The festive period is filled with lashings of fizz, plenty of party food and various mouth-watering desserts.
But lots of people find they also suffer from issues like heartburn, due to all the rich and free-flowing goodies.
Heartburn is caused by acid from the stomach that travels up the throat, which can cause a burning feeling in the chest area.
It can happen due to various reasons such as eating too large quantities of foods, consuming fatty foods, stress, medication, being pregnant, being overweight, or due to certain types of diseases.
And, due to all the indulgence, Christmas is a key time it can crop up.
Signe Svanfeldt, lead nutritionist from Lifesum, explains: ‘During the holidays, we tend to eat large quantities of food, drink alcoholic beverages, as well as eating heavy fatty foods, all of which can cause heartburn.’
As a result, Signe has shared five simple food tips to reduce and avoid heartburn over the festive period.
Try to avoid certain foods
‘Avoid deep fried foods as well as desserts rich in fats, such as cream and butter in moderation – the fat in these foods can cause heartburn,’ explains Signe.
Fried food, crisps, fatty meats – like bacon and sausage – and cheese are all key culprits for heartburn.
And many of these are on Christmas party spreads every year, so it’s good to be mindful of which foods may cause you problems – especially if you’re more prone to heartburn.
Think about balance
‘Eat regular balanced meals throughout the day and avoid overeating,’ says Signe.
If it helps, it might be an idea to log some of the things you’ve eaten in a food diary – also to help identify any foods that may have caused issues.
Drink in moderation
While it can be hard to resist with Christmas parties galore, drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation can help, too.
This is because alcohol can cause heartburn by weakening the LES – making it easier for stomach acid to come back up into the esophagus.
Take your time
Signe suggests eating slowly and chewing food properly, as stress and eating food too quickly can cause heartburn.
Don’t forget about fibre
Signe also recommends trying to enjoy fibre-rich foods during the festive period.
This is because fibre improves gastric motility, meaning your food moves more quickly through your digestive tract. When you don’t eat enough fiber, your food spends more time in your stomach and more acid is produced.
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