Surviving Christmas Day for IBS Sufferers, and Everyone Else
You are busy you don’t have time for a long blog so here are my quick tips for how to survive the excess of Christmas day
Eat breakfast: if you don’t eat breakfast then you are going to be more tempted by 11am to eat mince pies, chocolate assortments or a slice of christmas cake.
Then the roller coaster of blood sugar (BS) starts. Your brain and body on the BS rollercoaster will find the sugar temptations hard to resist.
Protein for breakfast: Eat protein for breakfast, not croissants! This will keep you satisfied for longer so you are not picking and saying yes to everything. Protein and fibre help to slow down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream
Try to only have sweet treats with a meal: If you suffer from heartburn, acid reflux or urgency to go, Christmas day can be especially tricky. You are eating lots of sugar and fat and that can trigger these symptoms.
Out of all of the sweet treats on offer over Christmas day, which one is the biggest treat for you?
Can you eat just one sweet treat? A sausage roll, mince pie, 1/2 slice of cake, 1/2 portion of christmas pudding?
If this feels like denying yourself then here is something to think about.
How much of a treat is stomach pain, diarrhoea, heartburn and acid reflux?
You can eat all of the things you love but not all on the same day.
Maybe decide to have one treat a day over the Christmas break. That way you give your digestion a chance to cope
Sweet treats: If you have treats away from meal time then could you have a little protein or fibre first?
ie. Cheese and crackers and then 1/2 slice Christmas cake
Tomatoes, cucumber sticks and pickles with sausage rolls
Nuts and chocolate
Stop eating when you are full: This is hard I know but if you keep on eating then you risk heartburn and acid reflux, plus it is stressful on your body and that might cause diarrhoea.
Recognise are you are only eating to be polite, maybe it is not even as gorgeous as when you started. Put the knife and fork down.
Have dessert later
Supporting your digestion:
Digestive enzymes can support digestion, and on Christmas day when you are more than likely eating either more food or unusual food, your digestion may need support.
Maybe choose
Similase from Nutri advance
or PhytoZyme from biomedical
take 1-2 capsules before each meal over the Christmas period
For heartburn, acid reflux, and indigestion
PeptEase from Biomedica. Follow the instructions on the packet
When you go to bed try a spoon of Gaviscon and sleep raised on two pillows
For diarrhoea
Drink plenty of water and rehydrate with an electrolyte
BodyBio: E-Lyte
or SOS from Amazon
Let me know if you need help to purchase any of my suggestions
Lastly alcohol:
If at all possible try and delay starting drinking
Always drink and eat to soak up some of the alcohol
Hydrate throughout the day. Drink plenty of water and herbal teas as well as alcohol
Try and stop drinking 3 hours before you go to bed, this will help reduce acid reflux
See my Blog. Surviving the party season
Now I can wish you all a Happy Christmas and New Year
If you would like to book a free conversation with me in January to kick-start the new year, here is my link
Jacxx
