Surviving Festival Season: Your gut health guide
If there’s one thing we Brits do well it’s summer festivals. But whether you’re a die-hard veteran or Glasto newbie, this season can take its toll on the diversity of your gut microbiome; all thanks to the late nights, day drinking and beige food options. Here are 5 simple ways you can show your gut some love this summer, without losing out any of the fun.
Power to the plants: Treat your diet like you would your outfits - the more colour the better! Add veggie toppings to your favourite beige food where you can (e.g., ask for extra mushrooms, peppers and olives on your pizza), or swap your side of fries for salad. This is a great way to get more fibre and plant diversity into your diet when food options are limited to keep your gut microbes well fed.
Drink up: Dehydration is one of the most common causes of constipation. When we are preoccupied with drinking alcohol, we can sometimes forget about good old H2O. Bring a reusable water bottle and hit up those water hydration stations every couple of hours, or alternate your drinks with alcohol-free choices.
Sleep tight: Lack of sleep can wreak havoc with your body, altering your appetite regulation so you feel hungrier and eat more. It has also been shown to reduce your gut microbiome diversity. Make sure to pack items that can help you get a good night’s sleep, such as an eye-mask, ear plugs and travel pillow. If you can, try and leave 2-3 hours between your last food/drink and going to sleep. This will help you have a more restful kip.
Dance for digestion: Movement can assist gastric function, i.e., keeping food moving along the digestive tract to eventually be excreted as waste.
Find calm in the chaos: Relaxation and activities such as yoga, meditation and structured breathing, have been associated with beneficial effects on our gut. But when we are at a festival we are often go-go-go, and sometimes all the socialising, singing and dancing can leave us feeling exhausted. Take some time for yourself, even if that’s simply taking 3 deep breaths every morning. This will help the communication between your gut and your brain which can help alleviate gut symptoms. After all, a calm mind can lead to a happy gut.
Follow Dr Emily Prpa, leading gut health nutritionist, on Instagram (@TheNutritionReporter) for updates on the latest research in nutrition and health.
