Had Too Much Celebratory Food?

The holiday season usually means lots of extra eating; cookies and cakes, stuffing and potatoes, meats and cheeses, and wine and eggnog can be tempting and easy to overdo. Despite best intentions, overindulging, combined with the types of foods we eat during the holidays, can lead to a troubled digestion.

ChicagoHealers.com practitioner Tom Bayne, founder of Pure Balance Health Center, offers tips for helping ease stomach woes and aiding in healthy digestion.

> Walk it off. Walking helps food move along the digestive tract, improving digestion and absorption. For added benefits, walk while massaging your abdomen with your palms in a circle around your belly button.

> Drink herbal tea. Relieve that feeling of fullness with herbal teas that target your digestion. Steep one teaspoon each of mint, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, sage, and basil and in a cup of hot water. Drink after each meal to soothe and prevent bloating.

> Drink apple cider. Apple cider vinegar is traditionally used to remedy digestive distress, support liver detoxification, normalize digestive juices, and reduce intestinal bloating. Mix one tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar with 12 ounces of warm water, and drink in the morning on empty stomach. Feel free to add a little honey or maple syrup. Lemon water will also help.

> Eat right. After overdoing it, make sure to eat meals with fiber and protein to help your body recover from the overindulgence.

> Drink water. Though this is hardly a secret remedy for combating a hangover, it bears repeating. Alcohol dehydrates your system, so drinking plenty of water will help combat some of your unpleasant hangover symptoms, rehydrate your body, and flush out toxins. Drink a few glasses of room temperature, filtered water after a night of extravagance.