Digestive health during wedding season: Avoid overeating, fight bloating, move more

The wedding season, with its vibrant celebrations, is a time when families and friends come together to celebrate love, tradition, and, of course, food. Lavish feasts laden with sugary treats, spicy delicacies, and indulgent dishes are an integral part of the celebration. While this array of rich food can be a treat for the taste buds, it can also take a toll on your digestive system. From bloating and acidity to overeating, digestive discomfort is a common concern during this time.

As tempting as it is to indulge in every dish at the buffet or dessert table, maintaining your gut health is vital to fully enjoying the celebrations without the side effects of indigestion. Proper digestive care helps ensure that your body feels energised, light, and ready to keep up with the festivities, says dietitian and certified diabetic educator, Dr Trupti Padhi. “While celebrations are all about indulgence, it’s essential to strike a balance with our food choices to prevent digestive discomfort. Maintaining gut health, especially during festive seasons, will help you enjoy the events without the burden of bloating or sluggishness,” she adds.

Also read | 9 home remedies to cure indigestion quickly

Here are some simple yet effective tips, suggested by Dr Padhi, that will avoid discomfort and keep your digestive health in check during the winter wedding season:

• Eat light meals: Opt for lighter meals like clear soups, grilled, baked, or roasted foods, along with fruit and vegetable salads or sprouts chaat. Limit sweet items to small portions to prevent digestive discomfort.

• Focus on portion size: Rather than indulging in heavy, fatty wedding foods, choose smaller portions and focus on healthier options. Proper portion control aids digestion and prevents overeating.

• Stay active after heavy meals: A short walk after a big meal can help stimulate digestion and prevent issues like bloating or gas. Regular movement also helps maintain weight during the wedding season.

• Choose healthy drinks: Avoid sugary and carbonated drinks, which can cause indigestion. Instead, opt for healthy alternatives like cumin seed water, ajwain seed water, fennel seed water, or lemon water with chia seeds to promote better digestion.

• Include probiotics: Probiotic-rich foods like yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, and kombucha support gut health. These fermented foods can help reduce cravings, improve digestion, and even benefit the skin.

• Snack on nuts and seeds: Munching on almonds, walnuts, pistachios, flax seeds, chia seeds, or sunflower seeds is a great way to get essential nutrients and healthy fats. Adding them to meals also enhances flavour while boosting digestive health.