Christmas: tips against bloating and flatulence

The most important things in brief

• For many families, getting together with loved ones is at the top of the agenda for many families over Christmas.
• Almost everywhere, however, the holiday meal also plays an important role.
• And almost everywhere it's very lush, which is quite exhausting for our digestive tract.
• Read on this page what you can do to prevent bloating, abdominal pain and flatulence.

At the end of the year, Swiss cuisine tends to be a little higher in calories. Especially over the Christmas period, people often eat very sumptuously - not to say feasted. And yes, you should treat yourself every now and then. The problem with this is often that the amount of Christmas geese, fondue or Güetzli fed in is upsetting to the stomach. However, if you follow a few tips, you can get through the holidays without any major problems.

It depends on what you eat...

Of course, whether you suffer from abdominal pain and flatulence primarily depends on what you eat. If you only fill your stomach with fruit and vegetables, you will also feel full, but this does not result in a long-lasting feeling of fullness. Stomach pain, heartburn or flatulence are then usually not a consequence.

Things are different if you take a close look at the meals that are commonplace in Switzerland and other countries. The Christmas goose is still high on the holiday menu, and fondue is also popular in many places. The fact that goose, fondue and co. contain a lot of fat is neither new nor surprising - it should also be clear that it is precisely this amount of fat that usually causes the symptoms mentioned.

…and how to eat it

The fat alone is enough to explain the abdominal pain, bloating and discomfort. In addition, it is not uncommon for us to be able to keep ourselves in moderation at Christmas. Of course, it has to be a second helping! And that, although we have already eaten more than enough.

But the question of how you eat also plays a big role here. We tend to eat quickly, especially when it comes to fat-heavy foods, which in turn means that we are always one step ahead of our feeling of satiety. The stomach is already full when the brain sends out the first signals that we actually already have enough.

Tips: chew well, sit upright, in short: eat mindfully

With a little mindfulness at the dining table, you won't give stomach problems a chance. Who doesn't remember being taught as a child to chew well? In this case, for example with the goose, this is an essential contribution to well-being. If you gobble the food down and don't chew it enough, you risk exactly the agony mentioned.

Slow and mindful chewing has another positive aspect: the natural feeling of satiety sets in earlier. Sitting upright is also a digestive aid for your gastrointestinal tract. And if it's too late and heartburn, a feeling of fullness and abdominal pain occur: hands off the famous digestive schnapps. Caffeine, ginger, various teas (lavender, fennel, peppermint) and fruits like pears and apples help much better. If you also use spices such as parsley, marjoram, aniseed, fennel or caraway when cooking, you can prevent stomach problems.