It’s officially the party season of the year! This time of the year is filled with gatherings and parties with family, friends and colleagues. We often tend to go ‘off’ routine and indulge in treats and celebratory drinks thus bombarding our digestive system with sugars, carbs and inflammatory toxins. This raises the acidity level of our stomach, throws the gut bacteria out of balance and bad gut bacteria consume sugar for energy. It also destroys the lining of microvilli which will not allow them to absorb essential nutrients. Thus, it can lead to chronic, systemic inflammation of our gut.
“Our stomach and intestinal tract are more than just part of the digestive system. Our gut health is the centre of the immune system. Moreover, the gut and the brain are linked both physically and biochemically and they communicate information back and forth continually. Therefore, a gut rest post-party is extremely essential,” says Harshavardhan S, Co-Founder and CEO, Lil’Goodness.
The gut rest is commonly referred to as a “detox” or “cleanse,” which aims to restore balance in our gut microbiome and promote the removal of waste and potentially harmful toxins from our body.
After-party detoxification is very important because it cleanses the gut from the alcoholic and unhealthy foods that have been consumed. “The liver is the body’s second largest organ which removes toxins from the blood, breaks them down into a water-soluble form, and then dumps them into the gut, where the large intestine filters them out of the body. When the liver and gut are not working properly, the whole process becomes more inefficient,” adds Harshavardhan S.
Sajeev Nair, Founder & Chairman, Vieroots Wellness Solutions shares some research based tips to help you party without hurting your gut excessively.
1) Know that most alcoholic beverages hurt our gut microbiome seriously
Folklore suggests that alcohol is good for gut health, the fact is that most alcoholic drinks are quite detrimental to gut health, as alcohol can kill or reduce the colonies of good bacteria, which will result in bad bacteria proliferating and causing conditions like leaky gut. The only exception to this is red wine, which due to its high polyphenol content is quite good for the gut microbiome. Some researchers think beer too has this quality, but the overall evidence is inconclusive, and given the typical high consumption of beer, the risks clearly outweigh any possible benefits if at all.
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2) It takes long breaks for the gut microbiome to recover
Many drinkers who still have the skill to quit drinking for a few days or a couple of weeks, do so in the hope that their liver, gut, and body gets sufficient time to recover. But studies done on this subject shows that when it comes to our gut microbiome, it requires 3 weeks or longer abstention from alcohol for the beneficial bacteria to grow back. Also, it may not do so on its own, but require dietary inputs like probiotics and prebiotics for a while. While probiotic foods like curd, yoghurt and several such fermented foods are rich in good bacteria, foods like fruits, vegetables, and fibre-rich foods in general are good prebiotics, which means it is consumed by beneficial bacteria for its sustenance.
3) Choose healthier cakes and spicy foods
Commercial cakes and spicy fast foods are often terrible for the gut microbiome. This is because they are commonly made using the unhealthiest fats like cheap vegetable oils and artificial sweeteners, both of which are quite bad for gut microbes. Instead, it is better to opt for cakes and pastries from high quality home based bakers, who are now common in most cities and towns. Spicy, fried and non-vegetarian foods should be limited as much as possible, and it is better to take such foods that are prepared in one’s own home. This is because apart from factors like cheap and reused oils in restaurant foods, they also contain very harmful bacteria due to aged meat and fish as well as their unhygienic preparation.
4) Take probiotic or prebiotic supplements
There is some evidence that taking probiotic foods or supplements around 12 hours before the consumption of alcohol or gut damaging foods, can limit the damage to an extent. While probiotic and prebiotic foods may not be readily available during such occasions, such supplements are ready alternatives. Again, instead of industrially made and commercially available probiotic / prebiotic supplements, always choose the highest quality supplements made from famed and pure probiotic and prebiotic Ayurvedic herbs and ingredients. It is important to include prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods. It keeps the gut healthy, and prevents gut-related issues like bloating, acidity, flatulence and constipation. Yogurt has a natural probiotic which contains Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Fermented foods like Kefir, Kimchi are also beneficial to our gut during gut rest as they contain other strains of bacteria. In addition to this, prebiotic rich foods such as onion, garlic, oats, root vegetables, bananas or even prebiotic rich chocolates help to cultivate a healthy microbiome.
5) Options for gut rest include a three days’ detox and intermediate fasting diet
During detox days, it is very important to include negative calories foods such as vegetables, fruits, omega 3 rich (Mixed nuts), Iron rich (Dried fruits), Electrolyte (Coconut water, lemon water etc) and hydration. Consuming non-veg and dairy products usually induce inflammation and drinking tea and coffee leads to dehydration and increased stress. Therefore, it is better to avoid it.
These are some simple ways to support your health this celebratory season. Party hard, equally rest your gut and cleanse your body to get back to normal routine.
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