A Nutritionist's Guide to Looking After Your Gut Health Post-Celebrations

Clarissa Lenherr is a BANT Registered Nutritionist with nearly a decade of experience supporting clients to optimise their health through nutrition. Specialising in gut health, Clarissa’s passion stems from her personal experience with digestive issues, and she’s dedicated to helping others feel their best. Clarissa has pulled together a comprehensive blog on all things how we can look after our gut before, during, and after celebrations, something we all struggle to balance!

Follow her on Instagram @clarissalenherrnutrition for more tips and recipes.

How To Stay Regular This Christmas

The festive season is a merry time of indulgence, but all those rich foods, late nights, and extra bubbles can take a toll on our gut health. Many people experience bloating, constipation, or sluggish digestion during and after celebrations, leaving them feeling less than their best.

But don’t worry – with a few simple changes, you can support your gut to bounce back and feel its best. As a gut health nutritionist, here’s my ultimate guide to looking after your gut health post-festivities.

1. Hydrate Your Way to Better Digestion

Alcohol, salty snacks, and sugary desserts can lead to dehydration, which often causes sluggish digestion and constipation. To combat this, start your day with a large glass of water and continue to drink water throughout the day. Need something warming? Herbal teas like peppermint, fennel, and ginger are excellent for soothing bloating and calming the digestive system while also helping to keep you hydrated.

2. Feed Your Gut with Fibre

Fibre is the champion of digestion, yet it’s often missing from festive meals - unless, like me, you enjoy plates piled with Brussels sprouts! After the celebrations, make sure to load your plate with fibre-rich foods such as oats, lentils, beans, berries, nuts, and seeds. One of my favourite go-to options is a breakfast smoothie made with frozen spinach, blueberries, flaxseeds, unsweetened almond milk, and 15g of Biomel’s Complete Gut powder. It’s not only delicious but also packed with fibre to help kickstart digestion.

3. Restore Balance with Live Cultures

Celebration foods like sugary desserts and alcohol can disrupt the delicate balance of gut microbes that make up your gut microbiome. Incorporating fermented foods like kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, and kimchi are a great way to help restore this balance.

For an easy and tasty option, I swear by Biomel’s Dairy-Free Gut Health Drinks. Their Belgian chocolate flavour is my personal favourite - a treat for your taste buds and your gut microbiome. With billions of live cultures and added vitamins, they’re a simple way to nurture your gut after overindulgence.

4. Keep Meals Simple and Nourishing

If your gut is feeling overwhelmed, give it a break with simple, easy-to-digest meals. Light, nourishing options can provide the nutrients you need without overloading your system.

Some delicious ideas include:

• Warm vegetable soups: Try butternut squash, carrot, or courgette soups, blended with spices like turmeric or ginger for added gut-friendly benefits.

• Stews with lentils or chickpeas: High in fibre and protein, stews are hearty yet gentle on the digestive system.

• Mashed sweet potatoes with steamed greens: Pair the gut-friendly fibre of sweet potatoes with steamed kale or broccoli, drizzled with tahini for a dose of healthy fats.

• Overnight oats or chia puddings: These are easy to prepare and gentle on digestion. Top with flaxseeds, berries, and a drizzle of Biomel Gut Health Drink for added benefits.

• Baked salmon with roasted vegetables: Omega-3-rich salmon supports gut lining integrity, and roasted Brussels sprouts or carrots add fibre and flavour.

5. Move Your Body

Physical activity is a natural way to stimulate digestion and ease uncomfortable bloating by promoting movement in your digestive tract. Even a brisk 10-15 minute walk after meals can help get things moving, reducing that heavy, sluggish feeling.

If you’re feeling particularly bloated, gentle yoga poses like twists and forward bends can provide targeted relief by massaging the abdominal area and encouraging better circulation.

6. Incorporate Stress Management 

The festive rush of shopping, family gatherings, and endless to-do lists can leave us feeling frazzled. Stress directly impacts digestion by slowing it down, increasing sensitivity and disrupting the gut-brain axis. To compensate for the festive “stress-on”, consider dedicating 10 minutes daily to mindfulness, deep breathing, or meditation. 

7. Ditch Ultra-Processed Foods for Wholesome Swaps

Festive treats often include ultra-processed foods, which can disrupt your gut microbiome and may lead to bloating. Instead of cutting out indulgence altogether, try swapping ultra-processed options for wholesome alternatives that satisfy without compromising your gut health.

Here are a few easy swaps:

• Instead of crisps, choose roasted chickpeas or kale chips for a crunchy, fibre-packed snack.

• Instead of sugary biscuits, go for oatcakes topped with almond butter or homemade energy balls made with dates, cacao, and nuts.

• Instead of fizzy drinks, sip on sparkling water infused with lime, cucumber, or frozen berries.

• Instead of ice cream, blend frozen bananas with a splash of Biomel Gut Health Drink for a creamy, gut-friendly treat.

• Instead of white bread, opt for sourdough or wholegrain options, which are easier to digest and better for your gut.

Gut health isn’t about quick fixes - it’s about creating sustainable habits that support your digestion over time. As New Year’s resolutions roll in, many of us start with the best intentions but often find ourselves falling off track within weeks. Instead of relying on short-lived resolutions, why not focus on making these habits part of your everyday lifestyle? By weaving these practices into your daily routine, you’ll give your gut the best chance to thrive, not just for a few weeks, but for the long haul.

Here’s to a healthy, happy gut post-celebrations and beyond!

*At Biomel, your well-being is our top priority. While we take great pride in our expertise in gut health and overall wellness, we understand that every gut is unique. The content we provide is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness, or replace the advice of your GP. We strongly encourage you to consult with a healthcare professional if you have any health concerns. Rest assured, we are here to support you throughout your journey, so you are never alone. Our in-house nutritionists will always be here to support you on your journey to optimal gut health.