Ioana’s GUT TERRAPIA Holiday Guide
It is mid-December, and I can feel the tension in the air, the stores, and the traffic- people are getting ready! I am also getting e-mails from my clients telling me about their frustrations related to the holidays. So I decided to send this e-mail out, reassuring you that ALL WILL PASS-do your best!
There is also a reverse situation to be explored here. If you want, use this opportunity to teach others about healthy eating by sharing with them the amazing health journey that changed your life and liberated you from the sharp claws of disease! Don't be a victim, be a hero! Be proud of what you've accomplished, be true to your journey, and don't let anyone else dim your light!
If you struggle with health problems now or you have in the past, keep reading! We are slaves only to our desires and always suffer more in imagination than reality!
Please remember that Christmas is a ONE-DAY HOLIDAY!
Use common sense and celebrate for one day, not an entire month.
Use the 80/20 rule!
While the holidays in spirit are a festive, exciting time of year, happily spent with loved ones, for those struggling with health problems, it can be a stressful, painful, and overwhelming season.
If you are on a dietary protocol, please stick to your recommendations at least 80% of the time, and use the 20% to indulge in some forbidden foods. Also, use this experiment to understand how restricted foods affect you still and write down your symptoms in your health journal.
Manage your emotions!
The holiday season can bring up a lot of feelings for those struggling with digestive issues, chronic diseases, or autoimmune diseases- all related to your dietary restrictions.
Whether it is stress over not being able to enjoy the same foods as your loved ones, dodging comments from family members (I've been there), missing your favorite holiday treats (filled with gluten and sugar yet equally delicious), worrying about how you'll feel after, or dreading over the emotional and mental overall.
My recommendations are:
Support your nervous system through practices like breathwork, journaling, walking, spending time outside, and constantly reminding yourself WHY you changed your ways, to begin with;
Be compassionate with yourself (finding compassion and grace with yourself can help this time feel less heavy);
Reach out for support (whether it be a therapist, coach, loved one, partner, or friend- having someone to support you can also help to navigate these feelings)
Use carminative herbs for digestive support.
If you tend to feel extra gassy or bloated during the holidays, you're not alone! When you eat foods your body isn't used to anymore, it can contribute to digestive symptoms.
Carminatives are aromatic culinary herbs and spices that break through stagnation, and mucus, relieve gas and cramping and create a sense of warmth and lightness to balance heavy foods. When you're feeling extra gassy/bloated and want a quick way to deal with the discomfort, reach for carminative herbs. These herbs contain volatile oils that help increase gastric function and intestinal motility. Many carminative herbs have anti-inflammatory properties also.
My favorite carminative herbs are chamomile, lemon balm, cinnamon, fennel, rosemary, mint, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, sage, cumin, coriander, and ginger. You can use these carminative herbs as a tea or herbal infusion to sip on throughout your days, or you can find these in a tincture form, where you can supplement with them. If you are a client of mine, add your morning elixir to your water, and sip throughout the day.
Eat your fiber to prevent constipation!
When we're eating foods that are out of our norm, traveling around to visit family, getting out of our routine, etc., our motility can become impacted. A lot of people experience constipation as a result. Constipation is no fun, as many of you know, but it can also contribute to other digestive symptoms like bloating, distention, and abdominal pain.
Make it a priority to keep your fiber and hydration habits strong and to keep your bowel moving as efficiently as possible over the holidays. Try to eat plenty of veggies at every meal. If you know this will be a problem, pack some ground flax, chia seed, or psyllium husk that you can sprinkle on salads, and soups, add to smoothies, etc.
Try digestive bitters & digestive enzymes.
Digestive enzymes are great for those who need additional digestion support for larger meals/eating out or forbidden foods.
Digestive enzymes are comprehensive formulas with multiple digestive enzymes, HCl, and ox bile added. This supplement provides full-spectrum digestive support and helps break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Many formulas contain specific enzymes to help digest foods like dairy, gluten, and beans.
Digestive bitters are a good option for anyone who wants to support their digestive function without replacing specific enzymes.
Digestive bitters are tinctures made with complex bitter herbs, generally including gentian, dandelion, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, artichoke, black walnut, and chamomile. They help stimulate gastric juice secretions. It helps to signal the release of stomach acid, bile, and digestive enzymes. As soon as you taste it, your salivary glands will go into overdrive, and you will feel a warming in your stomach. They're also helpful for supporting liver and gallbladder health.
As always, I recommend speaking with a practitioner or healthcare provider before taking any supplementation (these are general recommendations).
Eat your fermented foods!
If you want to avoid taking more supplements, stick with your fermented foods as a digestive aid.
Eat your sauerkraut or kimchi with every meal for digestive support. Drink some kombucha after every meal if this is your fermented drink of choice.
As always, learn if fermented foods are a good choice for you, depending on your health concerns. I recommend speaking with a practitioner or healthcare provider before adding fermented foods to your diet(these are general recommendations).
Balance your blood sugar!
When we consume foods that are higher in sugar/carbs (all the holiday treats we love), it can spike our blood sugar levels. If we experience many of these blood sugar spikes and dips throughout the day- it can impact our energy levels and affect our digestion and hormones!
My recommendations are:
Eat your protein and veggies first during your meals, and save the holiday sweets for dessert;
Avoid eating your holiday treats on their own- pair them with a protein (and ideally fat and fiber like nuts)
Take a 10-15 minute walk after meals (invite your loved ones).
Minimize your alcohol intake!
You already know drinking alcohol isn't the best practice for our gut, blood sugar, hormones, or overall health (or you should know by now). I'm not going to tell you not to have any, yet minimizing alcohol intake can help support your gut over the holidays.
GIFT IDEA!
If you are looking for a gift for a loved one struggling with health issues, I recommend checking out my e-store for meal plans and other goodies.
For FREE GIFTS, please check out my FREE RESOURCES page.
If you're struggling with your digestion, and want to investigate “what's going on with your gut” come 2023, then I recommend reaching out to see how I can help you!
Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!!
As usual, these are my thoughts and ideas, not medical advice. You are encouraged to create your own recipes or search for some suited to your needs. I am just sharing my recipes, hoping that I can inspire some of you to make healthier food choices.
Please remember that we all have different nutritional needs and that food affects us differently. If you are not sure which foods are best for you, reach out for a free phone consultation.
In good health,
Ioana