stocksy/Bonninstudio
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