Preventing Bloating After Holiday Feasting

The holidays were for reuniting with family and friends, resting and having fun, and, most of all, bingeing on food. Most Americans will likely admit that, after the holiday season, they come back home with their jeans fitting a little too snuggly. It is not uncommon to overeat when you celebrate and delicious, often unhealthy, food is being served on the table.

So, a lot of people gain weight during the holidays. Typically, once you return to your regular routines and, therefore, your everyday eating habits, you can lose the excess weight. Weight gain during the holidays is not that of a big deal. However, most of the time, it is not just the extra pounds that you have gained. Along with it, you may experience some bloating, a feeling of fullness and tightness around the belly due to gas.

It is not usually a cause for concern, but it can be uncomfortable.

Explaining Bloating

Bloating is not an illness. It occurs naturally when people consume huge amounts of food and beverages. The process of digestion generates gas that accumulates in your abdomen. Certain foods and drinks, such as milk and cheese, also tend to produce more gas.

Sometimes, bloating is not caused directly by food, but it is a result of your eating habits. Those who eat too quickly can experience bloating because they swallow more air that gets trapped in the abdomen.

There are also cases when bloating becomes a symptom of an underlying health condition. Those who have celiac disease, for example, bloat after eating food containing gluten, a type of protein present in barley, wheat, rye, and spelt. Those who have celiac disease cannot eat gluten because it triggers an autoimmune response that attacks the small intestine, causing inflammation and damage. The condition affects about 1 percent of the entire population in the United States.

Celiac disease is serious. If left unaddressed, it can lead to digestive issues. Moreover, those who have it might suffer from nutritional deficiencies. It can also cause a host of other symptoms, including diarrhea or constipation, weight loss, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue. Those with celiac disease can consult a health and wellness center for the appropriate treatment.

For the rest, here are some tips for debloating after the holiday season.

Eat as Little Salty Food as Possible

Not all bloating is a result of gas. Sometimes, water retention causes your body to feel fuller than it usually is. Salt is often to blame. Salt causes the body to hold on to water to maintain a healthy balance in the bloodstream. Public health experts recommend that adults consume six grams of salt per day. Children aged one to six need even less; they should only eat around two to three grams of salt daily.

Eating too many salty foods will lead to water retention and bloating. Moreover,  it is terrible for your health. The consumption of too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure. If you have to eat a salty dish, make sure to drink more water to flush out the sodium and reduce the resulting bloat.

Mind Your Fruit Selection

Fruits are healthy, and it is never a bad thing to eat fresh produce. However, if you do not like the feeling of bloating, you should stay away from fruits that are known to produce gas.

Fruits naturally have a lot of sugar and sugar alcohols, such as cherries, grapes, peaches, and mangoes, that can cause bloating. Meanwhile, blueberry, strawberries, oranges, and cantaloupes have less sugar and, therefore, will be perfect if you need to reduce your waistline to its original size.

Not Too Much Fiber
Fiber is necessary for maintaining digestive health. It helps push your bodily wastes out of your body and make you feel satiated for longer, which helps in weight regulation. However, it has one downside: it can make you gassy and bloated.

It is fine to eat a bowl of salad greens the day after New Year’s. But, if your body is not used to it, so much fiber will be hard to digest. It will produce large amounts of gas that will make you feel bloated.

The recommended amount of fiber intake is between 20 and 25 grams a day. In addition, as you eat, make sure to drink more water to ensure that the fiber is processed in your tummy easily.



It is hard to resist food this holiday season. After all, it is a time for celebration. It is normal to feel bloated, too, after munching on all kinds of dishes served on the table. However, if you do not like feeling full and heavy, you can do many things to avoid bloating.