How to Support Healthy Digestion During Holiday Indulgence

Because enjoying the holiday season shouldn’t mean sacrificing your comfort.

Let’s be honest: The holidays are delicious—but they can definitely push your digestion out of its comfort zone. Between rich dinners, sugary desserts, spiked eggnog, and skipping your usual routine, your stomach might feel less than festive. 

But here’s the good news—you don’t have to choose between indulgence and wellness. 

We believe sustainable health is about balance—not restriction. So let’s walk through 5 practical, science-supported ways to care for your gut and enjoy every bite of the holiday season.

Why Digestion Gets Off Track During the Holidays

There’s no shame in a little extra gravy. But the way we eat during the holidays, and the environment we eat in, can naturally challenge our digestive systems.

Here are the most common culprits you’ll likely notice this time of year:

• Comfort dishes are often high in fat, which slows digestion and can lead to bloating or discomfort—especially when they contain high amounts of saturated or trans fat.[1]

• Sugar and alcohol disrupt the gut microbiome and increase inflammation.[2,3]

• Stress and travel impact gut motility (aka how quickly things move through your system).[4]

• Lack of movement means less stimulation for digestion, which can leave you feeling sluggish.[5]

These factors add up, but they’re manageable. Your body is incredibly adaptable, especially with a bit of support.

5 Easy Ways to Support Healthy Digestion (Without Giving Up the Pie)

1. Prioritize Fiber — Even in Festive Meals

Fiber is one of your gut’s best friends. It feeds the beneficial bacteria in your microbiome and adds bulk to your stool, helping keep things moving and your immune system strong.[6]

Some types of fiber—called prebiotics—can’t be digested by your body, but they can be broken down by your good gut bacteria. This fermentation process is what feeds your gut bugs, helping them grow and support your overall digestion.[7]

Not sure what to add to your plate? 

Here are a few easy, high-fiber holiday favorites to watch for:

• Brussels sprouts (roasted for the win)

• Potatoes with the skin on (hello, resistant starch!)

• Leafy greens like spinach or kale in a tossed salad

• Apples (with the skin on for extra fiber)

• Dried figs or apricots hiding out on a charcuterie board

Pro Tip: A simple way to remember which vegetables are high in fiber is to focus on their texture and structure. Crunch = fiber.

2. Move Your Body (Just a Little!)

Hitting the gym after every holiday get-together might not be realistic—especially if you’re traveling out of town.

However, even a 10-minute walk in your family or friend’s neighborhood can help stimulate digestion, which in turn helps reduce gas and bloating.[8] This is because movement supports peristalsis—the wave-like muscle contractions that move food through your intestines.

After-dinner walks also lower blood sugar and can help you sleep better—both of which support digestive recovery during indulgent seasons.[9,10]

3. Drink Water — Strategically

Water is essential for holiday-season digestion. It helps dissolve fats, fibers, and soluble nutrients, allowing for better absorption.[11] With busy gatherings, late nights, and dry indoor heat, it’s easy for hydration to slip—just when your gut needs extra support.

During the holidays:

• Start your morning with a large glass of water

• Sip water between (not during) meals to avoid diluting stomach acid

• Add herbal teas like ginger or peppermint after dinner 

Pro Tip: Carry a reusable water bottle throughout holiday travel—a constant (and portable!) reminder to stay hydrated even when you're busy or out of routine.

4. Slow Down and Breathe

How you eat matters just as much as what you eat. Eating too quickly or while stressed activates your sympathetic nervous system, also known as the “fight or flight” response, which slows digestion.[12]

Before your first bite, take 3 deep belly breaths. This switches your body into “rest and digest” mode, helping your stomach produce enzymes and acids needed for proper digestion.

Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which boosts digestive enzyme production and gut motility.[13]

5. Consider Natural Digestive Support

Sometimes, our bodies need a little help—especially when we’re eating more than usual or trying new foods. This is where supplements can provide gentle, natural, on-the-go support.

Pattern Wellness’ Gut Support formula includes a science-backed blend of probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics:

• Allicin (from organic garlic)

• Monolaurin (from palm kernels)

• N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)

• Probiotic blend (25 Billion CFU from multiple strains)

• Prebiotic fiber including inulin, FOS, and apple pectin

It’s helpful to start building this support into your routine before the back-to-back feasting begins so your gut will be better prepared to handle the holiday hustle.

Savor the Season, Support Your Gut

The holidays are about connection, joy, and comfort food—not guilt or rigid rules.

With a little fiber, hydration, movement, and maybe a boost from Pattern Wellness’ Gut Support, you can enjoy every holiday moment while still supporting healthy digestion.

Use code BLOG10 for 10% off—your gut will thank you for it, and your taste buds won’t miss a thing.

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Resources:

1. Zhang M, Yang XJ. Effects of a high fat diet on intestinal microbiota and gastrointestinal diseases. World J Gastroenterol. 2016 Oct 28;22(40):8905-8909. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i40.8905. PMID: 27833381; PMCID: PMC5083795. 

2. Bishehsari F, Magno E, Swanson G, Desai V, Voigt RM, Forsyth CB, Keshavarzian A. Alcohol and Gut-Derived Inflammation. Alcohol Res. 2017;38(2):163-171. PMID: 28988571; PMCID: PMC5513683.

3. Arnone D, Chabot C, Heba AC, Kökten T, Caron B, Hansmannel F, Dreumont N, Ananthakrishnan AN, Quilliot D, Peyrin-Biroulet L. Sugars and Gastrointestinal Health. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Sep;20(9):1912-1924.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2021.12.011. Epub 2021 Dec 10. PMID: 34902573.

4. Leigh, S., Uhlig, F., Wilmes, L., Sanchez‐Diaz, P., Gheorghe, C. E., Goodson, M. S., Kelley‐Loughnane, N., Hyland, N. P., Cryan, J. F., & Clarke, G. (2023). The impact of acute and chronic stress on gastrointestinal physiology and function: A microbiota–gut–brain axis perspective. The Journal of Physiology, 601(20), 4491–4538. https://doi.org/10.1113/jp281951

5. Pérez-Prieto I, Plaza-Florido A, Ubago-Guisado E, Ortega FB, Altmäe S. Physical activity, sedentary behavior and microbiome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2024 Nov 1;27(11):793–804. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2024.07.003

6. Makki K, Deehan EC, Walter J, Bäckhed F. The Impact of Dietary Fiber on Gut Microbiota in Host Health and Disease. Cell Host Microbe. 2018 Jun 13;23(6):705-715. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2018.05.012. PMID: 29902436.

7. Cani, P. D., Lecourt, E., Dewulf, E. M., Sohet, F. M., Pachikian, B. D., Naslain, D., De Backer, F., Neyrinck, A. M., & Delzenne, N. M. (2009). Gut microbiota fermentation of prebiotics increases satietogenic and incretin gut peptide production with consequences for appetite sensation and glucose response after a meal. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 90(5), 1236–1243. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.28095 

8. Katagiri, K., Koyama, S., Takeda, K., Yamada, K., Tan, K., Kondo, H., Otaka, Y., & Tanabe, S. (2025). Immediate effect of physical activity on gut motility in healthy adults. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-18860-8 

9. Sullivan Bisson, A. N., Robinson, S. A., & Lachman, M. E. (2019). Walk to a better night of sleep: Testing the relationship between physical activity and sleep. Sleep Health, 5(5), 487–494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2019.06.003 

10. Hijikata Y, Yamada S. Walking just after a meal seems to be more effective for weight loss than waiting for one hour to walk after a meal. Int J Gen Med. 2011;4:447-50. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S18837. Epub 2011 Jun 9. PMID: 21731896; PMCID: PMC3119587. 

11. Wang, D.-C., Peng, X.-F., Chen, W.-X., & Yu, M. (2025, January 31). The association of moisture intake and constipation among us adults: Evidence from Nhanes 2005–2010 - BMC Public Health. BioMed Central. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-21346-x 

12. Cherpak CE. Mindful Eating: A Review Of How The Stress-Digestion-Mindfulness Triad May Modulate And Improve Gastrointestinal And Digestive Function. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2019 Aug;18(4):48-53. PMID: 32549835; PMCID: PMC7219460. 

13. Hamasaki H. Effects of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Health: A Narrative Review. Medicines (Basel). 2020 Oct 15;7(10):65. doi: 10.3390/medicines7100065. PMID: 33076360; PMCID: PMC7602530.