First, the good news: You enjoyed indulging over a party-packed weekend, on vacation or for a whole season. Now, the uncomfortable news: You brought your gut to the parties. And while you took home the fun memories, it took home gift bags full of digestive “presents” you wish you could swiftly return.
“Dramatic shifts away from a normally healthy diet … toward a diet pattern loaded with fat and sugar have been shown to cause shifts in the composition of our gut’s microbial ecosystem,” said Tamara Duker Freuman, a registered dietitian in New York City who specializes in digestive disorders. “This relative reordering of the resident species can play out in unexpected ways, from changes in bowel patterns to gassiness to ease of weight gain.”
[See: Foods That Cause Bloating.]
It can also play out as acid reflux, which can cause heartburn and interrupt sleep, added Dr. Linda Shiue, an internal medicine physician and director of culinary medicine at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center.
Plus, foods high in sugar, salt and fat can lead to bloating. This same unhealthy fare also tends to replace more fibrous foods, and not getting enough fiber in your diet can lead to constipation. Plus, loads of sweets can trigger even more sugar cravings, and consistently overdoing it with fat and sugar can alter your hormones such that, in a way, you forget what it really feels like to be hungry and full.
“Overeating less healthy foods for a few weeks straight can lead to lasting changes in how your body senses hunger and satiety,” Shiue said.
But before filling up on regret, too, take heart: These issues are normal reactions to periods of less-than-healthy eating and can resolve themselves, Duker Freuman said. In other words: Extensive supplement regimens, extreme dietary restriction or punishing cleanses aren’t necessary or advised.
[See: 8 Food Trends Nutrition Experts Pray Will Never Return.]
“Once your diet returns to normal, your digestive well-being should rebound to normal, too,” Duker Freuman said. Help it along with these healthy foods:
Squash
As with broccoli, carrots, celery and several other veggies, squash is a great source of fiber, which is key in preventing or easing constipation, Shiue said. Fruit such as raisins, prunes, peaches and apples, as well as whole grains, can work wonders moving things through too, she said. Just opt for cooked vegetables over raw ones when possible, because the former are easier for your taxed belly to digest, said Robin Foroutan, an integrative medicine dietitian in New York and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Yogurt
There’s nothing like a vacation (especially if it includes travel) to throw off your bathroom regularity. And there’s nothing like a high-quality yogurt or the cultured, fermented beverage kefir to help get you back on track, Duker-Frueman said. (Try those without much or any added sugar, sweeteners or gums.) “Products that have probiotic bacterial strains — such as B. lactis, B. rhamnosus and L. casei — may be particularly helpful and regulating,” she said.
Bananas
While fruit in general is high in fiber and nutrients you may have slacked on during your break from healthy eating, sticking to those low in acid like bananas and melons are your best bet if you’re prone to heartburn, Shiue said. Whole-grain bread, egg whites, green veggies, root vegetables, lean poultry and fish are low in acidity, too. “Just steer clear of preparing them with oil and rich sauces, so grill, steam, poach or bake instead,” she said.
Beets
Like cabbage, these root veggies are high in glutamine, “a type of fuel that your intestinal cells prefer,” Foroutan said. Giving them what they want supports your intestinal wall to better fight off microbial invaders, so you’ll guard yourself against pesky colds, too.
Sauerkraut
Eating fermented foods like sauerkraut can resolve post-indulgence symptoms by helping to repopulate your gut with good bacteria, Foroutan said. Prefer to drink your fermentation? Food manufacturers are now answering the call with “shots” of sauerkraut juice in a variety of flavors, Foroutan said. “Listen to the recommended dose,” she said. “You can overdo it and get gassy.”
Peppermint Tea
This soothing beverage can help calm a stomach that’s saying “enough already” since “peppermint has an antispasmodic effect on smooth muscle, which causes it to relax and alleviates pain,” Duker Freuman said. “[That] means it can relax the muscle separating the stomach and esophagus as well.” Just don’t drink it immediately after a massive meal; you could incite acid reflux, she said.
Ginger
Like peppermint, ginger in the form of tea can calm the digestive tract and even ease nausea, Shiue said. But why stop with your beverage? “Just add a few slices of fresh ginger root to your chicken or vegetable soup, or grate some into your stir-fry,” she recommended. If your base for that ginger soup is bone broth — bonus points. The collagen in the broth strengthens your inner “skin” (aka intestinal walls) the same way it benefits the skin you can see, Foroutan said. Salmon and other fatty fish also supply ample collagen, as do eggs. Ramen anyone?
Cumin
If Asian flavorings aren’t your cup of (chamomile) tea, Indian, Mediterranean and Latin American-inspired dishes made with spices like cumin, coriander, fennel and cardamom have been soothing indigestion around the world throughout history, Shiue said. “Besides their medicinal effects, using these herbs can add a lot of flavor to vegetables and other healthier foods, rather than relying on sugar, salt and fat,” she said. Try blending cumin, cardamom and coriander in a little oil for a vegetable saute, or making a curry by adding water and coconut milk, Shiu recommended.
[See: These Healthy Seasonings Are Tasty Substitutes for Sugar and Salt.]
Oregano
Italian more your style? Rather than loading up on pizza or pasta with sugary spaghetti sauce (sugar feeds yeast in your gut that can overgrow and lead to further digestive distress, Foroutan said) enjoy some oregano on, say, spaghetti squash or baked chicken. “Dried and fresh oregano can help to reinstate balance in the gut,” Foroutan said. “[It’s] the idea of feeding and weeding your [microbial] garden.”
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