4 Tips To Recover After Overeating During The Holidays

What can people do after eating large meals during the holidays? Here are some simple tips to help you recover from the holiday binge.

For many people, the holidays are a time for warmth and get-togethers, but some like to indulge in festive and delicious foods around that time. However, the aftermath of overeating can be uncomfortable as one can feel quite bloated and it can "wreak havoc" on one's digestive system.

As the University of Michigan (U of M) explained, the discomfort may stay depending on what you eat. For instance, foods that are high in fat and fiber tend to take longer to digest, so the discomfort or pain may stick around for quite a while. Over time, it can push against the diaphragm and eventually lead to heartburn.

Fortunately, there are a few things that people can do to ease these symptoms.

Move, Don't Nap

While it's certainly tempting to take a nap after a good, large meal, lying down may actually worsen the heartburn from overeating, U of M noted. Instead, it's best to move around a little, although it's important not to overexert oneself.

A 10-minute walk could be a good idea, said Kirsten Smith, MS, R.D., bariatric surgery coordinator at Piedmont Healthcare. Although it doesn't exactly mean that you're "walking off" what you ate, it can help improve blood sugar levels and help digestion.

Drink water, not something fizzy

Carbonated drinks may just worsen the bloated feeling, U of M noted. What's more, it may add even more gas that the body has to expel.

Instead, it's best to opt for water as it may help "flush out" all the sodium that you may have eaten during the large meal, Smith said. However, it's important to not drink too much water if one is especially full. What's important is to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Eat/drink something that helps boost digestion

Taking a probiotic, such as the ones in yogurt and other cultured foods may help improve digestion and food absorption. Drinking herbal teas such as chamomile, chicory or green tea may also "promote the movement of food" and also help relieve the discomfort one feels from overeating.

Other foods that help aid digestion include ginger (perhaps as a tea), vegetables with skin, fruits, leafy green vegetables and whole-grain foods like brown rice and quinoa.

Relax

It's easy to feel guilty after overindulging during the holidays, but it's best not to be too hard on oneself. According to U of M, this guilt may actually lead to binge eating behaviors.

"Many people feel like if they've already overeaten, they should continue that habit throughout the day and they may overindulge with their remaining meals," Smith's said. "Instead of stressing out, just relax and avoid repeating this behavior."