Stress during the holidays…
One of the best things about this time of year is the holidays! But what happens when the weeks leading up to the holidays result in stress? A result of stress can be overeating as well as indigestion.
Not only does overeating result in unwanted calories and weight gain but it can also wreak havoc on your stomach. You know it when you feel it: that full, uncomfortable sensation in your belly during or after a meal. You might have burning or pain in the upper part of your stomach, too. It’s indigestion, also called dyspepsia.
Indigestion can happen simply from being stressed and not paying attention to our diet.
Simple ways to reduce stress during the holidays are
- Find stress reducing exercise; take a long walk, ride a bike, even a massage or taking time for a manicure-pedicure can relieve stress.
- Engage your brain! Crossword puzzles, watching a movie or even puttering around in a workshop can take your mind off your stress and away from food.
- Eat healthy foods and stay on schedule! Skipping meals triggers your brain that you are hungry and may cause you to binge on your next meal.
- Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol, eating slower and chewing your meal thoroughly, avoiding spicy and greasy foods as well as waiting until after you are finished eating to drink, rather than drinking with your meal may help too.
We are here to help you cope with this indigestion during the holidays and all year round! 908-483-4000
Did you know…
Laundry detergents take cues from the digestive system! Laundry detergents often contain several different classes of enzymes, including proteases, amylases and lipases. The human digestive system also contains such enzymes.
The surface area of the small intestine is huge. The small intestine is about 22 feet (7 meters) long, and about an inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter. Based on these measurements, you’d expect the surface area of the small intestine to be about 6 square feet (0.6 square m) — but it’s around 2,700 square feet (250 square m), or about the size of a tennis court.
Stomachs vary in the animal kingdom. The stomach is an integral part of the digestive system, but it’s not the same in all animals. Some animals have stomachs with multiple compartments. (They’re often mistakenly said to have multiple stomachs.) Cows and other “ruminants” — including giraffes, deer and cattle — have four-chambered stomachs, which help them digest their plant-based food.
Flatulence gets its smell from bacteria. Intestinal gas, or flatus, is a combination of swallowed air and the gasses produced by the fermentation of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. The digestive system cannot break down or absorb certain components of foods, and those substances simply get pushed along the tract, and make their way into the large intestine. Hordes of intestinal bacteria get to work, releasing a variety of gases in the process, including carbon dioxide, hydrogen, methane and hydrogen sulfide (which gives flatulence its rotten-egg stench).
Ref: Life Science: 11 surprising facts about the Digestive System
Convenient Hours:
We have extended hours in our Flemington Office, Somerville Office, and Endosurgery Center.
Office Consultation:
Flemington Office: Mon & Thurs:
Tues, Weds, & Fri 7:30a-5:00p
Somerville Office:
Mon, Thurs, Fri: 7:30a-5:00p
Weds: 11:00a-7:00p
Hunterdon Endosurgery Center:
Mon, Tues, Wed, & Thurs: 7:00a-8:00p
Fri: 7:00a-5:30p
Sat: 7:00a-2:00p
Sun: 7:00a-2:00p
Call for an appointment today! 908-483-4000
Enjoy a healthy Winter salad to promote better digestion!
Beet and Apple Salad
Active time 30 minutes, Total time 2 hours, Serves 8
Ingredients:
4 large beets
5 Thyme Sprigs
½ Cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
Salt and Pepper
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
3 Tbsp. Prepared Horseradish
1/3 cup salted pistachios-chopped
1 green apple thinly sliced
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a baking dish, lightly drizzle the beets and thyme with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast until the beets are tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Let cool, then peel the beets and cut them into 3/4-inch dice.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the mustard. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of oil until emulsified. Add the horseradish and season with salt and pepper; toss with the beets and pistachios. Transfer the beets to a platter, top with the apple and serve.
Ref: Food and Wine, 2019
Wishing You A Happy Holiday Season and a Healthy New Year!
The physicians and staff at Hunterdon Gastroenterology Associates and Hunterdon Endosurgery Center would like to wish everyone and their families a very Happy Holiday Season and Happy, Healthy New Year! We are extremely thankful and blessed to have such wonderful patients and their families who entrust us with their care.
