Breakfast with Christmas cake, at lunch the first glass of wine and dinner with 5 courses or a gourmet set full of goodies. During the holidays we often eat differently, more and, unfortunately, unhealthier. How do you make sure your body is well nourished even during the holidays and prevent stomach aches after eating? We share it in this blog!
The cause of abdominal pain after eating
You probably know the drill. Long tables full of delicious food, the wine flows lavishly, you choose dessert and cheeseboard and end up with a stomach ache, belching, cramps and heartburn.
There can be several causes for abdominal pain after eating:
1. Overeating
It is tempting to indulge yourself in all kinds of treats during the holidays, but overeating can lead to overloaded digestion, resulting in stomach aches.
2. Heavy and fatty meals
Rich and fatty dishes fried in unhealthy oil are often part of party meals, but these can slow digestion and cause heartburn.
3. Eating too fast
There are often so many delicacies on the table that we want to taste as much of everything as possible, forgetting our brake in the process. Eating too quickly, however, prevents our body from giving the signal for the digestive organs to become active. As a result, not enough digestive enzymes are produced and the food stays in the stomach too long. This may cause belching, bloating and abdominal pain.
In addition, eating too quickly can cause you to swallow air, which can also lead to bloating and abdominal pain.
Digestive problems? Read how to improve them here!
4. Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption can irritate the stomach and cause heartburn. In addition, it costs your body a lot of energy to have alcohol broken down by the liver. This energy can then no longer be used for your digestion and other important processes.
5. Stress
If you are prone to stress, the hustle and bustle of the holidays can affect your gut health. But stress also robs energy. This energy then goes to the muscles, for example, in connection with the fight/flight/freeze response instead of the digestive organs.
Tips to get through the holidays without a tummy ache
1. Drink alcohol in moderation
Do you still want to enjoy a glass of wine or champagne during the holiday season? Then drink a glass of water, possibly with some lemon, after each glass of alcohol.
2. Don't drink during a meal
It's better to drink between meals than during meals. You naturally want to keep your gastric juice as strong as possible so food can be digested as well as possible, but also to kill viruses and bacteria already in the stomach. When you drink during meals, your gastric juice is diluted, so try to avoid this.
3. Eat mindfully
Take your time to eat and chew your food well. This is not only important to produce sufficient digestive enzymes but also to be able to enjoy the delicious food much more and to feel if you are full or not.
4. Snack wisely
During the holidays you often eat something unhealthier than usual and this is not a bad thing, enjoy it. But do not put everything in your mouth without thinking and ask yourself "do I really like this? Tip from therapist Laura: "During days like this I agree with myself that I will only eat something if I give it a grade of 8 or higher. I really can't resist my best friend's homemade Christmas cake then, while I might consider an extra scoop of ice cream worth a 6 and so can effortlessly turn it down!".
5. Good preparation is half the battle
Going to a party or dinner? Make sure you had at least one good nutritious meal at home. Whether this was a tasty chia pudding for breakfast, or well-filled vegetable omelet... keep feeding your body with vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and healthy fats. Even during the holidays!