“5 Tips to Keep your Gut Healthy during the Summer”

Summer is here! This means long weekend adventures, out-of-state vacations, alfresco dining, and opportunities to create an angry tummy!

One or all three of these changes are frequently part of summer and can turn relaxing days to lost days soothing an upset tummy.

The activities of the summer months are generally meant to allow time for relaxation. However, when you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), sometimes changes in food choices, meal times, and bathroom breaks can tip over to the return or aggravate your current IBS symptoms. Let’s not forget about the tie between IBS and food poisoning! Keep reading for more on that topic.

To avoid losing a day to a cranky stomach, I’d like to share with you “5 Tips to Keep your Gut Healthy during the Summer.” Even if you don’t have IBS, following these tips can help you breeze through the summer without missing a beat!

Here are 5 tips to keep a healthy gut and a summertime happy face!

1. Practice Petite Portions 

An IBS gut is known for its visceral hypersensitivity. Visceral hypersensitivity is a medical term that is easily explained by this example.

You and your friend meet for lunch. You both order the same summer-inspired salad you. Both of you finish the delicious salad full of fresh greens, seasonal chopped veggies and berries along with a light vinaigrette.

Your friend will merrily go on her day without a thought about that salad. However, for you, the nerves and receptors in your hypersensitive stomach registers that delicious salad as a bomb.

While your friend feels comfortable, you feel overly full. Plus, you sense the beginnings of an all-to-familiar “basketball” tummy.

Hypersensitivity is a hallmark symptom of IBS.  

One more bite can stretch the receptors sending the message of discomfort, bloating and pain. Below are ideas to prevent that message from being sent.  

ACTION TIPS:

• Order appetizer sized plates for lunch (smaller portions)
• For large entrees, ask the server for a take-home box when the food is delivered and immediately split the portions into two
• When dining out, choose lunch time as portions are smaller than the same choices for dinner plates
• Chew your food very well; 30 chews are suggested as this triggers the release of digestive enzymes
• Increase your awareness of your tolerance to portions and remember, one more bite can make a difference 

Final word, no matter what season of the year, honor your Goldilocks portions to keep your tummy happy.

 2. Alcohol

Summertime drinking is different than wintertime. In fact, research shows that alcohol usage increases the most during the summer months (except for December). Summertime drinks are often sweeter making it easier to drink even more.

Alcohol is a known gut irritant and can also act as a stimulant. This dual role can be a problem for those prone to diarrhea prominent IBS.

As a gut irritant alcohol promotes a breakdown of the thin layer of cells that protects bacteria and other toxins from entering and from toxins leaking out of the gut into the body. A side note is that alcohol also increases the risk of breast cancer by 10-13%.

When alcohol enters the liver, the body recognizes the need to remove this toxin quickly out of the body. Many normal metabolic processes are stopped, including fat burning enzymes which can be reduced up to 75% for up to an hour.

The message of moderation prevails. For a woman, one drink during an evening party is a good guideline.

To help avoid digestive upsets, try to consume alcoholic beverages with food. Food will help slow down the release of alcohol from the stomach.

Another way to reduce the risk of digestive symptoms is to alternate alcoholic beverages with water to stay hydrated. The rule is one glass of water for one glass of alcohol.

Drinking also lowers our inhibitions so we are more likely to eat foods and portions we normally wouldn’t. Some people with IBS share that they have given up alcohol since they don’t feel well no matter type or amount.

Below is the National Institute of Health’s recognized size for one standard drink:  

• Five ounces of wine (red and white)
• 10 ounces of beer (low carb, regular, gluten-free)
• One ounce of spirits (gin, vodka)

ACTION TIPS

• According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department and Agriculture, limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less in a day for women is the guideline
• Avoid cocktails or umbrella-embellished drinks as they are higher in sugar and can be made from mixes with suspicious ingredients
• Red wine is the preferred selection since it contains antioxidants, which can protect your cells from damage, and polyphenols, which can promote heart health
• If you’re following a gluten-free diet for Celiac Disease you need to look for gluten-free beer

Final word, if you don’t drink, don’t start! There is no safe level of alcohol to consume.

 

3. Space out your Meals

Did you know that our beautiful body has its own housekeeping crew? One member is the migrating motor complex (MMC).

Think of the MMC as the housekeeper that uses extra-large brooms to move bacteria out of the small intestine. How do you get this crew to work? Stop eating!

The MMC will not show up when you eat or drink anything that provides calories (water is okay). Research shows that somewhere between 3-4 hours are needed to get the MMC to work.

Sometimes things happened that cause the MMC to malfunction. For example, food poisoning is often a cause of migrating motor complex dysfunction.

The dangerous bacteria that enter the small intestine through the stomach can release toxins that cause damage to the vagus nerve. This prevents the MMC from effectively sweeping away material, including the bacteria through your digestive tract.

The lack of motion of food and bacteria in the GI tract can lead to further issues, such as diarrhea, constipation, and SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth).  

Grazing is not gut-friendly eating! Know that when you hear your stomach gurgling that’s your MMC at work and it’s a good thing.

Here are tips to help your MMC do its job.

ACTION TIP:

• To help your MMC strive for at least 3, if feasible 4-5 hours between all meals and snacks
• Stop between meal snacking
• Stress disrupts the MMC by slowing digestion and finding relaxation techniques to lower stress levels like meditation, deep breathing, and yoga or gentle stretching to ease your stress
• Water, black tea, herbal tea, black coffee can be consumed without milk, non-dairy milks and artificial sweeteners
• Strive for a minimum of 10-12 hours between your last food/beverage at night and your beverage/food choice in the morning hours
• If you think your MMC needs a helping hand, try a prokinetic supplement that promotes motility and helps manage associated symptoms. Prokinetic supplements are well-tested and trusted blended herbal remedies that provide relief for multiple digestive symptoms.

Final word, not everyone should practice meal spacing. Infants, children, and pregnant women should eat more frequently to meet their growing nutrient needs. Those with Type I diabetes or on Insulin are also excluded as they usually need to eat more often to balance their blood sugar.

 

4. Stay clear of the danger zone

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year, 1 in 6 Americans experience food poisoning. The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea. Many cases of food poisoning are mild and get better on their own.

However, recent research shows that the underlying cause of up to 80% of cases of IBS were caused by food poisoning. This is called post-infectious IBS and can be confirmed by an easy blood test. This information is invaluable for creating treatment plans. 

The blood test is measuring the immune response to exposure to typical food-borne source of infections. A positive response means that an autoimmunity has occurred. This can lead to nerve damage and change in the motility of the gut resulting in diarrhea.   

What some people call the “stomach flu” may actually be a foodborne illness caused by a pathogen (i.e., virus, bacteria, or parasite) in contaminated food or drink. This happens since the signs of food poisoning can be similar to symptoms already experienced by people with IBS. Check out my previous month’s article: https://www.b3nutrition.com/could-that-cramping-abdominal-pain-be-ibs/

Reminder that the warmer temperatures of summer raise risks for foodborne illness. Take a proactive approach to avoid the bathroom blues of summer.

ACTION TIPS

• Purchase food from reputable sources (street vendors can unknowingly serve food in the danger zone)
• Set your refrigerator temperature below 41°F.
• As the hostess, when serving foods don’t leave them out more than 2 hours
• Cool leftovers as soon as possible by placing in shallow containers to cool and quickly refrigerate
• Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
• When going to pool, porch and barbecue parties, watch out for foods that have been left out at room temperature for greater than 2 hours
• Chicken is a common carrier of food borne illness. Cook chicken until the internal temperature reaches 180 F. Run away from pink chicken!
• For outdoor adventures including glam-campers make sure the water has been treated or bring your own to avoid accidental consuming contaminated water with can be the source of parasites like giardia
• Run cutting boards thorough your dishwasher or wash in very hot water soapy water
• When nationwide recalls for potential food poisoning are announced, check your fridge and when in doubt, throw it out
• Wash your hands before and after preparing raw foods of all types
• Wash your hands before you eat
• When in doubt, don’t eat it!

Final word, remember, one minute on your lips could lead to a lifetime of gut issues, ask yourself, is it worth it?

 

5. Avoid a “sleepy gut”

With the days of summer providing additional hours of sunlight it’s easy to fall into erratic sleeping patterns. This can lead to gut-sabotaging effects that poor sleep habits can create. Staying up late and sleeping in not only disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm but can change the messages the bacteria send to the brain.

Research shows that sleep disturbances are common among people with IBS. This includes difficulty falling asleep, frequently waking up, shorter sleep duration, and non-restorative sleep

The connection between the gut and sleep is part of the gut-brain axis. Research shows bacteria in the gut sends messages to the brain or the bacteria in the gut creates metabolites that travel to the brain.

Plus, during sleep the nervous system’s branch, the Parasympathetic Nervous System, controls the balance and repair of our bodies when at rest (i.e. asleep), also known as the ‘rest-and-digest’ response. 

A poor night’s sleep provides less time for your body to rest and digest which can worsen IBS symptoms.

Disruptions in sleep also causes changes to the gut-brain chatter. An increase in the stress-managing hormone cortisol and a decrease in the hormone melatonin and neurotransmitter serotonin.

Making a commitment to get seven to nine hours of sleep per night is the answer. However, if your summer fun has infringed on your sleep schedule it may be time to reset your circadian rhythm.

Here are some ideas to get you back on the sleep track:

ACTION TIPS

• Strive to keep consistency with bedtime and awakening (at least within 30-45 minutes)
• Set a timer in the evening as a reminder that it’s time to “decompress” by putting away electronics (phones, tablets, readers, all screens) at least one hour before bedtime
• Have at least 2, preferably 3 hours between last food/beverage of the evening to allow food to leave the stomach making sleeping easier process
• Cut off caffeine-containing beverages after noon since caffeine can linger for many hours causing alertness
• Avoid drinking alcohol near bedtime. Although it seems to help you fall asleep, alcohol actually disturbs sleep and, because it’s also a diuretic, you may have more nightly visits to the bathroom.
• Go for a walk or get outside first thing in the morning as exposure to light influences our circadian rhythms
• Get moving as exercise is the only proven way for adults to prolong deep sleep as long as vigorous exercise is not within 3 to 4 hours of bedtime

Final word, sleep is not negotiable! Be kind to your gut and make sleep as important as your nutrition.

My real final word!  

The foods of warmer weather months along with the grab, eat and go lifestyle of summer can be a challenge to keep a gut healthy and happy. Following the tips provided can contribute to making this a safer and healthier summer for you and your gut.

What’s the next step …

In closing, if you’re living with IBS, know that you’re not alone. Also, know you don’t have to learn to live with these symptoms.

Struggling with IBS is an option not inevitable conclusion!

My IBS was diagnosed over 45 years ago. I spent decades struggling before science discovered the microbiome and the FODMAP diet. These discovery’s coupled with learning how herbs and plants contain the natural remedy for relief of the common symptoms of IBS, has made me the master of my digestive universe.  

To learn how you can reduce unpleasant digestive symptoms and get back to enjoying life, click here to schedule a complimentary consultation. You can tell me your biggest gut challenge and I’ll share the first step to take to get closer to that happy gut!